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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
New/Old Fender tube amp
New/Old Fender tube amp
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messy ventura
14 posts
Aug 18, 2012
6:14 PM
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Anybody here own or ever " test drive " the new Fender Excelsior Pawn Shop amp ? Looks like it might be decent for the price and maybe even better with a couple of mods. Curious to hear some feedback or ideas for mods from the amp guys.
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messy ventura
15 posts
Aug 18, 2012
6:19 PM
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Just re-read this after posting and realized "hear some feedback" might be 3 unwelcomed words on this forum. Pun not intended. lol!
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dougharps
253 posts
Aug 18, 2012
11:01 PM
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I can't speak about the electronics and construction of this amp, so we need a technical review of those issues. My impressions about how it sounds with harp are obviously subjective.
I have played through one at a local music store with a variety of mics and through each of the 3 channels. IMO the guitar channel sounded best, but still too bright for my taste.
I think that the amp has potential, but I believe that it is voiced for guitar and has too much treble. I prefer a darker tone for amplified harp, more like a Bassman. I have a Gibson Explorer with 2-6V6s that finally gets that tone I like since I recently installed a Lil Buddy 10" speaker in it. Before that I thought that the Explorer was too bright, too, much as is the Excelsior.
I think that either the 15" speaker in the Excelsior is too bright, or the tone circuit doesn't cut enough highs or pass enough lows, or both.
The Excelsior has a bright switch, but even when that is off, the amp seemed to present too many high freq overtones. Even my favorite mic that has lots of low end sounded bright. However, it did break up nicely, and with the right speaker or tone circuit mod, it could sound quite good.
But the price is right on the Excelsior. If I didn't already have several tube PA heads and the Explorer I would consider getting an Excelsior, particularly if there is an easy tone circuit mod that would darken the tone. I would start checking for tone mods before exploring speaker swaps. A different 15" speaker could cost quite a bit.
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Doug S.
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dougharps
254 posts
Aug 20, 2012
12:54 PM
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I was hoping other players had tried the Excelsior so I could hear if my impressions agree with others. The amp looks cool, is relatively inexpensive ($300), and has 2-6V6s. It just seems a little bright in tone for my taste.
I also hoped that one of our amp gurus could comment on this amp. Maybe recommend a resister change to darken the tone?
bump
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Doug S.
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S-harp
59 posts
Aug 22, 2012
3:34 PM
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Well ...
I've got one ... and played it some ...
At first it's potential over charmed me!
Then it grew in me.
I do not agree about it's treable and overtones being to bright.
On the contrary, that's à good thing. With the right mic it really cuts through. With different mic à different animal. Cuped tight it gets dark and deep Blends in perfectly with à brass section.
Huge bottom end. Made me start playing my low keyes again, now with that punch that makes it work. Also fine with double bass harp.
For me two types of mics work. A Dutch Ronette crystal and just any 57, mine beeing 545. Hi or low dynamic sounds about the same, just turn volume up when low.
I will swap tubes and see what happens. Of course!
But the thing is ... It got it!
But, like with most amps, a matching mic makes à difference.
It has no tone controls., just volume. I solved that with my HCIII, but it works fine without.
U get what U pay for ... it's à cheap amp, just how I like 'em
It had some rattle ... had to tighten most screews, replace a bad (Cinese) 6v6 ... it gets dings when in and out of cars ... the tolex get scratched easily and it could use à protective board on back.
Is it loud? Well, of course ... but in à band way too loud U will get heard just below feedback, with a warm dark tone ... but with all dynamics out the door. It is a bit high gain, but still on the right side.
Can't compeate with an angry drummer or a guitarist on steroids. That gets boring after some songs.
In those cases I bring my 410 DeVille ...
Smaller - medium gigs ... yes.
Still, it's beyond à practise amp. It gets loud before breaking up. So I use LW Harp Octave when early breake up is needed. Works fine.
I also like it's acoustic tone, meaning a dynamic mic played handheld but open. Good warm tone.
It had what I was looking for and didn't have ... a medium sized amp for recordings and medium sized gigs ... with à viriaty in tone from different playing styles and mic of choice.
But don't listen to me ,,, I'm really neardy about my acoustic sound and tone and the state of my harps ... and then perhaps one or two of my mics ... or three ... But when it comes to amps I just adapt and play. If the amp got it or not ... that's it! A band and crowd get tired real quick only seeing Mr Harp bent over his tone knobs all the time. In that case just get a Mesa Boggie and realy get into it.
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The tone, the tone ... and the Tone
Last Edited by on Aug 22, 2012 3:50 PM
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S-harp
61 posts
Aug 22, 2012
5:31 PM
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Great site about the Excelsior.
I'm hopeless when it comes to amp's insides ... bias, trafos, caps and what not.
Good thing about self adjusting bias? Means it's ok to just change tubes?
I've got two 6v6 on the way. Will be interresting. Also got a few single 6v6 ... is it à must to have matched pairs?
Read about swapping the V1 to à 12AY7 ... Is it worth it?
Well, that should be enough questions ... hrrmm ...
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The tone, the tone ... and the Tone
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bloozefish
38 posts
Aug 23, 2012
10:38 AM
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just one man's experience, but I think the whole thing about matching output tubes is way over-rated, assuming of course that the two 6V6s are working properly. I paid big bucks for a matched pair, and they didn't sound better than two unmatched but good quality NOS RCAs I had laying around.
The amp gurus may have a different opinion on this, however.
james
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