Kasha Rockmod I - "The Dann Huff preamp"

[@johnkasha4302]

Michael, so nice to hear the beast again, great job! Here's some history and background. Dan and I hooked up around 1989 through Andy Brauer studio rentals. I dropped one of the preamps by and it was love at first site. Andy put one in Dan's rack and the rest is history. Later at the second annual LA guitar show at the LA Airport, Dan dropped by my small booth and we finally got to meet. Wow, what a great guy, so friendly. It was an honor to see one of music's best play your gear. As I recall, hundreds of L.A and Nashville's top studio guys had one at some point. It was used with Jennifer Batten on Michael Jackson's tour, George Lynch had two of them, but one had a forklift go through it, bummer. Chris Impellitteri has one and one of the ABK Rock's mod , Login's, Davey Johnston, Jake E. Lee, LA Guns and many more. Any guitar player that would be produced with Kieth Olson also played though it as well as his JCM800 with the Quikmod, including White Snake at the studio Good Night LA. The switching is done with a two channel foot switch using stereo plugs. It was tricky to get the signal and Led's to work right, but it worked. Later, I just used relays that would be connected to a Bradshaw rigs. The Rockmod II came out to address switching, and two channels with a clean tone stack. However, when we removed the goop, it lost some of the beef. So, we started gooping shortly after releasing it. You have an original ABK Rock's version that should have been gooped. The tone is timeless, you will hear it on albums from late 80s and beyond with all Genres of music. Yes, and coupled with a JK150, Rane mixer, and Alesis effects, it was a wall of tone. If you want to know more about any of the Kasha gear including the Evil Robot, let me know. I love to talk tone. John Kasha.

[@fiddlefolk]

that was one bad ass preamp you created John. a local guitar shop had one that I wanted so bad but as a country player, I had to opt for cleaner tones...if only I had been in a rock band at the time. lol...

[@racrx7]

Didn’t I see a prototype preamp at a NAMM show in the 80’s that was in the flavor of the popular ADA preamp of that era? Buried somewhere I may still have a Kasha leaflet I picked up from that show. 🤔 I remember, as best my memory will serve me lol, waiting for the consumer release of it, but never saw it for sale. Or did I just never see it released? And wasn’t Howard Leese at one time an endorser of Kasha? Damn, seems so long ago lol.

[@eduardwilliams1245]

Even with the DBX in line it's still got dynamic range for days. Serious stuff.

[@EthanBrosh]

This is a sick preamp John!! Great tone and Michael nailed those delay settings like Dan Huff to perfection! How do I get my hands on one of those? Do you still make'em?

[@davidgray8796]

Dann Huff is a boss! Still one of my favorite guitarists to this day.

[@angusorvid8840]

Definitely from the L.A. to Nashville rout. I've never met Dann, but I knew a lot of session guys in L.A. who left for Nashville when they saw which way the wind was blowing. The metal scene was fading big time by '90 and by '91 was getting bulldozed by grunge. Nashville still had use for top grade guitar talent. Nashville really is the guitar center of the universe these days. I remember when singer Ron Keel left for Nashville to try his luck in country. I've never been a country fan, but I thought, "More power to him" because he wanted to keep a career in music going. It's a tough business and you have to be adaptable if you want to last.

[@godawg1023]

@@angusorvid8840 Dann, of course, is from Nashville and wanted to move back to raise his kids in TN. He’s done pretty well as a producer, too!

[@b.scottfarthingsworth]

Dan Huff had some tones and BEYONDO CHOPS - that intro on Believer is smoldering hot stuff

[@StreetsOfVancouverChannel]

**DANN HUFF INTERVIEW/PLAYTHROUGH**... we need to see you MAKE THIS HAPPEN! :)

[@Gorbyrev]

Nice to hear some Giant riffs. "Can't Get Close Enough" is a classic. Nice deep dive.

[@pcbullets8726]

Huff is prob one of the best players to come out of the 80's. Absolute beast on guitar. And you nailed the feel great on the outro.

[@dyonight]

That's how all demos should always be, we see the controls of the demoed unit at all time! Well done!

[@izzyfontaine]

as a rockmod II owner its great to get a bit more insight to these magical units. thank you!!

