Splawn Pro Mod

[RedRider]

Here is my Pro Mod when I first got it, along with a 2 x 12. And then I got a custom plate to match my guitar, and also have a rattlesnake one coming that will actually match my other guitar and will match the amp much better.

[Dirrty Craig]

Thats kick ass man,, Love those McNaught guitars too, especially that one with the maple neck,, thats killer.

[RedRider]

Well its all finished now. I got the Rattlesnake faceplate that matches my amps tolex and it was made from the same wood as the top on the McNaught pheonix. Scott did an awesome job on the custom amp cabinet and Dave Mansel did the facesplate. It all looks really kick ass. Now all I need is a boa tolex 2 x 12 and it will all match. (fathers day is coming!! WOOT!) LOL

[Dirrty Craig]

dude thats friggin awesome.. Those MsNaught guitars are the shiznit. I've got a Mansel guitar coming but I'm half tempted to sell both my PRS's and get a McNaught as well...

[RedRider]

AllI can say Craig, is that I had 2 PRS also. I had the Red PRS Custom 22 you saw in the top picture and I also had a Singlecut Artist. I sold both and got McNaughts instead. Obviously the SC pretty much was the same shape as the McNaught SC's but I was really surprised at how much the Pheonix feels like a Custom 22/24 shape. It just seems to "fit" me perfect. I am not saying that PRS arent great guitars, in my opinion they are the absolute best mass produced guitar out there today, fit and finish just blows Gibson, Fender, Ibanez, pretty much any mass builder away. I have never payed a PRS that was setup almost perfect from factory. That being said, the McNaughts make the PRS just feel cheap in comparison. They are THAT GOOD!!! But you also end up haivng to wait to get your guitar built, you end up paying at least a grand more for the guitar, but you can definitely say you know exactly who built your guitar. No one else even touched it besides Dave and Dave. And if you want something unique, they can definitely get it done for you. You have absolutely no say in anything on a PRS (unless you go Private Stock, but I am never dropping 10k on a guitar, no matter who builds it!)

[Dirrty Craig]

I totally agree with you. Dave and Dave are awesome. My Mansel Commando should be here in a few weeks.. both my PRS's are pre-production models fom the old factory in Annapolis. the one on the left is a '94 Custom 24 and the other is an 1989 CE 24 proto.. both signed by the man himself on the back of each headstock.

theres some more junk in the background fitting for this forum,, hehe.

[VomHalen]

craig...how would you compare the 5150 to the splawn?

[ruster1]

I would be curious about the 5150 also.. ?.. as I have one .. and have many complaints about it.. gain.. not being one of them.. as I have a 1992.. head.. one of the originals.. it sounds a bit "nasally"... until you put an EQ in the loop.. then it opens up nice.. but EQ's tend to do this.. but the clarity of notes is missing big time.. I have read the Eurotubes theory.. about the 5150 heads being "biased cold"... and that the crossover distortion is severe.. (hence .. almost no clean sound)..as it clips real early.. they claim the combos are biased warmer.. they say the bias on heads is set at about 12 mA per tube.. which for the 6L6 tubes.. averaging around.. 38-40 mA per tube.. is REAL COLD.. I am thinking to spend the $40 to re-bias my 5150 to match the tubes.. or even to convert it to variable bias.. got to make it sonically better than it is now..

I'm taking the first step an getting a Splawn 4x12.. next step.. = get a Pro-mod and Quick Rod to cover all sounds..

[Dirrty Craig]

hmmm, thats a tough one. Its like apples and oranges. they both taste good but I prefer the oranges.

The 5150, is a very good and very reliable amp. I've played roughly 1200 live gigs with the amp in that pic. I've always thought the bottom was a little loose and it obviously had more gain than anyone could ever need. I always thought it had kind of a harsh sound and fuzzy sometimes too, not alot of clarity in the mid and bottom.... with all those complaints, though I never found another head I liked better until the Splawn.. compared to the Splawn.

The Splawn is just sweet and tight in all registers. Not as much gain, but a much more defined and tight midrange honk with a super-tight non-flubby bottom end. I really like the way my rhythms sound through the Splawn and its just BETTER,, hard to explain..

Here check these out.. Granted I SUCK at home recording,, I'm really a better live player,, but you can hear the basic tone..

This clip was the 5150 recorded last year through that Marshall cab..skip through the crappy rhythms to the 1st solo...
hair-metal.com/tunes/Mixdown6.mp3

This clip was recorded a few months ago with the Splawn through the same Marshall cab.. notice the punchier tighter everythings smoother and clearer.. and the lead tone kills...
http:///hair-metal.com/tunes/Dirrty_Scary.mp3

[ruster1]

DCraig.. great sound !! .. even I could not load the second clip to hear the splawn.. I know what you mean about the slight "muddiness" from the 5150's .. and the mids are not there even with EQ.. what type of reverb/delay do you use ??.. sound is smokin.. if I ever do the bias adjustment.. I'll let you know the result.. (should probably get off the "Splawn Pics" page for this..

[Dirrty Craig]

Oh man, I was providing the comparison so you could hear how crappy the 5150 sounds compared the Splawn,, LOL.. You like that sound? yuck.

If the Splawn clip doesn't work, its on the clips page on the Splawn site here:
splawnguitars.com/sound_clips.htm

Dude, the Splawn sounds WAAAAAYYY better.


Oh on the 5150 clip I used a delay from Cubase. I don't even own a delay pedal or effects unit. The Splawn clip is 100% dry.

[ruster1]

holy crap bro.. !!.. no comparison.. Splawn makes the 5150 sound like a toy..

guess I was just comlimenting your style.. (its all in the fingers).. even the dry sound is fantastic.. such clarity.. unbelievable.. got to get me one of each .. EL-34 and KT-88... waitin on my cab to arrive.. not gonna sleep well until I get one of those heads.. gain is overrated.. !!

[Dirrty Craig]

Thanks man, I agree with you. Its all in your fingers, you don't need any more gain than a QR. Some guy emailed me and said he wanted to know if the QR was a good "shred" amp. Not to sound like a d1ck, but what the heck does that mean,,LOL.. I mean if you have shred ability chops your going to shred through any amp. And if you have crappy chops your going to sound sloppy regardless of how much gain you have...

[daneswede1]

I currently use a 1971 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty which I have had since 1986! Also use a Paul Reed Smith Singlecut dark cherry flametop with birds which is nice as well. I am VERY used to laying my palm across the strings on the Les Paul and it feels comfortable where the palm lands around the raised bridsge piece. The PRS Singlecut DOESNT have the raised bridge it just has that cols feeling klunky pone piece bridge . I cant feel the strings being picked as well as I can with the Les Paul. The MCNAUGHT guitars have eitherthe strings over the bridge, across it an past into the body OR a tonepros two piece and they feel just like my Les Paul. My palm laying over the top of the raised bridge peice just like the Paul!! I can feel every note being pickec even at top speed! :>0 EXTREMELY comfortable neck on the MCnaught. I have been looking at this particualr one for sale with a diwmond quilt top in mint condition and another with a COCOBOLA top with a AFRICAN LIMBA BODY . Ebony fretboard and rosewood neck. Limba all over the place. Heavy but georgous looking and a tone machine>!