Warren Haynes playing an amp I built!!!

[Jag]

This is awesome!!!

Check the NYC #6 video at Mule.net: In the Studio. The amp they're soundchecking is one I built for him about three years ago!

[hasserl]

Too cool! Tell us about the amp, and how you came to build it for him.

[Jag]

It's basically a plexi style front end with a Champ on steroids poweramp. I got a lot of help with some of the finer points from you guys here, especially Bruce and Enzo.

Parallell 12AX7 triode first gain stage -> 12AX7 second gain stage -> 12AX7 cathode follower -> tone stack - > poweramp (cathode biased with switchable cathode resistor for 6V6 or 6L6/EL34.

It was built specifically for recording or use in small to medium gigs where the amp would be mic'd. It's also not designed to be clean at all. It goes from light crunch to medium/high crunch and cleans up decently with the volume control on the guitar. Basically classic rock crunch at much lower SPL.

Funny how an amp always sounds better to me when I'm not the one playing through it . Warren has the second one I ever built and I wish I could get it back to update for him. I've really learned alot since I built that one and like the current version alot better.

I'm a huge Haynes/Gov't Mule fan. The Mule played in Calgary about five years ago and I went to see them there. During the first set, Warren was having alot of trouble when he would switch in his Diaz. During the set break I watched Farmer (his tech) struggle with the issue. Finaly I got his attention (I stood in front of Warren the whole night) and made a few suggestions which seemed to help. I was wearing a Jeff Beck tshirt (my #1 hero) and halfway through Thorazine Shuffle Warren looked at me and said "Thanks" and they broke into Jeff's version of "She's A Woman". I had just started tinkering with amps at the time and decided then that, when I got good enough at it, I'd build an amp for Warren. A couple years after that I went to see the Mule in Vancouver and took amp #2 with me. I called down to the venue on a whim and said I had an amp I wanted to give to Warren. About 45 minutes later, Farmer called and invited me down for soundcheck and said they'd have back stage passes waiting for me for the show. My wife and I went down and I gave Warren the amp. We got to watch soundcheck and chat a little with the band and then saw the show that night. It was a highlight for sure.

[Phostenix]

Originally Posted by Jag

Warren has the second one I ever built and I wish I could get it back to update for him. I've really learned alot since I built that one and like the current version alot better.

It says a lot that he's still using it. Good job!

[Jag]

Funny thing is Gordie Johnson, who produced the new album, was here last night (the synchronicity I have experienced this year has been mind boggling). He did a clinic at one of the local stores and I went down to see him and introduce myself. I told him that I had built that amp and he was impressed. I asked him what made them decide to use that amp and he said, "It was just a case of the amp giving us the tone we were looking for."

[Phostenix]

Originally Posted by Jag

"It was just a case of the amp giving us the tone we were looking for."

And that's what it's all about, isn't it?

[Enzo]

Hey, good for you Jag.

[Jag]

Thanks Enzo!