Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: BloodMountain on March 05, 2007, 07:32:46 PM
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ok, hi everyone.
looking for a new amp is very tedious and i often run into problems.
i have narrowed my search down to a few:
- Orange Tiny Terror - this is pretty damn perfect, but it probably doesn't have enough gain for my style of metal and would sound too vintage.
- Randall MTS 20 watt combo - hmmmm pretty good, but lacking clips of it using high gain modules and generally lacking info on the net.
erm.... thats it so far lol
i play metal.... i love the tones of Opeth, Mastodon, Killswitch Engage, Amon Amarth and heavy lord (http://www.myspace.com/heavylord)
i am looking for a relatively quiet amp,
BUT IT MUST BE VALVE.
fairly cheap too, i can stretch to just over Ģ350..... there has to be something else out there.
thanks for any opinions given, BM
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Epiphone Valve Junior?
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The Tiny Terror does seem like it would have enough gain, from the clips I've heard. I guess it does sound a bit 'vintage' though.. How about the Epi So-Cal?
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it's an idea, it appeared when i was browsing the pics on the Orange amp forum (do they actually tell you about the gain levels on their amps there?)
BUT does it have enough gain for the bands i mentioned?
EDIT: this was to TO
EDIT NUMBER 2: rofl of course it doesn't, it has 1 knob!
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I have never seen a small valve amp that has enough gain to do metal. My vote goes to the Zvex nano head as it's the only one wich I have experience with and it rocks! With a good Overdrive pedal it goes quite metal.
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How about a Peavey ValveKing?
Not tried one, but they look pretty cool and I've heard good things about them.
Check ths out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGLBm2kevQ0
They're available in 1*12 combo, 2*12 combo or head and they're pretty good value.
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How about a Peavey ValveKing?
Not tried one, but they look pretty cool and I've heard good things about them.
Check ths out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGLBm2kevQ0
They're available in 1*12 combo, 2*12 combo or head and they're pretty good value.
that video kicks ass! nice, meaty, solid tone. much better than Lamb of God's IMO. (their's is thin on the original recording, even thinner on Hourglass!)
that does sound like a good option.
about the Zvex Nano: that looks great, and i've heard loads of clips of it doing GREAT hard rock sounds. if i wanted to get a pedal to do my work for me, i would be asking for one. i'm mainly trying to get an amp for it's distortion really, not an amp for its warmth it adds to a pedal.
thanks anyway, i might just buy one for the hell of it :D
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ampeg vh140-c
this will blow your head off... theyre out of production though, so you'll have to get it used... but honestly, it is a sex machine of metal amps. Probably one of the best sounding SS amps i know of. Bands who use it: Suffocation, Dying Fetus...
peavey 5150/combo
damn high gain, fairly quiet... if its not quiet enough, throw a noise gate in the loop. pretty much all the bands you mentioned use this puppy.
Tiny terror... maybe.... if you want more gain, throw a maxon OD808 in front of it.
laney pro tube 50 watt.
slight marshall voicing with less fizz. Heavy as hell. Theyre out of production so you'll have to grab one used, but they will melt your organs.
If you want to hear it in action, listen to bands like Sleep, The Sword and Electric wizard.
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as a rule high gain amps don't come in small packages. If i were you i'd be looking for ENGL screamers, and maybe Mesa Recto combos going cheap.
These amps rely mainly on pre-amp distortion so will sound good at any volume.
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ampeg vh140-c
this will blow your head off... theyre out of production though, so you'll have to get it used... but honestly, it is a sex machine of metal amps. Probably one of the best sounding SS amps i know of. Bands who use it: Suffocation, Dying Fetus...
peavey 5150/combo
damn high gain, fairly quiet... if its not quiet enough, throw a noise gate in the loop. pretty much all the bands you mentioned use this puppy.
Tiny terror... maybe.... if you want more gain, throw a maxon OD808 in front of it.
laney pro tube 50 watt.
slight marshall voicing with less fizz. Heavy as hell. Theyre out of production so you'll have to grab one used, but they will melt your organs.
If you want to hear it in action, listen to bands like Sleep, The Sword and Electric wizard.
thanks for the info dude!!! i've looked into the laney pro tube and it sounds good, but a little too loud for me, and a lot of people say it doesn't have enough gain.
the 5150 looks good, but they tend to go for over 400 quid (am i right?)
to indysmith, it is sort of true, but i am mainly interested in fairly cheap valve amps..... like the Valveking etc. and most have enough gain. the low wattage is an added bonus, because you get to crank it
imo there are plenty that fit the bill, just finding the right one..... :twisted:
how do you guys feel about buying a valve amp as a base for a tube distortion preamp (such as the Demonizer)? it was just a thought of mine. i hate distortion pedals by the way, i hate them all except the proper preamps.
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pro tube without enough gain? are you kidding me? Some people are just krizazy! they sound like hot rodded marshalls with WAY more balls and more bass. My rule is if the tone is good, and the gain needs some kickin, put an OD808 infront of it and kick its ass into overdrive.
I wouldnt reccommend any Damage Control pedals... if you want a preamp, go for sometihng like an engl 530...
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check the official Randall site, they have a clip for every MTS module, with a choice of valves and guitars \ pickups.
just a couple of licks, but you can get a feel for the sound...
by the way, where have you seen the 20w MTS for Ģ350???? :?:
Tell me, i want one!
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I don't think the VJ has enough gain. It's a nice little amp, I was playing it today, great fun and all that, but it's most at home if you play nothing heavier than classic rock... at least, if you don't mod it or try to persuade it with pedals...
I didn't know randall had a 20 watt mts combo out, that's interesting. Other than that, maybe a randall rg50 tc?
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check the official Randall site, they have a clip for every MTS module, with a choice of valves and guitars \ pickups.
just a couple of licks, but you can get a feel for the sound...
by the way, where have you seen the 20w MTS for Ģ350???? :?:
Tell me, i want one!
here's one in america
http://www.music123.com/Randall-RM20HB-i307434.music
the pic is of the 50 watt one, but the price and description is of the 20 watt one.
ok, it's not exactly 350, but just over.
apparently, if you order direct from Randall, you can choose one out of 13 modules to go with it (only with the combo version though)
i'm liking the idea of this Valve King and was thinking about it all through my side work job tonight...... anyone want to tell me more??
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I don't think the VJ has enough gain. It's a nice little amp, I was playing it today, great fun and all that, but it's most at home if you play nothing heavier than classic rock... at least, if you don't mod it or try to persuade it with pedals...
I didn't know randall had a 20 watt mts combo out, that's interesting. Other than that, maybe a randall rg50 tc?
now that's a thought...... well spotted, my good man :)
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Hie thee to the local pawnshop or used musica emporium. Find a Laney Pro Tube or pro Linebacker amp (available in better pawnshops and used music emporia for not too much money). The Pro Linebacker is SS but actually sounds decent.
Purchase.
If your sound still needs a kick in the shorts, head back to the pawnshop or emporium and steal an old Real Tube OD pedal or Cream Machine.
My Real Tube sounds like cr@p as a distortion pedal, but when used as a booster stage (gain and treble set way back, level, mids and bass all maxed) it sounds like the hydrogen bomb.
Thank me later.
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I'm looking for the same kind of amp. Cheap, tubes, higain. In my price range the Valveking head with a Framus 2x12" V30 is still the best I could find. Valveking combos sound good but they still need speakers(s) change for some V30 IMO, as the head sound far better on V30.
As an overdrive I use a DOD 250 reissue, cheap, sound good, bad bypass but who need to switch it off :lol: (I might get a true bypass looper)
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Hie thee to the local pawnshop or used musica emporium. Find a Laney Pro Tube or pro Linebacker amp (available in better pawnshops and used music emporia for not too much money). The Pro Linebacker is SS but actually sounds decent.
Purchase.
If your sound still needs a kick in the shorts, head back to the pawnshop or emporium and steal an old Real Tube OD pedal or Cream Machine.
My Real Tube sounds like cr@p as a distortion pedal, but when used as a booster stage (gain and treble set way back, level, mids and bass all maxed) it sounds like the hydrogen bomb.
