Photo of the Day
BTD
BTD
Shoutbox

sysmalakian: Birthday month starts now!
362 days ago

diceophonic: Vampiro Classics 2024 reissue
344 days ago

SabedLeepski: Sunburn Surf Fest for some scorching hot surf music: https://sunb...
301 days ago

skeeter: I know a Polish sound guy.
228 days ago

skeeter: I know a Czech one too!
228 days ago

PatGall: Surfybear metal settings
148 days ago

Pyronauts: Happy Tanks-Kicking!
127 days ago

midwestsurfguy: Merry Christmas!
95 days ago

sysmalakian: HAPPY NEW YEAR!
89 days ago

SabedLeepski: Surfin‘ Europe, for surf (related) gigs and events in Europe Big Razz https://sunb...
50 days ago

Please login or register to shout.

Current Polls

No polls at this time. Check out our past polls.

Current Contests

No contests at this time. Check out our past contests.

Donations

Help us meet our monthly goal:

100%

100%

Donate Now

Cake March Birthdays Cake
SG101 Banner

SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

Permalink Showman the Holy Grail of Surf Amps?

New Topic
Goto Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next

DualShowman
-DGG

Not at all trying to start a pissing match. I just want to point out that, for surf guitar players, there is a limit to most Fender amp's usability: whenever the power section gets clipped so hard that the distortion characteristics of push-pull pentodes (should say "beam tetrode") become overwhelming. Luckily, and I understand why you've chosen to replicate certain Fender amps, that limit is very high. Even so, there are inescapable facts concerning a certain tube's characteristics.

FYI, neither the 6L6GC, 6V6 nor the 5881 tubes are pentodes. That's a fact. A 6K6 tube is. This argument you make with all this data about pentodes are about tubes that are not being used in the Showman nor in The Surfer.

I don't really understand the point of discussing tubes that are not in play. I just wanted to add that the consumer, manufacturer, etc. will use whatever works best and sounds best.

-DGG

For what its worth, I did correct myself by stating "beam tetrode" in reference to the 6L6, 5881, 6V6. They still operate as a pentode. They are subject the same advantages and disadvantages as the pentode. They do have better distortion characteristics (less odd order harmonics), but by no means is a distorting beam tetrode easy on the ears. Given physical differences, the electrical characteristics of each are so similar that any differences are discounted. Thus, Beam+Tetrode = Pentode.

Look, we're playing on the same team. I was looking to help inform others that when you're pushing your Showman, Bandmaster, etc. your never going to reach a point where you can say, "That's how a 6L6 distorts!" or "Listen to that 12AX7 go!". It's a combination of many things. What sounds the best is what we're all used to at this point. I kinda like it, in fact. It's obvious you do, too, as do a host of others here and around the world. If we were really concerned about technicalities and not things like size, cost and efficiency, then we'd be playing through large, hot, inefficient amps with triode power sections.

Again, no malice intended. We're just a couple of amp fellas trying to make a name for ourselves...

None taken. I think the detour just loses folks and I believe we are on the same page.

Tube nerds. If SG101 was a high school you guys would be the math club. Yet we'd all envy your brains and want to be you guys.

Now Jake comes in an really starts slingin' s&%t around!!!

FYI, neither the 6L6GC, 6V6 nor the 5881 tubes are pentodes. That's a fact.

Thinking about this more, I should retract this statement. They (6L6GC's and 5881's) ARE technically pentodes -so my bad. Apologies. All beam power tubes typically are pentodes. Not all pentodes are beam power tubes.

I've always viewed them as beam power tubes because of their incredible efficiency and power output due to the alignment of the screen and the grid-directing a beam of electrons to the plate. Not all pentodes have this.

Just took these High rezzzz photos of my 1966 Dual Showman chassis

image

image

image

-Kyle

Beyond The Surf YouTube channel
Beyond The Surf Instagram
The Verbtones @ Instagram
The Verbtones @ Facebook
The Verbtones @ bandcamp

Very Clean.

JakeDobner
Very Clean.

Hey Jake thanks Very Happy Man it was sure a blessing to have the chassis untouched and not modded when I recieved my Showman, I did change out 2 of the blue vintage molded tone caps yestesrday cause they were leaky and threw in Mallory tone caps (yellow caps in the photo) sounds killer now Rock

-Kyle

Beyond The Surf YouTube channel
Beyond The Surf Instagram
The Verbtones @ Instagram
The Verbtones @ Facebook
The Verbtones @ bandcamp

wow/// I just read this whole thread.. too much information!!!! haha

but yeah....what he said. Shocked Very Happy

what can I add except this picture ??

image

Solid state showman...

The Scimitars

Is that one of those Super Showmans? I saw one of those on eBay once...what a freakin' monster. That went over like a candy bar in a punch bowl. Anyone who has the Teagle & Sprung Fender Amp book go look that up. It's crazy.

Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me

"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea

I hope you don't mind me bringing this back from the dead but this seems the best place for my question. How much difference is there between the AB-763 circuit (as in a Blackface Twin) and the Brownface circuit of the Early Showman amps?

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

This post has been removed by the author.

Last edited: Sep 27, 2009 23:35:55

zak
The brown amps have pronounced mids, less shrill highs, and that mind-massaging "harmonic vibrato" circuit.

I can see how that would qualify it for holy grail status on its own.

I just started another thread obout the Weber Tore-Vibe which, IIRC, has a similar vibrato circuit.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Does this mean that I'm mistaken in my notion that the Dual Showman Reverb (of the Silverface era) is nothing more than a repackaged Twin?

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

This post has been removed by the author.

Last edited: Sep 27, 2009 23:35:44

zak
they don't break up as early as a Twin Reverb.

That's almost a frightening thought. Smile Twins will break up, but it's a neck-and-neck race whether your ears will still be functional by the time it happens. I remember seeing those Dual Showman Reverbs back in the day and thinking that they looked a bit bizarre in that huge cabinet.

Barring a sudden influx of funds I doubt I'll be buying a vintage Showman or even a Gomez Surfer but I'm trying to learn more about these magnificent amps.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

synchro

zak
they don't break up as early as a Twin Reverb.

That's almost a frightening thought. Smile Twins will break up, but it's a neck-and-neck race whether your ears will still be functional by the time it happens. I remember seeing those Dual Showman Reverbs back in the day and thinking that they looked a bit bizarre in that huge cabinet.

Barring a sudden influx of funds I doubt I'll be buying a vintage Showman or even a Gomez Surfer but I'm trying to learn more about these magnificent amps.

Oh, man, I played an outdoor gig with a Twin Reverb and had it on 9-1/2 or thereabouts. (Kinda accidentally.) It was breaking up all right. It sounded like ass. My ears rung for days.

SSIV

LHR
Oh, man, I played an outdoor gig with a Twin Reverb and had it on 9-1/2 or thereabouts. (Kinda accidentally.) It was breaking up all right. It sounded like ass. My ears rung for days.

I had mine up to about 8 once and the windows were rattling in their frames. I use a 12AY7 in the first stage of the preamp for each channel and that tends to raise the clean headroom. At 8 it was compressing a bit but not at all breaking up.

The CD that comes with "The Soul of Tone" has a bunch of amp samples including a Blackface Twin cranked up to "tilt". They will break up magnificently but the earth trembles.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Goto Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next
Top