BEST AMP in the WORLD?! [FM9 Carol Ann Tucana 3]

Checking out the Carol Ann Tucana 3 by request! This amp is sick!
Download the preset: axechange.fract...

[@alanphillips4851]

Nice playing. Thanks for the kind words on my work :) 13:30 onwards sounds very close to how a Tuc 3 records, except that tone would be found with the master volume waaaay lower, input gain(gain) higher and drive higher (both about 2 o clock). You'd never run the original amp with the master that high. EQ's seem close to how they would be for that tone. The original Tucana I designed just for myself, who would want a 3 channel amp with 6550/KT88's with so many people having wrong preconceived ideas about those tubes in guitar amps......but to mys surprise some people did like it. The Tuc 3 with autobias was the best amp in the entire CA catalog IMHO. THe KT88's give it an even thick tone which makes it possible to lean more in the preamp design without the power tubes affecting the overdrive makeup too much. The model in Cliffs units sounds pretty close to the original, though the width and touch sensitivity is never going to be identical. I used T75's that were stock in a Trace Elliot 2x12 I bought in 1988 and it pretty much got used for every gig I played. Sometimes I used a CA 1x12 cab l;oaded with an EVM-12L. Try an EV with the model. Its should give a more balanced frequency response especially in the highs but just, not at all harsh with no spikes. Well thats what happens with the real amp anyway. The 'gain' is the input gain and is between gain stages 1 and 2, the drive is between stages 3 and 4. A different combination gives different OD colors. I tended to like the Input Gain pretty much always at 2 O'Clock on the OD channel and higher on the clean channel (The Tuc 3 has them separate). With the input gain cranked on the clean channel (A) a humbucker guitar will overdrive a little for that perfect edge of breakup tone that sounds very similar to pushed Plexi where the lower mids start to kick in. Not sure if the model goes that deep. Cheers, Alan.

[@okaytastic6691]

How cool! How does this amp compare to the CAZ45?

[@bradspaulding]

😮 DUDE! I don’t know how you found this little video but I appreciate the heck out of you watching and caring to comment at all! I will download all of this truth and re-apply. 🙏🏼 I hope to one day have the pleasure of playing through the real thing! (Definitely not at max MV… 😂😭) 🤘🏼🤘🏼

[@alanphillips4851]

@@bradspaulding I appreciate that the amps are still liked and that there are models of them in various units for people to play and hear. I worked directly with Cliff to get the CA models as close as possible in his products. He really liked the Tuc3 himself and owns one. I loved designing amps, I just hated the how burned out and negative the Industry made me in the end and ultimately why I had to stop........also lots of used CA's on the market didn't help business either. You end up competing against your own products and people buying them expect the same level of customer service.

[@akaiboi_89]

@@alanphillips4851this is amazing! I hear a lot of folks “rocking” through these amps. I have a fractal unit and play a lot of West African styles that need vibrant clean tones. What are some best-practice settings for cleaner tones on the fractals Tucana model? Thanks!

[@russellcameronthomas2116]

Brilliant, detailed, practical information. I found the factory preset in the FM3, and found it to be perfect for my Yamaha Revstar with P90 pickups. I haven't yet explored the amp settings beyond Input Gain. I tried putting a few drive pedals in front, with minimal drive, and they sounded great. I look forward to exploring the settings you describe. Thanks for supporting us musicians!

[@benoitquinton]

It's very versatile indeed! Thanks for sharing and keep the good stuff coming :)

[@bradspaulding]

Thanks, will do! Let me know if there's anything you'd like me to cover! 🙏🏼

[@benoitquinton]

@@bradspaulding I'd love to see your thinking on the "Speaker" page VS tweaking the Cab block and IR's. You are very honest in all your reviews, love the tones you put out for all of us and I'm enjoying every step of your learning process. Probably the most underrated channel about Fractal stuff on KZbin.

[@bradspaulding]

@@benoitquinton 🙏🏼 You are too kind, thank you! TBH, I will have to dig into the Speaker page. I have never touched it. My naive understanding would be that you might use this if you were "mis-matching" cab IRs with amp models (ie something that is way off from the default), but I could be way off here. I will investigate!