Thank me later.
that is a great idea...... but sadly, down here in Devon, there are no pawnshops in a large radius! and out of the ones you can find, i doubt there will be a Laney in there.
yeah, those DOD reissues look great!
and to Hell Hound: thanks for the info, they're now top of my list, with the Laney Pro Tube second.
i have thought about a couple more amps too:
- Randall 40 watt SS Dimebag signature combo (product model WH40)..... Any good?
- Hartke Piggyback hybrid half stack/combo (it's called both... confusing!) which uses an 12AX7 (i think) in the preamp...... also any good?
thanks for the HUGE amount of info guys! BM
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i have thought about a couple more amps too:
- Randall 40 watt SS Dimebag signature combo (product model WH40)..... Any good?
- Hartke Piggyback hybrid half stack/combo (it's called both... confusing!) which uses an 12AX7 (i think) in the preamp...... also any good?
lol i don't actually care now that i have heard enough of the Valvekings..... I WANT ONE!!!!
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i just did some research, and theres a $%&#load of laneys that look liek the protube.
From what i've found...
you have your basic jcm 800 kind with presence, 3 eq knobs, gain and volume.
you have your basic jcm 800 unit + reverb (not tube driven verb though)
pro tubes...
pro tube leads...
aor pro tubes
aors...
the protubes are basic single channel 2 inputs...
the AOR means that you have a footswitchable gain stage, basically hit a button and it adds another preamp tube in the circuit. Consider it a "boost channel" So you get your presence, 3 eq's, your regular pre/volume gain, and then your boosted pre/volume gain.
And another detail is some have FX loops and some dont, but again from what i've read, they have no dB controls on them, and can get pretty crackly.
From what i read, what i would do is get a laney AOR pro tube. No reverb, because i would never use it on a powerhouse like this. Also, you get the AOR booster thinger which is pretty damn key for getting higher gain. I wouldnt get the 30 watter because it doesnt have the option of the second set of preamp/volume knobs.
So that leaves a 50 watter and a 100 watter WITH aor circuit to choose from.
hope this helps somewhat.
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i just did some research, and theres a $%&#load of laneys that look liek the protube.
From what i've found...
you have your basic jcm 800 kind with presence, 3 eq knobs, gain and volume.
you have your basic jcm 800 unit + reverb (not tube driven verb though)
pro tubes...
pro tube leads...
aor pro tubes
aors...
the protubes are basic single channel 2 inputs...
the AOR means that you have a footswitchable gain stage, basically hit a button and it adds another preamp tube in the circuit. Consider it a "boost channel" So you get your presence, 3 eq's, your regular pre/volume gain, and then your boosted pre/volume gain.
And another detail is some have FX loops and some dont, but again from what i've read, they have no dB controls on them, and can get pretty crackly.
From what i read, what i would do is get a laney AOR pro tube. No reverb, because i would never use it on a powerhouse like this. Also, you get the AOR booster thinger which is pretty damn key for getting higher gain. I wouldnt get the 30 watter because it doesnt have the option of the second set of preamp/volume knobs.
So that leaves a 50 watter and a 100 watter WITH aor circuit to choose from.
hope this helps somewhat.
yeah that has helped...... although i need to hear it before i think about buying.
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I don't think the VJ has enough gain. It's a nice little amp, I was playing it today, great fun and all that, but it's most at home if you play nothing heavier than classic rock... at least, if you don't mod it or try to persuade it with pedals...
I didn't know randall had a 20 watt mts combo out, that's interesting. Other than that, maybe a randall rg50 tc?
now that's a thought...... well spotted, my good man :)
:drink:
EDIT: if you're willing to get a cab, a peavey windsor would be another one to look at. It might blow your budget, though.
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I don't think the VJ has enough gain. It's a nice little amp, I was playing it today, great fun and all that, but it's most at home if you play nothing heavier than classic rock... at least, if you don't mod it or try to persuade it with pedals...
I didn't know randall had a 20 watt mts combo out, that's interesting. Other than that, maybe a randall rg50 tc?
now that's a thought...... well spotted, my good man :)
:drink:
EDIT: if you're willing to get a cab, a peavey windsor would be another one to look at. It might blow your budget, though.
what are you talking about? blow my budget? it's only 165 from thomann :D
hmmm although 4x12s aren't the most portable cabs........
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+1 for fhe Laney AOR. High gain and reasonably priced.
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I've never heard one but the Windsor head gets bad reviews compared to the Valveking. Maybe check on Youtube if you can find some samples (I'm at work, I can't check)
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I've never heard one but the Windsor head gets bad reviews compared to the Valveking. Maybe check on Youtube if you can find some samples (I'm at work, I can't check)
ok i will do.
i heard from more than one source that the Windsor was a british rock head rather than a more american metal sounding head (Valveking)......
so....... Peavey Valveking or Laney AOR........... it's a hard one, because i can't try out an AOR because they are discontinued. however, i can try out a Valveking, because i know Manson's stock them ^_^
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be careful with the valve kings, theyre budget peaveys so they are built out of low quality materials... just means you might have to take it in for repairs a few times.
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be careful with the valve kings, theyre budget peaveys so they are built out of low quality materials... just means you might have to take it in for repairs a few times.
hmmm really? i've never seen anyone have any problems except one breakdown (not a build fault, a component fault)
to add to the Laney vs Peavey thing, the Laneys are more of a british sound, which i don't enjoy as much as a more american sound.
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sorry, double post. :oops:
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I don't think the VJ has enough gain. It's a nice little amp, I was playing it today, great fun and all that, but it's most at home if you play nothing heavier than classic rock... at least, if you don't mod it or try to persuade it with pedals...
I didn't know randall had a 20 watt mts combo out, that's interesting. Other than that, maybe a randall rg50 tc?
now that's a thought...... well spotted, my good man :)
:drink:
EDIT: if you're willing to get a cab, a peavey windsor would be another one to look at. It might blow your budget, though.
what are you talking about? blow my budget? it's only 165 from thomann :D
hmmm although 4x12s aren't the most portable cabs........
aye, but I meant like a decent cab... I'm guessing the windsor cab isn't made with the most amazing materials and speakers.
I have no idea why the windsor is getting worse reviews than the valveking. It was far superior, IMO.
It is an 80's british type sound, though... think NWOBHM, thrash, and hair metal.
I'd say the laney vh series isn't all that british-sounding, if anything, it's more american-sounding.
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Well many people have one on the french forum guitariste.com and only a few complain about problems. Not much more than many other brand, it seems they're build rather like tank (the heads is, combos have sometimes bad speakers it seems)
I feel pretty confident about them, I just found a 2x12" Celestion V30 mounted in diagonal, more compact it seems. I might get that instead of the Framus :
Click me! (http://www.musicstorekoeln.de/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/MusicStore-MusicStoreShop-Site/en_EN/-/EUR/ViewProductDetail-Start;pgid=TOZgSIbWhSR.WbURca00000000008Li0kfPR?ProductUUID=Fz7VqHzmSu8AAAEQr2tQqhVw&CatalogCategoryID=FlDVqHzlVIQAAAEO0W8xe6fF&JumpTo=OfferList)
Edit : Those cabs are made by the polish amps maker Laboga, pretty good quality from the reviews.
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Well many people have one on the french forum guitariste.com and only a few complain about problems. Not much more than many other brand, it seems they're build rather like tank (the heads is, combos have sometimes bad speakers it seems)
I feel pretty confident about them, I just found a 2x12" Celestion V30 mounted in diagonal, more compact it seems. I might get that instead of the Framus :
Click me! (http://www.musicstorekoeln.de/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/MusicStore-MusicStoreShop-Site/en_EN/-/EUR/ViewProductDetail-Start;pgid=TOZgSIbWhSR.WbURca00000000008Li0kfPR?ProductUUID=Fz7VqHzmSu8AAAEQr2tQqhVw&CatalogCategoryID=FlDVqHzlVIQAAAEO0W8xe6fF&JumpTo=OfferList)
Edit : Those cabs are made by the polish amps maker Laboga, pretty good quality from the reviews.
that looks very cool!!
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Indeed!
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hmm that fame cab does look good! Any idea what type of wood its made from? Also, where did you find reviews? I cant find anything out about em :?
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they are made of 18mm birch plywood, like all good cabs :)
Laboga is well know here (france) there's many threads on french forums about them but they are in french, sorry :?
Edit : I did some research, there's nothing on either the Fame or Laboga version of this cab, it looks like someone might need to buy one for us to know :lol: I also read, but without any proof, that Fame might be of a little lower quality...
