How’s everybody doing? It dawned on me that there might be a few readers who feel some of the topics discussed in this column are a bit unorthodox. To be
How’s everybody doing? It dawned on me that there might be a few readers who feel some of the topics discussed in this column are a bit unorthodox. To be honest, I used to question some of these ideas myself—until I had a chance to test them under real working conditions, that is! A month or so back, we jumped into the world of biasing an amplifier by ear. Since that particular column was published [August 2008], I have received several requests from Premier Guitar readers asking for some advice on how to perform this ear biasing procedure. One reader actually got a phone call from me to assist him with fine-tuning his amplifier to get it to sound good. It was a threechannel amplifier, but the distortion channel didn’t sound very big and the clean channel sounded quite thin. It was really out of balance any way you sliced it.
If you don’t feel competent to perform these techniques, do not attempt them yourself. Have a qualified technician help you. |
What are some good benchmark reference tones to ponder? Imagining great Fender combo amp tones by chance? Then listen to the 1978 Dire Straits debut album. Magical Fender tones are found here in spades, and this record is a general benchmark for Blackface Fender tones—that’s a Vibrolux amp you hear, with a 1961 Stratocaster in tow (played with bare fingers). In a Marshall mood? Try listening to Humble Pie’s classic 1971 live album Performance: Rockin’ the Fillmore. Those amps were Tremolo 100 watt heads with vintage 4x12 Marshall cabinets. If you’re a HiWatt freak, listen to anything from Pink Floyd’s post 1968 catalog. David Gilmour has been using the same HiWatt amps forever.
There are some basic rules to observe here as a guide. The first is to bias your amplifier on a cleaner setting. Usually, you’ll have to pump your amp up to around the halfway mark for starters. The reason is simple: you’ll need adequate volume to get the harmonic overtones reacting and ringing out together. It’s also important to bias the amplifier at gigging volume so you know it’ll be right when you turn it up at a gig. Sounding multiple notes and playing open strings (as partial or full chords) is quite useful, because as more notes are put into the harmonic stew, you’ll begin to notice a mystical “swirling” motion to the chords you’re playing. This effect is what makes a great sounding amp a truly unique instrument.
You’ll notice this phenomenon when you let a chord sustain freely; the notes will speak together and interact in a most musical way. Remember that when correctly biased, the clean setting will ultimately dictate how the distorted channel will sound, not the other way around. The second rule is to keep a sharp eye on your tubes’ internal plates. Avoid cranking the bias trimpot to the point where your power tubes are glowing a very bright red. You’re way over the line if you see this happen. When I describe this red glow, understand that I mean that the whole plate structure is visibly red, not just the center filament that goes up the middle of the tube (that’s okay). Turn the bias control down if you see red glowing plates at any time. You can suck the life right out of the power tubes. Keep your eyes peeled and you’ll be fine.
Once you have the clean sound dialed in, you’ll want to listen for any excessive hum. If the clean sound is big, rich and swirling, the noise you hear should be at normal levels. When an amp is happy it sounds incredibly good! Now turn the amplifier up a bit more…you should hear the notes of a chord getting more complex in tonality.
When the clean tones sound right, it’s time to kick in the distortion channel or, if you have a non-master volume amplifier, turn it up to maximum volume to check how it sounds (and feels). Is it thick and even? Is the noise level acceptable? Do the power tubes’ plates look okay?
There is another trick that I’ve be known to use when biasing my amplifiers, something I thought of many years ago when I needed to confirm proper operating tube temperature. The Jim Kelley amps run at a whopping 490 – 495 volts, and this makes for a very hot amplifier running four 6V6s. One day, a friend came over to have me bias his Kelley amplifier when I thought of a way to compare his amp to my own: I call it the “spit test.” I actually took a tiny bit of my saliva and applied it directly to the power tube. Pssssst! That’s all it took to confirm the tubes were running at proper voltage.
I hope this month’s installment has given you some more tonal food for thought. Enjoy, and we’ll see you next month.
Dean Farley
Dean Farley is the chief designer of "Snake Oil Brand Strings" (www.sobstrings.net) and has had a profound influence on the trends in the strings of today
Moth Electric's C. regalis overdrive pedal offers massive boost, natural overdrive, and searing distortion for guitar and bass. With active treble and bass controls, clean blend, Smooth/Crunch modes, and true-bypass switching, this USA-made pedal is a versatile addition to any pedalboard.
