NAD: Herbert mk 3, but I think something is wrong with it

Rybosome

Member
Just received a Herbert mk 3 via FedEx. It sounds really off to me - way less gain than I’d expect, and very muddy. Not at all tight like I’ve been hearing. Thinking a tube got messed up during shipment perhaps?

Here's a clip of channel 3 with everything at noon except master volume at 10 o clock.

 
yeah sounds more like channel 2 on the plus setting with the gain at 8:00 than channel 3 at 12:00
what pickups are you using?
 
I'm playing a Gibson Flying V with the stock pickups, ceramic magnets. I think it's a 500T in the bridge. Anyway, they're pretty hot pickups, so it should be hitting the amp pretty hard.
 
yeah, i know them. should be screamin/singing…

what about the other channels?
on my mk1 the second tube from the left (from the front) is channel 3 only. if i remove that one all other channels still work fine.
this might help to detect the damaged tube…

your recording sounds like your guitar volume or tone might be way down. did you double check the wiring of your guitar/cable?
 
Channel 2 also sounds really weak, way less gain than I'd expect. Channel 1 I didn't poke at too much, no grit is expected there. I get sound out of it, but I didn't come into this with a whole lot of expectations around Channel 1.

Because both 2 and 3 sound weak it's gotta be a tube that is shared across channels I'm thinking. I am not qualified to f*** around with tube amps though, so I'm going to have to take it to a tech.
 
channel 2 on the plus should be more than enough gain for high gain rhythm.

preamp tubes are as easy as changing a lightbulb, just make sure the amp is off and the tubes are cold and the pins are aligned correctly…
if you can’t wait and only one tube is faulty you should be able to get channel 1, 2- and 2+ to work properly, just make sure you mark the tubes with there original location.
v1 and pi are normally specially graded ones but shouldn’t matter for now…
 
Thanks for the suggestion. I'll see if I can get a tech to look at it quickly, if not I'll try this myself.

Any other Herbert owners want to weigh in on the sound clip? I'm pretty sure this does not sound right, but I've never actually played a Herbert before so I'm trying to be open-minded to the possibility that I'm doing something wrong here or have unrealistic expectations.
 
I’ve got an MKII and that sounds weak as fuck. Gotta think something is wrong with it.

Mine is one of the most brutal amps I’ve ever played and noon on the gain should be WAY more than enough. Like said above, that sounds more like the gain at 8 than at noon.
 
I have Herbert Mk I and there shoud be way more gain and clarity on the 3rd channel with settings on noon. Swap the preamp tubes one by one.
 
I know it sound silly but did you checked already guitar? Sounds like if you're playing with volume rolled down or something like that as well!
 
Thanks for the input everybody, really glad it’s not just me.

@Leo Diezel thanks for the suggestion. I did check the guitar volume (and tone!) a bunch of times, also tried a different cable and a different guitar.
 
Damn that sounds awesome! Is that a phone recording or are you micing it?

Yeah I’m definitely convinced, something is up. I’m taking mine into a tech.

Nah just a phone in the room; you mentioned in one of your posts about not knowing if you were having unrealistic expectations for this amp, just wanted to show you that you weren’t.

That thing should be blowing your mind, not having you wondering. Glad you’re taking it in man. After it’s done you’re gonna be pretty happy, guaranteed.

Mine is top two amps for me; this thing with a boost on ch2+ is thrash/metal heaven and the clean with a fuzz is my go to for sludge/doom.
 
Also check to make certain jacks at all ends are fully plugged in - I've had this sound happen with a partially inserted TS before with whatever amp was (not) happening at that time.


Mk.3 - CONGRATZ!!!!!! :rawk::rawk::rawk::rawk::rawk:

UnkleMo
 
Ah interesting…that would line up with Leo’s comment that it sounded like the volume was down on the guitar.

@Steinmetzify what fuzz pedal do you use? I’m also interested in getting a sludgier sound out of the amp. It’s too bad Verellen is no longer making amps, their Meatsmoke preamp pedal would’ve been perfect.
 
Ah interesting…that would line up with Leo’s comment that it sounded like the volume was down on the guitar.

@Steinmetzify what fuzz pedal do you use? I’m also interested in getting a sludgier sound out of the amp. It’s too bad Verellen is no longer making amps, their Meatsmoke preamp pedal would’ve been perfect.

I use a few different ones depending on what I’m playing/feeling that day but my main is a Black Arts Toneworks Pharaoh; the BAT Quantum Mystic as well. That one is great for Yob tones. Also the Sunn O Life pedal is a favorite.

Always boosted with a PLX-FX Bion boost, which is like a Naga Viper/Rangemaster clone.

Any of those into the clean channel and I’m in sludge/doom heaven.
 
Last edited:
Just got the Herbert back from the shop today. The technician replaced preamp tubes V1 and V2. It still sounds like there's something wrong with the amp though.

I recorded another clip, channel 2 (+), all volume and EQ at noon except deep and master volume at 10 o'clock.



This is using a Jackson soloist with a Seymour Duncan JB. Totally different guitar and cable than the first recorded clip. Still sounds really weak, I'd expect way more saturation.

I'm playing into a UA Ox reactive load with a V30 IR rather than an actual cab - that could potentially explain some EQ differences, maybe flabby bass, but that doesn't explain the lack of saturation. I previously owned an EVH 5150 and played through this exact setup with it, and it was mean as hell.

@Steinmetzify what do you think? Are you goosing the front of yours with a boost? What pickups are you using?
 
ha, i actually wanted to ask which cab you were running...

What do i think?:
get a real cab!

i also use vintage output PUs (singles and humbuckers) up to duncan blackouts (high output actives) and everything in between.
on 12:00 ch2+ still has enough gain with vintage singles.
i use ch3 on 10:00 to 11:00 for very saturated leads with low output PUs
 
Last edited:
Ha, a real cab would be great! Tough to fit into my current studio space, but I'd love to get there eventually.

Here's a demo of my same recording setup, same guitar as the first clip, but running overdrive pedals (Klon and Bluesbreaker clones) into a completely clean Suhr Bella.



Saturated and powerful tone is definitely possible from a tube amp into a UA Ox.

Yeah, what you are saying about channel 3 is consistent with what I've heard. These are totally different amps, but my previous 5150 was so gain-y that I never turned the gain past noon. That was my expectation for the Herbert as well.
 
Back
Top