Hello,
     J.M.Fahey, I hadn't really entertained the thought of dog whistle frequencies in any recordings,however
the information I was reading did not make the distinction as plain as you have stated it. It just starts with a boat load of formulas and equations. They threw in a couple of references of things like Q and it just went on and on from there.
      Thanks for letting me know that what I was looking at was for the over the top stuff. All of that being as it is, don't you ever wonder what bugs sing about when they are a mile away from us ? 



 

Hello,
      Thanks Roly. The information you provided narrows it down to the areas I may be able to deal with. The graphs you provided will go a long way in clarifying the explanation. I down loaded and copied them  to study in depth and compare then to the schematics I am currently trying to make sense of.
      The web sites I looked into at Enzo's suggestion (gain stage ratio of feedback and input resistor) starts with the presumption that someone is familiar with all of the terms being used. I am sure it would be very informative or maybe even common knowledge to you guys.           
       I want to see if I can milk a little more preformance and or clarity out of the Fender Squier 15. I am aware it is only 15 watts but I am going to look for ways to refine it if possible. I know if I increase any
values it will just be dampened by resistors further down the circuit. I have thought of just adding another 12" speaker. I think that would do more than anything else to really make it sounding bigger

   

Hello,
      I have a (Crate GX-40C+) that would not act right when I first tried to use it (same scenario used), try
cleaning all of the input jacks. It sounds strange but for some reason each jack is part of the ground circuit and if nothing is plugged into, and it does not fully close completing the circuit problems will occur.

Hello,
      I looked up opamps. I gave the same information as you stated about gain set by ratio of the feedback
resistor. Then it was off to algebraic, mathematical, equations, that was mind  boggling. So I guess it is something I will never understand. Anyway thank you for your input. I was just looking for any obstructions
in the flow from the input jack to the speakers, or any possible enhancements.

Hello,
      I have used Gerald Weber's books to modify tube amps. Most of the things worked. I am wondering if a
few of them would be applicable to solid state amps ?
1. In the preamp would it be possible to use the method of bypassing the cathode resistor with a capacitor ? 2. Is there a way to changing cathode resistor value, or is there even anything comparable in the circuit ?
3. Would reducing value of resistors divider coupling stages be possible, and if so how dramatic of an effect ?
      I would like to attempt these things on a Fender Squier 15 that I have. I have looked at the schematic and fail to understand what would represent a cathode in the little triangular amps on the diagram.
      Thank you in advance for any help or advice.

Hello,
      Thank you Enzo for your reply. It was very informative and straight to the point. I kept looking to
find an answer before just posting the question. Every post I found just kept going off into the weeds
about transformers, preamps, and different values of all kinds of stuff. It's not hard for me to get lost.
      At this point I think I am just going to cut the amp into two pieces, using the top part as a head and modify the bottom part as a 2X12 speaker cabinet. That is one option to think about. I am sure there are a few other things to consider before I make a final decision. Thanks again.

Hello,
      I know I ask a lot of dumb questions, but if everyone will just bear with me this time I would like to know what dictates speaker ohms. I have a (Crate GX-40C+), there are two speakers that are 4ohm-6". I want to change the speakers. I have two 8ohm-12" speakers that I would like to use, however it is my understanding that this will cut power by half. While I never dime the controls, how much would it effect the sound at lower levels ? Would there be any chance of damage to the amp ?
      I understand the obvious solution would be to buy two 4ohm-12" speakers, but that could easily cost two
to three hundred dollars. At this point that is not an option for me. Thank you in advance for any information.

Hello,
    Well all of the small amps are done. I think I will check with the amp tech in town and see if he has acquired any hopeless case amps. There is a Guitar Center in town so there should be a boat load of Squier 15's around. They come with the starter packs, I can imagine its not long before the bigger amp bug bites, most especially since they sound so junky new.
     I think that could be an untapped resource. The only problem would be acquiring larger speakers but I can struggle along. There is also a electrical recycling center close. That may provide some likely prospects for experimentation. Anyway on to the next hopeless looking project.
     I would like to thank each and everyone of you for all of your assistance, I couldn't have done any of these things without all of your input.

