Synergy Module Appreciation Thread - Including MTS, Egnater & Custom Modules

[mentoneman]

As Much as I like the Boogie leads, and dont get me wrong, its killer, especially boosted. But I miss the leaner, cuttier stuff. You know where the palm mute on faster passages gives that cutting Nuno/EVH/Greg Howe single note tracking...theres times I want that bellicose treachery, instead of Petrucci/Santana butter.

Maybe if I switched out the V30s in my orange cab, but then, that cab is awesome and I dont want to change a good thing.

VH and nuno tone! yes!

 

[MadAsAHatter]

Just wanted to give a shout out to Rob at Jaded Faith for taking my Randall Brahma module and turning it into a fire breathing Brahma. Great phone communication and customer service is top notch. Don't hesitate to call him if you want a module modded.

This... Jaded Faith seems to me more responsive than Salvation. At least that was my experience when I contacted them both asking how the mod process works.

 

[MadAsAHatter]

I picked up a Randall RM100 with the dual channel mod last week. It came with a Clean, Blackface, & Rectified module. Those really aren't to my liking so I'm probably gonna send them over to Rob @ Jaded Faith for some mods. I want to turn one of them into the Wrecked module, but not sure what to do with the other two. I was thinking maybe asking Rob if he could make the Rectified one into something based on Peavey tones; like a Butcher, VTM or XXX.

Do y'all have any ideas/suggestions for me?

 

[Fret-Shredder]

I think you are limited with Randall clean and Blackface modules for modding. The Rectified module may be the only one Rob can mod of the bunch when it comes to high gain. Call and talk to him as I may be wrong. Let us know what he says.

 

[MadAsAHatter]

I've messaged Rob already. There's some limitations on the clean modules, but they could be turned into high gain ones. It takes more work and usually not worth the extra costs. In general though he said he could do anything from minor tweaks to full out from scratch custom mods within reason. He just doesn't design custom faceplates, only minor tweaks to ones he already has on file. So it's more a matter of what I want over what he's able to do. As per usual I'd want a one-off custom but not sure what. LOL! That's where I need some ideas.

 

[MadAsAHatter]

This may be a dumb question, but it's not fully self explanatory on their site and I when I asked them their answer didn't make sense...

With Salvation Audio they have 2 prices listed: Price with modification and Price with donor module. For those who have ordered from them before what exactly would I need to provide & would get with each option?
Does Price for modification mean I provide donor module and they do only the mod, no cosmetics or I provide module and they do mods + cosmetics?
Does Price with donor module mean I provide the module & this is the price for the mods + cosmetics or Salvation provides the module and does mods + cosmetics?


Quick update on what I decided on from Rob @ Jaded Faith. He'll be doing a Wrecked replica mod & a JFX replica mod for me. It's not listed on his site, but the JFX is one of his older mods based off a Peavey JSX.

 

[midgod07]

Out of the three modules I have, VH4, HBE and Uber, the Uberschall is my favorite. It's the most versatile, where I can get each channel sounding very different. Channel two is brutal as f**k. Bogner should drop that preamp into the 3534 and release a mini Uber!

The HBE sounds really good but is going back to GC because its too similar to the red channel on my 3534.

I'd like to try the DS and IICP next.

I’ve been eyeing one of these 3534s for awhile now . . . I assume you’re pretty happy with it? I played a buddy’s full-size briefly and it sounded good but I wasn’t blown away. I have a VH4 which I personally liked better.

 

[midgod07]

You can play the modules in the RM100 but it will only play one channel . Can't remember which one . I went with the Egnater m4 and can play both sides of 4 modules with midi control but there's no effects loop.

I have to admit I have an SLO 100 sitting under my SLO module and both of them sound exactly the same . The only problem is with the modules is you lose some of the eq's or tonal switches compared to owning the heads.

Can you go the other direction and play the other type of modules in the Synergy stuff?

 

[MadAsAHatter]

Can you go the other direction and play the other type of modules in the Synergy stuff?