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should i believe all this talk about Valve kings being not reliable????
this is surely the perfect amp for me......
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I've read nothing bad about the head, only about the combos (tubes problems, certainly due to the fact they are upsidedown, and the speakers dying sudently)
My choice is made I think.
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I've read nothing bad about the head, only about the combos (tubes problems, certainly due to the fact they are upsidedown, and the speakers dying sudently)
My choice is made I think.
and so is mine. 9.2 average out of 16 reviews on HC........ and people usually go on HC to say how buggered their gear is!!!
it sounds GREAT from the clips i have heard, just like a proper metal sound.... :)
i shall try one out asap down at my local guitar shop, i'm sure i will emerge with a massive grin on my face >>>> :D
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I'll just point out, I've only tried the VK combo, I haven't tried the head. I wouldn't buy the combo for modern metal... I have heard some people saying that the head does sound different. might be worth a try. :drink:
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Don't forget to try it on a proper cab :twisted:
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I'll just point out, I've only tried the VK combo, I haven't tried the head. I wouldn't buy the combo for modern metal... I have heard some people saying that the head does sound different. might be worth a try. :drink:
thanks for the info!!!!
i was put off by reviews for the combos...... it's awful!!! every other review has a fairly major bad point to it! bad speakers, bad valves, low build quality, breakdowns...... steer clear!
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Try getting a Diezel.....
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Those guys are playing on VK heads : http://www.myspace.com/shyannerock
I found that in a HC review hehe, I quite like their sound. Enough gain for me it seems.
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Those guys are playing on VK heads : http://www.myspace.com/shyannerock
I found that in a HC review hehe, I quite like their sound. Enough gain for me it seems.
i saw that too, but i was too busy reading to go on it lol
sounds great to me.... a very big sound! i'm actually drooling now.... imagine how much it will be able to crush....
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Try getting a Diezel.....
Would need one hell of a visit from the tooth fairy.
Someone smash my jaw please.
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:lol:
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Try getting a Diezel.....
mmm diezel VH-4 *boner*
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http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Laney-VC50-Valve-Guitar-Amp-Monster-amp-killer-sound_W0QQitemZ220089851425QQihZ012QQcategoryZ10171QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
VH100R in 50W combo form 8)
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nice find. bet it'll go up a mile though.
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Yea the price will rocket very fast. I tried to find one some years ago, those are pretty rare it seems...
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i have the tiny terror and i play through a Framus two by twelve. believe me: GET THE TINY TERROR
!!!!!!!!!!!
!!! :roll: !!!
!!!!!!!!!!!
It is incredibly awesome for the price, and through the right cab you can get some fantastic modern high gain sounds. I too love Opeth, (best metal band), and believe me, you can't go wrong with this amp!
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I believe you.
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i have the tiny terror and i play through a Framus two by twelve. believe me: GET THE TINY TERROR
!!!!!!!!!!!
!!! :roll: !!!
!!!!!!!!!!!
It is incredibly awesome for the price, and through the right cab you can get some fantastic modern high gain sounds. I too love Opeth, (best metal band), and believe me, you can't go wrong with this amp!
eek. now i have 2 amps to ponder over, both roughly the same price. the best thing about the TT is that you can crank it at low volumes to get more valve tone and breakup, therefore a bit more gain. the Valveking already has those high gain tones without the cranking though.
the TT is VERY portable. that is another huge selling point. the 7/15 watt switch is also killer, and now, i have found out it has enough gain. the tone knob is really simple, and i like it that way. so, there is nothing wrong with the TT. at all. or the Valveking.
the Valveking also has lead boosts (for volume and/or gain) on the lead channel, and it has a texture control which is apparently REALLY good.
which amp should i go for? i would only need the volume of a TT, so that's not a problem.
OPETH ARE THE BEST METAL BAND!!!!! yes!!! someone who finally knows!!!
help! i knew this would happen...
:evil:
BM
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OPETH ARE THE BEST METAL BAND!!!!! yes!!! someone who finally knows!!!
haha, don't think you're the only one :wink:
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OPETH ARE THE BEST METAL BAND!!!!! yes!!! someone who finally knows!!!
haha, don't think you're the only one :wink:
yeah i know, it's just these days, the mainstream takes over. they're working on a new album atm :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: GR was good enough, but the next one could be a step even further forward..... i'm looking forward to it a lot.
BM
on a more on topic note, RECOMMEND ME AN AMP DAMNIT! :P
seriously, TT or Valveking?
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yeah and I hope they'll release the new live DVD!
but sorry, can't help with the amp :P
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checked out the reviews on the VK and it's a really mixed bag - the combos coming under fire because of poor quality control.
The TT looks a bit twee to me and won't serve you as long as the VK (assuming yours doesn't have parts missing) because as you gain success you'll need a bigger rig. Try the VK head and, if it is to your liking, buy it.
Buy it from a shop as then you can't receive one that is poorly made.
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yeah and I hope they'll release the new live DVD!
but sorry, can't help with the amp :P
haha forgot about that DVD! yeah, that would be great! i really enjoyed Lamentations, but it was lacking GR songs (obviously!) but now that they've recorded one after GR, we should see some heavy moshage. i was on that tour, at Exeter...... it was amazing!!! they played all of their classics, but it would have been perfect with The Baying of the Hounds.
i found some high gain clippage of the TT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBOXeLEG4RA&mode=user&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1unKhZEbrPY&mode=user&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jrvW8PB2rc
although no one knows if he is using a pedal or not.... whatdya think?
BM
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checked out the reviews on the VK and it's a really mixed bag - the combos coming under fire because of poor quality control.
The TT looks a bit twee to me and won't serve you as long as the VK (assuming yours doesn't have parts missing) because as you gain success you'll need a bigger rig. Try the VK head and, if it is to your liking, buy it.
Buy it from a shop as then you can't receive one that is poorly made.
i'm sorry, but there are NO bad reviews for the HEAD. the combos sound like shitee, but the head sounds perfect.
what is "twee" slang for? sorry, i'm not sure about that one..... and the TT sounds like good quality if that's what you mean. not many breakdowns reported....
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Not an abbreviation :roll:
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Not an abbreviation :roll:
huh? was it a misspelling then?
both amps must hang fine when it comes to gain.
EDIT: hmmm the Orange doesn't sound as if it has the powerful punch i am looking for (i.e DM punch), but the VK sounds more promising in that sense. i think the Valveking should have the priority.
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5 pages into this thread ... have you come to a final decision?!
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either VK or TT. i have not a clue what to get.... both are great! TT is more practical in a simple and portable sense, the VK it more practical in a user friendly features (e.g. 2 channels footswitchable) sense.
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What was your reason for dismissing the GH50L? You wanted one for a while. If you want Opeth tone you might as well get the real deal. It's not much more expensive than a VK anyway possibly even cheaper used.
I know I'll sound like a poser but have you ever thought about how silly you'd look with a TT playing a Razorback? Unless your going for the whole shock factor of it.
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What was your reason for dismissing the GH50L? You wanted one for a while. If you want Opeth tone you might as well get the real deal. It's not much more expensive than a VK anyway possibly even cheaper used.
I know I'll sound like a poser but have you ever thought about how silly you'd look with a TT playing a Razorback? Unless your going for the whole shock factor of it.
Too true.
Valve King isn't in the same league as a Laney imo.
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What was your reason for dismissing the GH50L? You wanted one for a while. If you want Opeth tone you might as well get the real deal. It's not much more expensive than a VK anyway possibly even cheaper used.
I know I'll sound like a poser but have you ever thought about how silly you'd look with a TT playing a Razorback? Unless your going for the whole shock factor of it.
well... heres a dude with a yellow warlock and a tiny terror...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3jrvW8PB2rc
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am i the only one who is gonna mention the B-52 AT-100 212 combo? i think they go for 600 here in the states if i am not mistaken. I own a B-52 AT-100 Head and Cab, and i dig it a lot.
