[7StringofAblicK]

I don't have a UL, but I definitely use an OD in front to tighten it up. HOwever, since mine is a CL, the lows aren't overbearing at all. But then again, I keep them around 9:00 o'clock.

I will say that it is VERY picky when it comes to pups. Mine loves EMGs, but the carvin sounds so so (stock). The gain very much dictates the sound, too, although I keep mine around half. With that said, I use the OD in front as a clean boost - meaning, the gain is on zero.

[7 Dying Trees]

Originally Posted by blackrobedone

And since I already dropped the 2K, as I said, I will take the plunge with the VHT cabinet and new tubes. I never said it was not a good amp, for certain things. There are Electro-Harmonix KT88s and Tung Sol 12AX7s in it now. One of the problems I'm having though, for you fellow VHT owners who actually followed this to the bitter end, is the gain has to be set just right for the amp not to fart out with you hit a low power chord. Sound familiar, or is my amp f'd?

Thanks stitch.

That is kind of bizarre, I can see the amp being not as bright as mesa definately, but the farting out really is weird, I find mine to be a lot less boomy than mesa/5150's etc etc. I'd have a look at the depth setting, and drastically reduce that, as well as really start with the EQ on neutral and then slowly bring the bass in. I mean, it has got a lot of bass to it, but if it's farting out, it's mainly having too much I'd say.

If you shoot me your settings, I can have a play around at home as I think my hotplate has arrived!

Also, this is through a mesa cab yes? v30's? If so, and it really doesn't work well through them I may have to rethink my current desire to get a v30 loaded orange cab!

[blackrobedone]

It acts similarly through a Mesa or a Marshall 1960 cab or a cheap Ampeg cab - I think the Mesa cabs are great.

I will try an overdrive pedal with the gain at 0. I tried different overdrives but I used them as I use them with my other amps, with the gain up about halfway. It has a lot of bite too it already (memories of 5150), unlike a Mesa or Marshall without an OD. That's why I decided against using an OD in the end.

I can only get a good sound off the rhythm channel too. On the lead channel with the gain up, say if I hit an F power chord on the first fret, it sounds like shit tastes. I can get that flavor on the rhythm channel too with the wrong gain/volume combination. It sounds like I'm using a distortion pedal with the gain too high really (maybe instead of saying "farting out" like the whoomp-whoomp of a Mesa without OD, I should say and coin the phrase "sharting out" which sounds like running a distortion pedal through a distorted amp).

So for the rhythm channel - from memory - I had the gain on 6, the volume on 7, treble on 4, mid on 5, and bass on 4. I tried a lot of different combos with the depth and presence too. The switches were set to boost and high gain. I had the EQ off to keep it simple.

With that setting and no effects I can get a sound that's pretty similar to but better than my JCM 800 with an overdrive and a noise suppressor. I had expected more though, and hopefully some of you dudes can help me get it, then we can form the VHT Militia take on the world, with our heavy metal!

'preciate ya.

[7StringofAblicK]

maybe even try turning the bass down more? hm...

what kind of pups in the guitar? with EMGs, i run the gain on mine about 4ish. The mids at 5 should sound good, although as you turn them up, the highs need to come down a touch because it adds brightness.

[blackrobedone]

I've played it with EMGs in the infamous showdown from the title, but I've also used Gibson Iommis and whatever they put in the US Wolfgang. The settings that I mentioned worked well with the Iommis.

[7StringofAblicK]

man, maybe it's just not the amp for you