Synergy modular thread

F

Fisheth

Member
Messages
38
killerburst said:
Egnater invented it. He made the modular line under his own brand name first. He later licensed it to Randall. Now BAD owns the IP and the Egnater name.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the explanation, after googling it, I thought Randall had come first. It's nice to know it was in fact the other way round. That explains how Synergy is able to use the tech.
 
tucsonsound

tucsonsound

Silver Supporting Member
Messages
793
Fisheth said:
I didn't know Egnater made similar devices to the Randall one, what's the story there?
Click to expand...

Egnater created the original modular format, Google check their MOD50/MOD100 amps and M4 preamp. He also licensed to Rocktron, see their Vendetta VP4, and Randall whose RM50, RM100, RM4 versions were the most affordable and widely distributed. The licensed stuff was all single channel per module, while the dual channel module design was exclusive to Egnater. That is until he collaborated with Fryette/Friedman to create the Synergy brand version. I use the Synergy and Egnater duals on the M4, which has a mod for manually selecting the input bias on the front panel. The Randall is single channel (but can be modded to run duals) and fixed at the original Fender input bias, so I use it for the singles that sound best at that setting;

4QccTvx.jpg
 
dsmc80

dsmc80

Member
Messages
3,864
Tommy Von Voigt said:
Well, now I'm not quite so excited anymore about the IICP. In the video that leaked the other day, I was hearing what sounded like very promising cleans. In these new vids, I'm hearing bluesy cleans, edge of breakup stuff, and plenty of chugging. Makes me wonder if the cleans from the first clip were more of an aberration...
Click to expand...

I'm curious what you want in a clean? Genuinely curious.
 
Tommy Von Voigt

Tommy Von Voigt

Silver Supporting Member
Messages
781
dsmc80 said:
I'm curious what you want in a clean? Genuinely curious.
Click to expand...

Very good question, and totally reasonable, because at this point it probably does seem like I have no idea what I want.

Basically, I'm looking for that fake, compressed, 80s processed clean. The Landau thing is gorgeous, but I'm not really sure that's entirely it. Think along the lines of Hysteria, or some 80s metal ballad. It's like a Rockman kinda thing, or kinda JC-120, or almost even an acoustic simulator. Very compressed, with sustain.

I stumbled across this the other day:



That's really nice. I've also heard some good stuff from clips of the MP-1 solid state clean (though I didn't have any luck at all with the unit I had and then sold).

It's a funny thing, because when it comes to my high gain sounds, I'm a complete tube snob. But it really does seem as though the clean sound I want is about the fakest thing you can imagine.

This is the one thing the Synergy system just hasn't given me. My high gain sounds are pretty rad right now, though I'm admittedly still dialing things in some more. And if I had any interest in edge of breakup, or bluesy cleans, I've tried several modules that would provide that wonderfully. But I haven't been able to achieve the clean I want, even with parametric or graphic rack EQs, a DBX 160x, the Eclipse, and the PCM 81, all at my disposal. It's the core clean tone that is missing, and all of that other stuff probably isn't going to do the trick if that core sound isn't there.

An additional hurdle I'm facing is that I just don't use strats. I have one, that I keep for sentimental reasons, but it never leaves the case, in the closet. My other 8 axes are all 80s Gibsons and BC Riches and Ibanez with two humbuckers. I know a lot of people like the middle position on a strat for 80s rack cleans.

I'm pretty sure at this point that my solution is just putting something else in the Bypass Loop of my Syn-2, just to use for my clean channel. So now I'm looking at other rack pres, just for that purpose. I'm just going to have to make room somehow. That Gallien-Krueger 100 MPL seems really promising, but it doesn't have a rear instrument input. I just snagged an Art SGX Nitro off of Reverb, in super clean shape at a great price. I'm not the least bit interested in the distortion tones, of course. Maybe that will do the trick for cleans? Who knows?

I don't want to derail this thread away from being focused on the Synergy products, but I am entertaining any and all ideas of single rack space pres that will give up that 80s clean I'm trying to achieve. I'm sure there are plenty. If anyone knows of anything, please send me a PM :)

I know I could probably get there with an Axe FX III, but I'm just not quite ready to give up tubes for my high gain tones...
 
F

Fisheth

Member
Messages
38
For those who have the MK2 so far, my Myasnikov is great but it's insanely loud, I can't run it more than a slight nudge without it being far too loud, is that something you guys are experiencing with these synergy models?
 
killerburst

killerburst

killerburstguitars.com
Silver Supporting Member
Messages
992
Fisheth said:
For those who have the MK2 so far, my Myasnikov is great but it's insanely loud, I can't run it more than a slight nudge without it being far too loud, is that something you guys are experiencing with these synergy models?
Click to expand...

Well, typically the power amp it’s plugged into has to be adjusted to control the final volume. However, if you are running into a post-master FX return of an amp head, then you will find the volume controls (1 for each channel plus a master level on the Synergy hardware) work very well throughout their range.
 
K

Kelly

Member
Messages
3,792
Tommy Von Voigt said:
Very good question, and totally reasonable, because at this point it probably does seem like I have no idea what I want.