Adding a new model to their line of overdrives, Moth Electric has released the C. regalis. Equally suited for guitar and bass, the meticulously designed C.regalis is capable of massive boost, natural, singing overdrive, and searing mid-gain distortion. Its six op-amps power a dynamic, crunchy overdrive circuit with a suite of features including:
- Active treble and bass controls that allow for +/- 15db boost and cut. Perfect for tailoring the C. regalis to your instrument and amp.
- A powerful clean blend for introducing either your amp’s natural character or another effect into the equation. Allows the C. regalis to become a more transparent overdrive.
- Smooth/Crunch modes, provide a subtle change in feel with ‘Smooth’ increasing sustain and ‘Crunch’ introducing high-order harmonics for additional texture.
The C. regalis offers the following features:
- Bass, Treble, Blend, Volume, Drive controls
- Smooth/Crunch modes● More volume than you’ll ever need
- True-bypass switching, top-mounted jacks for easy placement on crowded pedalboards
- 9-volt DC operation with external power supply – no battery compartment
- Designed and hand-built in the USA using through-hole components
The C. regalis carries a $179.99 price and is available for purchase at mothelectric.com.
For more information, please visit mothelectric.com.
OK WOW. Moth Electric C.REGALIS - Pedals and Tea EP 57 - YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.Jack White's 2025 No Name Tour features live tracks from his album No Name, with shows across North America, Europe, the UK, and Japan.
The EP is a 5-song collection of live tracks taken from White’s 2024 edition of the tour, which was characterized by surprise shows in historic clubs around the world to support the 2024 album No Name.
No Name is available now via Third Man Records. The acclaimed collection was recently honored with a 2025 GRAMMY® Award nomination for “Best Rock Album” – White’s 34th solo career nomination and 46th overall along with 16 total GRAMMY® Award wins. The No Name Tour began, February 6, with a sold-out show at Toronto, ON’s HISTORY and then travels North America, Europe, the United Kingdom, and Japan through late May. For complete details and remaining ticket availability, please visit jackwhiteiii.com/tour-dates.
White’s sixth studio album, No Name officially arrived on Friday, August 2 following its clandestine white-label appearance at Third Man Records locations that saw customers slipped, guerilla-style, free unmarked vinyl copies in their shopping bags. True to his DIY roots, the record was recorded at White’s Third Man Studio throughout 2023 and 2024, pressed to vinyl at Third Man Pressing, and released by Third Man Records.
For more information, please visit jackwhiteiii.com.
JACK WHITE - NO NAME TOUR 2025
FEBRUARY
11 – Brooklyn, NY – Kings Theatre
12 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
17 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner
18 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner
21 – Paris, France – La Cigale
22 – Paris, France – La Trianon
23 – Paris, France – La Trianon
25 – Utrecht, Netherlands – TivoliVredenburg (Ronda)
26 – Utrecht, Netherlands – TivoliVredenburg (Ronda)
28 – London, UK – Troxy
MARCH
1 – London, UK – Troxy
2 – Birmingham, UK – O2 Academy Birmingham
3 – Glasgow, UK – Barrowland Ballroom
10 – Hiroshima, Japan – Blue Live Hiroshima
12 – Osaka, Japan – Gorilla Hall
13 – Nagoya, Japan – Diamond Hall
15 – Tokyo, Japan – Toyosu PIT
17 – Tokyo, Japan – Toyosu PIT
APRIL
3 – St. Louis, MO – The Factory
4 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater
5 – Omaha, NE – Steelhouse Omaha
7 – Saint Paul, MN – Palace Theatre
8 – Saint Paul, MN – Palace Theatre
10 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed (Indoors)
11 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed (Indoors)
12 – Detroit, MI – Masonic Temple Theatre
13 – Detroit, MI – Masonic Temple Theatre
15 – Grand Rapids, MI – GLC Live at 20 Monroe
16 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Theatre
18 – Nashville, TN – The Pinnacle
19 – Nashville, TN – The Pinnacle
MAY
4 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at the Moody Theater
5 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at the Moody Theater
6 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom
8 – Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom
9 – Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom
10 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Union Event Center
12 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
13 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
15 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
16 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
17 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic
19 – Seattle, WA – The Paramount Theatre
20 – Seattle, WA – The Paramount Theatre
22 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
23 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
24 – Troutdale, OR – Edgefield Concerts on the Lawn
Learn about this iconic guitar's journey, its mods done by Frank, and hear how it sounds in the hands of his son Dweezil.
Join PG contributor Tom Butwin as he explores all-new versions of the Framus Hootenanny 12-string and 6-string acoustics—made famous by John Lennon and now available with modern upgrades. From vintage-inspired tone to unique features, these guitars are built to spark creativity.