I switched out all tubes for JJs (I bought the JJ High Gain kit with the extra goldpin for V1 and then a seperate goldpin for V2. Sounds great when biased right.
a good thing to keep in mind is how the stages of this amp work. i like a bit bassier and smoother tone, so i run the goldpin in V1. V1 is always running, no matter what. it powers the preamps. the resot of the configurations go as follows:
Clean Channel = V1 + V2 (Hence the use of the goldpin in both. golds are known for thier amazing cleans)
OD. 1 = V1 + V3. high gain tube in here. im a 2 trick man, either screaming gains or super cleans, so i dont use this channel, but there is a reason to put a high-gain tube in this slot.
OD. 2 = V1 + V3 + V4. very fat and heavy. its an awesome sounding amp for what its worth, especially now.
Power Tubes biased @ 39ma per tube. just on the edge of what they can handle. great sound and lots of fatness and saturation. I had to ship my head back because i found out that 1 of the 4 power tubes was never drawing the proper plate voltage (when i measured all the other ones drawing at 39 this one was drawing at 1.48ma) the tube never burned as hot or glowed as bright as the others.
The cab i run is the matching cab and it sounds OK, but im looking into a custom cab with Hellatone 60s & Celestion G12T-75s in an X pattern, because that is the cab i want for when i eventually get a splawn pro-mod.
i have played this amp through a cab with this config and it sounds 10x better.
the only thing i would worry about with these amps is the reliability. they are not known for thier reliability, but i say give em a chance as B-52 have only been in the amp business for 3 1/2 years now and are obviously still only working out thier kinks.
if this post did not help you in the slightest, im sorry. it should yield some good info about tubes and cascading gain for any amp tho, so at least keep that in mind.
to leave you with something that you will all benifit from, if you do not know about them check out www.avatarspeakers.com . they build custom cabs for dirt cheap compared to anyone else and i am sure this can help. while they do not ship out of the states, i for one am willing to help (yes i know its a risk) but i would sign a contract and all saying that you could ship your cab to me and as soon as i recieve a money order or cashiers check for the shipping to your location i will ship it out. not trying to gyp anyone, just trying to be the friendly neigborhood musician who will help anyone in need.
sorry if this didnt help at all. also, if anyone has any questions on tubes, speakers, amps, ETC i would be more than glad to help as i have done loads of research in these areas and even run my own unnofical tech shop from my house.
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What was your reason for dismissing the GH50L? You wanted one for a while. If you want Opeth tone you might as well get the real deal. It's not much more expensive than a VK anyway possibly even cheaper used.
I know I'll sound like a poser but have you ever thought about how silly you'd look with a TT playing a Razorback? Unless your going for the whole shock factor of it.
well... heres a dude with a yellow warlock and a tiny terror...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3jrvW8PB2rc
Exactly :wink: :lol:
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What was your reason for dismissing the GH50L? You wanted one for a while. If you want Opeth tone you might as well get the real deal. It's not much more expensive than a VK anyway possibly even cheaper used.
I know I'll sound like a poser but have you ever thought about how silly you'd look with a TT playing a Razorback? Unless your going for the whole shock factor of it.
here's a couple:
- they're a bugger to find second hand.
- i have to try an amp out before i buy (parent's rules) and there are no GH50Ls around me at all.
- they would sound too british for my sound
i don't give a shite what my amp looks like...... it's the sound that counts. if the sound rumbles the floor and just generally crushes, it is fine.
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^ ^ ^ I know a lot of US guys rave about the b52's, but I don't know if there are even any dealers or distributors this side of the pond.... also, US gear tends to get really big mark-ups here, so that'd probably defeat a lot of the good value factor...
I'm not trying to be down on them, if Bloodmountain can find 'em, they're certainly worth a try.
^ About the Laney, I'm not sure it sounds all that British at all... I haven't tried that exact model, but from what I hear, the GH50 is similar to the vh100, and the vh100, if anything, sounds more american (to my ears, anyway). Though, if you have to try it, you may be screwed anyway...
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^ ^ ^ I know a lot of US guys rave about the b52's, but I don't know if there are even any dealers or distributors this side of the pond.... also, US gear tends to get really big mark-ups here, so that'd probably defeat a lot of the good value factor...
I'm not trying to be down on them, if Bloodmountain can find 'em, they're certainly worth a try.
^ About the Laney, I'm not sure it sounds all that British at all... I haven't tried that exact model, but from what I hear, the GH50 is similar to the vh100, and the vh100, if anything, sounds more american (to my ears, anyway). Though, if you have to try it, you may be screwed anyway...
i don't think Devon does B-52s. maybe north Devon, but not here. not even Somerset (well, my side of Somerset)
i heard the GH50L clip at LazyNinja's http://www.laneyforum.com which is $%&#ing awesome........ DM max!!!! it's an amazing sound, but, unfortunately, no GH50Ls ANYWHERE around here. there are laneys, but the buggers won't get any GH50Ls. i mailed them, and they said they can buy some in if i intend to buy, but i only intend to try, then buy off eBay :)
so..... VK or TT?
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Hey, Mansons is my local guitar shop too BM. What have you decided to go for in the end? I'm a huge Opeth fan too, nice to see another guitarist who likes them. I was in a similar position to you a couple of months ago, looking for a low wattage 2x12 combo for metal. Ended up going for a JCM900 2x12 50 watter, not that it was perfect straight out of the box though.
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Hey, Mansons is my local guitar shop too BM. What have you decided to go for in the end? I'm a huge Opeth fan too, nice to see another guitarist who likes them. I was in a similar position to you a couple of months ago, looking for a low wattage 2x12 combo for metal. Ended up going for a JCM900 2x12 50 watter, not that it was perfect straight out of the box though.
cool..... tell me, have they ever not let you try anything out?
hmmm the JCM900 seems a bit loud, although i've never really got into JCM 900s.... is it expensive? does it have a lot of gain?
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hmmm the JCM900 seems a bit loud, although i've never really got into JCM 900s.... is it expensive? does it have a lot of gain?
Marshall cuts corners on their combos: theyre made of particle board and have poopy bass response.
About the JCM900 though, it has the gain, but its hard to get at it. Theres 2 ways: crank the poweramp, or get a booster pedal. This only goes for the reverb series though. If you want ubergain at low levels, see if you can find an old jcm900 SL-X (it has an extra pretube instead of a diode clipping stage). This sacrifices the clean tone, but it turns it into a high gain grinding machine... or buy a regulard jcm900 and get it modded with an extra tube... :D
Also, please please pelase avoid b52's. Theyre budget amps, and have very very sad sounding cabinets. With the shipping costs to the UK, it would definately not be worth it. I'd only recommend one of these is somebody was in a tight spot for money, and needed a loud amp fast for a gig.
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cool..... tell me, have they ever not let you try anything out?
hmmm the JCM900 seems a bit loud, although i've never really got into JCM 900s.... is it expensive? does it have a lot of gain?
No, they've always been pretty helpful in Mansons, if not stupidly overpriced though. My JCM is pretty quiet for 50w, I have it pretty much maxed out for band practise. It may be the tubes though, I sacrificed headroom for earlier breakup. I've found a boost to be pretty useless on it except at bedroom levels, beyond about 3-4 on the master and the tubes pretty max out in terms of gain and switching my boost on and off (Digitech Bad Monkey) makes no difference to the sound. The clarity of the amps is incredible and it cuts through nicely but it suits lead playing a lot more than rhythm, which is fine for me. Next purchase is a decent EQ to give it more grind. I really love the sound but its kinda a polar opposite to a 5150-type sound. Lots of sustain and sweet harmonics but its kinda thin for rhythm.
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I've got a 50w JCM900 myself, and i have to say, when cranked a little (>3), it sounded great, and in a practise session, i had it at about 5 or 6, and it was plenty loud. Gain was great at those volumes too, didn't need the Rat at all. Just a shame that the one i've got is only a single channel, switchable master volume model, so i can't have a clean and a dirty channel.
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to me a jcm900 sounds pure Alkaline Trio. Thats the sound that i get when i play em anyways
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I always thought JCM900 were cr@p, I played on a few and every time it sounded bad, either combos or heads+cabs. IMHO there are far better amps at the same price out there...
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ok ok ok..... doesn't sound like the amp for me at all.
plus it's probably out of my budget.
i think the TT or the VK are the best matches atm.
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I always thought JCM900 were cr@p, I played on a few and every time it sounded bad, either combos or heads+cabs. IMHO there are far better amps at the same price out there...
That surprises me because it was the ONLY amp at the time that seemed to me to be able to do metal in a small-ish valve combo. Head and cab is a different story though.
