Derek Trucks on the Best Amp Ever | Wong Notes Podcast

Derek and Cory compare notes on how they prefer the exact same amp-but for entirely different reasons.
Listen to the full episode here: bit.ly/WongNotes
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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong
Presented by DistroKid

[@premierguitar]

Listen to the full episode here: bit.ly/WongNotes

[@steveb796]

Just saw Tedeschi Trucks Saturday night at Red Rocks with Los Lobos. There were a lot of great players on stage but when Derek kicked in it was like going from black and white to technicolor.

[@davevannoy664]

Yup, nothing against Sue and who ever else is on stage with DT, he starts playing and it's like night and day difference! TTB is such a great band! The whole package is great!

[@oicsaywhat]

Yup every time I get that same sense

[@Blueguitar007]

Ya, usually guitarists bore me but Trucks is a delight to listen to and especially watch play.

[@pharmerdavid1432]

I saw Susan Tedeschi in the 1990's here in Portland, with "Double Trouble" (SRV band) backing here, can't remember if she had another guitar player, but remember she played well - so maybe it was just her? The other headliner was Keb Mo, and I was surprised at how great he was - I hadn't been expecting that kind of talent, had thought he was more "commercial", but he's real bluesman. That was a great show, I had to hitchhike home because it was on Sunday (no buses), but got a ride almost to my door.........

[@Idontlikethisever]

I love how he brings the SG to life its such a pleasure

[@tonyjabroni7205]

Great interview!

[@ronmercer7766]

The Super running at 2 ohms is a detail that so many folks miss. That amp dimed or near dimed is practically alive it is so responsive. It is a key element to the way the amp interacts with the guitar and the dynamic control one can exert over that beast.

[@RubenStuveling]

I’m not entirely sure that is how it works, lower impedance usually means less efficient and less control over the speaker(s).

[@langyampsdmb]

Damn.. I knew that but didn’t realize the affect it would have on feel/touch! Super for sure

[@thepuppethead1188]

@@RubenStuveling because as we all know when it comes to guitar amps,where you know it's universally agreed that distortion is really cool,fidelity and good tone are the same thing. Hence why I run my guitar into a studio compressor into a PA speaker.

[@fretbuzz59]

@@RubenStuveling Efficiency is how much sound a speaker produces from a given amount of amplifier power. Damping factor has to do with the control an amp has over the speaker, and is related to impedance. However, output transformers in tube amps are selected to work with a particular speaker impedance, or have taps for different impedances. The Super and the Pro-Reverb have the same output sections which see basically the same load, despite the different speaker impedances, because of the differently wound transformers.

[@fretbuzz59]

A Super running at 2 ohms is no different than any amp running at the impedance its output transformer is designed for.

[@alextaylor6216]

The 2 Ohms is not necessarily the main reason for the extremely clear sound that Cory describes. Even more important ist how these 2 Ohms are achieved, which is by wiring all four 8 Ohm speakers in parallel - very unusual. Most 4x10s (or 4x12s) have two speaker pairs wired in series, and those in parallel. The more speakers you wire in parallel, the more their frequency peaks are attenuated. Just try a modern Marshall Cab that can be switched from 16 Ohm (series/parallel) to 4 Ohm (all parallel). Of course you change the amp impedance to match the 4 Ohm, but it DOES sound different. So if Cory loves that clean sound, he should try four 16 Ohm speakers in parallel. That's 4 Ohms, which should match his solid state amp perfectly without damaging the power amp.

[@PMC47]

He's right about supers. Love my 68. The Oxfords sound quite unlike anything else rhey put in them over the years. Jensen and the like.

[@brosphbehemoth6141]

Lol Derek knows exactly which type of pots are in his SG’s but his secrets are his secrets….

[@user-qw6qm2ms9g]

being perfectionist ain't a pride of Southern man

[@brbadge]

Nah.I believe him.He aint Billy Gibbons. His weapons are the volume / tone knobs.

