3 Monkeys Clean Tones

[scmavl]

I have the opportunity to get a 3 Monkeys Orangutan combo, however I've never been able to play one in person. I totally LOVE the OD tones and there are many videos out there showcasing this (thanks Lance!). However, the clean vids are few and far between. Do you have a lot of clean headroom on setting 1 or 2? Also, any other input on this amp is appreciated, especially about the 1x12 combo.

 

[Stevo57]

I think the answer to your question is somewhat speaker and guitar dependent. My combo shipped with the 3Monkeys new WGS made speaker thats somewhere between a V30 and a G12H30 IIRC. I prefer it with a single greenback. The 3M speaker has better cleans and more headroom in positions 1/2, but I love the break-up with the greenback in positions 3/4.
Either way, the cleans in position 1/2 are very nice. I think the tones in position 5/6 are similar but a little louder and more chimey. I find the voicing positions to be very dependent on the output of your pick-ups too. I have an MIJ strat with very low output Lawrences that I can really crank the amp up on and it stays clean almost all the way up in positions 1/2. Beautiful blues and even jazz with tone knob rolled off. If I plug in the PRS DGT, it will be completely different.
So the answer is as always.... it depends.

 

[dewman]

These sounded even better live when I recorded them a while back...a little Tim pedal for some push, but the cleans are very rich and nice and you have a lot of clean headroom on tap..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DatVm9lbG3g

and sort of dirtier:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRbT-KZhbD4&feature=related

some more straight in with a brand new (not broken in greenback, so on the trebly side), and as always take these recordings with a grain of salt as they are direct to a Mac laptop with the internal mike...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6GUMyvYZac

and no the attenuator isnt on for any of these clips..

PS this amp ROCKS

 

[procos]

These sounded even better live when I recorded them a while back...a little Tim pedal for some push, but the cleans are very rich and nice and you have a lot of clean headroom on tap..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DatVm9lbG3g

and sort of dirtier:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRbT-KZhbD4&feature=related

some more straight in with a brand new (not broken in greenback, so on the trebly side), and as always take these recordings with a grain of salt as they are direct to a Mac laptop with the internal mike...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6GUMyvYZac

and no the attenuator isnt on for any of these clips..

PS this amp ROCKS

Could you tell me what your settings were for each video? Also how do you compare this amp to the Germino Club 40 you owned? I just got an Alex Attenuator and am enjoying my 3 Monkeys alot.

Chuck

 

[localmotion411]

IMO, the magic is in setting the amp up at a higher volume and gain setting and rolling off the guitar volume to clean it up. That said, this amp doesn't have much pristine clean in it. It will do the hot hairy sustainy clean really well, which is why I love it so much -- crank the guitar volume to 10 and solo all day long!

 

[scmavl]

These sounded even better live when I recorded them a while back...a little Tim pedal for some push, but the cleans are very rich and nice and you have a lot of clean headroom on tap..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DatVm9lbG3g

and sort of dirtier:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRbT-KZhbD4&feature=related

some more straight in with a brand new (not broken in greenback, so on the trebly side), and as always take these recordings with a grain of salt as they are direct to a Mac laptop with the internal mike...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6GUMyvYZac

and no the attenuator isnt on for any of these clips..

PS this amp ROCKS

I didn't know those were your clips, Dewman. I've devoured the past few weeks in my search to find 3 Monkeys clips. Those are great (and there's alot of them!) so thanks so much!

 

[dewman]

I'll see if I wrote down the settings and will post later. I find some of the best tones are the cleans or slightly broken cleans, and I get a lot if them with the bass lift in the off position (lower gain mode). I move between voicings 2,3and 4. Typically bass around noon or even higher, treble generally lower than the bass and the amp on 1 or so. I control volume from the guitar. The amp is stock with stock tubes. I think you can get great cleans at band volumes. Why so many record high gain clips with the orangutan and don't play up the cleans I don't know, as they are great!

 

[SkydogFan81]

I put some NOS pre's in mine and the cleans are great! Its crazy how I can get the Lowell George tones, The Faces, Queen, and Humble Pie stuff out of one amp. Definitely not the best for Allman tones though, but I'm working with some different speakers still.

 

[Stevo57]

and what would those NOS pres be please?

 

[SkydogFan81]

I think V1 & V2 are Amperexes and V3 is a RCA 7025...Eventually I will replace the 6v6s with some NOS ones too.

PS...NOS=New Old Stock

 

[I'm Incinerator]

I put some NOS pre's in mine and the cleans are great! Its crazy how I can get the Lowell George tones, The Faces, Queen, and Humble Pie stuff out of one amp. Definitely not the best for Allman tones though, but I'm working with some different speakers still.

These sound pretty versitile.

I don't need to be GASing for another amp...but it is fun to want

anyone have any experience playing a gretsch or TV Jones powerton equipped guit through an O?

 

[Stevo57]

Thanks Skydog. I'm up on the NOS thing. I talked withh Ossie about some NOS power tubes. You might want to before you fork out a bunch for some.

 

[dewman]

I've got stock tubes in mine and haven't felt the urge to swap them out for NOS glass!

 

[localmotion411]

I've got stock tubes in mine and haven't felt the urge to swap them out for NOS glass!

+1 -- I truthfully have no good reason to go spend hard-earned cashmoney on expensive glass for mine when it sounds as perfect as it does. It'd be like buying more expensive tires for my car.

 

[GAT]

+1 -- I truthfully have no good reason to go spend hard-earned cashmoney on expensive glass for mine when it sounds as perfect as it does. It'd be like buying more expensive tires for my car.

I like when amps sound great with readily available tubes!!

 

[localmotion411]

I like when amps sound great with readily available tubes!!

No doubt, Gil. Whee don need no stinking NOS glass, mang!

 

[dewman]

That's the mark of a great builder!

 

[SkydogFan81]

Just wait till you do!

I've got stock tubes in mine and haven't felt the urge to swap them out for NOS glass!