Nashville 112 upgrade

Jerry Lofton · From: Meridian, Idaho, USA

I just recently upgraded my Nasville 112 Amp with the 5 burr brown chips that I ordered from Ken Fox. I like the overall cleaner improved sound. Smoother highs and lows, less distortion. Just a better overall tone. It was well worth the cost IMHO. Made and already great amp sound even better.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I installed them in my NV112, played two gigs with them installed, and took them out. It does make it "cleaner" but it's "too clean".

I messed with the settings the entire two gigs and couldn't come up with a setting that I liked. My NV112 just didn't sound like a NV112 anymore.

I had to buy an "entire lot" to get the chips so I had a couple of sets left. I sold one set to a local steeler that said he liked the sound of his Nashville 1000 better than his 112. After installing the chips in his 112, he told me it made the NV112 sound like his NV1000 and he was happy.

Just depends on what you are looking for.

Billy Murdoch · From: Glasgow, Scotland, U.K.

I recieved these chips from Ken Fox on Saturday.
I fitted them easily and only had time to give my amp a very short test.I then gigged a few hours later and was totally pleased with the result
I will be out tonight using my other steel and hope the results are the same.
Best regards
Billy

James Marlowe · From: Florida, USA

Hey Jack,
I'm still happy with the mod. I haven't "gigged" with the 112 yet, but playing here at home between the 1000 and the 112 sounds mighty pleasing to me.
james

Bobby Rountree · From: San Angelo, Texas, USA - R.I.P.

Installed the chips in my 112 and love it. I am thinking about doing my NV1000 also.

"Tree"
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Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

James, you hit it exactly on how it changes the sound of the NV112. I compared my modified NV112 side by side with my NV1000 (same EQ settings on both) and the 112 sounded just like the 1000.

Tommy Young · From: Ethelsville Alabama

I put them in my 1000 and they are great love the change and everyone that has herd it love it so far and there has been several that came and has listened to the change some have brought their 1000's and compared together and loved the difference it made TOMMY

Morton Kellas · From: Chazy, NY, USA 1

I put the OPA 2604 AP chips in mine and would never go back. I had 2 amps, one with and one stock. I just loved the way the higher quality chips warmed up the tone and sweetened the highs. It also sounded better when playing my Tele through it. I guess if you are happy with the stock amp, then leave it alone, if not, you can change it for a reasonable price and if you don't like it, you can always go back to stock again.

Roger Francis · From: kokomo,Indiana, USA

I agree with every thing Morton said, i did my 2 112s and it was a sweet noticeable difference!

Terry Sneed · From: Arkansas,

Can somebody explain the difference in tone before and after the mod on a 112 please? Are the highs more, or less shrill? what about the lows? Thanks

Terry

John Cadeau · From: Surrey,B.C. Canada

How many of these chips are there in the Nashville 112.
John

Ken Fox · From: Nashville GA USA

There are 5 on the preamp board that are socketed chips. The same preamp board is used in both the N-112 and the N-1000 amps.

John Cadeau · From: Surrey,B.C. Canada

Thanks Ken.

Mickey Adams · From: Bandera Texas

I sent Ken my Session 400 this week...i polled a couple of forumites on his mod. It came back with only 1 negative.."too shrill".(for the session 400)..Everyone has a unique perspective on what is right/left, good/bad, better/worse....My Lemay modded Nashville 400 made a huge impression on me...however after 30 gigs...It sounded "normal".
Most players strive for a specific tone, however its merely YOUR perception. (and we are the pros,,,right?). Getting used to a new amp setting can be difficult. Numerous times I have played other players steel and amps onstage, only to recieve positive feedback from the band....and to me the rig sounded horrible....I want my steel to sound pleasing to me....Its all what you are used to IMHO....My take is that when we aquire new equipment we continually tweak it until it sounds as close to what we had before as we can get it...I know I am that way.....But...Im a pro.....arent I?...Mike?...Tim?...anybody?....
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Craig A Davidson · From: Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin USA

You guys make me chuckle. A year or so back the 112 was like the second coming. Now all of you are wanting to modify, modify, modify. Kind of like the Session 400,500, Nashville 400, Nashville 1000, wait a minute there is a pattern here. Confused

.

Ken Fox · From: Nashville GA USA

To me the N-112, N-1000 and Profex 2 mods are really not a mod. Each uses Burr Brown audio chips (audio amps) for the change. It is no different that swapping out cheap Chinese tubes for JJ/Telsa or NOS American tubes in your Fender or other tube amp!

The Burr Brown chip just offers better tone and less background noise. Most folks would not hesitate to change out tubes in that old Fender Twin to get the best tone possible.

The mods on the Session 400 (Brad Sarno's mod) and my Mod on the N-400 are similar to some respect. Both mods use higher quality tone caps. There is no real change in values on the Sarno mods except a larger value on the filter cap. That was more a result of fitting the cap in the existing cap metal clamp. The newer caps of today are 1/3 as large as the olds ones. The old cap was 4700uf, the new one is 8200uf. It is physically 1/3 of the length of the old 4700uf and the same diameter (so it fits in the clamp better). Some say it adds a tighter bass to the amp. If so, that is a result of the amps power supply not sagging when a big bass note demands more power. A bigger cap means more standby DC voltage is available at all times from the power supply.