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you obviously have never heard of a little distortion demon called the 5150. :roll:
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That surprises me because it was the ONLY amp at the time that seemed to me to be able to do metal in a small-ish valve combo. Head and cab is a different story though.
Just try and Engl Screamer combo and you'll ear what a small-ish metal combo is :D
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ok ok ok..... doesn't sound like the amp for me at all.
plus it's probably out of my budget.
i think the TT or the VK are the best matches atm.
Get yourself a 5150 combo, or even a head. i would be glad to sign a contract and everything if you wanted to get an avatar cab and ship it to me, then send me a money order for the shipping to you. i know it seems risky, but im a 17 year old metalhead who beats people up for $%&#ing with other peoples music gear.
i have become quite dissatisfied with the Distortion on my B-52 head. once i get my bareknuckles and my custom cab with Celestion Vintage 30s & G12T-75s (X pattern) im gonna pick up a 5150II and an A/B switch and use my B-52 exclusivley for cleans.
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ok ok ok..... doesn't sound like the amp for me at all.
plus it's probably out of my budget.
i think the TT or the VK are the best matches atm.
Get yourself a 5150 combo, or even a head. i would be glad to sign a contract and everything if you wanted to get an avatar cab and ship it to me, then send me a money order for the shipping to you. i know it seems risky, but im a 17 year old metalhead who beats people up for #$%!& with other peoples music gear.
i have become quite dissatisfied with the Distortion on my B-52 head. once i get my bareknuckles and my custom cab with Celestion Vintage 30s & G12T-75s (X pattern) im gonna pick up a 5150II and an A/B switch and use my B-52 exclusivley for cleans.
ok dude, it's a thought.
but 5150s are out of my price budget. plus, there are no combos anywhere i look. and they go up to a pretty big price, anyway.
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you obviously have never heard of a little distortion demon called the 5150. :roll:[/quote
If you can find me a 5150 for under Ģ300, hell even Ģ400 then cool man, same goes for the ENGL. My JCM900 cost me Ģ250.
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I have the JCM900 50W combo, it's a wicked little amp and I agree it can really do metal in a small package. Mine has really enough gain, but I've exchanged the preamp tubes with some suited for high gain.
I also have a 5150 which is cool as well. For heavy riffing it's a great amp.
Not claiming these are the best amps around, of course, but they let me do a lot of noise. :D
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I have the JCM900 50W combo, it's a wicked little amp and I agree it can really do metal in a small package. Mine has really enough gain, but I've exchanged the preamp tubes with some suited for high gain.
I played a 900 combo last year, and while I thought the amp's tone was a bit like a weed whacker, very shrill and fuzzy, when I turned the gain up to mild breakup and then used an OD pedal, I was shocked with how killer it sounded!
I also have a 5150 which is cool as well. For heavy riffing it's a great amp.
No argument here.
Not claiming these are the best amps around, of course, but they let me do a lot of noise. :D
Great, well-balanced post from someone with first-hand experience. That works for me.
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ok, now i'm confused
people bringing random amps into the equation........ well, marshall aint random :P
so, are you guys saying a JCM900 would be great for my Deathy Metal style that i play?
because i have no idea, having not tried one myself. are they discontinued?
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ok, i have had another thought..... how about an ashdown Fallen Angel 60 watt DSP Head?
has anyone got any info or opinions on these?
thanks, BM
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Heard the new Fallen Angels suck ass.
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there are no bad reviews for the heads on HC.
but, the combos are getting cr@p reviews.
it's the same with the Valveking. combo=bad, head=good.
i think it's mainly due to reliability, and sometimes sound quality.
anyone else heard about the Ashdown Fallen Angel 60 watt DSP head?
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Think you're too trusting..
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Think you're too trusting..
well, if no one from about 10 people or so has had a problem, then i would guess that it is a reliable piece of kit..... although i would trust the VK more than the Ashdown, because the problem with the ashdown combos are solely (well, almost) to do with the reliability. the VK combos have problem with sound: bad speakers, bad tubes, and a couple of breakdowns. besides, a head is much smaller than a combo. my MG250DFX isn't showing any signs of breaking, so i would also guess that a Peavey head would be built better than an MG combo.
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i think you need to try them first, to be honest. To me, and I've tried the VK combo, and FA head, they sound like budget amps. They aren't bad on a budget, but you'd know they weren't amazing. I haven't tried them cranked either. I have heard some people say that the VK heads are better than the combos, but that's solely hearsay.
The one amp that's cheap (ok, two, but the valve junior doesn't count because it won't really do metal without a lot of persuasion) that I really like is the peavey windsor. It's an 80's tone, but it does have plenty of gain. I'd give that a try. But it's best if you can try all of those.
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i think you need to try them first, to be honest. To me, and I've tried the VK combo, and FA head, they sound like budget amps. They aren't bad on a budget, but you'd know they weren't amazing. I haven't tried them cranked either. I have heard some people say that the VK heads are better than the combos, but that's solely hearsay.
The one amp that's cheap (ok, two, but the valve junior doesn't count because it won't really do metal without a lot of persuasion) that I really like is the peavey windsor. It's an 80's tone, but it does have plenty of gain. I'd give that a try. But it's best if you can try all of those.
ok, thanks. how about the orange tiny terror? do you have any view on that?
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^ haven't tried it yet, unfortunately.
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^ haven't tried it yet, unfortunately.
ok dude. i'll try them as soon as possible. what a thread!!! at least we narrowed some down.
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^ :drink:
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^ :drink:
:)
yeah, while i'm in town i may also try out a Laney LV300H....... who knows? maybe it'll sound good to my ears. it has only 1 tube in the pre i think, though.
have you heard these?
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^ haha, nope!
everything's worth a try, within reason, lol. no point trying out trombones or something, :lol:
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^ haha, nope!
everything's worth a try, within reason, lol. no point trying out trombones or something, :lol:
Would rather try a Trombone than the tiny terror. Trombones are shiny :twisted:
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^ haha, nope!
everything's worth a try, within reason, lol. no point trying out trombones or something, :lol:
Would rather try a Trombone than the tiny terror. Trombones are shiny :twisted:
haha!
100th post on this topic :twisted:
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anyone else heard about the Ashdown Fallen Angel 60 watt DSP head?
Ashdown are a terrible company, and they are also circuit and design thieves. Steer clear.
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anyone else heard about the Ashdown Fallen Angel 60 watt DSP head?
Ashdown are a terrible company, and they are also circuit and design thieves. Steer clear.
TO Has spoken.
Nuf said.
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Stay well away from the Ashdown please trust me on this. I paid Ģ300 on eBay for a whole half stack and I still felt like I wasted my money. The tone was all about bass (but not in a good way) it had no mids and the gain was gritty and horrible too. I had to set it on bass 0 mid 10 high 10 gain 6 and it was still too muddy and undefined. Retubed no luck. In the end I kept the new tubes, put the old ones back in, then sold it on eBay.
I am pretty sure this is just the new made in China DSP models. I have heard nothing but good things for the early English made models. If you ever decide to go for one make sure it's the early English version. The way to tell is MIE has tubes upwards (like JCM 800 etc) whilst the MIC has tubes hanging downwards (like ENGL Screamer etc).
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I have heard nothing but good things for the early English made models. If you ever decide to go for one make sure it's the early English version. The way to tell is MIE has tubes upwards (like JCM 800 etc) whilst the MIC has tubes hanging downwards (like ENGL Screamer etc).
That's because the early English made ones weren't designed by Ashdown, but by a respectable UK amp manufacturer. Ashdown then realised it would cost too much to make the amps properly, called in the bean counters, outsourced the manufacture and substituted all the parts for cheaper, higher tolerance parts. Nothing like a little corporate greed at our expense, eh? :evil:
The original designer got stuck doing all the service on the dumbed down versions of their own amp, which was plentiful, until they got free and clear in a legal sense from Ashdown.
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ok, i get the picture. DONT BUY ASHDOWN! heh.
i don't even think the local guitar shops have them anyway.
i will try to go into exeter this weekend to try out a valveking and a laney lv300h. and perhaps a tiny terror on top of that if they have one in stock.
