DukeBerryman
220 posts
Mar 11, 2014
1:04 PM
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HawkeyeKane
2359 posts
Mar 11, 2014
1:07 PM
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Ha! I'll have to open mine up and take a look! ----------
Hawkeye Kane
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DukeBerryman
221 posts
Mar 11, 2014
1:56 PM
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@Kane I was actually looking for a transformer but didn't find one. I thought all mics had little transformers. But I guess because this is a HiZ mic, so it doesn't need one? Do you know?
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HawkeyeKane
2360 posts
Mar 11, 2014
2:08 PM
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Yeah, crystal and ceramic elements are super high-Z by nature, so they don't need any kind of boosting transformer. The volume pot just needs to be the correct impedance to match it.
Did you find a little disc capacitor mounted on the element terminals? ----------
Hawkeye Kane
Last Edited by HawkeyeKane on Mar 11, 2014 2:08 PM
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DukeBerryman
222 posts
Mar 11, 2014
2:33 PM
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Well, I didn't disassemble it that much - just what you see in the pic. So mics use capacitors? I'm just learning about all this stuff and it's fun. I broke off the treble bleed capacitor on my Tele's volume knob - much better. And today, I broke off 2 LED transistors - it was another mod I read about - on my Pathfinder 10 Bass amp. Again, much better - smoother gain.
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HawkeyeKane
2361 posts
Mar 11, 2014
3:16 PM
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Not all mics use caps, but a lot of ones with crystals have them in there to bleed off the highs, just like with your Tele. Reason I asked is because my RR mic has one in place on the element terminals. ----------
Hawkeye Kane
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DukeBerryman
223 posts
Mar 11, 2014
3:29 PM
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Ever thought about removing it? If it is a treble bleed, than I think I might want to get rid of it. I really only have the Tele wide open, or about 60%, and removing the treble bleed made that lower volume setting more useful. I also got rid of the tone knob, and that helped.
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DukeBerryman
224 posts
Mar 11, 2014
4:15 PM
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Found it - and I think I'm going to remove it:
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DukeBerryman
225 posts
Mar 11, 2014
4:28 PM
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Removed the cap, still works, sounds good. This may be THE mod for Retro Rockets because it gives you a more mellow option, but you can still run it wide open.
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HawkeyeKane
2362 posts
Mar 11, 2014
4:50 PM
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If you're able Duke, record a demo of it with the cap off. If I like what I hear, maybe I'll ask Joe to leave mine off when I send it in to get the element replaced. ----------
Hawkeye Kane
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DukeBerryman
226 posts
Mar 11, 2014
5:18 PM
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Sure thing. This combo sounds good now. Retro Rocket with no cap and the Vox Pathfinder 10 Bass with the LED mod (learned about it online). Now I run the amp with Volume all the way up, Bass all the way up, Treble at 30% and Drive at 30%. And Retro Rocket wide open, or at 75%:
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DukeBerryman
228 posts
Mar 13, 2014
12:53 PM
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Quick sloppy lick. First part is volume on mic at 100% - second is at 75%.
Retro Rocket - no cap, levels demo from Duke Berryman on Vimeo.
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DukeBerryman
229 posts
Mar 13, 2014
12:59 PM
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I wasn't making much of an effort to cup. But this is the squawk box sound I wanted. 2x5 speakers!
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HawkeyeKane
2376 posts
Mar 13, 2014
2:04 PM
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Hmmmm...I don't think that's a sound I'm looking for offhand. Course the amp wouldn't be my first choice either. I dunno. I'll ask Shaky if he's got any thoughts on it when I send mine in. ----------
Hawkeye Kane - Hipbone Sam
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DukeBerryman
231 posts
Mar 13, 2014
2:26 PM
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Yeah, I got this mic to preserve the high end, and give me super squawk. May be an aquired taste. For a full bodied sound, I go to the SM57 and a real amp.
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