xxx – Doktor Ross Sewage

Add an Electrical Outlet to Your Amplifier

2020/01/052020/08/26 Doktor Ross Sewage1 Comment

In the ’60s and ’70s, it was not uncommon to find an extra power outlet on the back of your amp. I assume this was because live rock music was in its infancy and most theaters didn’t have a milk crate full of quad boxes and power strips to bring power to your multiple amps, reverb units, and bulky-ass Morley wah pedals. The extra outlet disappeared in the ’80s, which is a shame, because they can be so damn useful. I know, because my Ampeg V-4B and SVT have ones which I use all the time to plug in my pedals.

This is Sean’s Peavey XXX amp with an outlet I added. I did it because he likes to place his wireless on top of the amp and Sennheiser, in their infinite wisdom, made the power adapter cord 3′ long. It’s a pain in the ass to run an extension cord for a single DC power adapter, so the outlet makes things easier. I detailed how I did it in a post about fixing that amp. Another option is to get an IEC plug splitter like the one I wrote about before, but that’s just something extra to lose. Sean’s now got a signature Satriani XXX and he wanted it, too, to have the extra outlet. What a time to make a post dedicated to adding this long-lost convenience.

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Easy Socket Addition to Your Amp

2015/11/132015/11/12 Doktor Ross SewageLeave a comment

I’ve detailed before how I added a power socket to Sean’s Peavey XXX. This was because the Sennheiser’s wireless system that he uses doesn’t include a power adapter that actually reaches the floor from the height of a full-stack. Way to plan, Sennheiser. A second power socket used to be standard on old amps, but they’ve gone the way of Bill Cosby’s standing as a moral person. Now Ben has the same XXX amp and wanted me to do repeat the process. But I thought about an easier solution than cutting into his amp. So, I was certain someone thought of it before me.

What you got there is your standard plug for a modern amp, an IEC C13, with an extension for a US three-prong plug. This tiny cable allows for things you want to keep on your amp, like a pedal, wireless unit, or a hair straightener plugged in without searching around for a shit ton of extension cords. Pretty sweet! These are available on Amazon for about $10-20.

Operating Theatre: Peavey XXX

2012/06/292015/01/15 Doktor Ross Sewage2 Comments

During the months we traveled with GWAR, Sean “Bloodbath” McGrath’s Peavey XXX performed robustly. It’s modeled after a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier, but minus the almost baffling amounts of bells and whistles and the outrageous price tag. Sean likes his stuff simple and cheap. Other than the embarrassing faceplate I replaced previously and the goofy knob names, it’s been a champ and sounded awesome.

And then the XXX crapped out. It stopped working two minutes before stage time at one of the last dates on our headlining tour. Sean was supposed to take his head into the shop upon our return, but was aghast to find it under a dog pile of costumes in our practice place. He said, “Nah.” Well, I dug it out to see what I could accomplish.

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