Hot Mod v2?

[RedPlated]

Anyone seen these?

https://legendarytones.com/hot-mod-...4-high-gain-plug-in-tube-modification-module/

 

[lespaul6]

Looks interesting... no sound clips though, red flag for me.

 

[psychodave]

He posted a clip on FB. Sounded tubby and mushy.

 

[Racerxrated]

I wonder if Soldano had given permission to use the name? Either way it looks cool....but kinda reminds me of the Kasha Quick Mod. Like a cross between the Soldano and Kasha, which is still available I believe.

 

[RedPlated]

This is all I see on the Kasha site. Quick mod 3.

https://www.kashaamplifiers.com/product-page/quikmod3

 

[Racerxrated]

This is all I see on the Kasha site. Quick mod 3.

https://www.kashaamplifiers.com/product-page/quikmod3

Yep, that's a bit different from the 2 other versions I owned but it's a similar concept with more control over the gain/tone. I had one that inserted an FX loop at the PI point on a vintage Marshall for instance, worked pretty well. And one of the previous QM versions that was a little different design. The thing is it does add gain, but that tightness you get from a pedal isn't there with the QM or the original Hot Mod. That needs to be there IMO; which is why when I had them I still needed an EQ pedal to tighten things.
As Dave said it sounds flubby and loose; no surprise there as that's my experience too without any pedal in front. EQ pedal takes care of that though. Still, very cool concept and if I remember Jake E Lee used the Kasha QM when he was in Badlands.

 

[japetus]

I owned an original Hot Mod back in the day, it was awesome. Used it in a 2203. Most crushing tone I have ever achieved. Really wish I never would have gotten rid of it.

 

[skullfxr]

The price of that sounds stupid high.

 

[Metlupass2]

For $219 get a tube screamer and some blow.

 

[skullfxr]

No shit. Lol.

 

[scottosan]

The 2 video's didn't seem like they added much gain at all, and it was really undefined


Seems like since it requires you to ground the mod to the chassis, you can do tube extenders/adaptors on V1 and V2 going to a box that's grounded to chassis, that simply takes a 3.3k/.68uf off V1 pin 8 and grounds it, essentially turning the second state to 2.7k/.68uf and the other adaptor off V3 pin 8 adding the Friedman style clipper circuit. I don't like how the big ole box he has putting stress on the socket. I guess it'd be fine if you never gig or move the amp. My solution would add a small 1-1 1/2 inch adaptor on V1 and V3 wired to a box you could secure to the chassis itself and ground.


I think I better trademark this as Hot Mod V3

 

[Davidfloyd]

Not pictured in the images of the HMV2 is it actually clamps against the tube shield (which is also a ground) so there’s no issue of movement stress in the socket.

I do need to do better sound clips, but was eager to get it out there. Lots of changes to this and worked the design with both Andy Marshall of THD and Mike Soldano. Really happy with the results working this off the cathode follower stage.

It’s different from the original Soldano Hot Mod however. That one is highly compressed for several reasons and I wanted this one to maintain the attack and punch and NOT get into the undefined mush category. Also added a grid to ground circuitry for stability.

Happy to answer questions. It certainly is a niche product but very proud of it.

 

[skullfxr]

The Kasha one seems much more usable l. Justifies the price a little bit.

 

[Davidfloyd]

The options on the Kasha are nice but it’s a $450 price point as well which is a big jump. Nothing bad to say about it though - all of us are passionate about our projects.

Just different approaches. All fun. Regarding the price point of this new one, remember too that we have to factor in a custom design casing rather than anything off the shelf, cost of JJ tubes and additional parts and everything is wires and assembled by hand at roughly 3.5 hours of labor to build each one. Not done on a PCB and the tubes are directly mounted on the enclosure as well. So $219 I thought was very fair all things considered.

 

[skullfxr]

The options on the Kasha are nice but it’s a $450 price point as well which is a big jump. Nothing bad to say about it though - all of us are passionate about our projects.

Just different approaches. All fun. Regarding the price point of this new one, remember too that we have to factor in a custom design casing rather than anything off the shelf, cost of JJ tubes and additional parts and everything is wires and assembled by hand at roughly 3.5 hours of labor to build each one. Not done on a PCB and the tubes are directly mounted on the enclosure as well. So $219 I thought was very fair all things considered.

I understand, I do. I have built things, always have and always well. Time is a serious expense. But it is what it is,IMHO the price is steep for what it is. I understand most aspects of business and engineering, as well as economics. I just don't personally see enough 'utils' to justify the benefit compared to the cost. YMMV.

 

[Davidfloyd]

All good. It is a niche, for those who want to gain up but do so with a low noise floor and retaining pure tube circuitry. Nothing against boost pedals though - I in fact did one co-designed with Robert Keeley years ago (The Time Machine Boost). First versions of those were hand wired as well, two channels of boost (JFET and Germanium). That was a fun project as well and again, in those first units were hours of building time in each one as well. Early ones had guts modeled after the original Hiwatt amps, which were works of art inside.

