New rig more or less complete . . .

[tcsned]

Brad said that it should be shipping today. If it's here by Saturday I'll use it at the Halloween gig. The Mesa Mark III needed a couple of parts ordered before it's back up and running. My 2x12 Boogie cabinet seems to be functioning too so I don't think I need to re-cone the speakers. I just gave pickups and hardware to the guy building my new guitar. Just need to scrape up a few bucks to get Waldo's preamp. By the end of the year I should have a whole new rig makeover. Woo-Hoo!!!

[Tennessee Jedi]

Muhahahahhaha !
Let us know in detail how you like it

[tcsned]

Will do. If it's here for Halloween I'll try to get a good recording.

[JonnyBoy]

I have heard you (or of you) using some of the greatest amps in the world, I will be listening intently to see how it measures up. All these people can't be wrong though!!! If I didn't mod all my gear I would sell it and get one. This Economy has to turn soon enough!!!!
Congrats dude! Yes, Halloween recording.

[Tennessee Jedi]

I'm interested in knowing if it sounds good at lower volumes as compared to crank'd ..... and the 'verb too - what it sounds like ... I'm used to spring reverb style ...
Have fun Tom Dude

[tcsned]

I'm interested in knowing if it sounds good at lower volumes as compared to crank'd ..... and the 'verb too - what it sounds like ... I'm used to spring reverb style ...
Have fun Tom Dude

I would assume that the lower/higher volume differences have more to do with how it's being powered. If it's here this weekend I'll run it through my Mesa Mark IV power amp - it has a few different power options so I'll try a few out. The Mark III that is eventually going to be the slave for the preamp has a 50/100w switch, I'll probably mostly use 50w.

I'll keep you posted, if it's here this weekend the gig is probably going to be pretty packed and kinda loud but I'll test it at varying volume levels. I've always been a spring reverb guy too, I'm interested to see how this works.

[Chuckles]

Well, neither are exemplars of playing prowess, but here are a couple of recordings from my most recent gig with the SMS, one clean and one with a little delay, just to get an idea of the tone. I'm still dialing in what is essentially a completely foreign new rig compared to the stuff I've been playing for the last 30 years... and it's a hell of a lot of fun doing so!

http://ia700100.us.archive.org/14/items ... OnEyes.wav

http://ia700100.us.archive.org/14/items ... rShoes.wav

[tcsned]

Well, neither are exemplars of playing prowess, but here are a couple of recordings from my most recent gig with the SMS, one clean and one with a little delay, just to get an idea of the tone. I'm still dialing in what is essentially a completely foreign new rig compared to the stuff I've been playing for the last 30 years... and it's a hell of a lot of fun doing so!

http://ia700100.us.archive.org/14/items ... OnEyes.wav

http://ia700100.us.archive.org/14/items ... rShoes.wav

Sounds great! I love the Paul Simon tune - he's always been one of my favorite song writers. Nice playing too! Anticipation is killing me

I've been wanting to check you guys out for a while just can't seem to get a business trip to line up with a gig . . .

[tcsned]

WOOOT! It's here! I haven't had time to give a good test but I plugged it into the effect loop return of my Mesa Mark IV and played my PRS into it and I was really impressed. Way better than my TRRI. Has sparkle and clarity but not harsh or too edgy. I really like the reverb too - I have always been a spring reverb guy but this one sounds great - voiced perfectly for guitar. Even more good news, my Mesa Mark III head is all fixed up and ready to go so I'm going to give it a good test Saturday night at our Halloween gig. Still trying to decide which speaker cabinet to use. I have a Mesa 2x12 that I got back in the 80s w/the Mark III it's a half open half thiele closed back. The things a fucking tank and bigger and about heavy as the TRRI which I am considering using it as the speaker cabinet. Will probably use the Mesa. I'll try to get a good recording if it's not too chaotic getting set up, taking the kids trick-or-treating and getting back to the gig to play.

[Tennessee Jedi]

sweet
treble dimed bass - nada

[Tennessee Jedi]

Well, neither are exemplars of playing prowess, but here are a couple of recordings from my most recent gig with the SMS, one clean and one with a little delay, just to get an idea of the tone. I'm still dialing in what is essentially a completely foreign new rig compared to the stuff I've been playing for the last 30 years... and it's a hell of a lot of fun doing so!

http://ia700100.us.archive.org/14/items ... OnEyes.wav

http://ia700100.us.archive.org/14/items ... rShoes.wav

Checking out the Eyes right now Chuckles
Sounds clean n mean

[Rusty the Scoob]

sweet
treble dimed bass - nada

Yess!!! Yank those lows out. They sound good in your bedroom but they wreck the mix.

Jealous of the SMS... gradually working my way towards trying one for bass.

[tcsned]

OK, I gave it about an hour through the Mesa Mark III and 2x12 cab today and closer to gig volume. To paraphrase Dave Chappelle, "I wish I had more thumbs so I could give the SMS Classic Preamp 4 thumbs up!"

Man, this thing sounds better than any Twin I've played through. My guitar isn't really set up like Jerry's but with the middle Barden humbucker it sounded as close as this guitar has ever sounded. I'm not necessarily looking for an exact Jerry sound and play a lot of other stuff other than Grateful Dead and from my initial impression, I'm not taking anything else to a gig but this rig. Country stuff sounded perfect. Turning up the bass and using the neck pickup with the tone rolled off yielded some really tasty jazz tones. The lead pickup and the Dr. Swamp overdrive made for some blistering, balls-to-the-wall rock and roll. Pretty versatile for a box with 5 knobs.

I'll try to get a good recording tomorrow night at the Pine Tavern and give it a full gig workout.

Brad Sarno - you have really made an incredible preamp. I highly recommend it to all of you guys out there.

[tcsned]

I gave the new rig it's first gig test and it passed with flying colors! I had a little issue with the Roland GR-33, I think. It seemed to suck a little of the bottom out and made the high end a little less clear for some reason. It might be clipping somewhere along the chain but I didn't have time to chase it down as taking the kids trick-or-treating took most of my gig prep time (but well worth it). Once Even with the GR-33 issue I liked my clean sound more than I ever have. It worked great with the T-Rex Dr. Swamp too - nice grit but still a lot of clarity. Brad, you ROCK!!

I made a recording, it came out reasonable well. I had to set the computer where I couldn't get to it and adjust levels and for some reason the isolated drum mix didn't record. Next time, I'll have all the issues ironed out.
Sound check tunes:
Dark Hollow
http://www.vtcli.com/media/tom/01_Dark_Hollow.mp3
Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burnin' - T-Rex Dr. Swamp used throughout
http://www.vtcli.com/media/tom/02_Keep_Your_Lamps.mp3

Opener:
Bertha
http://www.vtcli.com/media/tom/03_Bertha.mp3

Fun jams:
Cassidy
http://www.vtcli.com/media/tom/04_Cassidy.mp3
Cumberland Blues-->Old Joe Clark-->Cumberland
http://www.vtcli.com/media/tom/06_Cumberland_Blues.mp3

[tcsned]

The guitar is starting to take shape too - I got Waldo's buffer in this week and went by a took a few pictures - of course all I had was the cell phone camera

with the top off


with the redwood top


and more...