Does the Reeder Mod make channel 2 cleaner?

Does the Reeder Mod make channel 2 cleaner? I was thinking more along the EQ lines but I guess swapping the gain and master pots aren't affecting the EQ..... I notice it's got more chime after the mod but it seems that it's not as mean sounding also... Is that just me?

I did the mod. it took about 45 min. total, going slowly and carefully. I thought it created a perfect clone of channel 1. So I would say, YES, it did clean up the 2nd channel.

I also think it makes the channel more clean (if you pull back the gain and turn the drive off). But, I also believe it takes higher gain much better. So, in my opinion it'll make the channel more clean if you want it, yet even more dirty if you want it so.

All the Reeder mod does is change the taper on the Channel 2 Gain and Master pots to be identical to Channel 1, which can help you Channel 2 feel closer to Channel 1 if you're visually-oriented. Setting the Gain control about 30 degrees back from where you would set it on Channel 1 accomplishes the same thing as far as I can tell. Technically, you would need to do the reverse with the channel master, but you're just setting the overall level with that, so you just set it with your ears anyway.

To my ears, the mods (both Reeder mods) made the EQ on channel 2 work differently. After the mod, way less low mids so it did seem cleaner to me and hence more workable. In a lot of gigging situations, depending on the room, I found the overabundance of low mids pre-mod made channel 2 very tricky to dial in. Now, I find myself dialing in a lot more bass.

Steve73 said:

To my ears, the mods (both Reeder mods) made the EQ on channel 2 work differently. After the mod, way less low mids so it did seem cleaner to me and hence more workable. In a lot of gigging situations, depending on the room, I found the overabundance of low mids pre-mod made channel 2 very tricky to dial in. Now, I find myself dialing in a lot more bass.

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I agree with this. The channel still keeps it's distinctive voicing. IE: It's still more throaty and middy than my Egnater Rebel 20. But, that's not a bad thing. I can't expect them to sound the same.

But after the mod, the channel is not as dark. Therefore, you can dial in more gain and while it does get muddy if both gain and drive are dimed, it'll take the higher gain stuff much better than before. It's not a Recto obviously.

Remember that the Gain and all the EQ settings are somewhat interactive, so swapping these pots should have an effect on how they work together. It's all connected.

I wouldn't say the mod makes Ch2 cleaner at all... I'd say if anything it makes it clearer. By that I mean, EQ-wise, less prominence in the low-mids; somehow the taper of these pots moves the emphasis between these two basic curves (Ch1's slight scoop, and stock Ch2's big mid-hump).

In terms of the amount of gain or drive on-hand... there's still tons, and post-mod I feel like I can use WAY more gain than I was comfortable with before; simultaneously, the lower-gain settings are also more usable than they were. The added brightness makes the channel stylistically meaner, grittier, with a sharper edge, but it can be dialed out too. Stock, I would have described it as more buttery smooth, and yes, darker; it was harder for me to get the brighter edge under that configuration.

As has been mentioned, theoretically it's possible to get all the same sounds under either setup; I think it's then a question of usability and taste, in other words, which angle to you want to approach the channel from -- one that's characteristically darker, but can be tweaked to get the brighter effect; or one that's characteristically brighter, with the capability to dial out the brightness if so desired? I like the latter myself. But that's just me.

I never could get the modded tone by some dialing back of the gain or whatever(4 yr owner). Then there would be no need to mod it. It is a different amp after the mod. IMO, Better.

plan-x said:

I never could get the modded tone by some dialing back of the gain or whatever(4 yr owner). Then there would be no need to mod it. It is a different amp after the mod. IMO, Better.

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I couldn't do it either. And do not think that it's possible. I remember that point being hotly debated on the original Reeder thread.