Help with Lil' Fokker.

E

exbest182

Member
Hi all,

I wrote an email to Diezel about this, I figured I'd get some community feedback as well.

I bought a lil' fokker based on videos since I have no dealers local and couldn't try one. I can't tell if either

A. maybe I have a bad preamp tube - or
B. This just isn't the amp for me.

Channel 2 is very very muddy. My clean seems great, I like channel one a lot. Channel 2, at bedroom volume sounds like there's a blanket over it... Very muffled... And loud volume it clears up a little bit, but the note definition is still very muddy, and at band volume (I copied settings from the tone king NAMM demo) at that volume (master 1 at roughy 10 o clock) if my gain is over half way I get pretty bad feedback anytime I'm not playing... And the sound still isn't what I've heard in other videos... I need a tight, focused, semi-high gain tone, that's kind of stiff.. I used a Mesa 4x12 with v30s, and an Ernie ball majesty and JP6

Maybe a Vh4 would be a better fit for me?

Any help would be great...

Thanks!
 
This is to be expected with a 100 watt amp at low volumes. If you need more tightness try boosting with a Tube Screamer type pedal. Have pedal level cranked up and pedal gain all the way off.
 
exbest182":qh9b9f0q said:
Hi all,

I wrote an email to Diezel about this, I figured I'd get some community feedback as well.

I bought a lil' fokker based on videos since I have no dealers local and couldn't try one. I can't tell if either

A. maybe I have a bad preamp tube - or
B. This just isn't the amp for me.

Channel 2 is very very muddy. My clean seems great, I like channel one a lot. Channel 2, at bedroom volume sounds like there's a blanket over it... Very muffled... And loud volume it clears up a little bit, but the note definition is still very muddy, and at band volume (I copied settings from the tone king NAMM demo) at that volume (master 1 at roughy 10 o clock) if my gain is over half way I get pretty bad feedback anytime I'm not playing... And the sound still isn't what I've heard in other videos... I need a tight, focused, semi-high gain tone, that's kind of stiff.. I used a Mesa 4x12 with v30s, and an Ernie ball majesty and JP6

Maybe a Vh4 would be a better fit for me?

Any help would be great...

Thanks!
Click to expand...

What are your channel EQ settings & Power section settings bro?

I wouldn't trade her in just yet. That amp is pretty fierce from the demos I've seen. This guy is on the forum somewhere & might trade info.

 
no idea how it sounds too... an am very interested in this lill fokker as heard from the clips too... did you get it stocked ? and whats the preamp inside this beast ? try cutting bass and use less gain instead clear it up with treble knob ?
 
exbest182":3jy7gupt said:
Hi all,

I wrote an email to Diezel about this, I figured I'd get some community feedback as well.

I bought a lil' fokker based on videos since I have no dealers local and couldn't try one. I can't tell if either

A. maybe I have a bad preamp tube - or
B. This just isn't the amp for me.

Channel 2 is very very muddy. My clean seems great, I like channel one a lot. Channel 2, at bedroom volume sounds like there's a blanket over it... Very muffled... And loud volume it clears up a little bit, but the note definition is still very muddy, and at band volume (I copied settings from the tone king NAMM demo) at that volume (master 1 at roughy 10 o clock) if my gain is over half way I get pretty bad feedback anytime I'm not playing... And the sound still isn't what I've heard in other videos... I need a tight, focused, semi-high gain tone, that's kind of stiff.. I used a Mesa 4x12 with v30s, and an Ernie ball majesty and JP6

Maybe a Vh4 would be a better fit for me?

Any help would be great...

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I already sent you an answer at 3 am German time.

What´s going on ?
 
Thank you very much for your reply, you don't see that kind of support that often... I'm going to check a few things when in the morning, and I'll report back!

Thanks Peter!
 
I have experienced this same issue with my Lil Fokker, Muddiness.

I am playing a ESP "Iron Cross" with EMG Het set running through a Marshall 1960a(g75s) and Mesa Boogie 2x12 (v30/elite 80). When I first got the amp in January, the ch. 2 tone was amazing! Tight, full, punchy/chunky, articulate... But now it sounds muddy and dull. Once it started to sound muddy and dull I replace all my tubes. I replaced my v1 pre-amp tube with a TAD 7025. I swapped the other pre amp tubes with Tung-Sol 12ax7 and the Power tubes with matched JJ kt77 that I bias to 36ma.

My setting are the following (In O'clock:)
Drive: 11:00
Volume: 10:30
Treble: 2:30
Mids: 2:00
Bass: 2:30
Master: 3:30
Presence: 2:30
Deep: 3:00

Maybe I am used to the sound and taking it for granted, but I cannot get mine to sound anything like what it did and every other Diezel I hear sounds way better to me. The sound of a VH4 is what drew me to Diezel and I know the Lil Fokker is not a VH4, but this amp blew me away when I first plugged in to it, but now it is just "meh".
 