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That's because the early English made ones weren't designed by Ashdown, but by a respectable UK amp manufacturer. Ashdown then realised it would cost too much to make the amps properly, called in the bean counters, outsourced the manufacture and substituted all the parts for cheaper, higher tolerance parts. Nothing like a little corporate greed at our expense, eh? :evil:
The original designer got stuck doing all the service on the dumbed down versions of their own amp, which was plentiful, until they got free and clear in a legal sense from Ashdown.
That's horrible. I had heard something along those lines, but I didn't realise it was as bad as that.
:evil:
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I tried out an Ashdown FA head when looking for a :twisted: metal :twisted: amp and it didn't do it for me in the slightest.
My advice is: if you're not in a gigging band, keep saving. I use a 15w Squier Sidekick to practice with in the house, I only have my valve head and cab for band practice and gigging. If you stick with your MG for a bit longer and save some money you'll have a lot more options (and probably a much bigger thread!). Otherwise, you'll probably get bored with your budget amp pretty quickly then want to sell it and buy something better anyway.
If you do gig and they don't mic up the amp at some venues, just use another band's amp. I've had a few soundmen guilt trip me into loaning out my beloved gear.
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If you do gig and they don't mic up the amp at some venues, just use another band's amp. I've had a few soundmen guilt trip me into loaning out my beloved gear.
Oh so fricking true.
Save for something massive, and use the minion's amps while you wait :D
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Harmony Central reviews are worth shite, sorry but it's just true. People just write their opinions on there, I bet a good part of them don't even own the stuff they're reviewing. If they do, they still are in no way comparable to a professional gear tester from a gutiar magazine.
So: use it for information but don't trust it.
If you are looking for a nice combo, check out Fame amps. They're sold by www.musicstore.de http://www.musicstore.de . No, I haven't played one, so I cannot say anything about them but they got a couple of very good reviews and are fairly cheap.
Fame btw is the brandname for Music Store, they are manufactured by the company Laboga in Poland. http://www.labogaamps.com
BTW I somehow get the impression many English guitar players buy their gear online in Germany nowadays. Strange.
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iīve just saw your thread and the price range
but JUST for the sake of the distortion
check out my 5150 clips
and if you want,you can request something from you and iīll do a video clipof it
as you wish
Hails
JP
www.myspace.com/wfd666
Or
www.youtube.com/wfd666
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iīve just saw your thread and the price range
but JUST for the sake of the distortion
check out my 5150 clips
and if you want,you can request something from you and iīll do a video clipof it
as you wish
Hails
JP
www.myspace.com/wfd666
Or
www.youtube.com/wfd666
thanks WFD, wondering when you'd chip in :twisted:
is the 5150 in my price range? i have no clue as usual :roll:
those Fames look interesting, but i have to try before i buy, and i'm not travelling to Germany to try something out :D
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if you donīt have a clue, iīm an insane man in an insane word. ahahahah
imagine myself,here in brazil. ahahah drowned in higher prices,duties,tributes and the likes
i really loose track of prices.
kinda.. we pay 3x the price people pays in USA for their stuff.
Ask ben
we pay the worldīs sin ,Moneywise speaking. ahahahahaha
all the taxes and fees goes to us.
kinda, i paid 3200 Brazilian money,something like 1 us dollar = 2 braizlian money. for an used 5150 head
and the marsahll price was 3200 too.
but the marshall is new.
but both are new, so do a little conversion and see if itīs on your price range
if you want to go ALL TUBE amp,then i donīt know what will be on your price range,but if you donīt min to go SS, then get a crate amp,i can do miracles with it.
Q:p
JP
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^ wow, and I thought our prices were bad- that sucks!
:drink:
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if you donīt have a clue, iīm an insane man in an insane word. ahahahah
imagine myself,here in brazil. ahahah drowned in higher prices,duties,tributes and the likes
i really loose track of prices.
kinda.. we pay 3x the price people pays in USA for their stuff.
Ask ben
we pay the worldīs sin ,Moneywise speaking. ahahahahaha
all the taxes and fees goes to us.
kinda, i paid 3200 Brazilian money,something like 1 us dollar = 2 braizlian money. for an used 5150 head
and the marsahll price was 3200 too.
but the marshall is new.
but both are new, so do a little conversion and see if itīs on your price range
if you want to go ALL TUBE amp,then i donīt know what will be on your price range,but if you donīt min to go SS, then get a crate amp,i can do miracles with it.
Q:p
JP
that is a bad price situation there, WFD. glad you have a great amp though :)
i don't mind SS, as long as it pleases me! which Crate SS would you reccomend? a GT1200H looks like my sort of thing.........
EDIT: holy shite! that GT3500H looks even better!!!!! i haven't seen a bad review yet! can anyone find a shop in the UK that sells a GT3500H?
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YAH,hails man
thankīs for the kind words.
well,i just owned a GX80 and Gx30 and now a gx 15.
but i played a gxt 120
al lof them sound brutal
crunchy mids.tight and "de profundis" Bass. and open and sustainic Highs.
very godif you want to use a distortion pedal on the clean channel,and very goo dif you want to use the amps distortion
i personally donīt like effects together with the amp.i preffer to use Boss delay and reverb effects pedals.together with a harmonizer pedal, and a crybaby wah wah.
iīm yet to test the Noise supressor pedal, i think i donīt need that. itīs for fags that canīt handle noise.
AHahahahahahaHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Q:p
I would liek to send you some clips i did with my crate gx 80. hwo could i send them to you?^
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sent you a pm, thanks!
they don't make the GX series any more..... they've introduced the new gt, gtx, and gfx series...... will they be similar?
i have a huge eye on that GT3500H :twisted:
http://www.crateamps.com/html/product.cfm?pid=94
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i think it may be the same,but with some upgrades.
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i think it may be the same,but with some upgrades.
sweet.
LOVE your clips! especially the tone on the les paul clip! that CRUSHES!
that is an amazing distortion!
thanks so much, friend! :)
:twisted:
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I tried a crate solid state head a while back (maybe it was a hybrid and had one preamp valve). I thought it sounded sterile. of course, that may be exactly what you're after. But I didn't like it...
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I tried a crate solid state head a while back (maybe it was a hybrid and had one preamp valve). I thought it sounded sterile. of course, that may be exactly what you're after. But I didn't like it...
i am not 100% sure what sterile means in terms of tone.......
can you remember what series it was?? :)
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Wow, this thread is ... mega.
Are you ready to pull the trigger yet??
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Wow, this thread is ... mega.
Are you ready to pull the trigger yet??
no :cry:
we've pretty much covered every manufacturer possible in my price range, and all we can come up with is "try a few out" :lol:
seriously though, i want this amp to be THE amp for me. which is why i doubt a Valve for Ģ350 wouldn't be as good as a Ģ350 SS that rules. i've heard these Crate GT3500H s are teh sex for metal!
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^ ^ http://www.crateamps.com/html/product.cfm?pid=94
I think that was the one, but it was a while ago, I'm not certain.
Sterile means it sounds like a solid state, not like tubes... doesn't sound so organic, the tone has hard edges instead of soft, etc.
Hard to describe if you don't know what it means to begin with, lol. As I said though, that might be exactly what you're after. But it doesn't do it for me.
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^^ http://www.crateamps.com/html/product.cfm?pid=94
I think that was the one, but it was a while ago.
Sterile means it sounds like a solid state, not like tubes... doesn't sound so organic, the tone has hard edges instead of soft, etc.
Hard to describe if you don't know what it means to begin with, lol. As I said though, that might be exactly what you're after. But it doesn't do it for me.
hmmmm i would have to hear it to see if i liked it. but I doubt crate do devon.
EDIT: i love the sound of my Behringer GM108 ( :o :o i know, it's blasphemy!) and that's a SS, so maybe it's a sign.....
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^ sound control do crates, there's quite a few of them around, but maybe not in devon...
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^ sound control do crates, there's quite a few of them around, but maybe not in devon...
thre's one in Bristol, so all i have to do now is persuade my parents to take me there on a "day out"
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seriously though, i want this amp to be THE amp for me. which is why i doubt a Valve for Ģ350 wouldn't be as good as a Ģ350 SS that rules. i've heard these Crate GT3500H s are teh sex for metal!
Honestly, BM, you're just starting this journey. This is the first amp of many. Go. Try em out. Buy what you like, and then forget about it. Play till your fingers bleed and your heart is full of METAL!!!