Yes you can, but you have to be careful which modules you put in.

I had a Randall module fry my two of my Syn2's. Some 1st generation Randall modules (the ones with full silver faceplate) can short out Synergy hardware. The pins on the board don't make full contact when they're plugged in and can arch across. That comes from Bruce Egnater when he & Rob were helping me diagnose what was going on with my Syn2. Bruce said it's a know issue, but it doesn't seem like Synergy publicizes it.

I've also taken notice that other generation Randall modules feel like they don't plug in as snugly as Synergy modules. The silver with black stripe ones feel like they plug in tightly enough, but there's a noticeable difference between the way they seat and the way Synergy modules do. So far all of the later gen Randall modules; the ones with all black faceplates, and any Egnater module I have felt like they plug in the same as Synergy modules do.

https://www.rig-talk.com/forum/threads/synergy-syn2-issues-no-sound.250789/

 

[the other John Browne]

I have had all of the high gain modules in the past except for the IICP and the Vai module. Most of the modules are great. The Fryettes, SLO and Bogners are really, really good.
The Savage and Herbert were both kind of disappointing and didn't compare well to the real amps IMO. Ironically, the Powerball and VH4 modules are very good in my opinion.
Awesome system that I got into hoping to cure my GAS for legendary amps that backfired spectacularly. It just made me want a VH4, SLO, Ultra Lead and Ecstasy even more ?

 

[acidvoodoo]

I’ve been eyeing one of these 3534s for awhile now . . . I assume you’re pretty happy with it? I played a buddy’s full-size briefly and it sounded good but I wasn’t blown away. I have a VH4 which I personally liked better.

It's a great amp. It was my main head for about two years. After I got into Synergy I ended up selling it to help fund a very expensive guitar.

 

[midgod07]

It's a great amp. It was my main head for about two years. After I got into Synergy I ended up selling it to help fund a very expensive guitar.

You’ve hit the nail on the head for me in terms of the difficulty in my decision-making: as stated, i wasn’t floored by my friend’s Extacy, though I did enjoy it and the reviews of the 3534 are quite good. However, folks also rave about the Synergy Bogner Uber time and again. The crossroads is do I go Synergy and try the Bogner Uber or do I skip that and buy a 3534. That’s what I’m trying to suss out.

 

[retrorack]

I tried the Synergy system back when it came out. Had the T/Dlx, DS, and Metroplex. But I had a Mesa 50/50 which probably wasn’t the right power amp, and nothing really made me go Wow. So I sold it all and went back to amp heads.

This past year I decided to give it another try. Picked up a Fryette 2/50/2 and SYN2, along with some modules. The Uberschall was too much gain for my tastes. I should’ve tried swapping in a lower gain preamp tube, but didn’t think if that before selling. But I’m happy with the Deliverance and Powerball modules. I’m actually using it to extend my Mesa ElectraDyne, which I have dialed in just for cleans.

Very curious to try the new 6505, and hopefully a Smallbox-type module from Friedman. We’ll see what they release.

 

[tonedover]

I tried the Synergy system back when it came out. Had the T/Dlx, DS, and Metroplex. But I had a Mesa 50/50 which probably wasn’t the right power amp, and nothing really made me go Wow. So I sold it all and went back to amp heads.

This past year I decided to give it another try. Picked up a Fryette 2/50/2 and SYN2, along with some modules. The Uberschall was too much gain for my tastes. I should’ve tried swapping in a lower gain preamp tube, but didn’t think if that before selling. But I’m happy with the Deliverance and Powerball modules. I’m actually using it to extend my Mesa ElectraDyne, which I have dialed in just for cleans.

Very curious to try the new 6505, and hopefully a Smallbox-type module from Friedman. We’ll see what they release.

The next friedman is confirmed as a BE Deluxe module - last year the plan was the module will have switches that can be used to heighten and lower gain - which would make it able to get in the smallbox neighborhood. (That “plexi” circuit is a BE with less clipping available and a simple eq tweak.)