I've been coming here for years - I have a few MicroCabs that I've modded extensively with the help of the schematics I got from the old site... thanks for posting them!!! - but this is my first post here.
I recently bought a 1988 MP-1 that's in practically new condition. It's like someone went back to '88 in a time machine and took this thing back with them. Other than the v2.01 chip put in when it was released, it hasn't been touched... still has the original tubes and welded-in battery. There aren't even any scratches around the rack mounting holes or on the heads of the case screws.
I put some new tubes in, though the originals didn't sound that bad, but lacked some volume and clarity compared to new tubes, but get this... the original battery still works??? It seemed dead when I got it and I had to reload the original patches, but since then (four days) it's been holding. There's no sign on the board that it was ever desoldered and replaced and the original owner (who bought it in 1989) said he never touched it. That's going on 26 years and the battery still has enough life in it to hold for a few days at least. Of course, I'm going to replace it, but nonetheless I'm shocked.
I thought some people here might find that interesting.
As long the voltage is above 2.7V it will hold the presets stored in RAM.But yes it's quite amazing but a also normal compared with other mp-1's.
As with the original Chinese tubes, they were so well pumped they lasted for years. It doesn't surprise me though, ADA preamps have lasted the test of time, all mine have been rock solid, and done loads and loads of gigs...
Well, I have to acknowledge, it does sound clearer and louder with the new tubes, but it by no means sounded 'bad' with the old tubes. In fact, if I didn't do a back-to-back comparison and know the tubes in it were 26 years old, I probably wouldn't have felt motivated to change the tubes just by the sound of it alone.
Really, it's a 1988 ADA MP-1 that was in its original state but still sounded strong and operated exactly as it was designed to ('original' until I changed the tubes a few days ago and the original owner, whom I bought it from, updated to the v2.01 chip when it came out). I expected at least the battery to be dead and the tubes to have been changed over the years (or sound like crap). I'm very pleasantly surprised.
Also, I don't hear or see the MP-1 as being dated at all. Sure there are more 'advanced' pieces of preamp tech on the market now, but the MP-1 really wouldn't be out of place if it was on the market today. I took frequency sweeps through some of its settings and it isn't doing anything that differently from 'modern' voiced amps. Even if it did, an EQ in the loop would take care of it - or some voicing tweaks with a specific flavour in mind... like some of the mods here. I'm impressed. I can see why these things had such an impact in the late '80s... way ahead of their time.
Well they sold more then 25000 units so i guess every guitar player in the late 80's wanted one.
I've never wanted any other unit, loved my MP1 and now my MP2 (which I prefer for lots of reasons). I still maintain they are the best preamp ever built, and as you say, way ahead of their time in so many ways. Tube choice can make quite a difference, lots of chatter here as various members chase different tones for various reasons.
ADA now make a SS APP-1 (stomp box http://www.adaamps.com/index.htm), we'd like them to make a MP3.
Cheers R
Actually, I've been surprised at how much differences in tubes show up in the MP-1. It's probably the most 'tube sensitive' preamp I've ever swapped tubes in.
Couldn't agree more, both my MP1 and later MP2 I ran for years on the original Chinese bottles, the only change I made to the MP1 was some Boogie STRs which worked fine and easy for me to buy locally (the Boogie importer is here in Canberra). It wasn't until I decided to change tubes in my MP2 I started to learn more about the various options, and discussions with SC on the old board led me to the Mullard long plate re-issues. I initially put in a pair of BoogieSTRs (again coz I could buy them locally) while I waited for the Mullards to arrive, huge difference, and the Mullards really suit my playing.
We were generating so much tube discussion here that I made a section here just for that, lots of interesting input from fellow ADAers and a good place to start working out what might be best for your style and taste. Also some interesting articles to help understand why they are different. Also interesting experiences with different tubes in V1 and V2.
As of now, I have a Mullard RI (long plate) in V1 and a Marshall (a Shuguang IIRC) in V2. But I'm torn between that and a Tung-Sol in V2. The Tung-Sol is much warmer with a much bigger bottom-end and a lot more gain. I put the Marshall/Shuguang in because I think it's probably truer to the original tubes in the MP-1, but I might prefer the Tung-Sol. I like the much thicker sound and extra gain with the Tung-Sol, but it also isn't as tight and is more fizzy. What to do? I'm stressed out over it. ;D I have a few Strats and some bright guitars that I'll probably use most with the MP-1, so I might go back to the thicker Tung-Sol and try to find a way around the fizziness somehow.
It's crazy how sensitive this thing is to tube changes. I've never noticed the difference in tubes so much... I was even something of a tube "naysayer" before this.
Quote from: Casey_Butt on November 30, 2014, 11:44:07 AM
As of now, I have a Mullard RI (long plate) in V1 and a Marshall (a Shuguang IIRC) in V2. But I'm torn between that and a Tung-Sol in V2. The Tung-Sol is much warmer with a much bigger bottom-end and a lot more gain. I put the Marshall/Shuguang in because I think it's probably truer to the original tubes in the MP-1, but I might prefer the Tung-Sol. I like the much thicker sound and extra gain with the Tung-Sol, but it also isn't as tight and is more fizzy. What to do? I'm stressed out over it. ;D I have a few Strats and some bright guitars that I'll probably use most with the MP-1, so I might go back to the thicker Tung-Sol and try to find a way around the fizziness somehow.