[@tone-talk]

Can you release a video every day? I want more of this all the time! Awesome video dude! Superb playing

[@jayboy6895]

Absolutely love the nod of the hat to Huff at the end. Brilliant. I’m totally inspired and going to rip the ass out of that. Great work maestro

[@joepeeres5335]

Nice!! It has that Huff tone for sure, I’ve learned so much about how the eq responds... instead of running things at noon.. sounds kind of obvious, but watching your demos are eye and ear opening, always entertaining and enjoyable, thanks Mike!! And as always... nice playing!!!

[@PeteSklaroffGuitarist]

Worth it alone just for the final Dan H. tribute.....beautiful playing and tones sir!

[@strictlyguitar]

I bought your Studio Ave profile pack for TH-U a few months ago. Instant Dann Huff in a box! It's great to finally see what the Kasha amp actually looks like.

[@alguitarchristie]

Loved the clean sound on the Strat with the compressor! Mega tone!

[@thebetterspidey6115]

i pray you never run out of old preamps to review, cheers!

[@Dejoblue]

This is one of the best sounding preamps you have shown, and it is pretty simple; it is what it is.Great showcase :)

[@ae3062]

Very cool video. I know I've mentioned this before but I had Rockmod I going into a huge Kasha Power Amp the JK150, sounded awesome back in the day!

[@RobbieR0XX]

Those first cleans are insane 😮

[@altemu]

Dan Huff??? ok instant like!!!

[@Skywalkersound]

Finally!!!!!! I was waiting for this since a long time!!! Thank you Michael!!!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Dude that chunky tone at 12:07 is all you would ever need in life.

[@ant1738]

I love the video I purchased the Tonex package ... It would be a great help if you gave us some insight on delays and reverbs to use with this to achieve the dan huff tone or at least close to it

[@chrismauro3915]

Awesome review yours are always the best! Love your style of playing and you review awesome gear in a way that is informative, friendly, humorous and direct. Looking forward to all your future reviews.

[@christopheranderson2158]

NICE!! That little lead over clean arpeggios you did at the end was awesome! 🤘🤘

[@BigHairyGuitars]

THanks! It's a take on the intro to "Love Welcome Home" from Giant.

[@georgebarry8640]

What great sounds! So nice to get the context,too. Thank you for the Schmooo...I love it so.

[@leonthompson8988]

John came out with an additional gain stage for 2 12ax7 in a box that plugs into one existing preamp socket. He had it at a namm show a few years ago. Maybe called the rock mod

[@ginoames]

I love these preamp videos. Dan Huff is super rad. I love that first Giant album.

[@davidyergensen4509]

I remember ABK. I was friends with the manager. I also like West LA Music.

[@clintjames7327]

I LOVED THAT CLEAN TONE ! WANT

[@judu2b]

Love welcome home ! Nice as always

[@jayboy6895]

This is what Saturdays is all about. Hell yes. The Guru. 🤘

[@Doremifaso12345]

I used to have that. That one is piece of ..... It goes beyond far from distorted gtr sound. Its more like violin or something. Pure, natural, just like mr plays... good on ya!

[@RobSol]

the treble off was amazing.

[@Locoandchooch]

Sounds good, I love a solid clean tone with a little break up.

[@Nonykus]

God !! I love this vintage sound FUCK !!

[@angusorvid8840]

These were great! I tried one. Never owned one, but tried one and loved it. I had a friend who ran one with a Boogie Power Amp around '89 or so. Sounded absolutely badass! He had a Bradshaw rig and did a ton of session work and toured as well.

[@BcBaxley]

At this point, you must be Americas top guitar preamp scholar 🤘

[@OrigenisAdamantios]

Worth the end of video for ❤️ tones!

[@tomwyant9532]

This channel has a large amount of Dan Huff content but that isn't the only reason I'm here.

[@middle_pickup]

You mentioned the Mesa studio preamp for cleans (probably). I have seen a few guys use that one. Anything else in the Mesa line that sounds close? I've wanted to try one, but they seem hard to find.

[@berndkiltz]

Wow. Is there any way you could get a quad cortex and sell me captures of those tones?

[@cliftonwright7081]

Awesome video, really enjoyed it. To get the clean and gain balanced on my Studio Pre, it took a combination of extremely careful setting and NOS tube selection for specific slots. Absolute madness.

[@bigdavedave9865]

Whilst I love all this gear, and the tones and playing, I think 🤔 I enjoy listening to you talking about it more 😎👍 great vid as always. I was particularly impressed with your explaining of tweaking preamp eq’s 😂

[@bobjoe7508]

That's totally the Huff clean, and I can totally see why he used because it pairs so well with the rack effects he was using at the time. You can clearly see in his instructional video that his preamp was on for a lot of the cleans. I love the accidental crunch tone! I prefer this over the mesa boogie cleans, but those were killer too.

