Table of Contents Safety Information.............................................2 Front Control Panel........................................6 Rhythm Channel Controls..................................8 Lead Channel I Controls...............................10 Kustom Amplification 3015 Kustom Drive Hebron, KY U.S.A. 41048 Lead Channel II Controls.................................12 Mastering the Cross........................................14 Rear Control Panel..........................................
FCC Statements 1. Caution: Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment. 2. Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
Congratulations. You are now the owner of a world-class, all-tube, 3-channel guitar head. The Double Cross represents countless hours of development in pursuit of tone and performance intended to elevate the art of high-gain amplification to the next level. Learn its controls and capabilities and be sure to experiment, as that’s the best way to understand the amplifier and develop your own signature sounds. All of us at Kustom say “Thank You” for your purchase.
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Front Control Panel 11 6 12 13 10 1) NORMAL This 1/4-inch input provides full tonal response and offers the same amount of gain as the Tight input. 2) TIGHT This 1/4-inch input “tightens” the attack response of the entire amplifier to provide the chunkiest tone possible. It offers the same amount of gain as the Normal input. 3) CHANNEL SELECTOR SWITCH This switch allows the user to manually select the Rhythm, Lead I or Lead II channels.
1 5 4 3 2 8) BOOST INDICATOR When lit, this indicates that the Boost function is active. 11) JEWELED PILOT LIGHT Indicates that the amplifier’s power switch is in the “On” position. 9) BOOST CONTROL This adjusts the amount of footswitchable boost and is particularly useful for solos. It provides up to 10dB of “Master Volume” boost, regardless of which channel is active. The boost is active if the footswitch is unplugged.
Rhythm Channel 1 2 3 4 5 The Rhythm channel of the Double Cross is far more flexible than you might expect. It is NOT simply a clean channel. It takes you from sparkling Country tones to classic crunch in the blink of an eye. In particular, experiment with settings of the Gain and Volume controls in tandem with the Drive and Bright switches. Try the sample settings to hear the wide range of the Rhythm channel.
8) BRIGHT Activating this switch will increase the high frequencies of the signal, while also reducing low frequencies for a chunkier, tighter attack. 9) GAIN The Gain control adjusts the gain at the input of the amplifier and is used in conjunction with the Volume control to adjust the amount of distortion and volume for this channel. For cleaner sounds, the Gain control should be set in its lower range and the Volume set higher.
Lead I Channel 1 2 6 3 4 7 8 5 12 Strap yourself down, because here’s where things get intense. The Lead I channel of the Double Cross offers a breathtaking array of crushing modern tones that can be sculpted with stunning precision. The key to unlocking its secrets lies in its Cross, a deceptively simple but ultimately sophisticated tool that blends additional 12AX7 tube stages, letting players actually modify the Gain, EQ and attack parameters of their amplifier.
8) GAIN The Gain control adjusts the gain at the input of the amplifier and is used in conjunction with the Volume control to adjust the amount of distortion and volume for this channel. For cleaner sounds, the Gain control should be set in its lower range and the Volume set higher. To increase distortion, set the Gain higher and the Volume lower.
Lead II Channel 6 1 2 3 7 4 8 5 14 The Lead II channel is voiced differently from the Lead I channel, providing a classic high-gain “cranked amp” tone and a powerful contrast to the Lead I channel. Although both Lead channels provide a duplicate set of controls, you’ll notice they each have their own personality and tonal characteristics. Experiment with both to nail the sounds in your head. 3) MIDDLE This passive EQ adjusts the midrange equalization of the amplifier.
8) GAIN The Gain control adjusts the gain at the input of the amplifier and is used in conjunction with the Volume control to adjust the amount of distortion and volume for this channel. For cleaner sounds, the Gain control should be set in its lower range and the Volume set higher. To increase distortion, set the Gain higher and the Volume lower.
THE CROSS USER-MODIFIED PREAMP STAGES 1 Try the following sequence to gain a basic understanding of the Cross functions. Keep in mind that all switches may be added or omitted in any combination -- there is no "right way" to set them. Experiment to find the sounds that work for your specific application. Keep in mind that your EQ controls (Bass, Middle, Treble, Presence) will play a powerful role in determining your overall tone, so be sure to adjust them accordingly.
4 Bright + Thick Turn off TIGHT and slide THICK switch toward center of Cross. This activates an additional tube stage, adding a deep, rich quality to the tone, without sacrificing definition. This is great for power chords. 5 Bright + Thick + Tight Add TIGHT back into the mix. This setting provides richness for Rhythm playing, but keeps a chunky, punchy tone to cut through the mix. Notice how well the amp responds to the dynamics of your playing.
Rear Control Panel 5 6 1 2 3 1) IMPEDANCE SELECTOR This switch is used to select the appropriate impedance and is important in achieving the desired results from the Double Cross. The correct impedance should be selected using the Impedance Selector switch as in the following impedance settings chart. Note: Incorrectly “mismatching” the amp head to a speaker cabinet should not damage the amplifier, but would result in lower output power and could result in shorter output tube life.
7 8 9 10 14 11 12 13 5) DI CABINET SELECT When pressed IN, this switch provides a signal to the Direct Out that emulates the tonality of a Celestion Vintage 30-loaded Straight-front 4x12 speaker cabinet. When the switch is OUT, it emulates the same speakers in a Slantfront 412 cabinet. Kustom went to great lengths to make sure that this signal sounded like the actual amp head and speaker cabinet combinations.
0 dBV (1v) Rack Effects Optimal -10 dBV (0.3v) Pedal Effects Optimal 8) SEND JACK This 1/4-inch jack delivers a tube-driven preamp signal to external effects devices. It can also be used to send the signal to another amplifier to run multiple amps. Connecting a 1/4-inch plug does NOT break the flow of the amplifier signal. 9) RETURN JACK When the effects loop is active, this 1/4-inch jack breaks the flow of amplifier signal to allow an external effects device to “return” to the amp.
12) MIDI IN This jack is used to receive MIDI data from other MIDI enabled products, such as MIDI Preset Footswitches or Effects Processors. MIDI is a great way to allow different products to communicate together. Many guitarists have found that the ability to hit one switch and have multiple devices instantly respond can help create a more seamless on-stage performance. While using this MIDI In system, you can still use the amp’s regular footswitch to channel select, boost or bypass the effects loop.
Amp Specifications Model Tubes Output Power Input Impedance System Gain All measurements taken with 1 KHz input signal, Tone controls flat, Gain Halfway and Volume Maximum, Boost @ 10, Effects OFF, overall Master @ 10. All Bright, Drive & cross switches off. Measured at speaker jack at 16 ohms unless noted.
Signal Flow Diagram RHYTHM BRIGHT NORMAL 12AX7 12AX7 GAIN STAGES 12AX7 L EAD I GAIN BRIGHT MID TREBLE PRESENCE VOLUME BASS MID TREBLE PRESENCE VOLUME BASS MID TREBLE PRESENCE VOLUME CHANNEL LEAD I GAIN (PER CHANNEL) CHANNEL TIGHT BASS RHYTHM L EAD I I GAIN 12AX7 THICK STAGE BRIGHT L EAD I I THICK (PER LEAD CHANNEL) 12AX7 TIGHT STAGE EFFECTS SEND EFFECTS RETURN SEND L EVEL RETURN L EVEL 12AX7 BUFFER TIGHT(PER L EAD CHANNEL ) EFFECTS TRUE BYPASS POWER AMP FOOTSWITCH 12AX7
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