[@AnodyneHipsterInfluencer]

Idk if you're right about that or not but if you are that'd be hella corny and he really doesn't strike me that way. Concealing the type of _volume pot_ you use? Kind of a foolish thing to try and keep a secret. You could give someone his exact guitar and rig but that doesn't mean they'll sound like him and I'm pretty sure he knows that. Furthermore, there's only two types of volume pot tapers used on guitar; "audio" or "linear." If someone was intent on finding what exact pot he uses in his SG to put in their SG, mathematically it wouldn't take many tries to find the one. Just getting a 250k, 500k and 1meg of each type of pot and arbitrarily swapping them in and out until you hit on the one would get you there in fairly short order. Point being there's no real _reason_ in "concealing" that type of information. The only thing I could envision in terms of a piece of kit he'd feel was worth "keeping a secret" would be something he found absolutely crucial to his sound that is rare/out of production and/or currently affordable but would skyrocket in price if he divulged. A volume pot doesn't fit that description. Just judging on what he's describing he wants in the taper of his volume pot; something that doesn't have a steep taper that essentially goes from "on" to "off" almost immediately (which pretty much describes an audio taper pot). I'd imagine he's more than likely using a linear taper pot. Probably a 500k linear taper but who knows, he could have something even higher to let more frequency through like a 1meg or perhaps even a 750k. You know what... The more I blather on about this - maybe we're _both_ right. 750k linear taper pots aren't very easy to get. New or used. Of that's what he's using then perhaps I could understand his reticence to share. Lol. All that smart ass typing and as I get to the end of it, 💡⏰🔔🤯😂

[@thejimmymeister]

@@AnodyneHipsterInfluencer I agree that it's a goofy thing to lie about and he doesn't seem like the type. You're pretty off base about volume pots, though. Because of the way volume is perceived, linear taper pots are the ones that seem to go from off to on. A linear change in signal isn't perceived as a linear change in volume. That's the very reason audio taper pots exist. They account for the way sound is perceived and deliver what sounds like a more even transition even though the electrical signal is changing exponentially (or logarithmically, depending on how you want to look at it). Additionally, while volume pots can be put into either the linear taper or audio taper categories, there are many differences in the particular tapers. Some pots have tighter manufacturing tolerances that result in more consistent sweeps across different pots. Tighter tolerances can also lead to a more consistent sweep across the range of an individual pot. Tapers can also be at different rates, usually quantified as a percentage. That can lead to uneven volume reduction as you turn down the knob. There are a lot more subtleties than just the general categories of linear and audio (and the third category of reverse-log pots, which no one would ever stick in a guitar except as an experiment).

[@metart93]

There are many different kinds of audio (log) tapers. Usually between 10% - 30% .

[@metart93]

Currently in the market for new pots and looking for the same sweep he described here… Wish I knew which pot he settled on! Anyone have his techs number lol.

[@epajanssen]

Look for a logarithmic pot with a ‘vintage taper’. There are plenty. CTS TVT, Bareknuckle, VIPots…

[@Blueguitar007]

@@epajanssen Is that an audio taper? Not linear....

[@epajanssen]

@@Blueguitar007 all three are. If you're in the USA, it's the easiest to get the VIPots, Bareknuckle in UK, Crazy Parts TVT when in Europe...

[@Blueguitar007]

@@epajanssen I was asking if it was audio taper which yes it is I looked it up - log=audio (D'oh). I used Vintage CTS pots ( I think, my friend wired it up ) in my 2012 strat that someone put goofy wiring in. So I'm good, thanks. I used vintage big CTS 250 I think. Now on My Jazzmaster of course it uses 1Meg Linear Volume and Audio Taper tone ( I think) as the pickups are wound much differently and the resistance readings don't mean squat on those. Not many people know that a JM pup is so different that they can't just slap on lower value stuff and have it sound correct.

[@epajanssen]

@@Blueguitar007 I could have been a bit clearer too! Do mind that the three pots mentioned have a so-called vintage taper, which is a 30% curve. Normal log pots are 10% (which is more like an on/off switch) and linear 50% if that makes sense. Vintage taper pots have a more gradual feel, especially when using overdrive.

[@jojomarvelasquez3564]

guy looks like a human philosopher stone

[@stonephilips9361]

Who’s the interviewer

[@darwinsaye]

Sounds like he's being interviewed by Gilbert Gottfried.

[@jeffsaginaw1769]

"The volume knob, is that kinda how you approach your playing in general?" Cory, MOST PLAYERS who "PLUG STRAIGHT IN" "Live" on the volume control because it's their ONLY EFFECT other than amp compression as Derek said...

[@stephenkane2464]

Lmao Cory sounds like such a dweeb

[@no59do56]

Let Derek talk ! Pleaseeeeeeeeeee.

[@brbadge]

''I'am a strat guyee" Man I can't STAND that guy.

[@agah666]

? what do you mean by that

[@musicspeaks1074]

@@agah666 cuz Brbadge s*cks He can’t stand Cory cuz Cory is way better strat guy/PLAYER LOL

[@gdawgs101]

Because he likes strats? Bro you're weird... 😂