[@NeonCowell]

Slapped a like before even hearing this thing because it's Money Mike

[@LeonTodd]

"San Fernando vs Sunset" is the new "British vs American" when describing amp tones

[@itsmejoewbrown]

I have one and love it. Recommend using the proper switcher. Get with kasha hell hook you up with any support. He has with me in the past.

[@bwgti]

That was nice at the ended. You should do more of that Michael.

[@joshtomlinson8169]

Damn I don’t know what it is but that clean tone sounds so freakin good and I’ve watched tons of these rack preamp videos.. judging by your thoughts on this preamp I’m wondering if it’s a combination of multiple factors and maybe not the preamp itself, whatever it is I’m diggin it, I come back to this vid for my own ears

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Yeah. Totally underrated for clean tones! They might be even better than the Mesa Studio Preamp

[@AlanScottBand]

Nice demo. Groove Tubes Trio demo please! Kitty Hawk Quattro too if you can find one!

[@Doremifaso12345]

I got that once... oh my... It's really good!

[@Rikk_Klaww777]

I had a Rockmod II. Best sounding preamp i ran into my VHT2150...mega huge and thick sound..👌👍🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@cmath8577]

Did you find this in the SanFernando Valley Recycler? Did you call on Thursday from the 7-11 pay-phone?

[@aaaargl]

There was definately some tweaking needed to get a good sound out of it. Have you tried the Voodoo Labs Control Switcher with some Y Mono to TRS cables to switch it? Works for me in most applications

[@ValSchnitzel]

I love this channel!

[@neilkendall9857]

Great video, thanks. Always loved Dan Huff and Giant. I was wondering, what effects did you put on the clean and lead sound at 13m41 onwards to get that atmospheric sound - is it just delay or reverb too? Any chance you could share the delay reverb settings, as I love the sound.

[@DANTHETUBEMAN]

I want a preamp with Pre-Gain Post-Gain Mid-Gain High-Gain Master-GAIN ULTRA-GAIN and GAIN-GAIN with a Gain knob on the back!

[@BigHairyGuitars]

HAHAHA

[@Nightdare]

You're still missing out on a Gain Boost function

[@DANTHETUBEMAN]

@@Nightdare yes I'd still have to BOOST my solos

[@davidbartch8917]

Funny I was just listening to Giant and loving his strat tones !

[@JustinBryantdotcom]

That sounds incredible!

[@johnspeck]

Finally! I had a Rockmod II.

[@PeteSklaroffGuitarist]

Btw - what reverb did you use at the end of the video with the super clean and overdriven DH guitar tones?...sounds rather HUGE!... :-)

[@BigHairyGuitars]

The Clean was Eventide H3000 Micropitch and Merris CXM 1978 Reverb. The Lead delay is from a TC2290, the Chorus is from Eventide H3000, and some hall from the Bricasti M7. It's a very expensive sound. haha..

[@PeteSklaroffGuitarist]

@@BigHairyGuitars Thanks Michael..really appreciate you taking the time to reply. :-) Yeah, that's some posh gear for sure, but your playing is what shone through sir....lovely stuff! Thanks again sir, Pete.

[@danthrax7407]

It´s hard to say how I love this channel, the sounds are so amazing that I think that some magic you have in your fingers man!! If I was a better guitar player and full of money you'll make the production of my recordings!! Maybe I see you in my next life!! ;) One small question, I have an Exef 6 shooter and I´d like to know if you know it. It´s a 30 year old preamp from Germany that fights face to face with my Triaxis. Thanks Michael

[@StephenCameron]

I like the weird mutated Kansas and Yes riffs presumably for evading those youtube copyright dogs.

[@angusorvid8840]

Yes, sounds very much like Topeka and No riffs.

[@StephenCameron]

@@angusorvid8840 Maybe I miss the joke you're making. I was referring to 9:45 and 10:32 (Yes:Owner of a Lonely Heart) and 12:09 (Kansas: Carry on my wayward son)

[@StephenCameron]

On 2nd thought.... Topeka and No riffs. Yep, that's what I heard.

[@andyc5729]

I believe Chris Impellitteri also used it on “Stand In Line”.

[@jdzialak]

Wow. Sounds great!

