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Thunderfunk 550b on the way...

#121
To further discuss the "value" of a Thunderfunk, Vic really has it right about the EQ. The timbre knob has an almost magic touch at finding the right sound anytime in any room. Everyone seems to agree that the amp sounds great running flat and a minor adjustment on the timbre, enhance, or tube/ss "switch" is what makes the difference when comparing it to other amps. These 3 additions to the EQ are almost like having a fine tuner for tone, so to speak, and it's what makes the Thunderfunk special.The tone stays consistent, regardless of the volume....and it is loud if you so desire! In addition, there is a feeling that Dave takes a lot of pride in his creation since he builds it himself and continues to improve on the product through suggestions and comments from his customers. By no means am I slamming GK, or any other manufacturer for that matter, but to make an analogy, what's the difference between your grandma's homemade chocolate chip cookie or a Chip's Ahoy?
 
#122
Mr_Dave said:
Mate a long shot that hit home!!!

I go to the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne doing the jazz/improv course. Volmer was in the year above me at college!!!:eek: :)

I did a funny trad jazz gig and a did a production with him once as well, hes a good player, and a fun guy too! say hi to him for me. I can't believe that what a funny coincidence.: cool:
Click to expand...

Heh, who woulda thunk it. I have an acoustic style show with him this evening. I'll let him know you said hi. Your name's Dave Evans, correct?

PS: My thunderfunk is also dead quiet. The only way I notice LED weirdness is if I unplug it, then start flipping "the switch". It lights up the LED when I do so. I figured it was just bleeding off some stored juice.
 
#123
well, its taken a while, but I'll be playing my TF 550 again this weekend at church and instead of the aggies I will bring the Bergies to try with the funk.

I don't know if its my headcold or my amp, probably my head, but when I first turned on my amp today at home hooked up to the two bergies it sounded too heavy. after a while it sounded a bit lighter?? might be my cheap preamp in my vietnamese guitar. I'm puting a bartolini preamp in it soon!!

why dress up a piece of poo? when it doesn't look like one, just kinda sounds like one for now, but I love the body and neck job. sorry I don't have picks. its a three tone natural woodgrain finish with two kinds of wood stripes running up the body and up the thrubody neck. black pickups and tuners, rosewood fretboard?
 
#125
My 550b arrived earlier this week. I own one of the very first 550a's (at the time, it was called the 420EU... which is now heading to TBer Vision!) and also own a later model 550a... so I've been in the TF family for quite a while now.

My initial take on the 550b is the same as when Vic and I did our A/B at Tom's house a while back.... the tone/volume between the A and the B is virtually identical... although there does seem to be a very slight increase in low mid girth when the B is cranked... but again very subtle. I may notice this more out on the gig though.

However, the other upgrades are very nice and significant IMO... the lack of a pre EQ DI was a significant negative to me on the previous models, and the mute switch and the more integrated look of the 'switch' is also very nice. I also notice that Dave continues to do slight upgrades on the wonderful fit and finish... for example, the B now has very nice, rugged, screw mounted 'side' feet for non-rack use, versus the 'stick on' feet of previous models.

All in all, the B is a nice, subtle upgrade and marks another level of Dave's 'continuous improvement' philosophy for his very nice product.

The 'B' gets an 'A+' from me.
 
#131
I wish I was better with words... Played my TF550 and Bergie 112s at church and it sounded even nicer than the Aguilar 112s, close, but better. actually prefer the "tube" setting on the TF for the bergies.

EDIT: actually I'm switching BACK to TF/Aggies at church, better bottom, rounder sound.
 
#132
here is another followup with the TF/Bergies. I've decided to switch back to the Aggies at church because it seems the bergies can't handle all of the lows I'm asking them to play. when I hit some strong low notes (4 string) the bass kinda goes thin for a moment. is that the bergies? or the TF? I'll try switching back to aggies first then the eden 550 if that doesn't solve the problem.

p.s. I also got my new bartolini pre in my bass and new hipshot tuners!!!
 
