Anyone have a BE Deluxe modded to make it meaner?

  • Thread starter Thread starter cragginshred
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cragginshred

cragginshred

Well-known member
Most seem to agree the BE Deluxe are too compressed and polite. The layout and design and MV is killer. I know Dave will mod anything and the trend is to be more raw and open which is what he did with the PT v2.
The Deluxe has all the switches but I felt like they are either too bright or dark and the changes were not subtle. I already e-mailed Dave but just seeing if anyone has done this?
 
I am fairly certain the BE Deluxe is the more raw and open design versus an earlier BE100 which is way more compressed and polished sounding.

It doesn't hurt to email Dave and see if he has any ideas or suggestions. The BE100 has so much gain in it I'm not sure you can make it raw and uncompressed like a standard 2203, that's usually the trade off for gaining up a Marshall circuit.
 
You could maybe move the NFB wire but I don’t know where it is stock. If you can move it to a lower impedance lug on the impedance selector then try that. EG - if it’s on the 8 ohm tap move it to the 4 ohm tap.
 
SpiderWars said:
You could maybe move the NFB wire but I don’t know where it is stock. If you can move it to a lower impedance lug on the impedance selector then try that. EG - if it’s on the 8 ohm tap move it to the 4 ohm tap.
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The BE100 Deluxe has a response switch that selects variable feedback that will affect a harder or softer feel/attack like a JCM800 versus a plexi.
 
SpiderWars said:
You could maybe move the NFB wire but I don’t know where it is stock. If you can move it to a lower impedance lug on the impedance selector then try that. EG - if it’s on the 8 ohm tap move it to the 4 ohm tap.
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Not familiar with any amp modding, but live 6 hours north of LA so may just take it down there.
harddriver said:
I am fairly certain the BE Deluxe is the more raw and open design versus an earlier BE100 which is way more compressed and polished sounding.

It doesn't hurt to email Dave and see if he has any ideas or suggestions. The BE100 has so much gain in it I'm not sure you can make it raw and uncompressed like a standard 2203, that's usually the trade off for gaining up a Marshall circuit.
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Good to know I had never heard that. What about in the PT v2 it has a ton of gain and is not as compressed as the BE Dlx? Not sure if you have tried one? I got rid of it because it did not have a dedicated solo ch and did not have the girth of a 100w head
 
Dave shifts the mid frequencies lower to make his amps less harsh and easier to play. I'm sure it would only take a few tweaks to bring the marshall mids back. I'd love one of his amps with the mids stock marshall, but I guess he likes his more signature sound.
 
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Friedmans have a 220k or 470k resistor between treble wiper and master volume. Remove it and it’ll be more aggressive. Volume will increase slightly as well.

Can also remove the snubber cap on 100k cathode for v2b CF.

Try a small bright cap on gain pot maybe. Like 220pf.

I’ve added a bright switch to a Phil X with 150pf / off / 1000pf and it works great.
 
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RedPlated said:
Friedmans have a 220k or 470k resistor between treble wiper and master volume. Remove it and it’ll be more aggressive. Volume will increase slightly as well.

Can also remove the snubber cap on 100k cathode for v2b CF.

Try a small bright cap on gain pot maybe. Like 220pf.
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Well there ya go, Mr. Redplated to the rescue!.......:2thumbsup: As he has a great ear for dialing in a great sounding Marshall so you should be all ears with his suggestions.

All really great and easy things to try to get more aggression. Maybe Dave F would be willing to tweak on the amp for you for a bench fee. Any local electronics guy should be able to remove a resistor between the treble and master volume pots, the snubber cap on V2B Cathode Follower.

It's usually the plate snubber caps that take away alot of the raw aggression because they are attenuating high frequencies to deter oscillations in a high gain circuit but there is a dampened effect that goes along with it.
 
RedPlated said:
Friedmans have a 220k or 470k resistor between treble wiper and master volume. Remove it and it’ll be more aggressive. Volume will increase slightly as well.

Can also remove the snubber cap on 100k cathode for v2b CF.

Try a small bright cap on gain pot maybe. Like 220pf.
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Does that have an affect on both the BE and HBE channels?
 
LP Freak said:
Does that have an affect on both the BE and HBE channels?
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The first two will affect both.

If I recall correctly, the Deluxe has separate gains for BE and HBE. So you’d only affect one or the other, unless you put the cap on both pots.

I haven’t tried the bright cap on a Friedman. But I have a feeling a small cap will add just the right amount of sparkle and aggressiveness without getting over the top like a bigger one.

