Mark,

Lots of folk find the OD on the BM fizzy at first.  It really is important to give it some time to break in.  Also, I'd recommend doing some tube rolling if you haven't already.  ANOS RCA 12ax7 blackplate in V1, good quality new production Tung-Sol in V2 will get you 50% of the way there.  The rest is making sure you ease off of the gain pot on the back (it doesn't really add more gain, just fizz).  I have the same amp and I never run my gain knob higher than 9 o'clock.  I use Alnico V's though, so your experience may differ.  These two things, plus the break-in, will get really help to eliminate the fizz.  If that doesn't work, hit the HRM trimmers.  I wouldn't do this, though, until the amp has properly broken in, since the character will change until that point.

Hope this helps.


Stephen

Have you tried looking over at ampgarage.com?  They have tons of technical info, so it may be worth while to check there.

Mine drives at around 3.  Seems like that's the fix.

S

Almost certainly something with the unit.  If I were to guess, it sounds like the tube, which would be a simple fix.  If it's not that, get a hold of Nik and ask him what he thinks.  He has a warranty guy in the US that you can ship the unit to and have it fixed for free.

Without having played an SSS or clone, I do know that SRV used one and got all of his dirt from old TS808s.  So yeah, it should work great as a pedal platform.  I have a 100w Bluesmaster, and there isn't a pedal I've found that sounds bad with it. 

The buffer is a dumblator.  You run it in the loop.  I believe that it does make the loop active, but I am not sure. 

Bump

If you run this through the buffer unit, either a Kleinulator or C-lator, then it won't be too loud.  Hell, the difference between a 50w and 100w amp is something like 6 dB (I may be talking out of my ass, you should check that out).  What I DO know, though, is that wattage equates with headroom: a 100w amp will stay clean louder than a 50w amp.  Nik's version of the SSS (the #002 I think) has a gain pot, so OD on the clean side shouldn't be an issue, especially if you ask for the 1/2 power mod, which takes it to 50w or so.  Remember that this amp is supposed to run as a clean amp, using pedals to drive it.  What you get is the ability to have amazing cleans at almost any volume, and be able to add dirt pedals for your flavor of OD.  Had I the cash, I'd do it.

Did you build it or buy it pre-made?  There could be a problem with the wiring or you could have some loose soldering joints.  On mine, they all work well, save for the mid being pretty subtle. 

Hey All,

Well, I thought I'd bump this thread, since I have been interested in it from the beginning.  I was in a similar situation as StratUltra, just not getting the sounds I wanted out of the amp.  As you guys can see from my posts, I tried a lot of things to switch up the sound and they worked, to varying degrees.  So here is the thing, though.  I felt the OD on the amp was flubby and boomy.  The bass was out of control. 

So, a couple weeks back.  I ask the dudes at The Amp Garage what mods I should consider for the amp, given what I was looking for.  I told them I intended to drop the amp at King Amplification near San Jose (California).  So one of the forumites drops me a message, saying he builds these amps, is in San Jose, and will open her up and do some tuning for free if I want to stop by. SCORE.

I show up with a 6 pack of good beer and a clean boost pedal with a loose solder joint to offer in trade.  Totally surprises amp dude.  He was just going to do it for the hell of it, and get to jam out some.  Well, he drops the amp out of the cab, and starts going through the HRM trims (mines a 100w Bluesmaster).  Bass is really boomy at this point.  He notes the bass trim is all the way off.  Huh, interesting.  As he's adjusting the trim though, we hear some crackle and hiss.  Thinking that there may be a loose solder joint on the trim, he pulls the board and retouches the joints.  Brings it back and holy shit guys, totally different amp.  It is now everything I want it to be.  It can Rock or it can RAWK, yah know?  Dude also tunes the PI for more bloom and harmonic content (very key, guys), and checks my bias.  Turns out, after 2 years of running her with the Master at 7 (Clator for meta-master), the TAD 6L6's were still balanced and matched.  I recommend these tubes to everyone, so I'm glad they are working well.  Anyway, that's about it, just a show of great karma from a fellow Dubmele devotee.

Hey All,

Looking to trade this cab for another OTS cab without the slot.  I put my Clator into a rack case, so I don't need this anymore.  Let me know.   


Stephen

Another option for cabs is through Hermida Audio.  Same dude who makes the Zendrive.  I have one of this ported 2x12s and it's pretty amazing.  Light but durable.  I think I got it used for like $150, but new they are $239 or so.   Good deal, I say.

RAD.

For me, like I said earlier, I took almost all drives off my board.  Here's what it looks like now:
Guitar -> Turbo Tuner -> Teese RMC-3 Wah -> Octavia/FuzzFoot on Captain Coconut 2 (Great Pedal) -> Java Boost -> Stock DS-1 (just love this guy for lots of 90's alt rock, which was my music growing up) -> Amp
Loop = Clator + Provibe side of Capt Coconut 2 -> Hardwire DL-8 Delay -> Boss RC-2 Loop Station.

I do all kinds of music, mostly what I call melodic distortion.  Finger-picking or plectrum.

@Gregg: heard good things about the Tri-Boost, but have never used it.  The Java rocks because it uses the original Mullard chips in it and because it has a 3-way toggle for Full/Treble/Mid Boost frequencies.  Just using that and the tone knob on the pedal get me almost any sounds I'm looking for, paired with the amp's OD of course.  Oh yeah, the JBs can usually be had used for like $120, so they are a steal. 

I'd also recommend highly the Teese RMC-3 wah.  It has a full set of internal controls and DIPs that can basically make it into almost any wah ever created.  REALLY awesome wah, IMO.

Just a cool idea for you guys, but I think everyone should own a good rangemaster clone for use with their version of the OTS.  Seriously you guys, a Beano Boost or Java Boost or other "treble" booster will allow you to get all kinds of sounds when used in conjunction with the OD or pushed clean channels on the amp.  I have one (Java), and aside from a fuzz, it's the only OD on my board.

+1 on the use of drive pedals.  John Mayer, for instance, rarely uses the OD channel on his Two Rocks or Dumbles.  Often, it's a modded TS-808 (or -9, whatever) that he uses with a pushed clean and PAB engaged.  I have found that this amp + a good rangemaster clone (Keeley Java Boost, Analogman Beano, D*A*M Red Rooster) is about all you need for a multitude of tones.  I also have a germanium fuzz in the chain in case I need it... and a DS-1.  I love the DS-1.