Dumb question about tube amps

[Jwar]

Sooooooooooooo I keep going back and forth on this. MY Eden amp and I have a love hate relationship. I'm not sure what it is, but the tone is just not what I want. I want it to be a bit dirtier but without have a huge volume spike. Would changing the tubes to something different help? OR, OR, is there a way to mod it or pay someone else to mod it so it will sound gnarlier?

[D.o.S.]

I don't know if you know this, man, but they sell this little metal boxes that you can run in between your bass and your amp that'll do that for you.

You can swap out the preamp tubes for some with lower headroom, but it'll still be loud.

[Jwar]

I don't know if you know this, man, but they sell this little metal boxes that you can run in between your bass and your amp that'll do that for you.

You can swap out the preamp tubes for some with lower headroom, but it'll still be loud.

You mean like an attenuator? I've thought about that as well. I just didn't know if there was a permanent solution, like changing out some resistors or just switching tubes up. I'm not very knowledgeable in this area. My amp will get some gain too it, but I have to do what Mudfuzz told me and turn the gain all the way up and slowly roll the volume up. The only problem with that is it makes me feel like my heads going to blow up! lol

[Holy Schnikes]

I think he was referring to pedals honestly. An attenuator could get you more grit at lower volume but tubes can wear quick when you run 'em hard with enough attenuation/power soak to make an audible difference. I've only tried a Hotplate and didn't dig the tone with it between amp and cab unless I kept the volume pretty natural and minimally attenuated. Plus they're pricey and have zero output impedance flexibility. The Weber could be a better choice in terms of price and tone but I'd just get another pedal in your situation....

A higher gain preamp tube in you drive positions could get you more breakup at lower volumes too but again, I don't thinks it's drastic. Worth a shot tho, swapping preamp tubes is simple.

[Jwar]

That makes sense. I may try switching out the preamp tubes then. Not really sure how to do it though, but I'll google it.

I was just hoping there was a way to add some gain stages to my amp like a Meatsmoke has or similar amps. You know like add a circuit to it to destroy.

[skullservant]

You could just run a clean boost at the end of your chain to push whatever signal is going through. A) it would push your amp B) there would be no real 'coloration' from the clean boost C) would probably be less expensive/less work than adding anything to your amp or modding it in any way. I do it very often with my tube amps!

[D.o.S.]

That makes sense. I may try switching out the preamp tubes then. Not really sure how to do it though, but I'll google it.

I was just hoping there was a way to add some gain stages to my amp like a Meatsmoke has or similar amps. You know like add a circuit to it to destroy.

Switching out the preamp tubes is as easy as it sounds with most amps. If you've got a regular tech, you could even see if he'd walk you through some preliminary tube-rolling.

Clean boost slamming the preamp tubes is a great idea for what you're going for, and that was kind of what I was referring to in my first post.

[Jwar]

Thanks for the help guys. I think my main issue with the tube amp is it's just not dark enough sounding. My GK head had such a distinct tone that I miss dearly. Fuck. I might sell it. If anyone will fucking buy it. LOL! Everybody be broke up in this piece.

[MEC]

Super easy to DIY.

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