Grateful Dead Music Forum

Pete B. wrote:My best advice for bedroom tone using the typical "practice amp" style of amps, is to get two amps, and run them in stereo (with a stereo 'verb/deley).
I use two Danelectro Nifty-Fifty amps (no built in 'verb), but any two amps would work (you may need to use a 3-to-2 plug on one amp to eliminate buzz).

Wow. GREAT advice. Now I want another Pro Jr to apply this

I don't even bring my amps into the house anymore. They take up too much space and invariably they get too loud for someone.

What works great for me is to plug straight into my iMac and play through Garageband. Of course you need a decent set of speakers but those are pretty cheap and readily available. Lot's of plusses here:
1. It's very easy to match the volume with whatever I'm playing to in my iTunes library.
2. If I really want to work on something, I can drop the song into Garageband and loop a section to really nail a part.
3. Up and running/jamming in under a minute
4. No additional space requirements
5. only additional equipment needed is a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter
6. for anybody that writes, Garageband is an excellent tool to put tracks down quickly and easily.

Jam on

John in San Diego

Any +1's on the fender vibro-champ XD 120v? They are right in the same range as the gdec (under 2 bills)

Go for the g-dec- you can play with headphones, you can play to your ipod AND the g-dec models a blackface and the vibro champ xd does not (if you going for some Jerry tone)- I had one and returned it for the g-dec. I was skeptical too but I listened to Johnny Boy and already had the $100 g-dec model..set the blackface setting with reverb and their was essentially the bedroom Jerry tone!
To not annoy your wife, you need an amp with headphones and I just got the g-dec thirty and it is loaded with options and you can paly along to 100 different loops and make your own loop etc..but the $100 model is totally fun and worth it- go try one..
tx,
friesman

.

My GDEC-3 15 arrived today. The latest eBay GAS. I found a floor model/demo. It was basically being sold as used (-$100) but it in brand new condition. I just received it and plugged it in. Wow! What a variety of tones and low, low volume. I cannot wait to play around some more with it. Apparently there is an online community that creates and uploads patches (effect chains, amp settings, etc) so that you can download. I will give some more insight as I familiarize myself a little more with it. It came just in time for the weekend!

brutusbuck45 wrote:Apparently there is an online community that creates and uploads patches (effect chains, amp settings, etc) so that you can download.

You're correct brutus http://www.mygdec.com/

you can download an excel file under file repository ..

I just played the new Fender Gdec 30 and that thing is the coolest amp I've played in a long while. I COULD dial in a jerry tone with ease as it lets you incrementally add in treble mids and bass very very precisely, on top of the many fender tones you can choose from. All kinds of different ways to manipulate the sound. It also has HUNDREDS of cool practice loops, a full recording thingy with a removable SD card. What a cool amp. Yes its all modeled but it is done right. Gotta have it. I have a Gdec Jr, the first of the series and have raved about it in the past, they out did themselves this time, again IMO. start at $299 the top of the line $399.

Hey Brutus,

You can use for fender twin model: It's off the the spreadsheet on mygdec.com For Jerry tone, back off the bass a bit..

tx,
friesman

Amp Type Blackface 1
Gain 5.5
Volume 9.0
Bass 6.5
Midrange 5.9
Treble 8.0
Compression Off
Timbre Full Body
Noise Gate Low
Effects None
Reverb 63 Spring (to taste)

Friesman wrote:Hey Brutus,

You can use for fender twin model: It's off the the spreadsheet on mygdec.com For Jerry tone, back off the bass a bit..

tx,
friesman

Amp Type Blackface 1
Gain 5.5
Volume 9.0
Bass 6.5
Midrange 5.9
Treble 8.0
Compression Off
Timbre Full Body
Noise Gate Low
Effects None
Reverb 63 Spring (to taste)

Sweet! Thanks, Friesman! I just got myself a 6'er of Key West Sunset Ale (fellow Floridians may know of it), and I am going to settle in for a fun-filled evening. Also, Fries, there is the community directly
linked off Fender's page:

https://fuse.fender.com/

The Fuse software allows you to interface directly (via USB) to the amp. So you can make changes to the software on the fly that are made, real-time, on the amp. Cool stuff! And it is a recording interface
also. That can be tracked into any ASIO recorder, Garage Band, Pro Tools, Audacity. Super Sweet!

brutusbuck45 wrote:https://fuse.fender.com/

The Fuse software allows you to interface directly (via USB) to the amp. So you can make changes to the software on the fly that are made, real-time, on the amp. Cool stuff! And it is a recording interface
also. That can be tracked into any ASIO recorder, Garage Band, Pro Tools, Audacity. Super Sweet!

Enjoy that Sunset Ale!

Thanks for this! I've had my g-dec for a month or so and just haven't jumped in to masses of capabilities and I need to!
tx,
friesman

damn guys, i was all set to pick up a vibro champ (mostly becasue it's a real tube--never had one), and now you got me leaning to the gdec again.
I will have to wait til after this weekend, i've been bugging the ol lady tryin to explain all the different amps and she might help me actually get a blues jr---i pulled the old 'well i could get this small amp that would be good for now OR get this awesome amp that would last the rest of my life!' she said she'll see, i'm still not sure if i really need one that big anyway, but it would be cool
PS. that line also works for fishing gear

vwjodyme wrote:damn guys, i was all set to pick up a vibro champ (mostly becasue it's a real tube--never had one), and now you got me leaning to the gdec again.
I will have to wait til after this weekend, i've been bugging the ol lady tryin to explain all the different amps and she might help me actually get a blues jr---i pulled the old 'well i could get this small amp that would be good for now OR get this awesome amp that would last the rest of my life!' she said she'll see, i'm still not sure if i really need one that big anyway, but it would be cool
PS. that line also works for fishing gear

Honestly, a Pro Jr is a phenominal amp period. The Blues Jr. is also a nice amp and with a few mods or upgrades, shines! Stock, they are just damn good amps. IMO, the Blues Jr would make for the perfect amp for your situation - great at home and if you ever need more you'll have it!

Friesman wrote:Hey Brutus,

You can use for fender twin model: It's off the the spreadsheet on mygdec.com For Jerry tone, back off the bass a bit..

tx,
friesman

Amp Type Blackface 1
Gain 5.5
Volume 9.0
Bass 6.5
Midrange 5.9
Treble 8.0
Compression Off
Timbre Full Body
Noise Gate Low
Effects None
Reverb 63 Spring (to taste)

Friesman-

I was just messing around with the Fuse software. Your Jerry settings are nice. In fact, they very similar to an out of the box preset named FunkyOldTwin (#31). With my '86 E-Ser. MIJ Strat, it is just begging to jam along to Europe '72!

If you haven't played around with the Fuse software yet, I made all the settings change on the software and they updated, real-time on the amp. I can choose to save the settings or not...

I thought about the pro jr, but only having two knobs scares me...can you have much control over tone with 2 knobs? That's why i was also considering the vibro champ becasue it has zillions of settings that supposidly can dial in several tons of different tones for $175.

when i get into pro jr territory for 350, the blues jr is only 100 (450) more, and a used hot rod deluxe is only 30 (480) more, is there really a big difference between them? am i starting to get more than what i really need? do 15w tube amps even sound good at low volume?