How to make your amp explode!

Radiohead625 · Post by **Radiohead625** » Wed May 25, 2011 1:58 am

So I'm curious, ive been after this sound for a while. I want to make it sound as if my amp is unraveling and on the edge of exploding. Something that sounds huge at any volume and band context. Now I'm not looking for it sound mechanical and as if the electronics are failing... this is so hard to explain lol. I know of pedals that make the mechanical malfunction sound(geiger counter or noise floor ), but i want something more organic as if the speaker is actually unraveling and the amp is being pushed to its absolute limits. A lot of heavier fuzzes(like the pharoh) sound way too over saturated.. I don't know does anyone know what im talking about? :picard:

McSpunckle · Post by **McSpunckle** » Wed May 25, 2011 2:06 am

Buy a cheap cab and stab the speakers.

Otherwise... Blowing Up?

Radiohead625 · Post by **Radiohead625** » Wed May 25, 2011 2:18 am

McSpunckle wrote:Buy a cheap cab and stab the speakers.

Otherwise... Blowing Up?

Eh ive experimented with something like that with a crappy small combo and that just get a real gnarly distorted fuzz. The only thing i can relate it to is a Fuzzy Bass Muff pushed by something else into an already over the edge cranked amp. But I haven't been able to find the right pedal to push the muff right and its real hard to crank my amp at home. Plus it doesn't help that im using a nyc muff when i probably should be using a green muff. I was hoping there was a pedal that could do this for me lol... I'm trying to record in an apartment and this is making life difficult.

Officer Bukowski · Post by **Officer Bukowski** » Wed May 25, 2011 2:21 am

smallsound/bigsound fuck overdrive.

DarkAxel · Post by **DarkAxel** » Wed May 25, 2011 3:07 am

Officer Bukowski wrote:smallsound/bigsound fuck overdrive.

the first thing that came to my mind

theavondon · Post by **theavondon** » Wed May 25, 2011 3:09 am

Officer Bukowski wrote:smallsound/bigsound fuck overdrive.

this this this forever this

Bassus Sanguinis · Post by **Bassus Sanguinis** » Wed May 25, 2011 5:06 am

DarkAxel wrote:
Officer Bukowski wrote:smallsound/bigsound fuck overdrive.

the first thing that came to my mind

^this. And I think I understand Your point, the mentioned DE pedals sound nothing like an amp near the limits of headroom. The Fuck Oversrive sounds pretty much like a real amp reaching its limits... But I'm still not 100% sure if You really mean that sound. :idk:

So do You want to
1) just to push the preamp into submission and raech the ballsiest mofo bulldozer overdriven sounds with huge low end? Like 70's heavy metal but experienced right next to the full stacks?

2) use the preamp jsut as a tool to drive the power amp red hot? Full of win, but prepared to destroy Your hearing.

3) all of the above, driveing slowly to preamp to the breaking point where the ballsy thundering musical distortion is ending - and the power amp is near the limits of its headroom where the crumbling down, total crapping out is starting to interfere. Right? :whateva:

Try a teeny-tiny amp with a big speaker. You'll want only 5-20watts into, I'd say, a 12" 20-60w minimum element, that should take it. Try to kill with volume the Small Cricket or any other derivate mini amp You come up with. Stack in front of it the primitive brutes (say, the blowing up and then some in front of that if that's not enough) and blast the smoking shit out of the amp. And please understand that experimenting like this can considerably shorten the amp age. The cab age can be equally short-lived.

I did this experiment, like, twelve years ago with a small Dean Markly combo (15w? 30w? 50w? Can't remember but it was really small) put on its knees by a brutal, loud tube distortion/preamp (a friend made these in the early 90's), with a loud, bassy Fuzz Face clone in from of that, played by an active bass with about +25 dbl preamp in itself. :animal:

Crapped the shit out of the combo all right. Sounded pretty rad for the few rehearsals the fun lasted. Probably went too much over the top right away. The Dean Markley combo preamp didn't work anymore. The cab produced silent crackling when not played and lost all of it's definition since it was overloaded with my crazed power-hungry.

SO: Guitar/bass > boost / something loud as fuck > something loud as fuck > poor amp prays for mercy :whateva:

I'm not sure but You might find out that the awesomeness of the sound can be simulated with simply awesome OD+fuzz with a starve control. Not sure about this, since I haven't played Your rig. But the first fuzz with starve control immediately reminded me of the momentary loss of definition that I though sounded cool before the combo died.

univalve · Post by **univalve** » Wed May 25, 2011 7:03 am

beside the fuck overdrive the eqd dirt transmitter has such tones

Bassus Sanguinis · Post by **Bassus Sanguinis** » Wed May 25, 2011 7:17 am

univalve wrote:beside the fuck overdrive the eqd dirt transmitter has such tones

Yeah, something like that. :thumb:

I was thinking about the discontinued Fuzzhugger Groundswell OD starved + Algal Bloom or such low end rich face melting fuzz would do the trick just as well ...

Radiohead625 · Post by **Radiohead625** » Wed May 25, 2011 1:10 pm

univalve wrote:beside the fuck overdrive the eqd dirt transmitter has such tones

I'll check out the fuck overdrive... I thought the dirt transmitter was gonna be it, but its a little harsh. But maybe thats what i need and i don't know it. The closest thing i have found to the sound is these clips
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSbBvKaM6sk (i know its more of the bass exploding, but i love this) and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH-3O5g4FFY at 1:52 (i know ive posted this before)
Now the only things i found in common with their two rigs is a rat. I know people use some crazy techniques in the studio, but i can't figure this out myself for some reason.

BlindtoFaith · Post by **BlindtoFaith** » Wed May 25, 2011 1:11 pm

Neil Young

Gunner Recall · Post by **Gunner Recall** » Wed May 25, 2011 1:15 pm

I've always liked the blackout fix'd fuzz for that overblown/exploding amp fuzz.

futuresailors · Post by **futuresailors** » Wed May 25, 2011 1:34 pm

Rat + too small amp being pushed too hard = t0anz.

Alison's Halo used peavy classic 30s for doing exactly what you're talking about.

jrmy · Post by **jrmy** » Wed May 25, 2011 1:37 pm

The Gnomeratron VTF in "magic" mode can sound kind of like I imagine an amp at edge of blowing up might sound like... really amazing sag & bloom to the notes, like the speakers are almost going to give out and then realize that can give that one last hurrah...

grindonomicon · Post by **grindonomicon** » Wed May 25, 2011 2:57 pm

I can get that amp about to explode sound running a Dwarfcraft Passenger Plane Plus into the Thundercloud muff. I get very 'Guitar Wolf' sounds out of it with bass and guitar...

I have really wanted to get a cheap 10w ss amp to hook up to a blown-surround speaker, and then another I could slice with a razor, to see if it would be even more crazy sounding but still usable, but haven't seen any neat little $20 amps on CL or at the pawn lately.

ilovefuzz.com

How to make your amp explode!

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