Diming an amp

stubby · Post by **stubby** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 5:31 pm

I've been spending much time in this section of the forum the last couple of days, until now an underused and mysterious part of the forum for me. I've already picked up a ton of great information about amps and know I will continue to absorb more. This forum is fantastic for this - providing a one stop spot where you can get diverse, thoughtful, knowledgeable, and experienced input on such a variety of gear related topics. Much of it too is expressed in a way that makes sense to an electronics layman like me (though I have to admit, more than a couple postings had me wondering if we were talking English!).

I keep coming across a term/concept and I'd like to know more about it (remember the nice compliment I just paid abut laymen's terms!) - what is meant when you dime an amp? And why is it done?

bmwone · Post by **bmwone** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 5:55 pm

I think if refers to turning it up to "10" (but ours go to eleven ...!)

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 8:07 pm

Yes, diming an amp means that you turn the volume all the way up. The reason you do this is because A) it sounds really good usually, and/or B) you are trying to make yourself deaf.

On a tube amp, when you turn the volume up, the sound of the amp changes and the overall tone gets richer and more dynamic, with more touch response. So thats why people dime the amp, because more of something is usually better!

stubby · Post by **stubby** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 2:08 pm

Now there's an amp explanation that I can easily grasp! Thanks.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 8:23 am

A tube amp IMO usually sounds better right at the point where it starts to distort with moderate pressure on the strings. When you turn them up all the way unless you have extremely weak pickups or preamp stages you will usually get an uncontrollable distorted mess unless of course that is what you are looking for in the first place. I like the former point because then you can control the amount of distortion with your hands.

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 9:44 pm

It all depends on the amp Bob, and also the style of music that you're playing, but I hear what you're saying.

I just finished modding my brother's Silvertone 1484 (finally) and channel 2 can be cranked and sounds VERY nice and never has any hint of problems. Channel 1 will oscillate and squeal if the volume is up around 8 and the treble is turned up past 7, and because of this small chassis and poor layout of components, I can't get rid of that problem without changing values in the tone stack, and then it doesn't sound as good...so it stays as is there.

But with the oscillation, its just like most Plexi and JCM 800 Marshalls, so I'm in good company!

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 3:39 pm

My first band had two guitars, a bass and two mics.... all plugged into two Silvertone Twin 12's and they never blew up or lost a speaker, ahh, the good old days, crystal clear sound, then we graduated to a tube Bogan PA head with two big bull horns.

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 10:58 pm

Hey, if Terry Kath sounded like he did with a Bogen, you can't go wrong with them! Most have grounding issues and some layout problems, but they're easily fixed. The biggest issue with old Bogens is the output transformers were pretty undersized and blow easily.

The Silvertones are cool, especially when modded, but they're such a PITA to work on, if I don't see another again I'll be fine with that.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:38 pm

You should have heard the dulcet tones out of those bull horns which probably didn't go below 500 hz, haha! This is interesting, although I don't know how true some of it is:

http://www.timmwood.com/kathgear.html

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 5:38 pm

That was pretty good reading Bob. I wish I could find out more info about Peter Cetera's bass playing and what equipment he used. I'm pretty sure it was Fender basses, but no idea on the amps, and I love his tone on the classic early to mid 70's Chicago stuff.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 7:07 pm

He played a lot of Gibsons also, I think P basses were first then the Gibsons, he was great, always loved his playing. All I found was one reference to Gibson basses and Ampeg amps from an old thread at Talkbass.

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 9:49 am

Gibsons huh? I would never have guessed that...he doesn't sound anything like Jack Bruce!

I was almost guessing he might have used Sunn amps at some point because it kind of sounds like them..but who knows.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 9:57 am

I think he used Rippers or Grabbers for Gibsons. I don't think his sound changed all that much when he switched, his predominant sound is flatwounds and picks. He was one of the best pick players I've ever heard. Has a very warm sound.

icabod · Post by **icabod** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 1:52 am

I saw them a bunch of times in Toronto in the early 70's and he was playing a p bass thru an acoustic 360.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 6:40 am

I vaguely remember something about 360's also, but I know he switched to Gibsons later on.