392-Are You Powering Your Amp Correctly? - 101

[@professorgillsguitargearga6388]

59:58 I recommend carrying a Killawatt meter in your gig bag if you’re worried/confused about using a multimeter and are scared you could end up like Booji Boy sticking a fork in a toaster. A Killawatt is only 40 bucks and plugs direct into a wall outlet. It’s also very helpful for measuring actual voltage output from a Variac as a Variac’s calibration can drift and the knob indication may not be the actual,voltage!

[@professorgillsguitargearga6388]

55:55 In his first Guitar Player magazine interview in 1978, Ed Van Halen said “I use voltage generators, which can crank my amps up to 130 or 140 volts. Amps sound like nothing else when they are cranked up so high.” In the original issue of GP, this was accompanied by an editor’s note warning people NOT to this as one could risk electrocution and expensive amo damage. Unfortunately when the article was reprinted in the Positively Van Halen GP special issue in late 1984, the warning was gone. Hence the great transformer shortage in 1985, and the premature deaths of numerous guitarists named Sparky, Jakki and Frtiz. Ed was lying - he always decreased the voltage to 89-90 volts (and adjusted the bias for the lower voltage). It’s questionable origin story is that Ed said when he bought a second Marshall 100-watt head it came from England and the voltage was either wired or set for usage at 240 volts. He didn’t know that, and when he plugged in the amp he could only get sound with it cranked all the way up. The volume output was very quiet but it was distorted like a fully cranked Marshall should be, and he loved the sound. Allegedly he later discovered the voltage mismatch and reasoned that he could use a light dimmer to reduce voltage going to the amp and use the dimmer as an ersatz master volume control. The dimmer blew of couse, so he went to Dow Electronics and they recommended a Variac. Voila! Eureka! Well OK then. I actually think this is a tall tale and that Ed found out about using a Variac with an amp from the dudes at the Charvel workshop. In an old interview, Wayne Charvel mentioned having a Fender Twin Reverb amp in his shop with a built-in variable transformer and that it was something that numerous country players were doing in the LA/bakersfield area around the early 70s. Wayne wasn’t even referring to Ed’s use of the Variac - he was just describing his shop when he started doing business. Connect the dots!

[@professorgillsguitargearga6388]

1:08:10 I’ve discovered that many mass-produced brand new tube amps (especially FMIC brands) are not biased to ideal specs but are instead biased cold. I’’ve heard this was to prolong tube life and delay orvavoid warranty claims. Could it could also be compensation for higher voltages encountered in most homes today?

[@TheGuitarKnobsPodcast]

This is a great question for our amp guru guy Rob!.. I will pass it on to him

[@Hugh_Jaynus_00]

How long do I listen before you get to the main topic?