Basically, I'm looking for that fake, compressed, 80s processed clean. The Landau thing is gorgeous, but I'm not really sure that's entirely it. Think along the lines of Hysteria, or some 80s metal ballad. It's like a Rockman kinda thing, or kinda JC-120, or almost even an acoustic simulator. Very compressed, with sustain.

I stumbled across this the other day:



That's really nice. I've also heard some good stuff from clips of the MP-1 solid state clean (though I didn't have any luck at all with the unit I had and then sold).

It's a funny thing, because when it comes to my high gain sounds, I'm a complete tube snob. But it really does seem as though the clean sound I want is about the fakest thing you can imagine.

This is the one thing the Synergy system just hasn't given me. My high gain sounds are pretty rad right now, though I'm admittedly still dialing things in some more. And if I had any interest in edge of breakup, or bluesy cleans, I've tried several modules that would provide that wonderfully. But I haven't been able to achieve the clean I want, even with parametric or graphic rack EQs, a DBX 160x, the Eclipse, and the PCM 81, all at my disposal. It's the core clean tone that is missing, and all of that other stuff probably isn't going to do the trick if that core sound isn't there.

An additional hurdle I'm facing is that I just don't use strats. I have one, that I keep for sentimental reasons, but it never leaves the case, in the closet. My other 8 axes are all 80s Gibsons and BC Riches and Ibanez with two humbuckers. I know a lot of people like the middle position on a strat for 80s rack cleans.

I'm pretty sure at this point that my solution is just putting something else in the Bypass Loop of my Syn-2, just to use for my clean channel. So now I'm looking at other rack pres, just for that purpose. I'm just going to have to make room somehow. That Gallien-Krueger 100 MPL seems really promising, but it doesn't have a rear instrument input. I just snagged an Art SGX Nitro off of Reverb, in super clean shape at a great price. I'm not the least bit interested in the distortion tones, of course. Maybe that will do the trick for cleans? Who knows?

I don't want to derail this thread away from being focused on the Synergy products, but I am entertaining any and all ideas of single rack space pres that will give up that 80s clean I'm trying to achieve. I'm sure there are plenty. If anyone knows of anything, please send me a PM :)

I know I could probably get there with an Axe FX III, but I'm just not quite ready to give up tubes for my high gain tones...
Click to expand...

You’re not going to get that tone with humbuckers.
 
S

shood

Member
Messages
702
Serious Poo said:
And that is exactly why the Super Strat was invented. Come to the dark side...

51539349916_a9d548039d_c.jpg
Click to expand...
Sick! What is that?

After years of preferring singlecuts, I've drifted back to superstrats. My Suhr Pete Thorn is far and away my favorite guitar, my next purchase will be an HSS (probably another Suhr Std.)
 
Tommy Von Voigt

Tommy Von Voigt

Silver Supporting Member
Messages
781
Serious Poo said:
And that is exactly why the Super Strat was invented. Come to the dark side...

51539349916_a9d548039d_c.jpg
Click to expand...

Noooooooooo!

Do you at least have cookies on the Dark Side?

There are very, very few super strats I'm into. I could see myself getting an 89 Charvel 750XL...24 frets, set neck, Gibson scale, and I need an 89 something for my collection...I'm missing that year. Only problem is, I think those are all 2 humbuckers, so, it doesn't actually solve any problems.

Maybe if I found a set neck or neck thru super strat, from 89, with HSS, short scale neck, that could be my jam...but I can't have only one guitar that can be used for cleans. I need a solution that will work for the 8 other guitars that I use.
 
Bucksears

Bucksears

Gold Supporting Member
Messages
9,231
Wonder how that IICP would sound through an EL34-based amp - too much in the mids?
Would KT-77s or 6CA7s tame that?
 
Tommy Von Voigt

Tommy Von Voigt

Silver Supporting Member
Messages
781
Bucksears said:
Wonder how that IICP would sound through an EL34-based amp - too much in the mids?
Would KT-77s or 6CA7s tame that?
Click to expand...

When I put NOS Sylvania 6ca7s in my Fryette 2502, I didn't find too dramatic a sonic difference. It became a bit smoother, but I wouldn't really say it altered the EQ much. It was more noticeable in feel, along with a more refined, smoother tone. Perhaps if you tried KT77s, it would be more of a noticeable change in EQ curve?
 
killerburst

killerburst

killerburstguitars.com
Silver Supporting Member
Messages
992
Tommy Von Voigt said:
Noooooooooo!

Do you at least have cookies on the Dark Side?

There are very, very few super strats I'm into. I could see myself getting an 89 Charvel 750XL...24 frets, set neck, Gibson scale, and I need an 89 something for my collection...I'm missing that year. Only problem is, I think those are all 2 humbuckers, so, it doesn't actually solve any problems.

Maybe if I found a set neck or neck thru super strat, from 89, with HSS, short scale neck, that could be my jam...but I can't have only one guitar that can be used for cleans. I need a solution that will work for the 8 other guitars that I use.
Click to expand...

If you have HH with a blade switch there are few good options using a 5-way superswitch and 4-conductor pickups.

Example:
 
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