                                                                :dbtu:

Hello teemuk,
    While I do not understand everything you said, I totally agree with not tampering with it. Another by product of this search for the schematic, I was able to download a users manual. I know that you are aware it offers a lot of instructions for using the various controls, also patch cables and such. I think with the combinations of Lead, Rhythm, Chorus, and Reverb, it will come as close to sounding like a tube amp as anything is going to get.
     I think I will be much more satisfied once I start playing with it using the manual, I will have an idea about what is supposed to do what. With twelve different knobs it was just a crap shoot fiddling with all of them and not being able to dial it in right.
     I took your suggestion about the tutorial in your post, in addition to some books from the library. I know a great deal more now when I look at a schematic, thanks to you and a lot of other people on this forum. If
you do this because you enjoy helping people, I want you to know in this case it is working very well.

                                                                   :dbtu:

Hello,
      Thanks, It looked like the diodes were already offset. I will just have to play with it more as it has 3 knobs
on Lead channel plus a push button called shift,  5 on Rhythm channel, 2 on Reverb, 2 on Chorus.
       I guess I will leave that one as is with the exception of changing to 12" speakers when I run across some
12", 4ohms.
       So overall with every ones help I now have two great sounding amps that were headed to the garbage,
and the knowledge to rescue many more I may come up on that have the same affliction.   

Hello Everyone,
      OK.Today I called Loud on the phone. I got to talk to a technician, while I was on the phone with him he
searched through the computer and found the GX-40C+ schematic. Its two pages and is crystal clear. It also
has the flexwave circuit temuk made reference to. It involves diodes 3 and 4 in the gain circuit, they both seem to be different values. Would a Schottky diode be of any value anywhere in this diagram ?
       Thanks to everyone who has helped me up to this point. I went to the library and found one book I think
is going to be very helpful it is Electronic Circuits for the Evil Genius second edition, It sounded really stupid at
first, however it shows and explains about fifty components, then how to do projects utilizing them. I think it will help a lot pertaining to more complicated schematics.
        Thanks again.

Hello Enzo,
      I was working on a small RMS low output amp when I posted that question. I found by making the baffle
more efficient it increased the volume a very great deal. Thanks for your reply.

Hello,
      I was wondering if in line with a speakers output circuit there is a resistor that the value could be lowered to increase output a bit more? I am also not sure if I should open a different thread to ask this question.

Hello All,
    teemuk,
    The Hobby Projects Dictionary is exactly what I was thinking about when I posted the question. that will at least get me to know what is being talked about. Thank You.
    J.M.Fahey,
    I have a few Physics books, in addition to Introduction To Electronics 1, by Bernard Grob, 5 volumes of Basic Electricity by Van Valkenburgh, Noogert+Neville. Those books are about as basic as it gets. The one
problem is, that it doesn't help me make the transition from electrical principles to modification of circuits, I
can know,what is supposed to happen but will not what type of transistor, diode, IC , or such things are needed to make it happen. Plain old caps and resistors are easy to identify but not imbedded in something
as part of something like an opamp or whatever the case may be.
     After being able to identify these things in the circuit and knowing what they are supposed to do then
I can go about making changes, at this point I can identify them on the diagram but have no idea what
item it is soldered to the circuit board. That is the clarification I needed.
     Thank you for very much for your input I appreciate it.
                                                        :tu:


     
           

Hello,
     Is there a site that has maybe a dictionary explaining all of the terms used on this and other forums. I don't have any idea of what a Mofset is compared to an IC chip, or some of the other terms used. I know it all makes sense to you. But as a beginner in solid state, it is not long before I am overwhelmed with the terminology that is second nature to most of you.
     If someone could point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated, It is difficult to read the
posts and have to look up a term in the Radio Shack Dictionary of Electronics, only to have to come to the
conclusion that it may be just slang that is common knowledge among people seeped into electronic mods.
     Thank you in advance for any information provided.