It's crazy how sensitive this thing is to tube changes. I've never noticed the difference in tubes so much... I was even something of a tube "naysayer" before this.
Try a Hi-Gain rated JJ ECC83S Gold Pin (these have a really rounded off top end) in combination with the Mullard and give both tubes some time to burn in....
Good place to get the Gold Pins is directly from eurotubes.com
Actually, I might have one of those in use in another amp... I'll trying swapping it.
Tend to agree with SC, the JJs are quite nice in MP1 and the V1 Mullard long plate will open up the sound (not as much as 2 of them though >:D :whoohoo!: ). We put a Mullard RI short plate in MikeBs MP1 with BoogieSTR in V2 (similar JJ to SC's recommendation), opens the sound up nicely but still good control, not fizzy. Mullard depends on how much you want the tubes to track your every move (good or bad as MikeB found out, but will tighten up his playing LOL). While I loved the original Chinese tubes in my MP1 and MP2, I wouldn't worry about emulating them (unless that's exactly what you want) although the original tubes were a great all rounder, well pumped (vacuum) and thus lasted forever.... The different tube combinations others are trying here take you (and your tone) in different directions for different reasons. Can take a little time to get what you want (good there's so much experienced discussion here and generally it's comparing apples with apples e.g MP1, MP2, MB1). IIRC SC runs a Mullard (NOS, you b#stard LOL, jealous :facepalm: ) in V1 and a TAD in V2 and that gives him what he wants. The Tung-Sol is also a great tube, if it gets the tone you want go with it. If you want tight however, the JJs are good (e.g. BoogiesSTRs which are generally JJs), I know from experience they work really well in MP1 and nice and tight (not so good in MP2, bit of fizz in bottom E) but best feedback I've ever heard :thumb-up: . If you put in 2 Mullard long plates, get ready to hear "everything" you do on either left or right hand even at high gain distortion.
I bought one of my MP-1s new in 1989 and it still has the original battery and tubes as well. Works great!
I've got a Shuguang (long plate) in V2 now and I find it's a decent compromise between gain and brightness. I found the JJ
maybe to be a little thinner... same with the Marshall (which
is a Shuguang), but that could be an 'illusion' because of the Tung-Sol's higher gain. The surprise to me is the Tung-Sol - it very noticeably has more gain and is much fatter than the other tubes I've tried in V2. I'm still surprised that such a difference would be so apparent.
I do like the Mullard RI in V1 though. I'd like to get something that's halfway between the thickness and gain of the Tung-Sol, but perhaps dialed back just enough to get some of the clarity of the JJ and Shugaung. Or perhaps I'll just decide to use a certain set of guitars with the MP-1 and use the tubes that suit those guitars best.
Hey... while typing this message I just looked in my Marshall JVM and found another Mullard RI that I forgot about. I swapped it into the MP-1 and put the Shuguang in the Marshall. I don't find the JVM that sensitive to tube swaps (at least not like the MP-1) and it sounds good with just about anything, so I'll give the MP-1 a run through with the two Mullards tomorrow.
Quote from: willem on December 01, 2014, 11:39:25 AM
I bought one of my MP-1s new in 1989 and it still has the original battery and tubes as well. Works great!
Isn't that crazy??? The MP-1 mustn't draw much current, or only use the battery intermittently, on demand.
It's crazy how well some of the gear from back then has held up. I have a bunch of stuff from the '80s - from Boss pedals to a Fender amp to an ART Power Plant preamp - and some of this stuff is practically like the day it was made. Not just to look at, but functionally too. I got the ART Power Plant on Ebay for $13.16 U.S. ...and the thing is dead quiet, no hiss, and the pots aren't even scratchy. It needed a cleaning and some new knobs, but now it's like new. My MP-1 is just silly... it's like NOS, inside and out.
(so I'll give the MP-1 a run through with the two Mullards tomorrow) do tell, I suspect you'll like them but they do show up your mistakes I'm told LOL
What mistakes??? ;D
I've had some time to play the MP-1 with the two Mullards and I like them in both spots - a nice blend of gain and thickness. They don't have the fizz of the Tung-Sol, and the sound isn't as sharp and piercing as the other tubes I tried... the nice middle ground I was looking for. The Tung-Sol was just too much for V2, but the other tubes I tried there were weak and overly bright in comparison.
I must say, the Mullards strike a very nice balance in my MP-1 - thick (but not too thick) and gainy, but very clear and articulate at the same time.
It seems I can control their response better with my fingers and pick. The Tung-Sol was just over-the-top all the time in V2 and the other tubes lacked drive and bottom end. With the Mullard in V2 (and also V1) I can get close to the gain of the Tung-Sol, but not enough to get fizzy and blurry, and I can get the bite and sharpness of the lower gain tubes by 'choking up' on my pick with my thumb. Very responsive... makes me get more into it when I'm playing, because the amp is playing back. ;)
Thanks for sharing the advice.
Hey Casey, glad you like them, as is pretty obvious around here, I like them allot also >:D And I love they way they track your left and right hand so closely.