[@PatDanNoonan]

Amazing content, keep up the incredible work, looking forward to more!

[@bradspaulding]

🙏🏼 Thanks, brother! Let's get our COLLAB on! The world needs more Patty boy covers. 🤘🏻

[@rodolfoamaralguitar]

killer tone!

[@charlesycoker]

Great amp... had one a few years ago.. Great tone you got there... I got an FM3 about a month or so ago and dialing it in.. Been using the Dirty Shirley the most as that has been my favorite real amp..

[@bradspaulding]

I want to buy a Tucana now, the model was so good! Congrats on the FM3, are you digging it?

[@charlesycoker]

@@bradspaulding yes

[@Adman103]

I’m lucky enough to have a Tucana 3, and it’s killer- you can do nearly anything with it short of brutal modern metal- and even then, it’s got plenty of gain…. I agree with Cliff- I’ve never played another amp that compares, aside from the Carol Ann Satin for cleans. Alan Philips is a genius.

[@bradspaulding]

Sick! Please message me if you ever consider selling it... 😅

[@Adman103]

@@bradspaulding lol- alright. I'm the same way about a Triptik 2- they're unobtainium, unfortunately.

[@ksharpe10]

@@Adman103 I saw one on Reverb about 2 months ago. like 2000.00 for it.

[@wolfnstrings]

Sounds good - ❤🎉

[@m00nchildblues]

Im blessed to have the Tucana 3 75w cream head and cab..very organic tone through my strat and tele..will be taking w me to the grave

[@sosweet666]

Nice 10 mins tone as always!

[@bradspaulding]

🙏🏼🤘🏼

[@ksharpe10]

Bradley you need to revisit this based on what Alan Phillips chimed in and gave you for information, that is if you are doing Videos anymore. Thanks, Miss you!!!

[@bradspaulding]

Indeed! I need to spend time digesting all that info. 😅

[@jonassabatini]

I bought an OD2 because of the fractal model it's so freaking good. There's a carol ann JB100 "red" on reverb right now if you want the bonamassa sound

[@ronconnatser8889]

I have two reds and one was Joes he used on John Henry album

[@ronconnatser8889]

I also have the Carol Ann Joe used on his first RAH dvd that Clapton joined him

[@okaytastic6691]

I wonder how it compares to the CAZ45

[@ksharpe10]

These amps make me think if Dumble had a baby with TRAINWRECK it would sound like this. It KIcks ASS.!!!!!

[@m.m.1575]

It would be a C.A. Raw 35 with auto bias😊

[@ronconnatser8889]

I have a Tucana 3 if intested

[@bradspaulding]

Have you listed it anywhere?!

[@m.m.1575]

What's your price?

[@ronconnatser8889]

@@m.m.1575 make a a realistic offer. It’s a fantastic amp and would take a lot for me to let it go. I bought this directly from Alan the owner. This is truly a exceptional amp.

[@ronconnatser8889]

@@bradspaulding no because I am not sure if I want to let it go. I have many of Alan’s amps that I purchased directly from him. They are killer. I need to sell some stuff running out of room. I also have a JB100 Red also I have Joes JB100 red he used to record John Henry with. I purchased directly from him. I also have the Carol Ann he used on his first Albert Hall performance with Eric Clapton. Anyway glade to see people interested in these killer amps. Make me a offer it would need to be good for me to let it go.

[@masterreif]

how do i include the preset to my fm9? I choose the file with the browse button in the fractal bot and then I start the transfer. Result: transfer completed! your preset has been sent to the edit buffer of your fm9. please save your preset if you want to continue But If I look to my fm9Edit I don't see the preset. Nothing happens. I think the preset is empty

[@bradspaulding]

Interesting, I’ve not tried importing presets via fractal bot, so I’m not sure what’s happening there. Does it work if you Preset > Import Preset in FM9 Edit?

[@masterreif]

@@bradspaulding No, it does not work. There is no chain if i import it.

[@masterreif]

@@bradspaulding Now, I know what my problem was. I needed an update of my firmware. Without the update the import does not work.

[@bradspaulding]

@@masterreif aha! glad you figured it out!