Kdwood":2aoopkhv said:
I have experienced this same issue with my Lil Fokker, Muddiness.

I am playing a ESP "Iron Cross" with EMG Het set running through a Marshall 1960a(g75s) and Mesa Boogie 2x12 (v30/elite 80). When I first got the amp in January, the ch. 2 tone was amazing! Tight, full, punchy/chunky, articulate... But now it sounds muddy and dull. Once it started to sound muddy and dull I replace all my tubes. I replaced my v1 pre-amp tube with a TAD 7025. I swapped the other pre amp tubes with Tung-Sol 12ax7 and the Power tubes with matched JJ kt77 that I bias to 36ma.

My setting are the following (In O'clock:)
Drive: 11:00
Volume: 10:30
Treble: 2:30
Mids: 2:00
Bass: 2:30
Master: 3:30
Presence: 2:30
Deep: 3:00

Maybe I am used to the sound and taking it for granted, but I cannot get mine to sound anything like what it did and every other Diezel I hear sounds way better to me. The sound of a VH4 is what drew me to Diezel and I know the Lil Fokker is not a VH4, but this amp blew me away when I first plugged in to it, but now it is just "meh".
Click to expand...


Then something has changed. Take it to a tech.
 
Kdwood":2ikt28jg said:
I have experienced this same issue with my Lil Fokker, Muddiness.

I am playing a ESP "Iron Cross" with EMG Het set running through a Marshall 1960a(g75s) and Mesa Boogie 2x12 (v30/elite 80). When I first got the amp in January, the ch. 2 tone was amazing! Tight, full, punchy/chunky, articulate... But now it sounds muddy and dull. Once it started to sound muddy and dull I replace all my tubes. I replaced my v1 pre-amp tube with a TAD 7025. I swapped the other pre amp tubes with Tung-Sol 12ax7 and the Power tubes with matched JJ kt77 that I bias to 36ma.

My setting are the following (In O'clock:)
Drive: 11:00
Volume: 10:30
Treble: 2:30
Mids: 2:00
Bass: 2:30
Master: 3:30
Presence: 2:30
Deep: 3:00

Maybe I am used to the sound and taking it for granted, but I cannot get mine to sound anything like what it did and every other Diezel I hear sounds way better to me. The sound of a VH4 is what drew me to Diezel and I know the Lil Fokker is not a VH4, but this amp blew me away when I first plugged in to it, but now it is just "meh".
Click to expand...

I'm just saying... You changed ALL of the preamp tubes, that will change things drastically. When you do that everything from eq to how much gain the amp has and clarity of that gain are effected. I'm normally not a dick but... Duh. The 7025 was in my latest vh4 and I can tell you the stock chinese 12ax7 ac5 is a much more balanced and clear tube. The 7025 was ok but thin and bright. The ting sols have always been a dark tube in Diezel amps and if that is he bulk of the pre section that is probably your answer right there. The Chinese really are where it's at for Diezel's. A JJ in V1 with the rest chinese is nice too if you want smoother with more swirl in the gain structure. Tubes matter in an analog circuit.
 
And I know you said you changed things after it got muddy and dull but hear me out here. You didn't put the same tubes back in and expected the same output... How could you be certain it's not just the tubes now? You know? When you LIKE something and it goes bad without changing anything and you're trying to get it back to its former glory you don't change a piece of the puzzle.
 
Hey_bert_whtcha_doin_bert":3qpo5lvb said:
And I know you said you changed things after it got muddy and dull but hear me out here. You didn't put the same tubes back in and expected the same output... How could you be certain it's not just the tubes now? You know? When you LIKE something and it goes bad without changing anything and you're trying to get it back to its former glory you don't change a piece of the puzzle.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply and I completely agree with all you have said. Tong-sol 12ax7 has always been my fav pre-amp tubes, but maybe they do not work well with my amp. But the crazy thing is that the tone has not changed at all (to me) it is still the same muddy/dull ch 2. Is there a better preamp tube for v1? Mine came stock with a TAD 7025 and that is what I replace it with. I really hope it is just a tube issue.
 
I'm not sure if Peter has ever used that tube stock but the Chinese 12ax7 ac5 (There is a special grade of this through ruby tubes for v1 labeled Diezel selected 678 you can get through Magic parts or valve queen. Perhaps Diezel if you're in Europe???)is what he uses now and chinese 12ax7b's which are for all intents and purposes the same tube sonically. There could be something wrong with the head but like I said It would be hard to say changing out an entire pre section. Could even be the cab breaking in and not being as brightas it was new, cabs loosen up as they get older especially if they've been pummeled with a lot of low end at ear bleeding volumes. That why the front loaded cabs are better for people looking for a tight sound they stay tighter after that break in. Enough to make you go mad I know hahahaha.
 
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