Hi all!
So I thrifted this SWR SM400s a few weeks ago. Paid 200 Euro including a Gator case, cables and a Workingman's 4x10T. Seriously, who would donate a complete SWR rig to a charity shop?
I guess the owner thought it was worthless because it seemed defective. I plugged it in and it almost had no power at all. It sounded like a 15 watt combo while I had the master dimed. After some basic investigation I noticed the supplied cable (banana plug to jack) uses the Bridged output while the output selector was set on Stereo. One flick of the switch and it was party time! It seems to have heaps of headroom!!
The sound of this amp was quite dated though. I couldn't get the low-mids right. Then I found this thread. I installed a 3-way switch: SWR-voicing - Muthafunk setting - Harley bypass. It was nerve-wrecking to solder on such a beautiful board. I somehow butchered it in. I wiggled the cables and it seems to hold.
I just finished the mod and I am very pleased with the result so far. I have yet to try it with my band but I am already convinced this will make this amp twice as effective in a heavy rock setting. I need that 200Hz as our guitarist has relatively clean and lean sound for a rock guitarist. I am so happy I can use the EQ to mould my own mid dip now.
Hereby I would like to thank SNCpre, Walter Harley and Muthafunk. This is great stuff!!!
So I thrifted this SWR SM400s a few weeks ago. Paid 200 Euro including a Gator case, cables and a Workingman's 4x10T. Seriously, who would donate a complete SWR rig to a charity shop?
I guess the owner thought it was worthless because it seemed defective. I plugged it in and it almost had no power at all. It sounded like a 15 watt combo while I had the master dimed. After some basic investigation I noticed the supplied cable (banana plug to jack) uses the Bridged output while the output selector was set on Stereo. One flick of the switch and it was party time! It seems to have heaps of headroom!!
The sound of this amp was quite dated though. I couldn't get the low-mids right. Then I found this thread. I installed a 3-way switch: SWR-voicing - Muthafunk setting - Harley bypass. It was nerve-wrecking to solder on such a beautiful board. I somehow butchered it in. I wiggled the cables and it seems to hold.
I just finished the mod and I am very pleased with the result so far. I have yet to try it with my band but I am already convinced this will make this amp twice as effective in a heavy rock setting. I need that 200Hz as our guitarist has relatively clean and lean sound for a rock guitarist. I am so happy I can use the EQ to mould my own mid dip now.
Hereby I would like to thank SNCpre, Walter Harley and Muthafunk. This is great stuff!!!
Last edited:
