Converting a dirty channel to clean?

[brijl76]

I have an Ashdown DSP60 2X12 tube combo. It has 2 channels but they both have gain knobs and it's almost impossible to get a really clean tone and still have some volume because you have to cut the gain down sooo far to get it to clean up. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on where to look for info on this. I was thinking about maybe a push-pull pot or something for the gain knob on 1 of the channels so I could still have the option.

[firechief]

Well here is a link Ashdown Engineering | Guitar Amplification
for those who want to check out this exotic bease.
There isnt much I can tell without a schematic, and I will bet it is hard to get. Sombody has put a lot of effort into the product and I would not blame them if they dident want to let the cat out of the bag. Your only hope is to find a schematic and post it. There are more than a few guitar amp folks around and ideas will flow, but without that, tough!

[brijl76]

Sweet! I have all of the schematics in pdf's. I imagine this to be a fairly easy thing to do but I can't seem to find any info online about it. But dude, I have no idea how to attach a pdf file in here....I just joined today :/

[brijl76]

did this work?

[OneyedK]

playing with the 2 gains and 2 masters doesn't work?

I'd say go high on master 1 and low on gain 1 ...
Should do the trick

[firechief]

There, that should get some attention.

[firechief]

OK well the third page is what you would be making your changes in, but I wonder if you are going to atempt the work yourself, and do you know about high voltage/ soldering type stuff. I sure would hate for you to end up with a broken amp.

[nigelwright7557]

Could be the amp just has too much gain and your clipping the output signal.
In which case you probably need a new amp.

[OneyedK]

Originally Posted by brijl76

Sweet! I have all of the schematics in pdf's.

Indeed sweet, we've got the schematics, but could you post some sound samples too? I suspect there's simply something wrong with your amp.

I doubt it needs mods, I think it might need repair...

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by brijl76

I have an Ashdown DSP60 2X12 tube combo. It has 2 channels but they both have gain knobs and it's almost impossible to get a really clean tone and still have some volume because you have to cut the gain down sooo far to get it to clean up. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on where to look for info on this. I was thinking about maybe a push-pull pot or something for the gain knob on 1 of the channels so I could still have the option.

I just look at it. This is a very complex amp build using transistors, opamps and digital processing. it is NOT the kind of amp you or most anyone else can modify.

It you want an amp that can be tweaked you need something that is built using more traditional technique and a simpler design. For example here the kind of circuit board in an amp built in the traditional way. It is easy to understand and modify

http://www.turretboards.com/images/P...deluxe_5e3.jpg

One option for you is to completely by-pass the entire preamp section. What you do is build or buy a guitar preamp and then plug the guitar into that then the preamp feeds the effects loop return in the big amp. This way you are only using the power tubes in the big amp. If you want clean and no tone controls a tube preamp is easy to make.

But I don't think I'd built one. I'd buy a new Fender Champ for $149 and mod it to add a line out jack. Just tap the signal right at the master volume wiper terminal and remove the power tube from it's socket and you have a Fender-toned preamp for $149 (plus $2 for the jack). Put the tube back in the socket and you have a cool 5W practice amp.

Bottom line is that you can't take a solder iron to a modern printed circuit board digtial processor based amp thinking you are going to change the sound at best you just by-pass 90% of the amp

The best thing is to ask around on the forums or just go listen to people play and see what some Jazz guitarists are using.