power attenuator with no FX loop? help?

[Alligatorbling]

Ive seen a few inexpensive power attenuators for sale on ebay like this one GUITAR AMP ATTENUATOR POWER BRAKE/SOAK /MASS/HOT PLATE - eBay (item 200239920219 end time Jul-27-08 18:05:51 PDT) but from what i can tell they require an fx loop to operate... something my blackheart little giant lacks... anyone know of one that would work with my amp thats dosent carry a heafty price tag? of if its a way to make one of those work without an fx loop?

 

[b-squared]

Attenuators go between the amp output and the speaker cab...no FX Loop required.

The cheapest I've seen are the Scholtz Power Soak (made in th 80s I think), but I am a bit wary of these.

Most good ones are $150+...I have a THD Hotplate that I use every now/then.

BB

 

[Alligatorbling]

Attenuators go between the amp output and the speaker cab...no FX Loop required.

The cheapest I've seen are the Scholtz Power Soak (made in th 80s I think), but I am a bit wary of these.

Most good ones are $150+...I have a THD Hotplate that I use every now/then.

BB

so do you think this GUITAR AMP ATTENUATOR POWER BRAKE/SOAK /MASS/HOT PLATE - eBay (item 200239920219 end time Jul-27-08 18:05:51 PDT) would this work if i ran a cable from the amp to it, and from it to the speaker?

 

[b-squared]

No, this isn't really an "attenuator" per se...so no--you can't run it between the amp/speaker.

I've never read a review by someone I know, so I'm skeptical.

BB

 

[Alligatorbling]

No, this isn't really an "attenuator" per se...so no--you can't run it between the amp/speaker.

I've never read a review by someone I know, so I'm skeptical.

BB

ahh, didnt think so :/ i did find this on ebay as well...
THE LITTLE SUCKER- ATTENUATOR FOR THE EPIPHONE VALVE JR - eBay (item 160261629873 end time Jul-21-08 18:10:04 PDT)
it says

"JUST SIMPLY PLUG THE LITTLE SUCKER BETWEEN YOUR HEAD AND YOUR SPEAKER ENCLOSURE. SET THE KNOB TO "MAXIMUM" VOLUME. TURN YOUR AMP UP UNTIL YOU HAVE ACHIEVED YOUR DESRED TONE, AND THEN TURN THE KNOB ON THE LITTLE SUCKER TOWARDS "MINIMUM" VOLUME UNTIL YOU HAVE ACIEVED A DESIRED VOLUME. IT'S AS EASY AS THAT."

i wonder just how well it would work, and if you could truly get cranked tones at bedroom volumes... i love the sound of my little giant wide open but man its LOUD lol

 

[gibiphone]

i wonder just how well it would work, and if you could truly get cranked tones at bedroom volumes... i love the sound of my little giant wide open but man its LOUD lol

I'm sure you have already thought of this, but what the hell.

The purists will crap all over me for this, but here is an inexpensive solution for your problem. I use a modded Valve Jr as my at-home player. Cranked beyond a 12 o’clock setting where the meaty sounds live, the volume can be a bit much late at night. Here comes the sacrilege; I run a Korg AX3G before the amp. I set the Korg to about 15 on volume scale 0-50 and crank the amp to between 12 and 2 o’clock. I run the LP at about 6, and I am right on the point of breaking up. If I attack the strings, or if I slightly advance the LP volume control, the sound will break. The Korg is used only to reduce signal into the amp and is neutral for all other settings. Surprisingly, the amp isn’t noisy, and the modded Valve Jr makes a very nice sound.

gibiphone

just north of the mexican line

 

[b-squared]

That little sucker looks like it'd be worth a try.

BB

 

[Alligatorbling]

That little sucker looks like it'd be worth a try.

BB

i went ahead and ordered the little sucker... sounds funny ... lol anyways... im real curious to see how it does... for the price if it works well ill be thrilled... if it doesn't work so great it wont be the end of the world, its not like ill have dropped 200 bucks on it

 

[b-squared]

Please post a report...I have a modded Valve Jr on the way.

