Silverface Champ L-pad install

Winny_Pooh

Following my earlier query thread (thanks @poopot & @ICBM)

I've installed this L-pad: 

https://willys-hifi.com/products/4-ohm-l-pad-attenuator-50-watts

and it sounds great, just as good as the airbrake I use on 8ohm amps. Nice crunch at low levels (it has the midrange resistor bypass mod; essential) and no need for extra tone control.

Used an Ikea mounting bracket superglued to a strip of black painted aluminium (which the bottom washer of the pot clamps to later also):



Drilled, installed and soldered:

GoFish

Nice one!

What is the midrange resistor mod?

BillDL

That's a really neat job with the bracket.  I love that guitar too.

Winny_Pooh

@GoFish said:

Nice one!

What is the midrange resistor mod?

Been a while, but IIRC I wired up an additional resistor to the mid/bass resistor to ground connection so that you further lift the tone stack from ground. 

PonchoGreg

Nice! Been a big fan of L-Pads for years. Even worked well on my DRRI.

I really like that integrated setup. Mine is housed in a PC's power supply unit (as it's ventilated etc) and while that makes it portable between different amps, I only have one now so might just do that bracket job in the cab. Or maybe mount the pad directly in the wood, but not sure if the shaft is long enough to clear it!

Sparks

That looks tall for a Champ - is it a Champ chassis in a Musicmaster Bass cabinet?

Winny_Pooh

@Sparks said:

That looks tall for a Champ - is it a Champ chassis in a Musicmaster Bass cabinet?

Yep sounds radically more open than an 8" speaker cab. 

Winny_Pooh

@GoFish ;;;;

FWIW found pics of the mod. 

After removing the bass pot lug connected to ground. From the bass pot:



And to a two way switch to different resistors to ground

GoFish

Ta muchly for remembering!