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seriously though, i want this amp to be THE amp for me. which is why i doubt a Valve for Ģ350 wouldn't be as good as a Ģ350 SS that rules. i've heard these Crate GT3500H s are teh sex for metal!
Honestly, BM, you're just starting this journey. This is the first amp of many. Go. Try em out. Buy what you like, and then forget about it. Play till your fingers bleed and your heart is full of METAL!!!
it's almost prophetic :lol:
....but true. i will go forth, master! :twisted: :twisted:
time to burn some music shops, i think.
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Good luck on your quest, hopefully you will come back with a Laney :lol:
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No problem BloodMountain
itīs my pleasure tohelp ANY one to acchieve their tones by sending my soundclips and some reviews of things i tested
i do that cause no one did it for me,untl i joined the Seymoru duncan foruns and bare knuckle foruns
here in my city itīs a pit of unhly posers,zombies,fags and dick heads
ahahahahahahahahahahahaahha
Q:p
JP
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everybody i know has been dissapointed with the crate GX or GHX or whatever.... it gets shitety sounding at high volume.
and sterile... best way to describe it... compare an emg 81 to a passive pickup... the emg is sterile as $%&#: no warmth, no life, no character: just straightforward pushes out the note you play. A non sterile sound will have a colourful note: can be warm or cold, has some extra feeling to it, it wont be a straightforward note, it will have TONE to it vs. just the straight up note itself.
same thing for amps... madisons are sterile as hell... theyre also piles of shite stacked ever so high.
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I agree about the Crate GT amps it felt sterile as if it's like a toy.
How bout a Peavey XXL?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Peavey-XXL-Head-Great-Condition-Still-in-Original-Box_W0QQitemZ180097936269QQcategoryZ10171QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
good price (but oh so close to GH50L lol). I've never heard one but I heard it does the scooped metal thing well.
Consider randall as well if youre into that kinda tone.
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I say the tiny terror, I was quite surprised with how much gain it can pump out.
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I agree about the Crate GT amps it felt sterile as if it's like a toy.
How bout a Peavey XXL?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Peavey-XXL-Head-Great-Condition-Still-in-Original-Box_W0QQitemZ180097936269QQcategoryZ10171QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
good price (but oh so close to GH50L lol). I've never heard one but I heard it does the scooped metal thing well.
Consider randall as well if youre into that kinda tone.
that Peavey looks great........ i'll see what happens :) i've heard great things about it too :)
yeah WFD, i have never really found anyone that does stuff like that until i came here and you and Lepersmeesa have both given me useful clips!
i've never tried a Randall before, i don't know how they sound :lol:
erm, the TT would sound a bit too vintage for me hahahaha i need modern death metal sounds :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
my Behringer GM108 can get a great DM tone for a SS....... and the EQ is brilliant! just proves that Solid States should not be forgotten.
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okay, i havent read this thread for a while, it's got waaaay too long for me to follow (big numbers scare me). However, I'm horrified to find that after 10 pages we've only got as far as SS amps. - DOH! How about a big ass ENGL powerball - that'll make yu smile for years. And don't you be telling me that's too expensive or too loud - in the time spent discussing your amp on here you could have earnt enough to buy one AND a hotplate :P
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okay, i havent read this thread for a while, it's got waaaay too long for me to follow (big numbers scare me). However, I'm horrified to find that after 10 pages we've only got as far as SS amps. - DOH! How about a big ass ENGL powerball - that'll make yu smile for years. And don't you be telling me that's too expensive or too loud - in the time spent discussing your amp on here you could have earnt enough to buy one AND a hotplate :P
you obviously don't know how young i am and how much i earn. don't jump to conclusions. i'm not over 18, and i don't have a full time or even a real part time job.
and yes, they are too expensive.
EDIT: AND all of my shifts in the last 2 weeks were cancelled.
AND don't be an all-valve snob. my SS sounds great to me, so SS is fine for what i'm after.
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I think indy is just being cheeky ... at least, I HOPE he is!
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I think indy is just being cheeky ... at least, I HOPE he is!
hmmmm he edited his post to make it seem a bit more friendly i think. he said it more seriously the first time.
seriously speaking, my SS practice combo kicks SERIOUS ass. it sounds like an amp should IMO, and Behringer probably aren't as good in terms of quality as Peavey or Crate, so any of those would be an improvement.
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WOW!!!! that is my reaction to the clips on the Peavey page
http://www.peavey.com/products/browse.cfm/action/detail/item/104987/number/00459810/cat/66/begin/1/XXL%3F+Head.cfm
check out the "ultra modern" clip...... very heavy, very metal!
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RIGHT
i have had one last thought.
if i buy a head for 300-400 quid, then i will have to spend about 200 on a v30 2x12 cab. so that would be about 500-600. that sucks, because i could get a great all tube combo for that. so the first amp that sprung to mind was the ENGL Screamer 50.
would this suit my needs? would it do a great solid, thumping metal tone when pushed with a Tubescreamer? any opinions?
thanks one hell of a lot to all who have contributed to my search so far, and thanks to all who reply to this...... you have helped me so much!
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^ it wouldn't be the engl I'd buy solely for metal, but it'll do it. Ask MDV, he has one, and is a bit of a metalhead.
also, try to get one of the newer versions which have the v30 stock. bear in mind, a footswitch is extra (like Ģ120), but you can make do with a cheaper 2 button one which lets you access most of the functions.
EDIT: I would say it's a vastly superior amp to the ones you've been looking at so far, though. And it's pretty versatile too.
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i was only kidding friend :wink: I know better than most people on ehre what it's like to be under 18 and broke. (I'm 17 and i've spent my wages before they've come...damnit)
I'd definately recommend the screamer to you. When i've played it i've always thought it was PLENTY heavy without a screamer, with one it'd SLAY, i'm sure of it.
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check out the "ultra modern" clip...... very heavy, very metal!
Hmmm - i hated that clip :? sounded totally hollow, distant and thumpy to me. Guess we all have different tastes though... jeez this would be so much easier if everyone had perfect taste like me.
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i was only kidding friend :wink: I know better than most people on ehre what it's like to be under 18 and broke. (I'm 17 and i've spent my wages before they've come...damnit)
I'd definately recommend the screamer to you. When i've played it i've always thought it was PLENTY heavy without a screamer, with one it'd SLAY, i'm sure of it.
ok dude. s'all good.
thanks for the info, the screamer is in my price range, and sounds like an amp for me........ need clips though :)
yeah, i don't have perfect taste :wink:
dave_mc, would you say the Thunder Drive (E322) would be better suited for metal? i think it's tghe same price......
thanks dudes :D
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http://rocksolidamps.com/mp3_player.php?id=121&ii=&player=2
that's a screamer combo :twisted:
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http://rocksolidamps.com/mp3_player.php?id=121&ii=&player=2
that's a screamer combo :twisted:
wow, thanks! nice clip! sounds more or less what i'm looking for, and my llocal guitar shop has a used one in stock that i might go and try out.....
thanks :D
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Now _THAT_ is an amp.
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Now _THAT_ is an amp.
exactly.
everyone - there is a lesson to be learnt here. well, actually most of you have already learnt it!
DONT spend 10 pages of amp recommendation threads talking about SS/impractical/unestablished amps.
if you want the job done, buy the right tool.
and ENGL, Mesa, Marshall, or Laney is the right tool for this job, and i am going to go with ENGL because their combos are cheap for what you get.
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i am going to go with ENGL because their combos are cheap for what you get.
I believe the phrase is 'great bang for the buck'. Sounds a lot nicer. :)
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i am going to go with ENGL because their combos are cheap for what you get.
I believe the phrase is 'great bang for the buck'. Sounds a lot nicer. :)
heh. yeah.
seriously speaking though, if it ain't well known, then i wouldn't risk it. go with the majority, they are usually always right.
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Now _THAT_ is an amp.
exactly.
everyone - there is a lesson to be learnt here. well, actually most of you have already learnt it!
DONT spend 10 pages of amp recommendation threads talking about SS/impractical/unestablished amps.
if you want the job done, buy the right tool.
and ENGL, Mesa, Marshall, or Laney is the right tool for this job, and i am going to go with ENGL because their combos are cheap for what you get.
I don't mean to sound annoying but how did you actually reach a conclusion without actually trying anything? I agree that ENGLs are nice though, but you'll have to pay 100 quid for a footswitch which is kinda rip off.
