Fortin Cali Mod in da house

[mctallica1]

Got her yesterday, but didn't get a chance to play through the amp until this morning. Have spent about 4-5 hours with it.

To be perfectly honest, my first impression was "Wow...this thing is BRIGHT"

I am running it through G12K-100's.

After messing with the controls a bit ( I had to learn the relationship between gain 1 and gain 2 along with the switches) and changing out the preamp tubes (settled on Chinese 9th gen in v1 and v2 and RFT in v3 and v4), and learning the controls better, I am getting crazy good tone out of this thing.

My main style of play is thrashy and this amp is excellent at it.


I am amazed how articulate it is. Even at ridiculous amounts of gain, you can hear every note in a chord.

I am very, very happy with this amp.

The relationship between gain 1 and gain 2 is pretty interesting.

With Gain 1 pushed in (labled tight, but I agree with Rian, it is the looser of the 2 settings, so it must be mislabled) and the gain at 2 oclock or so, it adds a decent amount of bass....in a very good way.

I like gain 2 around noon, which keeps a little bit of the Marshall clang on palm mutes...I like . So, between the 2 gain settings, I can keep the clang I like but add in thickness I haven't found on any other Marshall to date.


I keep the switches below the Master, Gain 1 and Gain 2 to the left. This adds compression, but it doesn't squish the sound.

This amp does not have the hair switch and I couldn't imagine needing thump.

Now that I get how gain 1 and gain 2 interact, I am excited to try different combinations.

Oh yeah...Minor adjustments to a control can have signficant impact on the tone.


Before you ask...no clips from me. I still haven't recorded anything on my own.

Killer, Killer amp.

Highly reccomended!

 

[thiswaythatway]

That's the cool thing about Mike's amps, tons of gain yet still clear. And i like how when you add gain it doesn't mush up like an XTC would.

 

[Digital Jams]

Congrats bro!

If you ever have any questions let me know, had mine for around a year and pretty much have the amp nailed tweeking wise. I do know that if you want trash from the cali I would look for different speakers like h30s or v30s, I tried the cali with k100s and it was not for me.

Go with all the switches to the right, both gains around 1:00, and use res instead of treble to taste for some open sounding trash

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

Glad you like it! Went to a good home. Rock on Tony!

 

[gibson5413]

Congrats Tony! It only gets better.

If you ever have any questions let me know, had mine for around a year and pretty much have the amp nailed tweeking wise. I do know that if you want trash from the cali I would look for different speakers like h30s or v30s, I tried the cali with k100s and it was not for me.

Funny thing, I love this thing with V30s. Sounds great to my ears. Any opinions on Scumback m75s? I know Dan loves them but I am thinking about trying something new just for fun. Any other suggestions?

 

[Digital Jams]

Congrats Tony! It only gets better.

If you ever have any questions let me know, had mine for around a year and pretty much have the amp nailed tweeking wise. I do know that if you want trash from the cali I would look for different speakers like h30s or v30s, I tried the cali with k100s and it was not for me.

Funny thing, I love this thing with V30s. Sounds great to my ears. Any opinions on Scumback m75s? I know Dan loves them but I am thinking about trying something new just for fun. Any other suggestions?

I have not tried the scumbacks but have heard good things about them from guys that have used them. Well broken in H30s sound awesome as well as greenbacks imo. I like the v30s for heavier stuff!

 

[mctallica1]

I am thinking of buying those Greenbacks in the classifieds.


I am really digging this amp. I have the basics figured out now, so I am having more success coaxing what I want from it.

Scott, I don't like the switches to the right...maybe it is my speakers.

Boy am I having fun with this thing

 

[Digital Jams]

I am thinking of buying those Greenbacks in the classifieds.


I am really digging this amp. I have the basics figured out now, so I am having more success coaxing what I want from it.

Scott, I don't like the switches to the right...maybe it is my speakers.

Boy am I having fun with this thing

huh???


yours is broken then.






















LOL! j/k Try the one to the far right to the left, will still be open but the clipping is not as crazy. If I remember right Mike may have thrown different value caps in mine due to what I liked, that could be part of it.

 

[Doubleneck]

Is the Cali for lack of better words the child of a Marshall and Mesa?

 

[ampjunkie]

I love my Cali, but I can't stand it with any clipping engaged. It neuters the tone completely. No balls!

 

[Motorpud]

 

[wheelman]

Congrats on the Cali do you have the depth control? That should add tons of low end chunk tight too. Your also correct on the knob ( 1st gain pot) pulled out is the tight setting. Unless of course Mike did it backwards intentionally. Some times its a "feel" switch on the back.

 

[Digital Jams]

I love my Cali, but I can't stand it with any clipping engaged. It neuters the tone completely. No balls!

Plenty of balls for me, use presence and the depth controls.

 

[ampjunkie]

Yeah I love the amp, but not with clipping ... it's bigger fatter and louder without it. For my tastes it does nothing to make the tone any better. It is helpful when I need to play quiet though ....

 

[Digital Jams]

Yeah I love the amp, but not with clipping ... it's bigger fatter and louder without it. For my tastes it does nothing to make the tone any better. It is helpful when I need to play quiet though ....

Agreed you get more "Crang" and roar without the clipping

I play with everything to the right.

 

[Motorpud]

Agreed you get more "Crang" and roar without the clipping

 

[mctallica1]

I love my Cali, but I can't stand it with any clipping engaged. It neuters the tone completely. No balls!

As I am learning more about the amp, I would agree with this statement at practice or gig volumes...however when playing at lower volume at home, I still prefer the switches to the left (although I am using the gain 2 switch to the right now). Gives it a fuller sound at lower/at home volume levels.

T

 

[fearhk213]

I love my Cali, but I can't stand it with any clipping engaged. It neuters the tone completely. No balls!

As I am learning more about the amp, I would agree with this statement at practice or gig volumes...however when playing at lower volume at home, I still prefer the switches to the left (although I am using the gain 2 switch to the right now). Gives it a fuller sound at lower/at home volume levels.

T

Add me to the "no clipping" list too . At practice & gigs I leave the clipping off & it just crushes. However, you have to get the amp up to at least 9-10 o'clock to start getting the goods with the clipping off. Considering that’s roughly my practice & gig volume, we’re way beyond bedroom volume at that point. From what Mike told me at 12 o’clock this setting comes alive that much more
Bedroom/TV volumes though is where the clipping comes in handy. You won't get the fullness at bedroom volumes with it off. So the clipping rocks for great tone when you want happy neighbors & ear drums.

 

[mctallica1]

I love my Cali, but I can't stand it with any clipping engaged. It neuters the tone completely. No balls!

As I am learning more about the amp, I would agree with this statement at practice or gig volumes...however when playing at lower volume at home, I still prefer the switches to the left (although I am using the gain 2 switch to the right now). Gives it a fuller sound at lower/at home volume levels.

T

Add me to the "no clipping" list too . At practice & gigs I leave the clipping off & it just crushes. However, you have to get the amp up to at least 9-10 o'clock to start getting the goods with the clipping off. Considering that’s roughly my practice & gig volume, we’re way beyond bedroom volume at that point. From what Mike told me at 12 o’clock this setting comes alive that much more
Bedroom/TV volumes though is where the clipping comes in handy. You won't get the fullness at bedroom volumes with it off. So the clipping rocks for great tone when you want happy neighbors & ear drums.

Agreed.


I had the master at about 2pm last night and NO clipping was definitely the way to go.


Oh yeah.


Just for the record....


This amp is The SEX

 

[Moshaholic]

What happend with your Powerball II???

Was it better than the first edition?

I'm really want to try this amp out!

G.