NGD: Super Clean VIPER!!

[Dante]

Kim already knows about this, but I just landed a VIPER on Reverb and it looks REALLY clean. Can't wait till I git 'er

[rnolan]

 :whoohoo!:

[Kim]

I can't believe that Viper came up for sale in such good condition.  Pretty sure they are more rare than the QuadTube, but less rare than the other Sidewinder series amps.  These Vipers are so much better than what you'd normally think a 1x12 combo would be.  They sound AMAZING.  The Crunch on the Green channel was worth it alone, plus it has more tonal selections over in the Red channel.  The VariCab makes it behave like a much bigger amp and cab; engaging it makes the sound just leap out at you.

Damn fine score, Dante. Damn fine score.   

[Dante]

Thanks man, I appreciate you getting back to me so fast too 

Now, I have opened a whole can of worms here because I need some sort of delay/chorus/multi effects pedal to pair with this thingy. Of course, I just sold my Boss GT-8 about two months ago  :face palm: that woulda been fine. I have a Morley volume/wah ready for use, just need some sort of multi effect with delay/chorus/flange/modulation/tremolo etc. It doesn't need to be a good source of gain or distortion. I'm watching tons of videos of demos right now trying to get an idea of what I want to use.

For now, I can use my Tech 21 Fly rig. By itself, it's great to get you through a gig....as a multi effects, it's limiting. Only a delay or chorus, not both. There is reverb and an amp sim, then there's the OMG distortion I could (but probably won't much) add to the viper. There are a slew of copycats out there that offer a delay and a chorus in a tiny package....just looking around now.

I may revisit the iPad, and a bluetooth controller. The iPad could sit either on my amp or on my pedal board...probably my board, where I could see what I'm using on each patch.

[MarshallJMP]

Dante, we will be expecting a full review with soundclips  ;D

[tomy]

hi Dante,
Couple month ago i got an ada viper too (70 bucks ), amazing how those units looks good even after 25 years !
actually i'm using it with a boss ME-x pedalboard, you got all the delay/flanger/chorus/EQ...  whatever modulations.

but you also got 3 free spaces for your stomps too.

it works pretty well for me, you should check

tomy

[Dante]

$70!?!?  You sir, are a THIEF. That's a steal. Nice score 

Thanks Tomy, I did seriously consider that. They sound great for f/x and are rock solid for gigging. However, I'm going to explore using my iPad mini first to create a high-tech option that could also be run directly into the board. It'll save me some floorspace too. If that doesn't work, or if it turns out to be too much of a pain to use at a show, I'll go with the simple ME-x unit. Very reliable stuff and programmable. That works.

I bought one of these foot pedals for my iPad. Cost under $15 with shipping

[Dante]

BUMP. Gonna try the iPod Touch with the 4 button USB switch that is on it's way. ALSO gonna try the TC Electronic Nova System I just picked up 

I used one of these with my Boogie combo & it was quite nice. I have been getting reacquainted with the manual tonight and now remember why I liked it so much. The spillover delays are great, the simply access of presets and the easy way to turn individual FX on/off in a patch are all great features. The effects are also TOP NOTCH, which is nice ;)

I have an old pedal board that I made from plywood and a suitcase out of a thrift shop. I'm gonna repurpose that for this rig. I can fit the wah on the board, but not while playing, I just store it on the board for travel then take it off and have it next to my other pedals. I'll post a pic of the board when i have it all together. Pretty simple setup though, just a switch for the amp, the Nova system for FX, and a wah.

The Nova is like having (up to) 7 stompboxes per preset, it's pretty cool. One thing i forgot - the buttons change settings on RELEASE, not when you push them. It's actually quite handy that way...you hold the button until the magic moment and release it for instant tone change.

[Dante]

IT'S HEEEERE!!!

The Viper arrived at work today and I couldn't wait for quitting time to get home and try her out. Within minutes of arriving at home, i had a beer popped and the Viper plugged in 

First impressions: Love the clean. Love the Lead. Love the Crunch...wait, I can get that crunch using the Brown - awesome! Very versatile, sounds big and boomy like my ol' Mesa Boogie DC-5 in the Grind with the emulation on, but I don't have to fiddle with the knobs to get a good sound. It sounds good FLAT LINED on the EQ. Love that. The boost is crazy loud, the Lead channel has more gain than a 3tm (I have no way of confirming this), and it's WAY lighter than my ol' Boogie. Basically, I got my Boogie back, with a MUCH easier EQ to dial in.

Love. It. Already.

I will be noodling all night with this thing, and I'll record a sound clip for y'all.

Update: Hooked up the Nova System, and it sounds amazing. I'm really only using the Reverb and the Grind voicing. Clean is also very nice, almost as warm as the MP-2, warmer than the MP-1 Classic for sure...probably warmer than the stock MP-1 too. Not sure what's going on in there, but yeah, it is a nice clean. Not crazy about the reverb, so I'm using my Nova for that.

Ideally, I'd like a footswitch that could access all the voicings, I don't care about the boost, I have that in the Nova System.

These are the options:

Green Channel
Clean (very clean, very warm)
Crunch (gets great overdrive, goes all the way to hot rodded plexi)

Red Channel
Vintage (more to come)
Brown (more to come, but I can easily capture the Crunch tone with this voicing)
Grind  (HOT Marshall sound - speaker emulation can get you to Boogie realm)
Lead (from MP-1 to 3TM)

That would be a 6 button switch, but i could totally get along with a 5-button and just use the Clean Green and all the RED voicings. That's the ideal foot switch. Here are my settings (right now):

Green
Drive = 5
Bass = 3
Mid = 5.5
Treb = 6
Master = 4

Red (Grind)
Drive = 7
Bass = 5
Mid = 3
Treb = 6
Master = 2

No boost, no Reverb (Nova system does this)

Gate = 7.5
Presence = 6.5

Varicab = 2x10 / Dark
Thump = 5
Hi-Cut = 8

[tomy]

Hi Dante,

You're like a child in front of his christmas pack  :banana-trip:

I sold my others combos since I got this one (definitely like clean chanel)

here is my setting too, let's compare

$70!?!?  You sir, are a THIEF. That's a steal. Nice score 

I'm no thief, just paid the price asked and get lucky that time. the seller told me : "you're the 20th guys calling today for this amp but you're the only one saying "hello... please... thank you..." so I'm gonna sell it to you, man !" that is what is all about !

Amazing how words can produce some magic, isn't it ?

Tomy

[MarshallJMP]

The original switch has only 4 switches according to the schematics and pic's I found on the net. It has green, green boost, red and red boost.
I attached the schematic of the switch. You could make one quite easily just with 4 buttons, 4 resistors and a stereo input jack.(R219-R222, Sw12-15,J7)
Downside is you don't have the LED feedback. For this you will have to make the whole schematic.

[Dante]

Thanks MJMP, I have that schematic and intend on building that switch. I'm also noodling around in my brain that there should be a way to craft a switch to access the other voicings in the Red channel....much later on, after I do some research. It seems like it's possible, given that they are just switches inside the amp, I just need to activate them outside the amp, so I'd probably rig up a midi cable to run the switches and hardwire a plug in the amp.    I don't know if that's even possible, but what if?

Tomy: My Green channel is a bit brighter, but our Red channels are very close. Can't quite make out which voicing you're using (them buttons are hard to see :) )

BTW: Manners will get you very far. Thank you  :waving-banana-smiley-emoticon:

[tomy]

snake charmer

[tomy]

aaahhh ! first time I open it, I'd never expect it to be so technical

I thought it was a simple switch

[tomy]

... A/DA doesn't mean easy (for me !)