Friedman tweeked VariPlex Clip!

[motrock]

Ok guys, yesterday my good friend and I spent a lot of time trying to nail Van Halen as close as we could with what I have. The amp is the Blankenship VariPlex. Dave Friedman swapped out the Output Transformer recently. Also, we removed the Variac and installed a standard power cord. The results are blowing my mind. I will tell you guys more later on. Just listen to my clips and let me know how close I am to nailing Van Halen. I will say that with the backing track I had trouble starting the song. Why? Well.... there is no click track at the beginning. So, I had to just guess. I was flying blind on this one. It took me many takes to get it remotely good. So, I decided to keep the best one... mistakes and all.

Just as a side note, I recorded these clips with my hands being horribly sore. I spent time cutting tree limbs the other day and my hands are stiff! I did the best I could. So... I can hear my mistakes... but I really don't care. I just want you guys to hear the tone.

Dry with no effects and no backing track. Just straight amp:

With backing track and a little bit of reverb... go easy on me guys! LOL

How close am I to THE TONE? You guys have the pro ears around here!

 

[glassjaw7]

Sounds great to me! Not quite as "wiry" as the original to my ears, but that's a good thing. Yours is richer sounding.

 

[motrock]

Sounds great to me! Not quite as "wiry" as the original to my ears, but that's a good thing. Yours is richer sounding.

Well, the reason for that is that the original had 25watt Blackbacks with 1777 cones. My speakers are 20 year old Greenbacks with 6402 cones. The Blackbacks with 1777 apparently have more highend and get a little bit fizzier. However; I have never played through a set of Blackbacks, so I don't know. Thats just what I have been told!

 

[AndyK]

I think you are really close in the second reverb track! Sounds awesome! I think if you tune down half a step, that would darken the tone a hair, and then it would be spot-on. Nice timing on the tune- many try but come up short covering Unchained.

 

[motrock]

I think you are really close in the second reverb track! Sounds awesome! I think if you tune down half a step, that would darken the tone a hair, and then it would be spot-on. Nice timing on the tune- many try but come up short covering Unchained.

I am already tuned a half step down!

 

[dursitti]

Try lowering your gain. I have the the original demos and in listening to them have realized, VH doesn't really have a lot of gain in his amp. Its almost an implied amount. Sounds like more than there really is.

That said, the amp sounds incredible!

 

[motrock]

Try lowering your gain. I have the the original demos and in listening to them have realized, VH doesn't really have a lot of gain in his amp. Its almost an implied amount. Sounds like more than there really is.

That said, the amp sounds incredible!

Well, we may to consult Dave on that one. I am running the amp like Eddie used to run his amp. Dave has me all setup with what I needed for it. My pickup height could be just a little but to high. That could have something to do with it. But, I think I am spot on on the gain. I have those demos also. But I also have the Guitar Hero tracks separated. Check this out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91zPg4f2K0g

Plenty of gain going on there. Lots of fizz in the background.

 

[dursitti]

Try lowering your gain. I have the the original demos and in listening to them have realized, VH doesn't really have a lot of gain in his amp. Its almost an implied amount. Sounds like more than there really is.

That said, the amp sounds incredible!

Well, we may to consult Dave on that one. I am running the amp like Eddie used to run his amp. Dave has me all setup with what I needed for it. My pickup height could be just a little but to high. That could have something to do with it. But, I think I am spot on on the gain. I have those demos also. But I also have the Guitar Hero tracks separated. Check this out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91zPg4f2K0g

Plenty of gain going on there. Lots of fizz in the background.

You could definitely be right. There is more gain in the track.

Do you really feel the transformer made a huge difference?

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

That sounds killer...I'd love to have that amp!!!

 

[motrock]

Try lowering your gain. I have the the original demos and in listening to them have realized, VH doesn't really have a lot of gain in his amp. Its almost an implied amount. Sounds like more than there really is.

That said, the amp sounds incredible!

Well, we may to consult Dave on that one. I am running the amp like Eddie used to run his amp. Dave has me all setup with what I needed for it. My pickup height could be just a little but to high. That could have something to do with it. But, I think I am spot on on the gain. I have those demos also. But I also have the Guitar Hero tracks separated. Check this out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91zPg4f2K0g

Plenty of gain going on there. Lots of fizz in the background.

You could definitely be right. There is more gain in the track.

Do you really feel the transformer made a huge difference?

Big enough for me to say that it sounds like a completely different amp!

 

[Nico]

Reaaaaaaaally nice, I loved it!

Have you tried a Marsha, can the Brown Eye get into these type of tones with such accuracy?

 

[motrock]

Reaaaaaaaally nice, I loved it!

Have you tried a Marsha, can the Brown Eye get into these type of tones with such accuracy?

I have the Brown Eye and Custom 45 in my Mojave Peacemaker. I have put both amps side by side and I can honestly say that the Brown Eye can't touch the VariPlex for Van Halen tones. The Brown Eye sounds waaay to Def Leppard/Judas Priest for Van Halen. But thats a good thing!

 

[Hacksaw]

 

[motrock]

LOL Oh yeah!

 

[goldwing68nv]

That sounds killer...I'd love to have that amp!!!

+1