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Meet the New Amp, Same as the Old Amp

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 11:10 pm
by VikingBlues
I was missing it too much. :tears: AT least every couple of days for the past few months I would pine for the lost sounds. :cry:
Meet the New Amp
Meet the New Amp
100_0472_sm.jpg (354.2 KiB) Viewed 12245 times
So this arrived today - absolutely beautiful, wonderful sounds. :drool: :drool:

I'm pleased to say, having bit the bullet and got another one, that I hadn't built the XD up in my memory as better than it was. If anything the real thing is better than I remember it. Though I'm afraid that in order to do this the Blues Junior III has gone - I had to be ruthless - the BJIII would have been a very good amp for gigging or if I lived somewhere I could let it rip - but neither of those is the case. I think the BJ is too good an amp for my playing skills - needs the likes of a Blindboy or TytlBlues to get the best from it. It's gone to a good home though so it'll be happier where it is now! :thumbsup:

And I can now consign the sonic horrors of the X2 warranty replacement for my old XD to the dustbin of my memory. If this XD develops a fault which doesn't affect the sound when playing there's no way I'll agree to a replacement with a different amp under warranty. I got a very nice deal on this XD too at £244 new (the normal for the X2 new just now is £310).

I'll admit if someone had walked up to my door with a used XD and offered a straight swap with the new BJIII I'd have said yes immediately. But then I've always had weird tastes! :big_smile:

Re: Meet the New Amp, Same as the Old Amp

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 11:28 pm
by Blindboy
Right on! :beer:
Glad you got an amp you really like.
VikingBlues wrote:I'll admit if someone had walked up to my door with a used XD and offered a straight swap with the new BJIII I'd have said yes immediately. But then I've always had weird tastes!
Not so weird... I'm trying to find a buyer for my Fender Prosonic so I can pay for the BJ that DeaconBlues modded. The Prosonic is worth a lot more money, and is much more powerful (and is more versatile). The BJ has sounds that I like, is MUCH easier to carry around, and has just enough power that I can turn it up enough to get the tubes singing without being too loud for the bars we play.
It is all about getting the gear that is right for you, not having gear that is prestigious but that you can't use.
Enjoy your XD, and I hope to hear some sweet sounds from it soon. :thumbsup:

Re: Meet the New Amp, Same as the Old Amp

Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:31 pm
by VikingBlues
Blindboy wrote:It is all about getting the gear that is right for you, not having gear that is prestigious but that you can't use.
Enjoy your XD, and I hope to hear some sweet sounds from it soon. :thumbsup:
Wise words there - makes so much sense. Makes me feel a bit less dumb too - thanks. :D

I wish the surroundings in a guitar store were more like my home - would make to easier to gauge sounds on gear I'm trying. Tone AND volume. There are so many hard reflective surfaces in a shop - hardly like a living room - more like my kitchen .... I better not start playing in there! :yikes:

Tried out her DI voice from the line out tonight - don't want to upset the neighbours. Seems to be in good voice to me. No tweaking AT ALL in the DAW and no pedals - all just a Hot Rod voice on the SCXD and reverb at lowish 3 setting. Strat first part and PRS SE the second. Just a noodle on a 2 minute BT. Proper recordings may follow in due course.

download/file.php?id=2517

Re: Meet the New Amp, Same as the Old Amp

Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 2:40 am
by Pena
Mamaaaaa, I want a Fender Super Champ XD too... can I, can I, can I... please :big_smile:
All I can say is... WOOOOOOOW. :music2:
Now I'm in a hurry to work, but I'll get back after that.
Cheers Pena

Re: Meet the New Amp, Same as the Old Amp

Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 8:46 am
by VikingBlues
Thanks Pena - I'm so glad I tracked one down. :cool:

In the interests of balance - the clean channel - a minute or so snippet. Also Line Out and no FX / tweaks with the DAW.
download/file.php?id=2519

Re: Meet the New Amp, Same as the Old Amp

Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 3:35 pm
by Pena
Okey, back to the business.
The example #1, was the one that made me say; WHAT... great notes, great playing and the tone WOOOOOOW :clap:
Made a Google search of the amp, and yep that's the amp I need.
So many good sounds from the amplifier voicings :chicken:
Have a 25W Fender Reverb, and now way I can play it quiet enough without getting my next door neigbour to my throat :D
I'm thinking that this 15W with tubes and voicings would be better for me? :think: :icon_whoknows:
OK, though BB King has been singing several times: The Thrill Is Gone, somehow after hearing it so many times, I started to believe it.
But now, with these Fender voicings, looks like The Thrill Is Back For Me :lefty:
After I press submit button for this post, I'm gonna order me a Super Champ XD too... hyssss, not so loud, Mrs might hear :rofl:
Nothing that a big hug and few kisses can't heal with ladies, right :thumbsup:
Cheers Pena

Re: Meet the New Amp, Same as the Old Amp

Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 4:41 pm
by VikingBlues
Best amp I've ever had!

