Help with a Herbert

P

pedal builder

New member
Hello Everyone,
So i bought a used Herbert MkII after finally being able to test one out at NAMM this past jan. and i have to say i was impressed with the tone especially for being in a loud convention center. so when i got back home the search began to find a used one online. but after getting it the disappointing began :( something just didnt sound right. kinda weak sounding and fuzzy as if i had a fuzz face running really low in front of the amp
first off i checked the bias and noticed that 1 pair wasn't running correctly. traced that back to a blown resistor.
replaced said resistor and re-tubbed with 6 jj KT77's . i figured the mullard EL34's that it came with were part of the tone issue.
big improvement thicker tone closer to the tone i was expecting,but still fizzy/fuzzy sounding.
next i pulled all of the tung sol 12ax7's and repaced with ruby 12ax7ac5 but have been experimenting with some different tubes in V1 & V2 .
but on CH 2-3 the fuzz is still there :confused:
now this is frustrating part. i run a repair shop, and have seen only a couple of Diezel's come through for retubes and the occasional bad input jack/common problems, but nothing like this. so i figured i'd reach out to you guys who own one and see if this is normal and maybe i just wasn't hearing it on the one i played originally?
Thanks
 
Most of the fizzyness problems I have read about here in the past were
trying to make it a bedroom amp/running at whisper volumes.
All 3 of my channel volumes are set at 12 to 1 o'clock
Then dial in the overall/global Master at 9:00.(or more if your wanting to shake walls)

Also,here's a (kinda) trick to getting more of a Marshall type tone.
Run the Depth and Presence low..about 9:00

Since you have a repair shop ,Pete is your best one here to answer your questions.
He's just an email away.
 
You shouldn't have ANY fizz issues, that's not right.
My Herbert is simply a beast!! Never fizzy...

The retube was a good idea. I'm also surprised at a blown resistor, yet if it was an easy fix, cool.
Peter will undoubtedly chime in here eventually and might have the sage advice you're looking for.

I will agree with John about the depth and presence. It's not a "set everything at 12 O'clock" amp. And experimenting a bit with channel volume VS master will also be important.
By the way, what cabs are you using?? That also plays a part, of course.
Anyway, just keep using your ears to dial in the tone you're after, don't worry about where the knobs end up. Herbert is a fun one, Diezel amps are amazing...my #1 for quite a while. Recently trying some digital options for weight and easy travel reasons mostly.

Good luck!!
 
Thanks for the replies,
so far I've tried tweaking the knobs every way imaginable and the only remedy is to turn the gain down low . and to me that defeats the purpose of having a Diezel.
as far as cabs i tried about about 5 different ones 4x12's and 2x12's. marshall, mesa, evh, randall. and in one cab i swapped the speakers about 4 times with different celestions ,eminence and wgs to see if it made a difference. and it did not.
 
GtarLover":2j9vcnmv said:
I will agree with John about the depth and presence. It's not a "set everything at 12 O'clock" amp.
Good luck!!
Click to expand...
I couldn't disagree 100% with this statement any more than beginning a 3rd world war.

Any "well made" electric guitar amp paired with either the manufacturers speaker cabinet should "always" sound acceptable with all (but the output dials) set to 12:00.

People that go out and spend their hard earned money on a superb guitar amplifier as in a Diezel Herbert (the King of all channel switching guitar amps) and ask a most DUMBASS question as "Hey Peter, what setting do I use to get my Herbert to sound like a Marshall . . .?) should have a Smith & Wesson 44 magnum blasted to their room temperature IQ head using hollow point amo without hesitation on site - multiple times!

The other room temperature IQ dildos that really make me laugh are the pedal board whores that "ASSume" that throwing 20 different tone sucking stomp boxes in front of any Diezel guitar amplifier is going to hide their inadequacies and make them a better player.

Note to self!
 
Well thanks for chiming in and helping out the OP.
That's the kind of reply that really helps.

Anyway, the OP is having a "fizzy" issue, not a pedals in front of Herbert why doesn't it sound like a Marshall issue. He said he is new to the amp and is asking for ideas, not rant.

Thanks again for your useless input.
 
GtarLover":gqjcrrbz said:
Well thanks for chiming in and helping out the OP.
That's the kind of reply that really helps.

Anyway, the OP is having a "fizzy" issue, not a pedals in front of Herbert why doesn't it sound like a Marshall issue. He said he is new to the amp and is asking for ideas, not rant.

Thanks again for your useless input.
Click to expand...
No problem. I'm always willing to help fellow Diezel coinsures.

