Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: chrisola on November 03, 2005, 04:59:27 PM
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I'm thinking of selling on my JCM 800 head and getting a new amp, i've found
i'm after a more 'modern' sounding amp with an fx loop and more than one channel... Have managed to get great tones out of my JCM800 but i need a bit more of a modern edge, and 2 channels would be great!!
I suppose i could mod it or buy pedals etc, but i dont want to ruin the amps character by doing that!
Does anyone have any recommendations as to what amps i should check out? With around £650 to spend?
I hope to check out some ENGLs, particularly the Fireball, and maybe a VHT Pitbull combo, or Mesa F-30...
Also, if anyones interested in the JCM 800, give me a PM!! (50w 2204 head, used to be Tims, is in great condition and recently re-valved).
cheers!
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a99/chrisola/DSC00001.jpg)[/img]
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I'd say the Engl Screamer. Best amp I've ever played. 4 channels. Tonal bliss IMO :D
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VHT Pitbulls seem to come in around £900-1000 over here, or at least the ones I've seen have :(
Slightly OT, but how's that new guitar going for you?
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Id agree with the Engl,superb amp.Or try and find a Trace Elliot Speed Twin head,loads of gain and very versatile.
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I'd also agree with the ENGL. Very nice amp. It was an aquired taste for me (i'm more used to smoother, older sounding sounds), but i have to say that I was wrong about it initially (i was just being a stubborn, closed-minded monkey). It;s much more modern sounding than the JCM, and can do almost any sound you want it to, and can do it well!! which is a very novel thing for one amp!
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Engl Screamer head is within your budget :)
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damn, this JCM800 2204 is exactly what i am looking for :(
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Chrisola, a friend of mine is very interested in your JCM800 if you do decide to sell it :)
If you want to PM me a price, then I'll pass it on to him :)
Craig
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I am sorry about not knowing the exchange rate as I am from the USA. I have several high end heads and what I may say here may not work for the price you said you had to work with. For pure gain, IMO, the Uberschall is the best hands down. Second I would say the Engl Se is next best and there are a multitude of sounds in that head......all good too. For the warmth and gain, my Framus Cobra is very nice as well and has a great clean. Framus is good and very versatile as is the Engl. The Ecstacy I have is very nice but not as much gain. It all depends on the desired tone you want. To summarize.....IMO, Best gain Bogner Uberschall....Best all around options, versatility is Engl SE.....Best bang for clean and dirty for the buck on the heads mentioned....Framus Cobra. Hope this helps.... :)
I have a JCM 800 and use it now and then with a tube screamer and all the amps mentioned pack far more gain stock than I can get out of that head alone or with the pedal.
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all of those amps are WAY out of budget!
I really envy you though, lol. I'd love an amp collection such as that.
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Thanks for replies.. Brow you have a PM..
Yeah, those last amps are way over my budget, and to be honest id never spend that much on one anyway :P
I'm thinking either the Screamer head, or the Fireball head from Engl..
Fireball is apparantly the 'metal' part of the Powerball (or near enough) and is 2 channels with an 'Ultra Gain' setting... The Screamer though is 4 channels and cant really match the Fireball for out and out screaming brutal tones..
Decisions!! Need to find somewhere stocking these 2 amps and play them!
On line prices beat shop ones though, i've seen the Fireball for £667 including VAT + Delivery on-line, bargain 8)
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are you going to Music Live at the weekend? you'll probably be able to try them out there!
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Hey my friend, I would say go with the Engl then. The SE head I have has a bunch of various amps and options thrown into one head....I feel you would be happy with the options on the metal amp you talked about. Engl makes some very nice stuff although it is rare here in America. I absolutely love mine.
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Get a Koch Powertone II!
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If you are still looking for an amp, howabout a Cornford (if you can afford it)? I saw Jamie Humphries today at Music Live and his tone was amazing! He was playing DiMarzios aswell :lol:
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The only Cornford id stump up the cash for is the Harlequin, and its not the kind of thing i'm after really :/
Think the one in the photo is £1200 worth of Cornford MKII... (or Hurricane)
I quite like the look of the Framus Red Rogue combo amps:
http://www.framus.de/modules/produkte/details.php?id=00000003348&type=AMPS
50w, 2 channel, fx loop... maybe a mini version of the Dragon or Cobra?
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i didnt even know that was in production - GO FOR THAT, FRAMUS ARE THE BEST AMP MANUFACTURER IN THE WORLD! Nothing Sounds better than a Cobra (IMO)
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Orange's "Rocker" series is probably worth looking at as well, they're meant to go from modern to vintage and all points inbetween, and the Rocker 30 combo is more or less on the limit of your budget.