There are still a few new ones around here in the UK, but I did have to search quite a few pages of Google as the amp is discontinued. Big stores didn't have them, but some of the one off independent stores still did, and I landed one. :phew:

By the way - do NOT think that you'll get the same sounds from the model that's replaced it. The Super Champ X2 is quite a different sounding amp and, despite the fact it's heralded as now better as it works with FUSE software and as a USB interface, for me the X2 was not at all right. A lot of people do like the X2 so it's down to personal taste - I just didn''t like the sounds I got with it however I tried to tweak them.

If I can get dirtier bluesy tones with an XD then anyone can! :roll:

Good luck with the search. :fingerscrossed:

Re: Meet the New Amp, Same as the Old Amp

Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 9:23 pm
by HalfBlindLefty
Congrats VB :big_smile:

Now there is only one thing to desire, a 12 inch speakercab for your little buddy :cool: That makes a lot of difference,
Although I still use Cybie most of the time and I've quit the band, my champ is staying for now. The only thing that could make me sell it is the purchase of a Deluxe Reverb.
I'm amazed with your playing in both pieces. Awesome. +++kuddos I should recuperate and start playing more myself, No I will. Been missing this a lot in the back of my mind.


Remember my little "power" trio ?
Image

Mhh just remembered I still have to answer your last Email.... sorry :shy: As you know I'm a bit absent minded lately :dance:

Re: Meet the New Amp, Same as the Old Amp

Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 7:33 am
by VikingBlues
That's a real vote of confidence in the SCXD that it would take an amp with the status/price level of the Deluxe Reverb to replace it.

I must admit I find it baffling that Fender have discontinued the SCXD and brought in such a different sounding replacement in the X2 - all part of this awful progress that every amp has to be connected to a computer I suppose! :roll:

I agree the speaker is the weak link in the chain ... though with no surplus gear left to sell would be a while before funds might be available. Maybe I should follow your lead and do some DIY. :icon_whoknows: The storage issue also kicks in with a larger speaker cab - one of the nice things about the SCXD and the VCXD is they fit perfectly together in a smallish wooden cabinet in the living room window recess. We've had that piece of furniture for years but it's like it was designed for a perfect fit with these two amps.

Amazing how much it boosts my own playing when there's a guitar or amp that really suits me. It's an incentive to play better when there's the immediate sound back at me from such a great sounding amp. :big_smile:

No rush as far as e-mails go BTW - worry not! :thumbsup:

Re: Meet the New Amp, Same as the Old Amp

Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 12:25 am
by MichaelRobinson
Both recordings sound good. The clean-sounding, I think best. It seems that you are happy with your DX and get to your sound as you want it.
I wish you good luck with your new friend

Re: Meet the New Amp, Same as the Old Amp

Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 9:07 am
by VikingBlues
Thanks Michael - there's nothing like getting a real strong connection with a piece of gear. :cool: Certainly helps the creative process and encourages playing anyway.
........................................................

I would be grateful if any of you guys could help and lend me their ears for a few minutes. :D

I've Started to play around with a new Backing track - "Minor Dreams" by David Wallimann. Took the opportunity, although volume levels had to be low, to try some microphone recording off the SCXD as I've only posted up sounds from Line Out so far on this amp.

I've got two recordings linked below - one close mic'ed, the other with the microphone further from the speaker. Limited how far I could take the microphone from the speaker because of the low volume though - probably only around 8".

Is it my imagination or do I hear benefits from more "air" in the distance mic'ed recording? :icon_whoknows: Guitar (the Hagstrom) and amp tone controls and volumes are the same for the two recordings - the interface recording level is up a bit to compensate for the loss of volume from the microphone being further away.

Close Mic'ed
https://www.box.com/s/u1daxuwdep7ivdyc0nhx

Distance Mic'ed
https://www.box.com/s/xldwypjppfvbcpf31t6c

I was just listening to these. I've not helped the comparison by (a) changing pickup selection during each recording and (b) not playing anything like the same guitar lines on the two recordings. I had panned the close mic'ed track left and the distance mic'ed one right with the thought of editing a mix into one recording, but the two imrpovs were so different that it didn't work musically doing that. :roll:

It's like that with an improv - in the early stages it's very much improv and very different each time. The more I play around with a backing track the more various patterns and ideas stick, and usually by the time of recording it's become difficult to play an improv that doesn't follow a set of ideas that are stuck in my head - so although it's definitely not note for note the same each time it's almost not an improv any more.

Re: Meet the New Amp, Same as the Old Amp

Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 10:03 am
by HalfBlindLefty
VB,

I didn't listen yet, my laptop is decoupled form the rest of setup because I'm downstairs working on the invitationcards for my eldest daughters wedding. :dance:
Using the laptop's speakers to judge on a sound diference isn't the best way.
But : I know from my own experience that air between the mic and the speaker makes the sound better in a number of ways. It seems fuller, more real.
It resembles what you hear much closer than mics almost against the cone.

I'm using some distance between my mics and the speakers for quite some time now.
Sometimes I even place a room mic and mix that in later on in the process.

Re: Meet the New Amp, Same as the Old Amp

Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 5:57 pm
by MichaelRobinson
Both are sweet. I think the set with microphone close sounds fuller in tone towards it a bit away from