GreeneKing Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 (edited) I've starting with a new band (punk/metal covers - at my age!) and at our 1st practice I noticed a tendency for the amp to distort on the clean channel. I wondered what experience others have with these heads. I was using a Jazz with Wizard 84/Thumper reversed P/J combination and a U Retro. The bass output is heavily mid focused anyway and I favour flat treble, slightly boosted bass and a large touch of lower mid boost to give me a penetrating but non too harsh rock tone. The U Retro is modified by John to give me a 3 way switching pickup selection and I use both pickups most of the time and the P p'up for some of the more punk numbers (it has a blend too). With the gain set well below the clipping light level and any setting on the master volume I'm getting distortion coming through the cabinet and it's most definitely the amp (I've done some comprehensive checks on the cab which is totally awesome). If I back right off on the gain on the amp or the mids on the bass he distortion goes away. I'm going to try doing all my EQing on the amp at our next session and see if that makes a difference. I'll also try this with the bass in passive. I've always done my tonal shaping on the bass but maybe I need to switch to doing it on the amp with the Aggie? I've heard that the Aguilars used at the London Bass Show were distorting in a similar way too so I suspect it's not an issue with this particular head which is new and otherwise great. Has anyone else noticed a tendency for their Aggie head to distort below the clipping level possibly when a big signal or heavy low mids are thrown into it? The guys in the band were totally awed by the rig once I'd managed to dial out the distortion that I mistakenly thought was a cab issue. But, Teenage Kicks into your late 50's shouldn't be allowed, however 'cool' a Dad you may be [b]Edited to add[/b], I've had a play at home with low master volumes but high mid bass output and amp gain and the issue clearly is clipping that starts before the lamp flickers. If I reduce the bass mids or switch it to passive and use the amp lower mids it's fine, if not quite as 'strong' as I like it. A twin channel 500W Markbass coped admirably with these bass settings. Peter Edited March 30, 2012 by GreeneKing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkThrust Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 [quote name='GreeneKing' timestamp='1333094149' post='1597131'] Teenage Kicks into your late 50's shouldn't be allowed, however 'cool' a Dad you may be [/quote] I've played it in my 20s, 30s and 40s and no doubt I'll be playing it in my 50s and 60s as well Can't help you with the amp though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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