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Very strange D*A*M Pro MKII issue at a gig
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:00 pm
by Richard Groff
So, after a two year wait I finally get my D*A*M Pro MKII and put it on my board. At first rehearsal, my band comments about how great it sounds with my amp and for 3 weeks, I tweek and dial it in, get used to the settings etc. With no reservations I can say its my most favorite pedal (and I have a few...).
Last Friday my band has a gig where partial backline is provided and I plug my Germino Lead-55 into the venue's 4x12 with no issues. I checked with the soundguy to make sure its wired for 16Ω, warm the head up while I get my self plugged in and turn it on. Ok, so it didn't sound the same as my Greenbacks, but no problem. I'm not that much of a lunatic not to deal.
But then I hear a problem. When I fire up the MKII it sputters, gates and generally sounds horrible. I try turning knobs, checking cables, etc... no fix. So I think maybe its the battery and I had a spare fresh one and change it quickly. Still its horrible. So, I give up and use my CF Harakiri for the rest of the night which sounded great and worked perfectly, but obviously is not a substitute for an MKII.
On my drive home I'm thinking about the "what ifs" (sending it to Yorkshire for a diagnostic, etc). The next morning I plug it in and it sounds perfect again.
I just don't know what it was. Obviously I'm thinking its the cab because that was the only variable in equation. It wasn't especially hot in the venue and there weren't any hot lights shining on it to heat it up when I took it out of the pedal case. To say the pedal now makes me nervous to gig with is an understatement.
I'm hoping to get some feedback from people who gig with the MKII. Is there something I need to do special or does anyone know if a cab could have that much effect!?
Re: Very strange D*A*M Pro MKII issue at a gig
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:11 pm
by Philip
I think people generally underestimate just how much speakers can change things.
My MKII sounds rather different going in to my Vox Supreme, but with different cabs/speakers. As does the amp on it's own of course.
Perhaps a combination of some heat and different speakers resulted in a wonky sounding MKII!?
Re: Very strange D*A*M Pro MKII issue at a gig
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:17 pm
by Richard Groff
Philip wrote:
Perhaps a combination of some heat and different speakers resulted in a wonky sounding MKII!?
That's my thinking also. The odd thing is that everything else on my board didn't have any issues at all. I run:
SG w/ Fralin "PAFs" > Teese Picture Wah > D*A*M Pro MKII > Creepy Fingers Harakiri Fuzz > Peterson Strobo II tuner > Fulltone Mini DejaVibe > Maxon AD900 > Germino Lead-55
Re: Very strange D*A*M Pro MKII issue at a gig
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:20 pm
by Philip
Teh olde style fuzz's are picky beasties!
Re: Very strange D*A*M Pro MKII issue at a gig
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:22 pm
by JP30
my 1966 and MKII sound's quite different depending on the temp.
one of my 1966 is VERY very sensible.
my 1966 was sitting by the window where direct sunlight hits... and somedays, it's hot as hell in Georgia. . . it was gating, spitting... .
totally NOT very usable . . .
Re: Very strange D*A*M Pro MKII issue at a gig
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:30 pm
by Tommy1966
Was it excessively warm/hot? These beasts are very sensitive to the warmer temps.
I also agree with Phillip regarding different speakers, but it really sounds like a temp thing from your description. One last thought did you have any buffered pedals in line before the MKII that night? They hate buffers.
Re: Very strange D*A*M Pro MKII issue at a gig
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:32 pm
by Bram
Speakers are very important indeed. What you describe sounds a bit more like a heat issue. Those transistors can get a bit wayward from being heated up by either direct sun, spotlights or engines.
Re: Very strange D*A*M Pro MKII issue at a gig
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 3:50 pm
by Richard Groff
I rehearse with the pedal all the time and didn't change my board, so I don't think its a buffer issue (the Tease Picture Wah is TB when disengaged). I would have thought it was a speaker, but on 2nd thought all the other pedals were fine, so I doubt it.
The only conclusion I can draw is that it was some kind of temperature issue. That is the most disturbing because it was in a pedal gig bag for about 2 hours in the club which wasn't excessively cold or warm. My VW wagon has a canopy that pulls across the back, so it didn't get AC from the front of the car and it was about an hour and a half to the venue, so it probably heated up some. I'm guessing it didn't cool down enough covered up at the venue before taking the stage, but if its THAT sensitive to temperature, I can't use it live. I never realized it was the nature of the beast to that degree. I'll have to do some more experimenting, but I'm very concerned. Having gear issues at a gig is no fun at all.
Re: Very strange D*A*M Pro MKII issue at a gig
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 4:08 pm
by CONAN
Gear issues at a gig is fucking SHIT.
I once had a Matamp GT (80 watts) and it blew a HT fuse about 10 minutes before we were due to start playing.
You can imagine how fucking stressful that was!!!! Luckily I had some spares and the little bastard kept doing it and replaced the spare without too many issues (aside from having no light to work with).
Nightmare...............
Re: Very strange D*A*M Pro MKII issue at a gig
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 4:16 pm
by skybone
Philip wrote:I think people generally underestimate just how much speakers can change things.
+1 on that.
At one gig, I plugged in to a Marshall 4x12, and with the Titan, it sounded far bassier and sputtery than it did with my own cab. Tried it with a couple of cabs, and basically figured out that a mild Tone/Filter tweak on the pedal makes a heck of a lot of difference to your on stage tone when using different gear.
That is of course if you get time to check these things before you have to get on stage!