Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: everton_fc on August 21, 2006, 07:08:16 PM

Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: everton_fc on August 21, 2006, 07:08:16 PM
Looking for  3 channel guitar amp, similar to a Marshall TSL but ideally with a "boost" option on amp/footswitch so I can boost whatever channel I'm playuing through.

Anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: CaffeineJunkie on August 21, 2006, 07:13:02 PM
get a boost pedal


(and you might want to avoid the TSLs and DSLs)
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: everton_fc on August 21, 2006, 07:15:50 PM
OK...

A) why avoid DSL / TSL?

B) what dual channel amp would you suggest?
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: CaffeineJunkie on August 21, 2006, 07:16:55 PM
i've heard a lot of bad stuff about them

what type of music do you play????
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: everton_fc on August 21, 2006, 07:20:31 PM
Anything from chilled little wing esque stuff right through to maiden/metallica and anything else in between like U2 type stuff.

I just want to get rid of aload of my kit, strip back to just an guitar, wah-wah and amp... not going to be gigging as much in the future so want to to have less kit, and ideally let my amp be responsible for the range of overdrives availalble and rely less on pedals etc etc
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: CaffeineJunkie on August 21, 2006, 07:23:29 PM
well...

if you can find one, a good JCM900 (ie SL-X version, the dual reverb one has buzzy overdrive apparently), or a JCM800 would probably do the trick

either that or a plexi head, but that probably wouldn't get you into metallica area without a decent pedal in front of it
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: _tom_ on August 21, 2006, 07:30:46 PM
Quote from: CaffeineJunkie
well...

if you can find one, a good JCM900 (ie SL-X version, the dual reverb one has buzzy overdrive apparently), or a JCM800 would probably do the trick

either that or a plexi head, but that probably wouldn't get you into metallica area without a decent pedal in front of it


Yep, the dual reverb 900 is cr@p.

Engl seem pretty versatile, as do Koch, but they are pretty expensive I think.
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: downfader on August 21, 2006, 07:32:32 PM
Theres nothing wrong with TSL/DSLs!  :?

Mesa and Peavy are great makes to have a look at! The Peavy 5150 head is a superb stalwart of rock and metal  :wink:
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: everton_fc on August 21, 2006, 07:39:12 PM
yeah i was under the impression a TSL would be a good workhorse, especially if I'm not going to gigging that often - what experience do others have of Marshall TSL amps? Do they sound good? Are they reliable?

Keep posting suggestions... cheers!
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: TwilightOdyssey on August 21, 2006, 07:40:31 PM
Check out the Splawn Quick Rod!
Ultimate hot-rodded Marshall tone, with solo boost for all channels.
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: dave_mc on August 21, 2006, 09:32:28 PM
^ or if you're in the UK, and don't have the cash for the quick rod, the laney tt would be worth a look (if by boost, you mean dual master volumes).
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: hunter on August 21, 2006, 10:29:16 PM
What's the budget for this investment?

Which style of music is preferred? How clean do you need it? How heavy do you need it?

Are you looking for 3 very different channels or 3 channels that are of similar type tone just different gain structure?

Which wattage is needed/preferred? Looking for a low-watter or an amp with muscle?

Head or Combo?

Reverb needed?

Will you need to use the effects loop?  Parallel or Serial?
Title: money money money, that life, spend it wisely.
Post by: JJretroTONEGOD on August 21, 2006, 10:47:38 PM
save up and get a mesa boogie! if you want amp overdrive and distrotion out of this world. It's the best option I think, some of them even have 5 channels each with it's own boost on/ff AND reverb switches all controlled via one pedal board/switcher. they're also extremley quiet, no hum at all. amazing!
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: JJretroTONEGOD on August 21, 2006, 10:50:47 PM
why not get a Mesa Boogie Mark IV? If you have the money money money (unlike me) then get it! ( I would ) PRECIOUS TONE, ahhhh.
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: Andy Lindsay on August 21, 2006, 10:57:03 PM
I'm selling my Engl Savage 120. 4 Channel with boost on each of 'em. £899.
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: Dakine on August 21, 2006, 11:38:30 PM
Have to say, after this weekends purchase, Mesa Boogie will SLAY those tones.
Esp. Rectoverb  :twisted:
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: everton_fc on August 22, 2006, 10:18:29 AM
Well I'm going to rip the shite out of my credit card, then hopefully sell all my other bits and bobs to try and pay off the card.

I'm looking to have:

Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: Twinfan on August 22, 2006, 12:01:30 PM
Check out the Laney TT series:

50/100 watts
Combo (£899/£1099) or head (£729/£799)
3 channels (clean, crunch, lead) with independent EQ and reverb
Master reverb
Twin master volumes (footswitchable)

They have everything you need.  If they sound as good as my GH50L, they'll be smoking.
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: TwilightOdyssey on August 22, 2006, 02:15:45 PM
Rivera Knucklehead will do the job, too!
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: maliciousteve on August 22, 2006, 02:21:56 PM
Laney VH100R.
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: blue on August 22, 2006, 02:31:01 PM
Quote from: everton_fc
Well I'm going to rip the shitee out of my credit card, then hopefully sell all my other bits and bobs to try and pay off the card.