I've not played *that* Orange, but I've played the AD-30 for hours, and that was solid and awesome for vintagey stuff, so I assume an Orange designed to be more modern will sound good. I think Guitarist reviewed it not so long ago and gave it a thumbs up too.
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I've not played *that* Orange, but I've played the AD-30 for hours, and that was solid and awesome for vintagey stuff, so I assume an Orange designed to be more modern will sound good. I think Guitarist reviewed it not so long ago and gave it a thumbs up too.[/quote]
I beg to differ.....I have the Framus Cobra and I do like it a lot. I would take my Bogners over it if I had to along with my Engl SE. In fairness to framus.....I will say for the buck, it is sure hard to beat.
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cheers for all the info and replies :D
Down to 3 now:
1) Engl Fireball 60w head
2) Peavey 6505 120w head (the new 5150)
3) Engl Screamer 50w head
I'm thinking the Fireball 8)
But, i dunno... Its a 6hr round trip to play either one of the 3 amps :E
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I've never tried the fireball but the 6505 has a very dry scooped sound and 0 versatility.
I have the screamer combo and its outsanding. Its a reall tweaker amp as well: it leans naturally toward aggressive crunchy sounds with a tight low end for high gain and glassy fendery cleans (I havent used the in between 2 channels much), but a half turn of the treble (edit: as in 0.5 not half th eway round lol) in particular gives a very noticalble difference and I'm beginning to find that you can go from very dark punchy heavy tones to very bright cruchy ones with just a small change in presence and treble. Its extremely well thought out: there isnt just versatiltiy in its options, you can dial in all sorts of sounds.
Machine heads latest album sounds like pretty much the bread and butter 6505 tone. I like myself that sound, but its no screamer.
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Peavey amps are really terrible. Flame away.
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I think half of my favourite metal albums have been recorded with Peavey's, so im not going to say that i hate the tone. Its all a matter of taste.
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Pfft flames schames TO! flames like that are lamer than blabbermouth style 'this band is cr@p' posts :evil:
Opinions are like arseholes, everyones got one :lol:
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Pfft flames schames TO! flames like that are lamer than blabbermouth style 'this band is cr@p' posts :evil:
Opinions are like arseholes, everyones got one :lol:
True, but mine are based off of experience.
I've had 2 guitarists in that used Peavey amps (an Ultra 120 and a XXX) - both sounded like cr@p. One of them is now using VHT, at least.
I have owned two 5150s, and BOTH of them had the power trannies cr@p out on me.
They are terrible amps.
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Peavey amps are really terrible. Flame away.
T.O. The only thing wrong with Peavey Ultra Tube amps is the cr@p Chinese tubes they come with from new. I only have personal experience of the 112 Ultra but I'd recommend it to anyone. It sounded pretty good from new but with a little help from Derek @ Watford Valves in the valve selection process, it was totally transformed. I agree though that their SS stuff is total rubbish.
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Well then, based off your three choices, I would go Engl all the way without one moment of hesitation. I will say to my death that My Engl SE is THE MOST versatile amp on the planet not to mention the best at offering multiple quality sounds. High gain, clean, in between, it is a great amp. I would certainly go that way. It would be worth the drive. Take your wallet because you will buy it after you try it. I can't imagine you not wanting to. :D
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bear in mind the engl se can't be had for less than £2000 here in the UK... EDIT: i agree it's absolutely amazing though
i'd second the screamer head (if you can get one for £650- i know the combos go for £700), but bear in mind that the footswitch is £120 extra...
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ENGL screamer it is! They are hot. i'd still rather have a jcm800 tho :P
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heh, id love to keep the JCM800 and get the Engl aswell, but i just cant justify it... plus i have car insurance due and xmas coming up...
will be the 2nd jcm800 i've sold on :roll:
I've seen the Fireball for cheaper(!) than the screamer, will probably go for it... just need to shift the JCM800, and do my budget for car ins\xmas :oops:
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heh, id love to keep the JCM800 and get the Engl aswell, but i just cant justify it... plus i have car insurance due and xmas coming up...
will be the 2nd jcm800 i've sold on :roll:
I've seen the Fireball for cheaper(!) than the screamer, will probably go for it... just need to shift the JCM800, and do my budget for car ins\xmas :oops:
What kind of JCM 800 is it? I have the Zakk Wylde full stack. I am looking for a 2205 or a 2210.
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its a 50w 2204 head, in really good condition (like, 1 small slight chip about 5mm in the tolex only..), £400 it cost me, and £400 its going for (+ shipping) :)