Have you tried a bright cap on yours Paul? For some reason I feel like you have.
 
RedPlated said:
The first two will affect both.

If I recall correctly, the Deluxe has separate gains for BE and HBE. So you’d only affect one or the other, unless you put the cap on both pots.

I haven’t tried the bright cap on a Friedman. But I have a feeling a small cap will add just the right amount of sparkle and aggressiveness without getting over the top like a bigger one.

Have you tried a bright cap on yours Paul? For some reason I feel like you have.
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I haven’t but am thinking about experimenting
 
Back when Dave was doing Randall MTS modular mods, he designed the Brahma module and Scary modules for Lynch. The Brahma has all the bite and kerrang of a great JMP. I have been waiting for him to capture that with more switches. I think his Synergy BE DLX got closer but he still favours that polished tone. Def easy to solo on but it just doesn't dig in enough and softens the mids which I personally hate. That Brahma module though? It's perfect. He hit gold with that.

Disclaimer: Randall shipped the Brahma module from the factory with the WRONG spec initially and that module sucked. If you get a " correct" spec Brahma or one that Dave brought to correct spec ( what I have), you've got a fantastic module. Mine is never going anywhere. Easily competes with my 2204's. Just as good.

Here is a famous clip of George testing eastern european preamp tubes with the Brahma. Timestamped for the Tonez, doesn't do it justice though.

 
You are killing me Kapo! My correct spec Brahma module was my #1 tone for years. Back in on the Synergy game and have been kicking myself for selling that mod a few years ago when I got out of the MTS stuff.

That's it. Going to try to source one. Jaded Faith did some work to mine that made it even better and he is still working on them as far as I know.
 
fek said:
You are killing me Kapo! My correct spec Brahma module was my #1 tone for years. Back in on the Synergy game and have been kicking myself for selling that mod a few years ago when I got out of the MTS stuff.

That's it. Going to try to source one. Jaded Faith did some work to mine that made it even better and he is still working on them as far as I know.
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For me it just never got any better.. you know what I'm talking about though! They do still pop up here or there but now are becoming more and more scarse. I have two, my second one I added another gain stage to so it is sort of a hot rodded Brahma but the original is still the best.
 
RedPlated said:
Friedmans have a 220k or 470k resistor between treble wiper and master volume. Remove it and it’ll be more aggressive. Volume will increase slightly as well.
Click to expand...

I may give this a try. Do I need to replace it with a jumper wire from the treble wiper to the master volume or can I just pull the resister out?
 
RedPlated said:
Friedmans have a 220k or 470k resistor between treble wiper and master volume. Remove it and it’ll be more aggressive. Volume will increase slightly as well.

Can also remove the snubber cap on 100k cathode for v2b CF.

Try a small bright cap on gain pot maybe. Like 220pf.
Click to expand...
Dude thats killer info. Dave replied to an inquiry an said "I can do a few things to the whole amp" ......thats it.
I have an amp builder a few hours away that could do what your suggesting. Is it easy to put back if I don't like it?
 
@RedPlated the caps you spoke of would go in the amp or in a Les paul? I know nothing about modding amps
My alta headfirst needs no extra brightness so I would not want to set my LP up to be brighter. I do not have the BE deluxe eyt but am negotiating to get one en route

Not sure if I need to take it to Dave or have my tech do some tweaks you mentioned which as a write this seems absurd if I can sit down with Dave and see what he suggests and be able too sample it while he is doing it
 
cragginshrd said:
@RedPlated the caps you spoke of would go in the amp or in a Les paul? I know nothing about modding amps
My alta headfirst needs no extra brightness so I would not want to set my LP up to be brighter. I do not have the BE deluxe eyt but am negotiating to get one en route

Not sure if I need to take it to Dave or have my tech do some tweaks you mentioned which as a write this seems absurd if I can sit down with Dave and see what he suggests and be able too sample it while he is doing it
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No the cap goes on the gain pot in the amp.

The best scenario would be to get different common values and experiment to see what sounds best. And even better, make the gain a push pull pot so you can have both options. Stock when pushed in and bright cap when pulled. I did this to the mini Dirty Shirley I tweaked and it works fantastic.

I’d try 100pf, 150pf, 220pf. You can go larger like 1000pf but it’ll likely be too much. But all depends on what you like. The smaller caps will be less noisy and unruly. They will bump the high treble rather than the upper mids like a bigger cap.
 
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