Fender "Twin Amp" midrange annoyance

[frugality]

I have a Fender "twin amp". 100 watt combo amp that I really like because it has plenty of headroom on the clear channel. However, it has a definate midrange bon or honk that I can't really get rid of. I a/b'd with my Hot Rod Deville 2/12 and my Mesa Boogie Mark III. I know they are all very different. I changed the bias adjustment and tried different tubes. Though all of those adjustments did change the sound, it still has the mid range issue. Is it just the nature of the beast? The Hot Rod Deville has a definate rounder tone with what seems to be more air movement (which I like). The twin sound is very touchy with the controls and the bass knob doesn't seem to achive too much.

How I rate my amps...

Hot Rod Deville-good round sound covers a nice broad span of frequencies

Mesa Mark III-Great clean tone has a great sound for picking and rhythm too. Bass is a bit flabby.

"Twin amp"-always seems a bit transparent and midrangy.

What are your thoughts?

[CJ Neel]

Turn the mids down?

[Gris]

Wow, strange, never heard a Twin describd as 'midrangey' - they always sounded very scooped to me...

[frugality]

Would that be the knob that says mid???? Ha. Problem solved.
Maybe I should have checked that first before I messed around with the bias and different tubes..............OF COURSE I TURNED DOWN THE MIDS.

It must be just this amp. This thing has a punky mid range that doinks you somewhere between the eyes, ears and sinuses.

Well, it's really not that bad but it's there. The Hot Rod seems to have that scooped out sound. (which I like). I play a strat and it's tolerable but whenever I play my Paul with The Twin it's even more annoying.

It's a shame because this amp can put out some great clean volume (which by the way) sounds much better indoors than out. Maybe because of the open back on her?

[boobtube21]

What year twin is this? You say "clean" channel like there's a dirty one.

Is it a red-knob twin?

[CJ Neel]

It's a joke, son.



Could be a bunch of things. Speakers would be the first place I'd look instead of bias and tubes. That's where most of the sonic character happens. Run it through a different cab. It could also just be the way the amp is voiced in the tonestack as well. Could be the guitars you're playing. Which model Twin is this?

[steve25]

Is this a used amp that a prevous owner could have done a mod to the tone stack?

[Mutato]

I would try looking into other speakers. They vary a LOT and can change your sound dramatically. Some giving more scooped tones and some more midrangey. See my post about my Princeton Reverb versus Blues Junior.

Maybe this could be a possible avenue to look into.

[frugality]

I'm not sure of the year. It isn't the rod know one. It has the bias adjustment on the back and has three channels.

[frugality]

I meant to say it isn't the rod knobed amp. The speakers are original Fender's and it hasn't had any mods because I bought it from the original owner who bought it new.

I'll try a different cab, though I think I did that once about a year ago on a gig and didn't notice much difference as far as the mid range thing. Yes, it does have three channels.

[frugality]

On the front, it says Twin Amp.

Here are links to pictures of the amp I have....

http://www.stefano.re.it/dblog/resiz...01.JPG&opx=450

http://www.stefano.re.it/dblog/resiz...04.JPG&opx=450

[hippiebob01]

I have the same amp. It's the previous version of the current "Pro Tube" Twin-Amp --- without tremolo.

[boobtube21]

To answer your original question...well, I don't know for sure but I would say it most likely is the nature of your beast. When Gris said Twins sound scooped, he was likely thinking of what most people think of when you say "Twin" around here, a 60's or 70's BF/SF model. Two channels, both of them clean, 80, 100, or 135 watts depending on the year.

These amps are known for stellar clean tone, and definitely no midrange honk. They don't have a dirty channel though, so if you do want channel switching they're probably not for you. I understand they take pedals well, but I haven't found one that I like with mine.

FWIW a friend of mine had the dreaded red-knob Twin back in high school, and he loved the sound of it. I thought it sounded okay too, but I was playing SS amps at the time so who knows.

[rudutch]

I had one for 5 years, sold it as I could never get the 'right' sound for me. It sounded good, but never great

[rafaelh]

Howdy,
I have a Red Knob that sounds sterile and middy at low volumes.....hates pedals too at those low volumes. Cranked up it's a totaly different story. Yours is bassically the same thing I'm afraid...these amps are meant to be turned up loud before they shine. Unlike the Twin Reverbs that sound great at any level....at least to me anyhow.

Anyhow slap an EQ pedal in the FX loop and play with the sliders see what you think. LOL...I keep one with my amp permanently. Anyways just my opinion and 2 cents worth.