More Gain From Germino Lead 55:

Clockworkmike said:
That was an Artist right? Amazing amp! I liked how it was a hybrid but they did it right with the valve power amp/ SS preamp, unlike the ones today where its an SS power amp/ valved preamp ( i have a Marshall Mode Four like that) and it seems like they dont work as well.
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I always wondered about those Modes & yes the Artist 30. The pots were scratchy as a mofo so I gave a HRD a try for a minute and then got the DSL50H.
 
syscokid said:
Yeah, I was wondering if your bandmate is Hellbent on not using a pedal. Mild overdrives are perfect for simulating an amp's extra gain stage with added tone control too.

But I also understand the allure of having an amp with more natural gain available. My attitude with my two JCM800's (One is a heavily modified real Marshall; the other is heavily modified unreal Marshall), is that with the right speakers, the stock 2204 circuit is pretty inspiring and the original designers nailed it the first time. Any mods outside of the original circuit that I introduced can be bypassed.
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I've always used non-master volume amps, and would use a pedal for that first gain boost. For years, it was a Boss Blues Driver. Then I switched to either Treble Boosters or Fuzz Face style pedals. A Tube screamer would also be another good choice. I love the Drybell Engine I have now, as it has a Treble Booster and Marshall preamp circuit in one pedal. There have been many pedals over the years that have built their reputations by pushing the front end of a JTM or early JMP amplifier. I'm sure it won't be hard to find something your friend likes.
 
RobV said:
I always wondered about those Modes & yes the Artist 30. The pots were scratchy as a mofo so I gave a HRD a try for a minute and then got the DSL50H.
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Mode Four is a cool amp and can do about anything, as well as being ungodly loud ( 350w RMS) but there are some issues i have with it:

-I hate that your impedance is 16 ohm single at 235w, 8 ohm single at 350w or dual 16 ohms at 350w. I bought 2 of the matching 400w cabs but they are 8 ohm only so i can only use one cabinet ( they had 270w matching cabs as well that could be used as a full stack but they werent available when i bought it).

- Its two independent amps with 4 channels total but Amp 2 is hard to dial in without getting so muddy. It was geared towards Nu Metal guys and that works for them but not my style or sound ( lots of bass and flubby). It IS usable but its touchy. Amp 1 is awesome, especially channel 2 as it sounds like a hot rodded JCM800 but thats a lot of wasted area on the other side.

-Finally, the resell on them is ABYSMAL. You can score one for like $300 now which is great for a buyer but if you bought one new like i did? You wont sell it because you'll lose your ass lok
 
Clockworkmike said:
I hate that your impedance is 16 ohm single at 235w, 8 ohm single at 350w or dual 16 ohms at 350w. I bought 2 of the matching 400w cabs but they are 8 ohm only so i can only use one cabinet ( they had 270w matching cabs as well that could be used as a full stack but they werent available when i bought it).
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One of these little Radial boxes can turn those two 8Ohm cab’s in to one 16Ohm load....
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SG John said:
I would love to get my hands on an HRD!

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I wish I had a HRD like that lol, truthfully that's why I don't have that DSL50 anymore, I was putting money together to buy this...
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Thatbastarddon said:
One of these little Radial boxes can turn those two iOhm cab’s in to one 16Ohm load....
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Thats something i seriously would love to get and might do that this year! I currently have on of those MF400w cabs at the bottom of a 1960A 300w cab into a JCM2000 DSL50. Sounds wonderful and its safe within the impedance factors but its obviously a lot to push from just a 50w, especially the MF400 cab. But on the Mode Four? That head would push the cabs no sweat!

I have ran both cabs before into it and blew the head up twice right after i got it lol ( learned the importance of impedance early on!)
 
RobV said:
I wish I had a HRD like that lol, truthfully that's why I don't have that DSL50 anymore, I was putting money together to buy this...
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Bought this in '82 for less than $1 per CC. Back when you could barely give away a Harley. It didn't look like this though. This photo was after several years of learning how to wrench and take care of it. Still got it.


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SG John said:
Bought this in '82 for less than $1 per CC. Back when you could barely give away a Harley. It didn't look like this though. This photo was after several years of learning how to wrench and take care of it. Still got it.


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Very nice! I went to pick up that 89' & ended up leaving with a brand new one also. I don't know where the original pic is right now of it bone stock but it was a basic black.
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right after I painted it (my 1st ever paint job) 2008 Jaguar Pearl Racing Green
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and this is how it left me....I also had a brand new set of wire rims I included with the swap...
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traded it straight up for this one (cammed/S&S Super/reciepts for $20K. The guy built it and was afraid of it. He loved my bike so even swap.
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SG John said:
I would love to get my hands on an HRD!

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Me too @SG John (massive thread derail coming on).
1) Because I've always admired the radical design innovations encorporated in these late 1940's designed machines.
2) Because of the "Aussie connection".
When Philip Vincent decided that he wanted to produce the best & fastest motorcycles in the world, he enlisted the aid of Aussie ICE/engineering genius Phil Irvin (Irving also designed & build the Repco Brabham V8 that powered Jack Brabham to formula one drivers & constructors championships). Ol' Phil definitely delivered for Mr Vincent with the Rapide, Black Shadow & Black Lightning (track version of the Shadow) designs. We've all seen pics of Rollie Free in a swimsuit, lying outstretched atop a lightning-ised black shadow (sans seat) on the salt flats setting the land speed record16095373611018439051548579326489.jpg
Mr Irving built two Black Lightning's himself at the Vincent works, one went to an English racer, the other to an Aussie. The "Aussie" machine was first pitted against Vincent's "development" mule, out-running it & clocking 200kph in 3rd gear. After being punted, crashed & scaring the crap out of the original Aussie owner (who refused to ride it again), it went through maybe a few hands before ending up in the small NSW country town of Gunnedah (about 45 minutes from where I grew up) in the hands of Mr Jack Ehret, who punted it in races & sprints, as well as using it to set an Aussie speed record on the small, roughly asphalted 2 lane highway that runs between Gunnedah & where I grew up. Mr Ehret owned the bike until he put it up for auction, still in its stock form & race trim (Bonhams, Las Vegas) in 2018 where it sold for US$929,000, making it the highest priced motorcycle ever sold at auction. Here's pics16095362514963530415467756425837.png16095362848323407466824999845695.png16095363585401471915138645225949.jpg16095363974816086007412104851989.jpg
Now if you like the HRD Vincent Black Shadow @SG John,you really should check out what (Melbourne, Australia) brothers Ken & Barry Horner are doing with Mr Irving's design.
Back in their young days they scored a "B series" Rapide donk for use in (I believe) a sidecar outfit. Through punting this on the track they got to meet Phil Irving, who helped them with the project. Later in life (after Phil Irving had passed), they got the idea to see just how much they could wring out of Phil's cracking V twin design. They approached Phil's widow (who held the design rights) & she gave them the green light. The "Irving Vincent" project was born. To see how they've developed the design, check out the Irving Vincent site www.irvingvincent.com or The Irving-Vincent
Check the video on this 2nd site to see one of their (sidecar) outfits in action ( video camera on back of bike, & how'd you like to be the guy "swinging"??)
They have made an effort at producing a street registerable version of the Irving Vincent, but emission standards got in the way at the time. Apparently the idea is still being kicked around.
Now how good would cracking around on a road registered variant of the Irving Vincent be guys??
Sorry for the long-winded rant/derail.
Cheers
 
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