[@bwalt5931]

Great video. Dann Huff is an amazing player. What pedal do you suggest that comes closest to the Kasha rack? Thanks

[@BigHairyGuitars]

I'd say the Marshall JMP-1 midi preamp is in the ballpark.

[@RedstuffAmplification]

Seen GIANT 2 times , the first gig Dan played his modded Plexi . That was one of the Plexis that had a an additional 12AX7 tube for the termolo . That way they could missuse this tube for an andditional gain stage . The other show I saw him performing with 5150s

[@JohnSmith-ef2sx]

Michael I purchased your ada pack for my kemper stage and I love it. I'm in a hair metal cover band it's exactly what I need. Perfect tone. Warm, crunchy with lots o clarity on the rhythm . Still trying to dial in a big fat lead tone. Do you have a pack that you think has the best big, fat and juicy lead tones? I was thinking maybe getting soldano pack I'm not sure. I can get pretty good lead tone out of the ada just wondering if there's something even better. Realistically the lead tone I think I want doesn't even exist . I'm just irrationally tone chasing. Also I use in ear monitors and plan going completely direct so how good will these tones sound coming out front of house ? I'm scared with no backline sound with cabinets it's gonna sound wimpy .

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Hi John, Thanks man! The SLO-100 pack is really really good. It's fat. Also, I wonder if the Triaxis might be a fat lead tone you're looking for. Not sure Mesa isn't everyones cup of tea. ALSO, the secret preamp... the Kitty Hawk Quattro pack. That thing is FAT!

[@JohnSmith-ef2sx]

@@BigHairyGuitars Yes yes yes. Kitty hawk. Never heard of it but just watched your demo of it. Perfect, absolutely perfect. I knew there something glad I asked. Rebs got really good taste in tone. And by good taste I mean it's exactly what I like too.

[@doughoughton5952]

Great stuff man !!

[@overtone85]

If the compressor was in the loop it might have been messing with the tonestack, maybe the loop is passive?

[@chrismauro3915]

I have a Rockmod II. The post gain doesn’t have the same balls as yours idk if it’s just the pot but the tone is there maybe the sound is just different but it almost appears the post gain does nothing. I can’t find a tech that would even look at the thing because it’s been potted or “hooped” as John Kasha put it. Maybe John would look at it :) I wish they would make these again they are like hens teeth to find.

[@leedemkiw6085]

Pretty sure Chris Impelliteri was using one of these around the "Stand in line" album.

[@southcountryjcb5736]

Was that a Honeymoon Suite riff I heard

[@helmutarseparter]

You are a legend sir! Rack gear just has an allure of awesomeness....Can I ask, have you tried / got opinions on Digitech TSR24S or Marshall JFX1?

[@BigHairyGuitars]

thanks! I haven't tried either of those. I was looking for a JFX1, but the prices have skyrocketed on them recently.

[@helmutarseparter]

@@BigHairyGuitars the TSR24S has an awesome Space Station type orchestral effect and the reverbs are pretty decent, worth checking out. JFX1 is a good meat and potatoes reverb and delay, easy to program but annoyingly only has a mono input.

[@jprue2392]

I own a 3 channel version of this and it sounds incredible. I beleive it is called a rockmod II.

[@AngusClarkGTR]

you got the Huff in your fingers bro.

[@pepesebastiao9654]

10:13 the exact sound of "bad boys" by whitesnake

[@hollywoodjakespeed8354]

Great stuff!!!! FYI, the Kasha OD pedal is killer!!!!

[@alguitarchristie]

Sorry for the geeky question, but, what are those pick-ups on your Strat? Cheers :)

[@BigHairyGuitars]

I'm all about the geeky questions! They're the Lollar's that ship with Nash S63 guitars. They say that they're custom for Lollar, but I presume that they're something that's easily purchasable.

[@alguitarchristie]

@@BigHairyGuitars they sound great. Cheers

[@BillDerBerg]

Chris Impelliteri used the Kasha preamp

[@cecilmusick8629]

Jake E. Lee used one of these too back in the day and producer Keith Olsen used them alot also.

[@EthanBrosh]

Do you know on which record?

[@cecilmusick8629]

@@EthanBrosh I believe during the Ultimate Sin Era, not 100% sure though.

[@EthanBrosh]

@@cecilmusick8629 oh really? Thought those were all Marshalls back then, altough ultimate sin sounds very unique...ill have to ask him next time I talk to him.

[@cecilmusick8629]

may have been Marshalls, or some combination of both, either live and or studio, I do know he used the Rockmod at some point back in the day.

