What A Difference a Tiny Turn of the Screwdriver Makes...

[CudBucket]

I've had my Desert Gold JP6 a bit over a year now and have never been thrilled with it's action. Last night I finally broke down and measured the saddle heights, neck bow and string action on my Pearl Redburst and replicated them to the DG. Then of course I had to adjust the truss a wee bit as well as the trem claw screws and it's like a different guitar. Great action and playability and I really didn't change much. Relatively speaking, I changed alot, but in the real world, we're talking tiny increments. I'm always amazed at how sensitive the truss rod spoke on EBMMs are.

I swear I feel like I just got a new guitar. I'm working from home today so I'm just sitting at my PC with it in my lap and plugged in to my Road King II. Life is good.

PS

I did discover that my 4th fret is a tad high on the bass side but it's seated OK. When I have some more free time, I can fix that myself.

Dave

 

[73h Nils]

I love the truss rod on the JPs. It's in such a perfect spot, too.

This is kind of off topic, but, when you play your RKII, how high do you have it turned up? Do you use earplugs?

 

[CudBucket]

I love the truss rod on the JPs. It's in such a perfect spot, too.

I couldn't agree more.

This is kind of off topic, but, when you play your RKII, how high do you have it turned up? Do you use earplugs?

Ah, my Road King II. I came close to selling it a couple of times. But when I bought it, I made myself a promise. That if I couldn't find a tone right away, I'd stick with it and for once, make my gear work for me.

Once I got a Mesa Traditional cab for it, it all fell into place. I run a G-Major into a loop on a GCX Audio Switcher and Ground Control Pro.

Typically, I play it at a pretty low volume: Channel 3 (Vintage mode), where I live, has it's Master at noon but my Output is usually around 8:00 or 9:00. Plus, I attenuate a bit by knocking down both the input and output of the G-Major.

It's a bit fizzier and looser this way (2 6L6s are selected for Channel 3) but it sounds excellent and only gets better as it gets louder. It really does smooth out and tighten up as the Output knob turns clockwise. It's not your typical Dual Rectifier.

I was so enjoying it today with my Desert Gold JP6. I do have a Carvin Legacy head that is WAY smoother, and a Mesa Studio Pre into a Mesa 50/50, also WAY smoother. But if I had to keep one amp, it'd be the RKII.

Dave

BTW, I run Channel 4 in Modern mode and it's usually a bit louder and more aggressive than Channel 3 even with the tone controls in the same position. Every single switch and knob effects the tone on this amp. And in a usable way. I really love the amp right now.

 

[Norrin Radd]

Great action and playability and I really didn't change much. Relatively speaking, I changed alot, but in the real world, we're talking tiny increments.
Dave

Ain't it true? The littlest of changes make big differences! I wish this mantra was required to be repeated endlessly by every person who considers themselves a guitar tech AND by every clerk in a music store with a truss rod wrench.....

Glad the DG is working for ya, Dave! I recently had a similar type of experience - the nut on my AL was just a hair to thin for 10-52s so I put regular 10s on it hoping that time and use would wear it wide that extra 2 mm I needed - it did! And now she's back to 10-52s and sounding sweet!

Now, another 6 months and my 20th will be there too.....

 

[Sub1 Zero]

If you are ever dissatisfied again, you can just send it to me. I'm so nice, I'll even pay the shipping

 

[tommyindelaware]

the difference between a fair setup and an amazing set up is about 10 really small details being put
in balance w/ each other.......
balance is the key.

 

[73h Nils]

Ah! Your volume is pretty much the same as mine, haha. I find the same things about the vol. differences between channels 3 and 4. Even though I have a Roadster without prog. linkage, it still does the trick.

Way back, I was going to ask you about the Legacy...or maybe I did? In that amp thread...Hmm, if you already answered, I'm just going to see!

EDIT. Here was my question. "

Cudbucket, your setup is very clean looking. Do you use the Legacy for Vai-type stuff or just for things the RKII can't do (of which there aren't many)? I remember reading a LONG time ago that the Legacy can't exactly get the Vai tone unless you cram a JEM and a million pedals in front of it."

 

[SharonG]

the difference between a fair setup and an amazing set up is about 10 really small details being put
in balance w/ each other.......
balance is the key.

and you would know!! Your set ups are da bomb!!

 

[Multiversal]

I remember reading a LONG time ago that the Legacy can't exactly get the Vai tone unless you cram a JEM and a million pedals in front of it."

This isn't true. I owned a Carvin Legacy for about 5 years before Hurricane Katrina took it out. I loved that amp. I especially loved the clean channel.

The only pedals I used were a Dunlop wah and a Digitech whammy.

Sure, I owned a Jem, but many other guitars as well and could still get a Vai tone.

Most of all, though.. the only person who can get the Vai tone.. is Vai.

(A modded DS-1 does the trick too, but I found that I didn't need one.)

 

[jbert]

Out of curiosity, what is your action now set at (12th fret low and high E's).

 

[whitestrat]

Curiously, every EBMM I've had has always had a neck adjustment issue. They always come fresh from the factory set straight, but once it enters the 90% humidity climate here, they end up with a back bow. Then, all you need to do is turn the truss rod a bit (which is damn easy to do for EBMM guitars) and you get a straight neck again! If it buzzes a bit more, then just turn it a bit more till you get a very slight bow (I've got it like this on my 20th) and it's amazing now! low action, but no buzz!!! Damn! These guitars are great!

 

[73h Nils]

This isn't true. I owned a Carvin Legacy for about 5 years before Hurricane Katrina took it out. I loved that amp. I especially loved the clean channel.

The only pedals I used were a Dunlop wah and a Digitech whammy.

Sure, I owned a Jem, but many other guitars as well and could still get a Vai tone.

Most of all, though.. the only person who can get the Vai tone.. is Vai.

(A modded DS-1 does the trick too, but I found that I didn't need one.)

Yeah, if anyone's tone is hard to emulate, it's Mister Vai's!

That's really cool! I'd love to try one of those heads one day!

 

[CudBucket]

Cudbucket, your setup is very clean looking. Do you use the Legacy for Vai-type stuff or just for things the RKII can't do (of which there aren't many)? I remember reading a LONG time ago that the Legacy can't exactly get the Vai tone unless you cram a JEM and a million pedals in front of it."

Well, I don't learn and play other Artist's music. I listen alot and absorb the influence that way so I don't have a Legacy to play Vai material. I have it just because of it's Lead tone and clean channel. Yes, it has a smoothness that's different from the Road King so there is another sound available if I want it.

As far as it getting Vai's tone, I wouldn't know. I don't have a JEM or the effects he uses. I have heard other players really nail it though without all the pedals or the JEM.

 

[CudBucket]

Out of curiosity, what is your action now set at (12th fret low and high E's).

I believe it's just under 1/16th. That would be about 3/64th. Not quite 1/32 but less than 1/16th. When I measured it was the same on both sides. But it's not just the height but the tension is more comfortable too.