ADA MP-1- SS Mod

pretty easy to use, DL's the manual from ADA depot. came with the noise mod preinstalled, I had to solder a gain pot on the main board for final set up. I bought a completed tube board and swapped this with the old one. Takes a little studying and listening to get things right AKA know good tone when you hear it, and what will sound good relative to other instuments in the band.

the guitar------>ADA eprom 2.01 ------>Peavey 50/50 with TAD el34 STR on channel 1 and new manufacture genelex gold lions on channel 2---->a cab with one of the following types: mesa evm black shaddows; celestion 100s; weber blue pup 10" The peavey 50/50 has a resonance knob that I think has a similar overall effect as the bass warp mod on the ada mp1 eg to make your cab thump when palm muting chords.

This is an amp with a lot of possibilities, I am still tweaking the patches and relative volume levels, but when I first hooked it up and tested it I was like "Whoa!....Awesome!" Chugga chugga chunk wheee! Pretty frickin sweet. Honestly I did not like the stock ADA mp1, I already had a JCM 800 2204 and a super twin reverb so those are the clean and distorted tones I was comparing it with. The SS mod has plenty of gain, and it always sounds tight and responsive not sloppy or buzzy.

I 've played it through a tele and a Ibanez with evolution pickups and this ADA sounds great on both in different ways. With the Evo's I definitely realize the potential of multilayered depths of gain. Its a one guitar wall of sound that manages to remain dynamic and articulate, which I would qualify as a feat. The amp also brings out the harmonics that these pickups accentuate.

Speaking of harmonics I would characterize the tone as pretty even order sounding. I am not sure what makes some amps sound dark but ther you go.

I noticed after playing via the headphone jack into sennheiser hd580 headphones and a delay pedal. Mainly, how much mids my power amp and cab were contributing. I thought I was scooping the mids out a lot, but actually in the scheme of things, even with the ADA mids on -12 I was still putting out bumped up mids, which is fine. I could probably right a small novel about how this pre sounds with different amps, speakers, guitars, fx, rooms, various 12AX7s ect. I easily can crack out for hours trying out differents settings and combos suffice to say its one of the things that makes this amp popular its versatilty and ability to produce its own unique sounds.


Aparently there are not too many folks rocking this mod, they are missing out!

well, if its not reliable its because the tube was used up or defective OR I could have done a better job soldering. I have had this unit for a few years and it was used to begin with...what can I say it still works and going strong!

DIY and help from the ADA community

very nice I like it and it was money well spent

I think i have gone full circle, Marshall, Mesa Boogie, Rockman, Boss GT6, Vox Tonelab SE, Now i'm back to a real guitar sound ADA MP-1.

This is the easiest thing to program,

SS Mod,
9, almost a ten, prehaps the 3TM would get a ten.

It's as close i've ever been to Guitar Heaven,
I have also done the noise Mod, i really didn't have that much noise.
This is a Preamp, so you'll need to find a mate. I think i have found it.

SS Mod, increases the amount of gain, tightens up the whole sound, gives you a More focused sound and more defined, Notes ring and cut through.

The Boss GT8, Why, GT8 is the only new processor that will alow you t place the effects loop in any order.

Plus you get some killer effects, Volume pedal, Midi controller all in one.

Haven't had it that long,

But heres where having the GT8 comes in handy, if i ever have a problem, i would use the GT8 to make it through the night.

Well ADA is long gone but not forgotten, ADA Depot is around and kicking.

They sell parts, Mods, share info.

I play classic rock, to dance music.

Tone is the important thing, i found my with the ADA MP-1, SS Mod.

It's a raw Marshall meeets Mesa kinda thing, and best of all it's my own sound.

Processor after a while start to sound fake and processed, you know to perfect. I want that raw and powerful sound that stays true.

Mp-1- SS Mod it's my sound.