[@AlexandreCriado]

what are the chorus and delay on the end parts?

[@BigHairyGuitars]

OH CRAP! I forgot to include that in there!!!!! The delay is from a TC2290, the Chorus is from Eventide H3000.

[@AlexandreCriado]

@@BigHairyGuitars hahaha XD thanks anyway :P

[@PeteSklaroffGuitarist]

@@BigHairyGuitars Can I ask what Chorus patch you are using on the H3000?....

[@BigHairyGuitars]

@@PeteSklaroffGuitarist Micropitchshift (technically not a chorus, but kinda a chorus)

[@mentoneman]

@@BigHairyGuitars that clean was scrumptrulescent. Great Dann H lead tone!

[@RikkShredLifestyle]

Which delay did you use at the very end of the vid? Sounded sweet

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Thanks. I'm 99% sure that was the TC 2290. They make a good pedal version of it now, and the plugin version is also an excellent alternative.

[@RikkShredLifestyle]

​@@BigHairyGuitarsthanks so much!!

[@wakjob961]

Throw a lower gain tube in one of the spots like v2 to make the Gain control a little less touchy.

[@bhosterman]

Groove Tubes Trio!

[@brentbarcus7650]

Dann used Rockmod II I believe?

[@tonictonetomrockstar1931]

was that a yes and a honeymoon suite riff?

[@MRxr400]

sounds nice. funny though, i really liked the clean when you backed off the treble knob. there's the crunch. pretty much only one tone at a time though. wouldn't bother switching channels

[@BigHairyGuitars]

thanks agreed.

[@kimmoparonen1737]

What's the dfference between DBX 160X and 160A?

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Theres an opamp difference. Not really a significant enough difference to care for use on guitar signal in a rack. If I was going to strap it on a lead vocal, or perhaps across a 2bus in a mix, I'd be more concerned (but I also wouldn't be using the 160 for that).

[@kimmoparonen1737]

@@BigHairyGuitars Ok Michael! Thank's for the answer. Just ordered your KZbin channel :)

[@angusorvid8840]

Demeter also made some excellent preamps.

[@davidbuzzin426]

🤔Nah, not 4me.....but I always love your demos, cheers bro😁

[@robstonezone354]

I wonder if he recorded the Whitesnake Here I Go Again solo with that? Sounds like it. I did hear he was the one who played that solo

[@TheTN24]

Vandenberg played the solo on the album version of the song, which was version that became the massive radio hit and video. Dan played on a radio/poppier version of the song which oddly, I never heard on the radio and was not on the 87 album.

[@peevee605]

You're the king of gear and tasty playing, dude. Love these videos. That's the tones I want.

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Thanks man!

[@peevee605]

@@BigHairyGuitars dude, I really, really appreciate your work.

[@PlayFloyd_IN]

5 of my favourite guitarists of all time - - Jeff Beck - Steve Lukather - Dann Huff - Andy Timmins - Richie Kotzen

[@physiciansassist1]

My buddy JZ has one ...Pretty bad ass

[@Valerifon1]

You're a great guitar player! Have you recorded anything that I can purchase? That thing you played at the end - really nice. You made me love my Kasha even more! 🤣🤣🤣 😎👍 Atb - Luther

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Thanks!!! The most guitar thing is probably my score for Forza Motorsport 7. It's an entire guitar instrumental soundtrack, but more in the feel of Black Keys, Jack White. music.apple.com/us/album/forza-motorsport-7-original-soundtrack/1458759409

[@aristocaster]

And next we need Kitty Hawk, if i remember right, they had first 4 channel preamp.

[@drewphillips78]

I have one of these but it has two rows of EQ dials. It’s gooped too. It still says Rockmod I on the front panel though. Any idea what it is ?

[@BigHairyGuitars]

OH! you've got the Rockmod 2. Cool! Goop sucks.

[@drewphillips78]

@@BigHairyGuitars yeah! Appears that way except it says Rockmod I on the front. Sounds really good ! Great through my Simul 2:Ninety.

[@BigHairyGuitars]

@@drewphillips78 OH WOW! I wonder if that was a transitional Rockmod, before the II officially came out.

[@mycroftholmes7003]

those first few chords sound so rockman to me.

[@karlhouseknecht]

Honeymoon Suite - Bad Attitude? at 11:18 ?

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Yes. I was JUST turned on to those guys. So I through it in. :)