Using an F-1X (w/guitar)

[edwardofhuncote]

I'm probably going to regret asking... because it's probably just the mouth of another rabbit-hole.


Recently I sold a pair of Fender tube amps. They were decent reissues of '65 and '68 Princeton Reverbs. Each had its own merits, but the common denominator between them was you had to turn them up loud as dammit to really enjoy what was good about them. And that's fun sometimes. Other times... y'know, I just wanna' play guitar at some kind of reasonable volume. So I got the sales guys at the store on it, and we all made a couple bucks. I've got a rather inexpensive combo amp that digitally models a few cool sounds just fine. I'd like to have a better guitar rig at some point, something that suits my needs better. I'm not likely to play out anywhere, so 'gig volume' isn't an issue. I would like something with a bit more quality sound than this entry-level combo.


So I've got another F-1X in a rack with a smaller power amp just sitting here... my backup actually. Come to think of it, the F-1X comes with an effects loop. What's to stop me from making this into a guitar rig? Obviously a cabinet I guess? I could swing that, but not a clue what to look for in a guitar cab.


Anybody else tried it? What do you use? What should be avoided? FWIW, I rotate one or two guitars in every couple weeks, and it could be anything. There's a pair of Les Pauls, a pair of Strats, a pair of Teles, a pair of Alembics... see the pattern?

[rv_bass]

I use an F-1X or F-2B with a power amp and one or two Tone Tubby cube cabs loaded with 12” Red Alnico speakers. I think it sounds great. My alternative guitar head to use with these two cabs is a Henriksen Bud head. 

[lbpesq]

FWIW, I use an F-2B in my big rig with a Carvin DCM200L and a pair of 1x12 cabs loaded with JBL K120s.  Sounds great. 

Bill, tgo

[gtrguy]

For rock and blues gigs I often play guitar with a Fender Blues Jr and keep a Topanga reverb pedal in front of it (stock Blues Jr reverb sucks). Not too heavy, plenty loud and not too expensive. The Topanga makes this amp really sing and at higher volumes adds some fantastic sustain to it. I also add an Archer Klon clone pedal and a Timmy clone for some smooth drive. At the other end of the spectrum I sometimes use a Mesa 25 watt Mark amp.

[jazzyvee]

I've used my F-1x based bass rack for a few guitar gigs and home use with a barefaced cab. It sounded fine but needed a reverb to make the sound a bit more lively.
For home use nowadays I use a Yamaha THR5 which for it's size sounds superb, takes pedals really well and the effects are pretty decent.

[edwardofhuncote]

Okay well, this is sounding more attractive to explore. Given the choice I'd rather just build a nice cabinet for the house and have a couple pedals for reverb, etc. My needs are pretty simple. Regarding effects, are you guys putting these in your chain prior to the preamp or in the effects loop? (where applicable)


I'd be good with using the digital modeling amp on the porch or in my shop, but I think I'm going to put a dedicated guitar space there in the house around an F-1X preamp/power amp. Seems like the logical evolution.


I'll get back to y'all... going to see about a 2×10 or 2×12 guitar cabinet loaded with some ToneTubby speakers.

[rv_bass]

I don’t use a whole lot of effects, maybe just 2 or 3 including reverb, so I put them in the line input rather than the effects loop.  If I use the Henriksen amp it has reverb built in.

If you go with the Tone Tubbys in a cab, this guy builds some nice looking cabs, although you could probably build one yourself too.

https://cosciaguitars.com/products/2x12-speaker-cabinet

[cozmik_cowboy]

Well, I realize I am probably in the minority here, but 12s are my 3rd choice for guitar speakers; were I to find myself in your position, I'd go with the 2X10 - on top of a 1X15.  Gives 3 possible set-ups, all of them great. And, given what we know of your skillz, I imagine you could whip the cabs during an afternoon nap.

But remember, this is a guitar rig - and that means reverb!!
Now, granted, I haven't heard anywhere near every reverb pedal that's out there, but of the ones I have heard, none sound as good as a proper spring reverb (for anything else, the engineer in me wants an actual chamber or a plate reverb, but for gitfiddle, it gots to be spring!)
Just a quick, highlights-only glance at Google shows stand-alone spring units ranging from $1900 down to $50.


But if I may circle back to David's post, when my youngest moved to Alaska, he left his Blues Jr. here for several years (until one of his friends was driving up there), and I had no problem with its reverb (far better than the one in the Silvertone 1484 Twin Twelve he sent back with his bud so I wouldn't be ampless - which is pretty acceptable with the general character of that amp).
And, if your problem with the Princetons was getting your preferred tone at in-the-house volumes, know that the Blues Jr. starts to break up sooner than any other Fender I've ever heard - which for me was a downside, but it sounds like it would be a plus for you.


But, as you have the heart of the rig ready to go, feel free to ignore the previous 2 paragraphs of my rambling.  But remember, 10s & 15s, spring reverb.


Peter

[edwardofhuncote]

I was curious about David's experience with the Blues Jr. I auditioned them too when I got the first Princeton and I don't remember that there was a noticeable difference in the reverb section but the Princeton had vibrato as well. The '68 was much more like the Blues Jr. in that it broke up pretty quick, but that may well have been tubes. It was just a totally different combo all-around to be so like the '65 outwardly. Anyway, I haven't missed them and I actually made a couple bucks on the sales. (didn't buy either one new...)

Being a bass player primarily, I don't notice these things quite as quickly. I do like to wetten-up the tone of a guitar some, but in moderation. I've just been gifted a pretty nice reverb and overdrive pedal by one of my shop customers.


I'll mess with it all some this weekend.

[lbpesq]

When I use my F-2B/Carvin set up, I use a T.C. Electronics Mini HOF reverb.  I seriously doubt anyone in the audience can hear the difference.

Bill, tgo

[rv_bass]

For reverb pedals I like the EBS Dynaverb or Strymon Flint

[edwardofhuncote]

I set my F-1X/Crown rack up yesterday evening  on top of a 2×10 Avatar cabinet I had originally put together for upright bass. It's currently loaded with a pair of ToneTubby SuperBoy 10's and I added a Pyle horn to the box. Dave installed a crossover, but I honestly don't remember what the parameters were... it's pretty standard. It's a front-ported box, nice solid cabinet. I like Avatar stuff, got a few of them.

Annnnd... predictably, it sounds like a guitar through bass speakers. I can tell though, I like very much how the F-1X preamp receives the guitar and processes that signal. I used my favorite test subject, a Les Paul Special, (plain mahogany slab body loaded with two P-90's, Joey says cough-syrup red) and it only took a minute to dial up a clean/dry "what I like". I left the bright switch on and the deep switch off. I am debating on a pair of guitar speakers for this box, or simply have Dave build me a 2×10 open-back box and load it with my speakers.

I'm liking this setup. Coincidentally, one of the sales guys at the store texted me late last night a FB marketplace ad for a Fender Blues Jr III, pretty reasonable and looks good. I think I'm going with this preamp/power amp/speaker cabinet idea. It's mostly for living room volume, adaptable for elsewise, and it already sounds pretty good.

[gtrguy]

I guess there are various models of the Blues Jr. Some have different circuit boards and stuff too. You also have to try various settings on the Volume and Master volume to get breakup you like. I don't know if various tube brands make a difference or not, though I typically use JJs.
I put a better speaker in mine that has a heavy magnet but there is also a Blues Jr at the practice place that is stock and I use it often with good results.

My Topanga reverb pedal has a bit of a boost to it that really sounds good and I leave it on all the time.