BB

 

[Alligatorbling]

Please post a report...I have a modded Valve Jr on the way.

BB

will do! those little class A 5 watters are awesome! some folks even push 4x12 cabs with them

 

[b-squared]

will do! those little class A 5 watters are awesome! some folks even push 4x12 cabs with them

Ya, I have a 2x12 for small stuff, and a couple of Marshall 4x12s for outdoors.

BB

 

[Alligatorbling]

there are a TON of mods for those little guys... for the price you cant beat em! i might try to find a used Valve Jr and build a 1x12 cab for it to keep over at my girlfriends

 

[b-squared]

I don't know...you might want to move in then...!



BB

 

[Alligatorbling]

lol you know if she saw me comming with guitar stuff and told her it was staying there she actually probably would be like "are you moving in?"

 

[b-squared]

Lol...

Bb

 

[Splattle101]

I'm sure you have already thought of this, but what the hell.

The purists will crap all over me for this, but here is an inexpensive solution for your problem. I use a modded Valve Jr as my at-home player. Cranked beyond a 12 o’clock setting where the meaty sounds live, the volume can be a bit much late at night. Here comes the sacrilege; I run a Korg AX3G before the amp. I set the Korg to about 15 on volume scale 0-50 and crank the amp to between 12 and 2 o’clock. I run the LP at about 6, and I am right on the point of breaking up. If I attack the strings, or if I slightly advance the LP volume control, the sound will break. The Korg is used only to reduce signal into the amp and is neutral for all other settings. Surprisingly, the amp isn’t noisy, and the modded Valve Jr makes a very nice sound.

gibiphone

just north of the mexican line

If you want sacrilege, try this for size. I had a 100 Watt Marshall JMP that was a tad loud for most purposes. It was running a 16 ohm 4 x 12 box. It just so happens that the heating element from your standard cheapo electric kettle is about 32 ohms. Therefore two of them in parallel make a 16 ohm load.

I bought six kettle elements, and rigged them into three 16 ohm loads. I then mounted them on a perforated masonite board in series / parallel, with the missing fourth load connected via a couple of guitar amp speaker jacks. You guessed it, the 4 x 12 was the fourth 16 ohm load.

This was my first – and until recently my only – foray into the world of attenuators. The amp plugged into the hot box, and the hot box plugged into the speakers, and the sound pressure level was reduced. A little.

Best of all, I could have a nice hot cup of tea as soon as I came off stage.

Splat

 

[Alligatorbling]

If you want sacrilege, try this for size. I had a 100 Watt Marshall JMP that was a tad loud for most purposes. It was running a 16 ohm 4 x 12 box. It just so happens that the heating element from your standard cheapo electric kettle is about 32 ohms. Therefore two of them in parallel make a 16 ohm load.

I bought six kettle elements, and rigged them into three 16 ohm loads. I then mounted them on a perforated masonite board in series / parallel, with the missing fourth load connected via a couple of guitar amp speaker jacks. You guessed it, the 4 x 12 was the fourth 16 ohm load.

This was my first – and until recently my only – foray into the world of attenuators. The amp plugged into the hot box, and the hot box plugged into the speakers, and the sound pressure level was reduced. A little.

Best of all, I could have a nice hot cup of tea as soon as I came off stage.

Splat

truly creative!

 

[ZoomZilla]

WTF is this crap? An attenuator is either resistor based or speaker motor based, that POS looks like it's neither. I would not waste $.01 with free shipping on that thing.

 

[Alligatorbling]

WTF is this crap? An attenuator is either resistor based or speaker motor based, that POS looks like it's neither. I would not waste $.01 with free shipping on that thing.

remember its only for 5 watts lol! but... only time will tell if it allows me to get cranked tone at lower volumes i don't care what it is... for all i care it could be a fisher-price toy lawnmower ... if i can run a cable to it from the amp and from that to the speaker and it works, good!