Any fans of non-mod Studio .22?

[JD65]

Hey folks,

Wondering if there are any fans of the original, non-lead master mod Studio .22

I do like mine, which I purchased in the spring, and wonder if I'm really missing much by not having the lead master mod or a Studio .22+.

I use a pedal for dirt/crunch in a lot of situations. Ocassionally, I'll use the lead channel for gain instead. I think having a separate master volume for that channel would be ideal but unsure if I'm missing alot.

Whattaya think:

Any people who switch back and forth with the gain channel in a non-lead master .22 and are happy w/it?

Anyone who thinks they get a lot out of the master on the lead channel they have in a modded .22 or stock .22+ (and why)?

All opinions welcome and any help appreciated,
JD

 

[tonejam]

Hi JD,
I have a Studio 22+.
The overdrive channel has a lead volume, rather than a lead master. The overall volume of the amp is dependent on the amp's master volume control, and it only has one. Turning the lead volume right down will not result in no sound, far from it!
I find the lead volume control effective only when the amp is at high volume settings, and even then I've never got it up past three. At low sound levels, even when it's at zero, I find the overdrive sound too loud compared to clean channel. I've improved the situation a fair bit by replacing V1 tube with a 12AY7. This evens out the levels some.
Having said all that, I'm still very glad I got the Studio22+. Can't imagine not having the lead volume knob at all! They're a GREAT little amp, I've had an Express 5:25, and despite all the extra knobs and options, I still prefer the Studio 22+.
cheers, Bill.

 

[RR]

... I thought I was only the one that used a 12AY7 in one of the two preamp stage socket [ lol ]. The other one is a 5751. I wanted my Studio .22+ to behave like my Mark IIB, moderate preamp gain. Didn't want too much preamp gain, I'll get a mini-Recto for the hi-gain stuff.

I can't say there's a "tone" improvement Studio .22+ has over a Studio .22 non-plus, I really don't think so, I just think when they first came out, many complaints were that they like a particular setting for the "rhythm" channel but when they switch to the "lead" channel, there was such a dramatic volume change (or visa-versa), thus Studio .22+ added the extra volume control.

 

[Whoopysnorp]

A while back I decided I wanted a .22 of some sort. I was hoping for a .22+ with EQ, but on the local Craigslist there was a .22 without EQ. I went ahead and bought it. After a while I started thinking I was missing out by not having the EQ and the separate lead volume, so I bought a .22+ on eBay. However, comparing them side-by-side, I decided that the non-EQ .22 had better tone, so I sold the .22+.

The volume difference between the rhythm and lead modes always bugged me though. I finally got the gumption recently to add the lead volume control myself, as documented here. I used a 100K pot, as suggested in the article, but I think I'm going to have to go back in and change it to a 250K, because even with it cranked all the way up, the lead mode is a little quieter than I'd like it to be as compared to the rhythm mode.

So I guess the moral is that it's tough to live without that lead volume control, but if you compare any given .22 and .22+, the better-sounding of the two might be either one.

 

[igfraso]

Tonejam,
I sent my Studio .22+ to Mike Bendinelli for him to add a fourth volume pot at the back of the chassis.
With this "Lead Drive" pot, you can dial the gain of the clean and the lead channels independently (it resembles more of a Mark II and III).

It is a very common mod in these amps.

Regards

 

[Bob Anthony]

I had the lead mod done and it made a huge difference for the better for the reason everyone else has documented. That said, I still don't channel-switch all that much and usually stick with the clean channel. It is a really good, versatile amp, though I still prefer an old Fender tube amp over anything else.

 

[tonejam]

Igfraso,
That does sound like the ideal mod.
I've actually done a lot of mods to my amp (which I didn't mention earlier, as I didn't want to diverge from the original subject). I'm using a 30 watt Weber Blue Dog speaker, which I love. I've installed a full-size reverb tank, a great improvement. Got an MXR Carbon Copy analog delay pedal permanently installed in the FX loop, and operated remotely using a pedal made by Champion pedals.
Most radical mod is a power scaling kit by London Sound (I think that's the right name). I can now reduce the output power of the amp using a knob on the back of my amp. This mod, plus the 12AY7 tube, has pretty well fixed the problem I had with the overdrive channel being too loud.
I still don't have a control for the amount of overdrive, but you can control it a bit with the guitar's volume knob, and besides, I kinda like the overdrive level the amp provides.
I'd try the other mod, but I've got nowhere to fit another control knob!

 

[AndySe7en]

Good evening. I've had a studio 22 for about 25 years I guess - no lead volume but it does have the switchable graphic. It's been a great amp but I've always been frustrated by the lack of separate volume, despite being able to adjust it with the graphic. I've never really felt that I've got the best out of the amp, which is probably my fault rather than the amp. Anyway, I bought a stiletto a few months ago, which I'm getting to grips with, but I still love my old 22 to bits.

Be seeing you