All said, for those that want a pure tube “gain up” this will be a fun thing for them. I’m working on an additional model next with a master volume to run it in plexi/non-master circuits - IF I can get it to sound how I’d like it to. We’ll see how it goes.

 

[skullfxr]

All good. It is a niche, for those who want to gain up but do so with a low noise floor and retaining pure tube circuitry. Nothing against boost pedals though - I in fact did one co-designed with Robert Keeley years ago (The Time Machine Boost). First versions of those were hand wired as well, two channels of boost (JFET and Germanium). That was a fun project as well and again, in those first units were hours of building time in each one as well. Early ones had guts modeled after the original Hiwatt amps, which were works of art inside.

All said, for those that want a pure tube “gain up” this will be a fun thing for them. I’m working on an additional model next with a master volume to run it in plexi/non-master circuits - IF I can get it to sound how I’d like it to. We’ll see how it goes.

I wish you luck in your endeavor. Cheers!

 

[psychodave]

All good. It is a niche, for those who want to gain up but do so with a low noise floor and retaining pure tube circuitry. Nothing against boost pedals though - I in fact did one co-designed with Robert Keeley years ago (The Time Machine Boost). First versions of those were hand wired as well, two channels of boost (JFET and Germanium). That was a fun project as well and again, in those first units were hours of building time in each one as well. Early ones had guts modeled after the original Hiwatt amps, which were works of art inside.

All said, for those that want a pure tube “gain up” this will be a fun thing for them. I’m working on an additional model next with a master volume to run it in plexi/non-master circuits - IF I can get it to sound how I’d like it to. We’ll see how it goes.

I have one with a Master volume already. Mark Cameron made it for me close to 10 years ago. He made another 15 years or so ago. He's actually bringing it to market as I type it. I made a crappy video of it a few years ago using a 100% bone stock 1967 Plexi.

https://youtu.be/oClx8KBwz_E

 

[EXPcustom]

All good. It is a niche, for those who want to gain up but do so with a low noise floor and retaining pure tube circuitry. Nothing against boost pedals though - I in fact did one co-designed with Robert Keeley years ago (The Time Machine Boost). First versions of those were hand wired as well, two channels of boost (JFET and Germanium). That was a fun project as well and again, in those first units were hours of building time in each one as well. Early ones had guts modeled after the original Hiwatt amps, which were works of art inside.

All said, for those that want a pure tube “gain up” this will be a fun thing for them. I’m working on an additional model next with a master volume to run it in plexi/non-master circuits - IF I can get it to sound how I’d like it to. We’ll see how it goes.

I have one with a Master volume already. Mark Cameron made it for me close to 10 years ago. He made another 15 years or so ago. He's actually bringing it to market as I type it. I made a crappy video of it a few years ago using a 100% bone stock 1967 Plexi.

https://youtu.be/oClx8KBwz_E

Yup, what Dave says is a 100% true and we have been extremely busy putting out a quality product down to the housing of the unit. I think you guys will be impressed both visually and sonically.

 

[Davidfloyd]

All good. It is a niche, for those who want to gain up but do so with a low noise floor and retaining pure tube circuitry. Nothing against boost pedals though - I in fact did one co-designed with Robert Keeley years ago (The Time Machine Boost). First versions of those were hand wired as well, two channels of boost (JFET and Germanium). That was a fun project as well and again, in those first units were hours of building time in each one as well. Early ones had guts modeled after the original Hiwatt amps, which were works of art inside.

All said, for those that want a pure tube “gain up” this will be a fun thing for them. I’m working on an additional model next with a master volume to run it in plexi/non-master circuits - IF I can get it to sound how I’d like it to. We’ll see how it goes.

I have one with a Master volume already. Mark Cameron made it for me close to 10 years ago. He made another 15 years or so ago. He's actually bringing it to market as I type it. I made a crappy video of it a few years ago using a 100% bone stock 1967 Plexi.

https://youtu.be/oClx8KBwz_E

Cool, best wishes with it! You've got some fans here for sure. I think I spoke with some of the folks here from back in the PlexiPalace forum days or perhaps it was the Metro board.

Anyhow, working off the cathode follower was definitely interesting and I'm not quite sold on the master volume just yet for my own version (always a compromise being pre-phase invertor in the circuit). That's also why I spent a long time tuning the original Hot Mod circuit as that one doesn't have the clarity or definition IMHO as well as being noisy vs. the HMV2. Working with Andy Marshall and Mike Soldano, we solved those problems and I'm super proud of the results.



Yup, what Dave says is a 100% true and we have been extremely busy putting out a quality product down to the housing of the unit. I think you guys will be impressed both visually and sonically.