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View Full Version : What do you run with your Palmer PGA-04?

iaresee
03-14-2007, 01:37 PM
I'm curious to know, from people out there who own PGA-04 load boxes, what kind of amps your running into the box? Are there some amps that work better with the box than others? I'm looking for a versatile recording head to pair with my PGA-04. Initially I was thinking of a Univalve but then I played a Koch Studiotone and really dug how that little guy sounded -- but I've not been able to use either amp with my PGA-04. If you've got sound clips and want to share amp/PGA settings I'd be very appreciative of the information.
FlyingVBlues
03-14-2007, 02:53 PM
I have a Palmer PDI-03, and primarily use it with a Fender Deluxe Reverb RI that has been converted to a head. I bought the head from someone on TGP specifically because I wanted an amp I could permanently dedicate to recording. The amp has been upgraded by replacing all of the cheap Taiwanese made Illinois caps with Sprague's and retubing it with NOS tubes. I set the PDI-03 with the flat and bright switches on. I normally play Les Paul's or 335's without pedals and the amp setup has Vol = 4, Treble = 8, Bass = 3 and Reverb = 3. I've also used the Palmer with a Bruno Cowtipper CT45, a TR Emerald Pro, a '64 Deluxe Reverb and a '66 Princeton Reverb with good results.

FVB
iaresee
03-14-2007, 03:13 PM
FlyingVBlues: Thanks for the reply. I've read a couple of threads today that said nice things about Fenders for recording. I don't know why I've stayed away from them all these years. Something about the way they look maybe. I'll have to find a Princeton or Deluxe Reverb and have a go with it I think.
Ed DeGenaro
03-14-2007, 03:39 PM
VHT D60-Palmer...
http://www.eddegenaro.com/audio/struckout.mp3
THD Flexi-Palmer...
http://eddegenaro.com/audio/abc2.mp3
FlyingVBlues
03-14-2007, 03:40 PM
Ed DeGenaro uses a PGA-04 with a higher gain setup. Check this thread, which provides links to a few clips recorded with his PGA-04 and I believe a Flexi.

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=200634&highlight=palmer

Edit: Ed posted his comment while I was writing mine. His stuff sounds great.

FVB
iaresee
03-15-2007, 11:19 PM
Ed thanks for those clips. Again, awesome stuff. I've been playing with the PGA for the last couple of nights now and I'm starting to get a reign on the beast. It's definitely not a plug-and-play (at least not with my Mesa) device. But the sounds are there. A new pair of headphones helped considerably too.
danel59
03-17-2007, 07:43 AM
Just curious as to why you can't (or maybe you haven't had time to use it with your Studiotone?) I use my PGA04 with a Fuchs ODS30SLX and have used it with my Studiotone as well. They both work quite well, you just have to tweak like anything else. Have you tried muting the speaker and using the mic sim output on the Studiotone yet. It works as well but I feel I get better results with the Palmer
Jim S
03-17-2007, 09:56 AM
Soldano SLO
iaresee
03-20-2007, 07:06 PM
Just curious as to why you can't (or maybe you haven't had time to use it with your Studiotone?) I use my PGA04 with a Fuchs ODS30SLX and have used it with my Studiotone as well. They both work quite well, you just have to tweak like anything else. Have you tried muting the speaker and using the mic sim output on the Studiotone yet. It works as well but I feel I get better results with the Palmer
My post wasn't clear: I don't own a Studiotone or a UniValve yet. I'm on the market for a new head to use with the PGA. So I'm wondering what others out there are using with their Palmer units. I'm headed out to try the Studiotone and BiValve this weekend. I'm also keen to hear a Twintone.

One things for sure: the Palmer definitely masks nothing when it comes to the sound of your amp. It can soften it up a bit but man was I surprised by how much volume and speakers (maybe mostly volume) changes how you hear your amp.
iaresee
03-20-2007, 07:08 PM
Soldano SLO
Between you and Ed there are definitely people using high gain amps with the PGA. I think what I'm not liking is the sound of my Mesa Rect-O-Verb! The Vintage 30's in my cab definitely helped scrub some of the preamp buzz off the head and with Palmer that's not happening. Oh well, nothing like a new amp hunt to give you a reason to get up on Saturday morning!