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Now _THAT_ is an amp.
exactly.
everyone - there is a lesson to be learnt here. well, actually most of you have already learnt it!
DONT spend 10 pages of amp recommendation threads talking about SS/impractical/unestablished amps.
if you want the job done, buy the right tool.
and ENGL, Mesa, Marshall, or Laney is the right tool for this job, and i am going to go with ENGL because their combos are cheap for what you get.
I don't mean to sound annoying but how did you actually reach a conclusion without actually trying anything? I agree that ENGLs are nice though, but you'll have to pay 100 quid for a footswitch which is kinda rip off.
the clip was good, (i have seen many good comments about rocksolidamps.com anyway) it has a V30 already in, and that is really a descision for trying out amps........ although it sounded like i meant "i will now buy an engl" but i meant what i said about the right tools for the job. i forgot to mention the Peavey 5150 though, that's very popular too.
meh, i wont need the footswitch that much..... i will only need clean for a couple of clean intros where i can set my volume knob low, then bring it full on for the heavier bits :twisted:
EDIT: and if you said that because i didn't consider laney, it's because i can't try them out because nowhere around here sells them AT ALL.... which sucks.
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i was only kidding friend :wink: I know better than most people on ehre what it's like to be under 18 and broke. (I'm 17 and i've spent my wages before they've come...damnit)
I'd definately recommend the screamer to you. When i've played it i've always thought it was PLENTY heavy without a screamer, with one it'd SLAY, i'm sure of it.
ok dude. s'all good.
thanks for the info, the screamer is in my price range, and sounds like an amp for me........ need clips though :)
yeah, i don't have perfect taste :wink:
dave_mc, would you say the Thunder Drive (E322) would be better suited for metal? i think it's tghe same price......
thanks dudes :D
haven't tried the thunder, unfortunately- from what I hear, it has less gain than a screamer (and one less channel), but you probably want to try to make sure (understatement!).
oh, and cheap for what you get has a certain ring to it, lol.
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I don't mean to sound annoying but how did you actually reach a conclusion without actually trying anything? I agree that ENGLs are nice though, but you'll have to pay 100 quid for a footswitch which is kinda rip off.
I wouldn't say "have to", you can make do with one of the cheapo 2 button ones, but yeah, to get the nice footswitch is expensive.
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I don't mean to sound annoying but how did you actually reach a conclusion without actually trying anything? I agree that ENGLs are nice though, but you'll have to pay 100 quid for a footswitch which is kinda rip off.
I wouldn't say "have to", you can make do with one of the cheapo 2 button ones, but yeah, to get the nice footswitch is expensive.
Very good point Dave. Would any stereo ones work or does it have one of those funny connection pins? The ENGL one is still Ģ40 quid or something silly.
Bloodmountain, I wasn't saying that because you didn'y consider a Laney, Im not that narrow minded. In fact, I own four amps and they are all different brands. I was just a bit annoyed by your "recommending SS/unestablished brands is pointless" comment because I would normally never recommend those but I thought you might prefer them to tube amps (because they are cheaper) so I did. If you have the cash for a tube amp, go for it. No disputes there.
When you try it out, don't let the initial excitement get the better of you. Try many other amps, maybe leave the shop for an hour or two and come back and see if you still think it's as good as you thought. Worst thing you can do when choosing an amp is to have prejudice and rush into a decision. I know because I used to do it a lot. Good luck!
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Bloodmountain, I wasn't saying that because you didn'y consider a Laney, Im not that narrow minded. In fact, I own four amps and they are all different brands. I was just a bit annoyed by your "recommending SS/unestablished brands is pointless" comment because I would normally never recommend those but I thought you might prefer them to tube amps (because they are cheaper) so I did. If you have the cash for a tube amp, go for it. No disputes there.
When you try it out, don't let the initial excitement get the better of you. Try many other amps, maybe leave the shop for an hour or two and come back and see if you still think it's as good as you thought. Worst thing you can do when choosing an amp is to have prejudice and rush into a decision. I know because I used to do it a lot. Good luck!
i only said that comment because looking at SS and unestablished amps was getting me nowhere: there are either mixed or no opinions on them, and most of them weren't in stock anywhere near me. the shops around here all have the popular ones in stock, so that's another reason.
i'll try to think about the tone while i'm playing it for the first time, instead of just thinking "woweeeee! let's fire out some riffs!"
thanks for the advice though.
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I don't mean to sound annoying but how did you actually reach a conclusion without actually trying anything? I agree that ENGLs are nice though, but you'll have to pay 100 quid for a footswitch which is kinda rip off.
I wouldn't say "have to", you can make do with one of the cheapo 2 button ones, but yeah, to get the nice footswitch is expensive.
Very good point Dave. Would any stereo ones work or does it have one of those funny connection pins? The ENGL one is still Ģ40 quid or something silly.
Bloodmountain, I wasn't saying that because you didn'y consider a Laney, Im not that narrow minded. In fact, I own four amps and they are all different brands. I was just a bit annoyed by your "recommending SS/unestablished brands is pointless" comment because I would normally never recommend those but I thought you might prefer them to tube amps (because they are cheaper) so I did. If you have the cash for a tube amp, go for it. No disputes there.
When you try it out, don't let the initial excitement get the better of you. Try many other amps, maybe leave the shop for an hour or two and come back and see if you still think it's as good as you thought. Worst thing you can do when choosing an amp is to have prejudice and rush into a decision. I know because I used to do it a lot. Good luck!
assuming it's the same as my savage se, there's a socket for the expensive 6-button one, which is a bit like a computer lead socket (technical term, obviously!), but there should also be a jack type socket for a more simple 2-button one.
I use the really cheapo engl ones, they were around Ģ25- though i assume anything would do it, laney and marshall ones are more like Ģ15, but you'd want to make sure. Plus the engl ones at Ģ25 are a bit, er, cost-effective, the lead's not very long and they're made of light plastic etc. Main reason I went for them (4 of 'em) was that it let me foot-switch more options than the 6-button controller.
Agreed on the trying out advice.
:drink:
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i was only kidding friend :wink: I know better than most people on ehre what it's like to be under 18 and broke. (I'm 17 and i've spent my wages before they've come...damnit)
I'd definately recommend the screamer to you. When i've played it i've always thought it was PLENTY heavy without a screamer, with one it'd SLAY, i'm sure of it.
ok dude. s'all good.
thanks for the info, the screamer is in my price range, and sounds like an amp for me........ need clips though :)
yeah, i don't have perfect taste :wink:
dave_mc, would you say the Thunder Drive (E322) would be better suited for metal? i think it's tghe same price......
thanks dudes :D
haven't tried the thunder, unfortunately- from what I hear, it has less gain than a screamer (and one less channel), but you probably want to try to make sure (understatement!).
oh, and cheap for what you get has a certain ring to it, lol.
so would you say that with a tubescreamer in front, it would have enough gain?
and will it sound very similar to the Screamer?
sorry for the thread resurrection, but the Thunder Drive E322 (without reverb) is 100 quid cheaper than the Screamer......
Thanks!
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get the screamer if you want metal. definately. A decent tube screamer is likely to set you back more than a hundred anyways, and the screamer by itself will sound better than the thunder with a tubescreamer. The screamer also has a lot more features.
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haven't tried the thunder, unfortunately. I know mdv tried the thunder versus screamer and picked the screamer, but you'd be best to ask him what the differences were... I don't want to be putting words in his mouth, he's plenty eloquent himself, lol!
:drink:
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get the screamer if you want metal. definately. A decent tube screamer is likely to set you back more than a hundred anyways, and the screamer by itself will sound better than the thunder with a tubescreamer. The screamer also has a lot more features.
thanks, dude! i will ask MDV via pm for his opinions on the Screamer
(he does have one, doesn't he???)
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^ yeah.
degoey who used to hang out around here had/has one too (he had tim's old one), but I haven't seen him around for a while.
You might as well ask mdv what he thought of the thunder too.
:drink:
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^ yeah.
degoey who used to hang out around here had/has one too (he had tim's old one), but I haven't seen him around for a while.
You might as well ask mdv what he thought of the thunder too.
:drink:
thanks :D
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when you gonna go try out that used screamer near you?
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probably next weekend. i've asked them and they say it's fine.