The N-400 "intense mod" incorporates the Burr Brown chips and the rest of the parts called for in the Peavey designed tone mod but using different brand or type parts (Orange drop caps and tantalum coupling caps of the same value called for in the original).
Is this really a mod? Not as far as values go. All the newer N-400 amps had this change in values. I look as that as an upgrade to the newer schematic!

The filter caps are all changed out (not a mod) as parts of the upgrade, again good maintenance for an amp. The Metzger reverb mod is truly a mod. It changed a few values out in the reverb drive and recovery circuit to enhance the tone of the reverb circuit.

I guess tone is in the ear of the beholder for sure. Personally I have never liked a transistor steel amp by any manufacturer for tone. There I said it! I always preferred a tube amp. When I did use a transistor amp I preferred the old Session 400 and LTD 400 amps. I found them to be the warmest steel amps I had ever played through. For a few years I played just Tele through an old LTD400 with a compressor and echo pedal for effects. The problem was always the same, I could not get enough clean power out of tube amps on most gigs (loud drummers, etc!!)

For several years my first choice for a steel amp was a Session 400 combined with a Fender tube amp. I needed the Session for more power in the low end and the Fender to add the sparkle to the tone. I just rolled of the bass on the Fender amp to increase head room.

Now I can assure you the N-400 with the mod I am doing is my first choice for any gig where I am playing steel and Tele. I no longer need two amps for the job.

OK, go ahead now. I am now prepared for my proper thrashing!!

Craig A Davidson · From: Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin USA

No thrashing Ken. It doesn't matter to me. I don't use a Peavey except in the practice room. I only use it there because I don't want to lug that big 500 around. Like I said it just makes me smile when everybody pops up and wants to change what not long ago was better than sliced bread. You might say it puts sumshine in my day. Very Happy

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JERRY THURMOND · From: sullivan mo u.s.a.

I like the upgrade chips in my 112, it made a difference to the good.

Jerry

Ken Fox · From: Nashville GA USA

It sure is fun, too! It seems like my benchmark for tone is a Fender preamp from the 60's (ala the Princeton, Deluxe Reverb, Super Reverb, Twin Reverb, etc). They all had the same preamp board!!

Still in defense of Peavey's midrange concept, it was about cutting through the louder band mix I think. I have been buried by loud bands and could not muster up enough cut with a Twin with JBL speakers!! The extra mids of a Peavey, if controlled properly can cut through. The problem to me was getting getting the amps adjusted! I can still take a N-400 I have modded and cut through. It has active controls as opposed to the passive tone controls of an older Fender amp.

I just find it easier to get a great tone out of the amp now and it is easy to nail down quickly. No more tweaking the amp all night. I could never use one before and enjoy the tone and I was endlessly adjusting the tone controls looking for a sweet spot. Maybe that was just my old ears!!!

Mike Brown · From: Meridian, Mississippi USA

Ken, I think they call that "experience". Ha!

Terry Sneed · From: Arkansas,

I just ordered the chips from Ken for my Nashville 112. How hard is it to change them out? I know the back of the amp from the front, and that's about it.
I may need some help from you guys.

Terry

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I use a "grounded wrist strap" when I work on anything with IC's. It prevents possible zapping of the chips (which can ruin them). Many people do not do it, but as a tech I prefer to err on the side of safety.

The big thing to watch for, when changing the chips, is to orient them correctly. The indentation on the end or a dot on one side of the chip goes to the rear of the amp (away from the front).

There are IC extraction and insertion tools but you don't really need those. Just be careful and take the old ones out making sure you don't mess them up in case you are like me and don't like the change the OPA2604's do and want to go back to the original chips. And make sure you get the pins into the slots correctly. The "legs" (pins) on the chips are relatively fragile and can be broken off if not careful.

Ken Fox · From: Nashville GA USA

Terry, there is a drawing of the circuit board with the chip kit. It shows which chips to change and the correct orientation. he kits are shipped Priority Mail, you should have it Saturday or Monday at the latest.

You must remove the speaker wires, the power cord that is plugged into the chassis and unplug the reverb connector at the chassis. There are four screws in the top holding the chassis in place. Slide the chassis back and out of the amp. Be careful when unplugging the connectors at the speaker not to break the connectors on the speaker itself. Support the speaker terminal/connector firmly as you wiggle/pull of the speaker wire female connector from the male connector at the speaker.

My email included my phone number as well. Call me and I will assist if needed!

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

There is also three screws on the back, at the top of the chassis that have to be removed.

Bob Tuttle · From: Republic, MO 65738

There are also three screws under the rear lip of the chassis that must be removed. My chassis was stuck to the cabinet, and I had to slip a knife blade between the chassis and the cabinet and 'gently' pry it loose.

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