I'm looking to have:

    a very full clean sound - you know the depth a Fender Twin has...

    a similar depth for a crunch channel

    a souring lead channel[/list:u]

    I prefarably want to boost each channel if desired - so I kind of imagined a footswitch with 3 channel select switches and 1 boost switch.

    Reverb would be nice but not essential, as would an on board delay but not fussed about that - the tone is whats important to me.

    Ideally around 50w-100w max

    Budget up to £1000....

    What do you think????




must say, you've just described the Mesa rectoverb!

all those "boutique" multi-channel amps have fairly similar features, you really have to try a couple out and see which suits you best.  my personal recommendation goes to the Genz-Benz El Diablo combo, which can be switched between 60 and 30 watts.  
or, you could get a simpler amp and a mesa v-twin preamp pedal?

you're being overloaded with choices now, aren't you? :)
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: hunter on August 22, 2006, 02:43:00 PM
Mesa and Rivera both don't have that depth in the Clean channel.

For 1,000 GBP I would seriously consider a (used) Bogner Shiva, I just bought one, and it does have two highest quality channels, each with a boost. The clean is awesome and Channel 2 is like I always wanted Marshalls to sound. Compared to the Shiva, my Engl Screamer just sounds flat and boring.

Check one out.

And in general: test them all before you buy one. Unless you've done this you never know what you're missing.
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: jordan on August 22, 2006, 03:58:49 PM
Quote from: everton_fc

I'm looking to have:
    a very full clean sound - you know the depth a Fender Twin has...
    a similar depth for a crunch channel
    a souring lead channel[/list:u]
    Ideally around 50w-100w max
    Budget up to £1000....
    What do you think????


My Rivera R55 does EXACTLY what you're looking for. I'm not sure how much you know about Riveras (they're a bit of a rare breed over here) but essentially they're modelled on a fender clean channel matched with a marshall dirt channel....and each of these has a footswitchable boost....so effectively you have 4 sounds at your disposal.

I'm obviously bias, but I've never played a better amp. The cleans are fantastic, and being a Rivera, the lead tones are just unreal. I got mine off ebay for about £700, but I believe they're about £1300 new. It's 55w, and it kicks out a hell of a noise.

Worth looking into...
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: Twinfan on August 22, 2006, 04:03:24 PM
Yup - I agree you need to test them all.  Tricky with boutique stuff though as they can be hard to find.  Good excuse to travel round the music shops though!
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: Dakine on August 22, 2006, 05:23:12 PM
Again, you have just described my Mesa Boogie.
The clean IS amazing, pah, and all channels are SOOOOO tweakable to provide a myriad of voicings.
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: March on August 22, 2006, 06:12:41 PM
The best advice I can give is get out there and try as many as you can before you buy.

Amps are strange critters, what sounds superb with one guitar won't with another. What someone tells you is the bees knees you will think sounds like a wasp.

Personally I won't touch a Mesa with a barge poll, much preffering VHT's, however you could try examples of both and love the Mesa.

Because of this dilemma I have many amps. It's the only answer!

Having said that, a good two channel amp with a boost pedal will cover the same ground as a three channel beast. A pre-amp pedal is another option, such as the HBE Dos Mos which will drive a clean amp into break up. Leaving the drive channel for heavier rhythm and lead tones. A good overdrive pedal will do the same thing (the Dos Mos does not colour the sound though).

Also when trying, take you own main guitars and effects. Getting to know what it will deliver with your own kit is half the battle.
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: everton_fc on August 22, 2006, 07:02:38 PM
great response guys... cheers.

ROCK ON!
Title: 3 Channel Guitar Amp with Boost
Post by: dave_mc on August 22, 2006, 10:07:20 PM
Quote from: March
The best advice I can give is get out there and try as many as you can before you buy.

Amps are strange critters, what sounds superb with one guitar won't with another. What someone tells you is the bees knees you will think sounds like a wasp.

Personally I won't touch a Mesa with a barge poll, much preffering VHT's, however you could try examples of both and love the Mesa.

Because of this dilemma I have many amps. It's the only answer!

Having said that, a good two channel amp with a boost pedal will cover the same ground as a three channel beast. A pre-amp pedal is another option, such as the HBE Dos Mos which will drive a clean amp into break up. Leaving the drive channel for heavier rhythm and lead tones. A good overdrive pedal will do the same thing (the Dos Mos does not colour the sound though).

Also when trying, take you own main guitars and effects. Getting to know what it will deliver with your own kit is half the battle.


excellent post. agreed. i've tried the uno mos (single channel version of the dos mos)- it's great!