The particularities about Eddie Van Halen plexi 12301

[pat_rocks]

Jumping the channels will be different depending on the Superlead... a '68 could have a shared or a split cathode, and they started off with only one .68uF (on V1), then a second .68uF (on V2). The shared cathode up until around early 1968 had a different channel 2 than the amps just after that... they added more gain and changed the frequency response which made the ch2 unusable for most in my opinion. When I was young, I could never understand why Clapton played ch2, until I learned that. I'm not sure we have solid enough proof what version EVH had in his main Superlead, but I am skeptical of jumpering chanels because that is less needed at those volumes and easily gets muddy at any volume. Plus, he could have done it on TV to keep the sound lower, but a blurry low res still isn't proof.

That sure is a blurry picture and video -.-...

 

['2204']

Alot of great info here concerning Eddie`s classic Marshall:

Debate on Eddie's Plexi - Metropoulos Forum

 

[Shaun Rinker]

I don’t know how you can claim the Bray Coco 50 guts are like the SL68 or Eddie’s amp or anything else, since David Bray sands off all the lettering of his caps. I actually did what you suggest — analyze the circuit of a Coco 50 — but couldn’t conclude much since all the cap values are unknown.

You do realize you can measure each of those components right to see what value they are

 

[LargeBoxSmallBox]

Jumping the channels will be different depending on the Superlead... a '68 could be one of the last shared circuits, or one of the new split cathode circuits that came in around early 1968. The first of the new split cathode circuits had only one .68uF (on V1), then a second .68uF (on V2) was added shortly after. These split cathode circuit changes gave channel one more gain, less bass, more bite, and a tighter sound. In addition, channel two was also changed, sounding much different than the earlier amps with shared cathode preamps! On these, ch2 became unusable for most in my opinion with more gain and the high end extremely rolled off making giving a very muddy response. This is the way ch2 is still voiced to this day on a 4 input Superlead type Marshall. I don't know what Marshall was thinking and nobody likes to use ch2. When I was young, I could never understand why Clapton played ch2, until I learned that his earlier Superleads had a different cn2 than all post '67 Marshalls that I was familiar with. Anyhow, I'm not sure we have solid enough proof what version EVH had in his main Superlead, and I am skeptical of EV jumping channels because that is less needed at those volumes and because of how easily ch2 gets muddy at any volume. He could have done it on just on TV for more gain at lower volume, but a blurry low res still isn't proof and I'm not sure my ears tell me he jumped channels for the first few EV records.

Or he could have been messing with all the people that always tried to figure out what he was doing. It's well known that Eddie would put red herrings out there to throw people off the trail of his sound. It's one reason why this thread is here, because it is not known exactly how EVH made his sound. I, too, am skeptical of the idea of Eddie jumping channels.

 

[junk notes]

View attachment 119740
I think it is the only one we got. It was supposedely taken during a past restoration of the amp. However i have my doubts about the picture like the missing tube socket and many capacitors seeming to be not stock, but who knows if marshall was out of stock of mullard caps and used whatever they found ? :


however despite not looking legit at the first look, the components mentionned by friedman are there. The big cap on v1 is a .68 phillips chiclet cap. and the black cap seems to be what he has been refering to as the 220-470uf cap. There are some .022 brown drops. The big blue cap is supposedely a 32+32 or a 16+16 uf cap.

here is a variation with it :

View attachment 119741

i just found a picture of a 100w 68-69 sl and the chiclet phillips capacitors seemed to have been used at marshalls :

View attachment 119742

i just found a picture of a 100w 68-69 sl and the chiclet phillips capacitors seemed to have been used at marshalls :

12301
+___8
_____
12309

 

[pat_rocks]

12301
+___8
_____
12309

wtf are you serious is this the real 12309 ? haha wow. Is it stock ? Man you are lucky if it's yours. It's impressive how the phillips chiclets are both here and there is this blue electrolytic cap (however the 12309 seems way bigger).

 

[junk notes]

wtf are you serious is this the real 12309 ? haha wow. Is it stock ? Man you are lucky if it's yours. It's impressive how the phillips chiclets are both here and there is this blue electrolytic cap (however the 12309 seems way bigger).

haha, yes Somewhere in AmpArchives, but you can use other references within the site. - Most use as a very good reference.

I see where the red insulation varnish has been augmented, and what turrets were affected, so not knowing if they were replace with same type or value.
Memory a little fuzzy, but someone knows if Ed's blue V1Bplate bypass cap is a .0022, and what value the other big blue board ecap is. 16μF/16μF or ? I recall some early 1968 late 1967 15μF/15μF. guessing like most. member @neikeel would probably have better insight.

 

[neikeel]

12309 looks like stock preamp for 12 series. My 10series SL was the same except for grey RS 0.68uF caps. Def 0.0022 on v1b with split cathode.
I’ve seen lots of pics of 12301 in various stages of molestation - that pic there is the most messed with! (Likely post Dave Friedman). It also had at least 3 different OTs over the years. I’m pretty sure the first recordings were with the original C1998 Dagnall.
I used to nosy by the Metro EVH section and often lots of interesting debate there.

 

[pat_rocks]

Well you know that recently larry dimarzio published a document where he illustrates the process of creating the pickups for the musicman axis. In those pictures we have very high quality pictures of eddies studio and two good shots at his original plexi and there is something with is worth taking into account :

The left bottom channel of the plexi has clearly a marking and i believe it is not dirt but two words which are impossible to read and which began to disappear as pen ink fades with time on metallic surfaces :



Oddly enough this left bottom channel was where josé usually put his high gain channel with the 3 in one mod. i believe ed had a 4in one mod at some point with the gain knob at the back.

The 3 in one mod didn't altered the stock plexi too much it just added a new stage in the amp and a new tube and it was extremely easy to remove. It was done on the empty socket hole unused by plexis.

 

[pat_rocks]

haha, yes Somewhere in AmpArchives, but you can use other references within the site. - Most use as a very good reference.

I see where the red insulation varnish has been augmented, and what turrets were affected, so not knowing if they were replace with same type or value.
Memory a little fuzzy, but someone knows if Ed's blue V1Bplate bypass cap is a .0022, and what value the other big blue board ecap is. 16μF/16μF or ? I recall some early 1968 late 1967 15μF/15μF. guessing like most. member @neikeel would probably have better insight.

On the 12301 this little ecap doesn't seem stock there seems to be no red varnish on it plus there is this black wire instead of pink wire going to it. Perhaps it had originally a 32+32 which was replaced. Man this is kind of a mess to try to find out what was originally there x).

 

[neikeel]

On the 12301 this little ecap doesn't seem stock there seems to be no red varnish on it plus there is this black wire instead of pink wire going to it. Perhaps it had originally a 32+32 which was replaced. Man this is kind of a mess to try to find out what was originally there x).

There are so many replaced parts in the EVH amp it is untrue! All the socket wiring has been done. Not even experienced amp archaeologists can say exactly was has been done.
I wish I’d archived the old pics of it. @TAZIN is very organised. I bet he has them!

 

[dro]

Just found this : it looks like channels are jumped by a y cable WOW if it's the secret then it was so dumb haha

View attachment 121407

Now i guess we are digging one big part of the mystery. I was like where did we show eddie using his amp. There no picture showing the front being connected then i remembered that on the letterman show he did bring his plexi with him !

if he used a y cable then he brought it : if he brought it it's certainly because he usually uses his plexi with it !

So channels jumped by a Y jumper must be part of the equation to the secret !

Always

 

[pittbull]

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