#133
Mcrelly said:
here is another followup with the TF/Bergies. I've decided to switch back to the Aggies at church because it seems the bergies can't handle all of the lows I'm asking them to play. when I hit some strong low notes (4 string) the bass kinda goes thin for a moment. is that the bergies? or the TF? I'll try switching back to aggies first then the eden 550 if that doesn't solve the problem.

p.s. I also got my new bartolini pre in my bass and new hipshot tuners!!!
Click to expand...

Do you have the compressor engaged?.... it might be choking off the loud low notes. Turn your gain down a notch and turn the master up a touch and see if that improves it.
 
#135
Mcrelly said:
wow, I didn't think about that!

come to think of it the master did seem a little low. i.e. hot gain.

thanks!

seriously!
Click to expand...
Yeah, when that limiter kicks in, it's not necessarily "musical". It's not designed to be used as a compressor, it's designed to prevent distortion, so yeah, you really don't want that kicking on much if at all. I like to set the gain to where the limiter just blinks when I really dig in a bit "too much", and even then I back it off just a bit for a little extra headroom. Then I use the master as the "volume control" and this has never failed me.
 
#136
I typically run master at 5-6, and input at about 3-4...I get most of my dynamics and volume changes from right hand technique.
I think I run the compressor off, but it's been a long time since I looked...
 
#137
Chef said:
I typically run master at 5-6, and input at about 3-4...I get most of my dynamics and volume changes from right hand technique.
I think I run the compressor off, but it's been a long time since I looked...
Click to expand...

+1 The TF compressor circuit (really a limiter from what I hear) is strange. It actually fattens up the tone when the switch is engaged, even when the circuit doesn't kick in (i.e., when the 'limiting' LED does not flash).

Per Vic's comment... I have mine on all the time, but have it set so that the LED flashes (i.e., actual limiting takes place) only on the hardest hits on the lowest notes of the E string and B string... primarily for speaker protection and to clean up the lowest/loudest notes.

Strange how engaging that switch actually fattens the tone at any gain setting. I don't quite understand it, but I sure do like it!:bassist:
 
#139
KJung said:
Do you have the compressor engaged?.... it might be choking off the loud low notes. Turn your gain down a notch and turn the master up a touch and see if that improves it.
Click to expand...

Good call - I played my TFunk\Berg 112 rig out in a crappy sounding room over the weekend. Brought the timbre back from 10 o'clock to almost noon and it really seemed to clear things up. We were playing pretty loud and those low notes were big, powerful and tight sounding. You should get plenty of lows out of that rig...
 
#140
Alexander said:
Good call - I played my TFunk\Berg 112 rig out in a crappy sounding room over the weekend. Brought the timbre back from 10 o'clock to almost noon and it really seemed to clear things up. We were playing pretty loud and those low notes were big, powerful and tight sounding. You should get plenty of lows out of that rig...
Click to expand...

+1.. that Timbre control is wonderful for quickly adjusting for room acoustics, or for voicing the head for different cabs.

For my Epi410UL, which is very upper mid present with a tight low end... I put the Timbre just a touch (not even to 11 o'clock) to the left... it just softens the upper mids and treble a touch, and widens the low end just a little bit... perfect.

For the Schroeder 1212L, which is quite low mid present and lacks somewhat in upper mid clarity, the Timbre at 1 o'clock with a little bit of bass boost does a wonderful job 'flattening out' that cab. This Timbre setting (without the bass boost) seems to work well with my 's' series Bergs also... adding a little more upper mid definition while taming that very wide, big low end... although those cabs' low efficiency makes the TF match-up less than optimum for me.... they like more juice!

For the Schroeder 21012L, which is quite balanced all the way around, the Timbre at flat seems to work great.

I continue to be amazed at how good this head sounds with very, very differently voiced cabs!
 

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