Brownface Amps - What Am I Missing?

[LesB3]

Listen to Pete Thorn on Youtube play one. If this doesn't sell you, keep looking.

...and that's exactly why I decided to keep it. I have no delusions that I will sound like Pete, but if I get even 60% there, I will be happy.

 

[charlie chitlins]

Great family photo and love the Bugs picture, too! Love your Concert - it's at the top of my amp GAS list despite the protesting of my old back.

Yeah, I'm a huge brownface amp fan. Here's my current amps:

'63 Fender Showman - previous owner re-tolexed the head in brown tolex with chocolate grill cloth, so I did the same to my Beaver Bottoms 1x15 Tone Ring cab with JBL D-140F speaker with my Hallmark 65 Custom and SurfyBear Classic Reverb Unit...

Showman with my Milkman Creamer 20 Watt head & cab, Gretsch G5410T Rat Rod (modded with Fralin Hum-Cancelling Dog Ear P90s), Gretsch G6196T-59 Vintage Select ’59 Country Club, Gretsch G6120BS (modded with TV Jones T-Armonds), and now gone Gibson ES-135...

'62 Fender Band Master - currently in an export black tolex head from previous owner - I've got a 2x10 combo cab (i.e., Fender Super) being bui

In the 80s, I worked at a film production company in New Rochelle, NY, and the building had been bought from Terrytoons.
Guys who worked there remembered filling a dumpster with cells.
And, according to them, some kind of animating apparatus that was one of 2, the other belonging to Disney.
People can be so short-sighted.

 

[Bertotti]

Took another stab at things, channelled my former "I only need one pedal, the green one" self, and pulled everything out of the loop except a Fluid Drive. Started with a Les Paul Classic and went from there.

Counter-intuitively, I raised the volume (now on 4), and lowered the tone (4.5) -what a difference. The single TONE knob has a dramatic effect on volume, but tweaks the EQ ever so slightly. All the way down (1) is listed as "warm and fat" in the manual, all the way up (10) is "bright and cutting." I think it works more like a PRESENCE knob, turning it down cut the upper mids and resulted in a (perceived) volume drop. Very cool.

With the amp breaking up slightly and some help from the FD, I was getting the ZZ Top sound I was looking for.

Switched to a Goldtop with P-90's and now it was more Thorogood than BFG (not a complaint) and maybe even approaching Social Distortion. A few more tweaks and next up was a 90's Guild Bluesbird that was loaded with Seymour Duncan Psyclones, now we're getting there. Finally switched to my RW Tenny (FT's, not HT's) and a bit more knobby-nudges and I think I've arrived where I wanted to be. I've got it dialed in just a bit hotter than Setzer on "Switchblade 327" and it even plays a lot better with my pedals now, even the Tubescreamer.

As stated before, the trem is killer -if this amp had reverb, I don't think I'd need anything but an O/D.

And all I had to do was play with the TONE knob.

Are you the type that plays with the guitar knobs all dimes all the time? I would try with the guitar volumes individual pups balanced and the master volume set to 7. Gretsch layout or on a Strat just start at 7 and ride the pot and see what happens. Just a thought. I always start that way to see what happens.

 

[LesB3]

Are you the type that plays with the guitar knobs all dimes all the time? I would try with the guitar volumes individual pups balanced and the master volume set to 7. Gretsch layout or on a Strat just start at 7 and ride the pot and see what happens. Just a thought. I always start that way to see what happens.

Usually, yes. I've been experimenting a bit though and have had to come to the realization that this amp requires extra effort of me.
Still fiddling with things though, so at least it is an adventure.

 

[afire]

Brownface are great club gig amps. Mids-forward...kind of strident and in-your-face....
A 1x12 or 1x15 blackface is too beamy and mid-scooped to sit well in an un-mic'd mix.

In the last few months I've read or been told multiple times that mid-heavy amps cut through the mix and mid-scooped amps don't and I've never heard it before in my life. I'm not saying it isn't true, but it's one of those weird phenomena where you hear or see something for the first time and suddenly it's everywhere. I've only ever owned one brownface amp, a '60 Vibrasonic. Too middy and I didn't care for it. I guess if blackface scooped tone doesn't cut through a mix, that's fine with me as long as I can hear it. After all, the only person who really cares about my tone is me.

 

[Back in Black]

Usually, yes. I've been experimenting a bit though and have had to come to the realization that this amp requires extra effort of me.
Still fiddling with things though, so at least it is an adventure.

Hey Les,

I haven't read everybody's contribution to this forum, But I did read all of yours.

Just me, but 60% satisfaction does not a winner make. To me, 60% is a D+, just a pass, but not much more.

I can see you selling this amp in six months.

If you haven't sealed the deal, walking away, may be your best option.

I've never been a fan of ''friend'' or ''friend of a friend'' deals, because sometimes the buyer confirms the purchase for all the wrong reasons.

I really do not see a match made in heaven here!

Best,

BIB.

 

[LesB3]

Just me, but 60% satisfaction does not a winner make. To me, 60% is a D+, just a pass, but not much more.

Oh, that was meant as a "If I could sound even 60% as good as Pete Thorn in that video..." I would be happy, not as an overall rating of the amp. I'm coming around to it, just need to keep playing with it.

For comparison, it took me about 20 years to like my Rat, maybe about 10 years to get Dynasonics to work, etc. And I've never found a Marshall I've liked. Sometimes I just need to put something away and come back to it when I'm in a different frame of mind.

 

[powerwagonjohn]

Since the Shur is only an "approximation" of a brown face amp I don't think the "brownface " thing has really had it's chance. If you were closer to MN I would have you come over with your guitar and try out my Vibrolux and Pro amps. That would be a more fair test. Don't give up yet!
Thanks John

 

[Back in Black]

Oh, that was meant as a "If I could sound even 60% as good as Pete Thorn in that video..." I would be happy, not as an overall rating of the amp. I'm coming around to it, just need to keep playing with it.

For comparison, it took me about 20 years to like my Rat, maybe about 10 years to get Dynasonics to work, etc. And I've never found a Marshall I've liked. Sometimes I just need to put something away and come back to it when I'm in a different frame of mind.

Sometimes changing ones mind comes in a flash...sometimes it never comes.

Do you need it as much as you think you must have it?

More likely than not, if you pull the trigger, a genuine ''brown face'' will show up, for less.

Wait until all the exchanges occur and post Christmas sales start.

Best,

BIB.