If one has recently learned some basic chords on the electric guitar, then it's quite possible they may not be ready to purchase a PRS CE24.

Not that the OP isn't the example here I state.

However, after owning my original Diezel Herbert for over 11 years now, my experienced suggestion would be to email Peter's support address at "peterdiezel "AT" diezelamplification.com". Peter's support for his clients is second to none, and he doesn't hover around here all day - he's got guitar amplifiers to create.

Thanks for your useless retort/output.

Have a nice day. :)
 
Well, at least we can agree that Peter and those at Diezel are AMAZING and always go the extra mile for customers. My experience with Peter has always been hugely helpful and supportive.

To the OP, do reach out to the email worm listed. I'm sure he will have suggestions for you.
Since as I mentioned in my original post, Herbert shouldn't be fizzy.

Best of luck getting things sorted.
 
GtarLover":2agafg9b said:
To the OP, do reach out to the email worm listed.
Click to expand...
Alrighty then - friends?
icon_prost.gif


And please, if you're going to refer to my moniker partially, please capitalize the "W".

Thank you GtarLover.
 
Hmm not sure if i should be offended by that or not.
anyway, just waiting for Peter to answer the message i left him.curious to see what he says.
 
pedal builder":tov95tkr said:
Hmm not sure if i should be offended by that or not.
anyway, just waiting for Peter to answer the message i left him.curious to see what he says.
Click to expand...
Oh my, I hope I haven't "offended" you.

Hint: If you send Sir Papa a case of Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier or Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock, he'll saying anything you'd like.
 
pedal builder":2l6a1e9f said:
Hello Everyone,
So i bought a used Herbert MkII after finally being able to test one out at NAMM this past jan. and i have to say i was impressed with the tone especially for being in a loud convention center. so when i got back home the search began to find a used one online. but after getting it the disappointing began :( something just didnt sound right. kinda weak sounding and fuzzy as if i had a fuzz face running really low in front of the amp
first off i checked the bias and noticed that 1 pair wasn't running correctly. traced that back to a blown resistor.
replaced said resistor and re-tubbed with 6 jj KT77's . i figured the mullard EL34's that it came with were part of the tone issue.
big improvement thicker tone closer to the tone i was expecting,but still fizzy/fuzzy sounding.
next i pulled all of the tung sol 12ax7's and repaced with ruby 12ax7ac5 but have been experimenting with some different tubes in V1 & V2 .
but on CH 2-3 the fuzz is still there :confused:
now this is frustrating part. i run a repair shop, and have seen only a couple of Diezel's come through for retubes and the occasional bad input jack/common problems, but nothing like this. so i figured i'd reach out to you guys who own one and see if this is normal and maybe i just wasn't hearing it on the one i played originally?
Thanks
Click to expand...

peterdiezel (at) diezelamplification (dot) com
 
WormHoles":cmkwq7ie said:
pedal builder":cmkwq7ie said:
Hmm not sure if i should be offended by that or not.
anyway, just waiting for Peter to answer the message i left him.curious to see what he says.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Oh my, I hope I haven't "offended" you.

Thanks for all the "helpfull" information
 
pedal builder":3mo7o6up said:
Hello Everyone,
but after getting it the disappointing began :( something just didnt sound right. kinda weak sounding and fuzzy as if i had a fuzz face running really low in front of the amp
first off i checked the bias and noticed that 1 pair wasn't running correctly. traced that back to a blown resistor.
replaced said resistor and re-tubbed with 6 jj KT77's . i figured the mullard EL34's that it came with were part of the tone issue.
big improvement thicker tone closer to the tone i was expecting,but still fizzy/fuzzy sounding.
next i pulled all of the tung sol 12ax7's and repaced with ruby 12ax7ac5 but have been experimenting with some different tubes in V1 & V2 .
but on CH 2-3 the fuzz is still there :confused:
Thanks
Click to expand...
You're problem may simply be the tube socket's clamps themselves have become loose causing a bad contact with the tube pins and therefore may cause the "fizzy" distortion that you're experiencing. A simple tightening of the clamps may fix the problem.

It is possible to re-tension the clamps with a small tool or very small screw driver. Please be very careful! If the socket is damaged is has to be replaced.
 

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checked the sockets as suggested but there all fairly tight. waiting on a new set of power tubes. I'm think the problem has something to do with them.
 
so the problem is not with the tubes tried several different sets also a variety of pre amp tubes and every imaginable eq setting so most likely the problem lies in the preamp
 
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