Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: futuregun on June 27, 2007, 11:49:38 PM

Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: futuregun on June 27, 2007, 11:49:38 PM: are they good for metal or what?i've never heard one live before.anyone shed some light on em?
Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: dave_mc on June 27, 2007, 11:53:01 PM: the ones i've tried (duotone, edition tube and triamp mark II) have quite a unique tone, almost love or hate... you'd be advised (like all amps, but especially so with h&k) to try them, if at all possible.

belfast guitar emporium had a duotone combo a while back, but it might be (i.e. i think it is, i don't remember seeing it there recently) gone by now.
Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: maliciousteve on June 27, 2007, 11:56:19 PM: I played through a Switchblade not too long ago and it was a very decent amp. The built in FX are pretty cool sounding too. Deffinatly worth looking into
Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: Oli on June 27, 2007, 11:58:53 PM: Akerc--ke are using Switchblades live, and 'in the studio' so they say, but they sounded good live :) I've heard great things about both the Triamp MKI and MKII, but never tried them myself.
Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: sgmypod on June 28, 2007, 08:36:37 AM: they have a unique tone..I kinda like them
Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: Antag on June 28, 2007, 10:08:09 AM: I tried the Warp-X, Trilogy & Triamp MKII at this year's LGS - was really lucky to catch a "lull" between the very loud Marshall demos & actually was able to play at a good volume with a decent guitar (before the HK stand got a warning for being too loud :roll:).

The Triamp MKII is simply gorgeous - some out of this world tones, I can see why Alex Lifeson (one of my fav guitarists) uses one. Channel 3B has plenty of gain for metal - the interactive demo on the HK (http://www.hughes-and-kettner.com) website really doesn't do it justice, although this soundfile (http://www.hughes-and-kettner.com/lib/soundplayer.php?soundFile=Track09.mp3&soundName=Channel%203B) is better :twisted: (I'm guessing Alex doesn't use channel 3B much :))

The Warp-X is a flat-out metal amp with a really intense high gain sound & a very clean clean channel. Much more "dense" than the Triamp's gain (I guess that's something to do with 6L6 power valves instead of the Triamps EL34s?). IMO if you're looking to get into Rectifier/5150/Uberschall territory then the Warp-X is worth tracking down.
Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: ToneMonkey on June 28, 2007, 12:28:44 PM: About 15 minutes after I first read this, a bloke at work asked me if I wanted to buy a H&K Vortex 80W combo.

Dunno what it's like, never played a H&K, but it's £200 which he says is a bargin.
Title: bugger
Post by: futuregun on June 28, 2007, 12:38:49 PM: weird man, id be on for that but i just bought a h&k warp head an theres no goin back.bugger
Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: sambo on June 28, 2007, 12:40:03 PM: ToneMonkey- is that the solid state one?

i think i had the head+cab version of that...

for what it was, and for the price i paid, (ebay, about £200-250 i think- cant really remember), i thought it was pretty good.

bearing in mind if your used to a good tube amp like a lot of the people on here are, it's obviously not really gonna compare to that.
Title: hahah
Post by: futuregun on June 28, 2007, 12:47:15 PM: well im moving onto it from a busted ass flextone 60watt combo...its gonna get its medicine once i get a cab...
Title: Re: bugger
Post by: Antag on June 28, 2007, 01:23:28 PM: Quote from: futuregun
weird man, id be on for that but i just bought a h&k warp head an theres no goin back.bugger

A Warp X (http://www.hughes-and-kettner.com/products.php?mode=prod&id=37)? nice! :D

Like I said, it was a nice amp with a mean high gain channel, but I needed 3-channels with an "in between" kinda crunch sound, so it's not on my shopping list...
Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: dave_mc on June 28, 2007, 01:38:16 PM: Quote from: maliciousteve
I played through a Switchblade not too long ago and it was a very decent amp. The built in FX are pretty cool sounding too. Deffinatly worth looking into

ah, i didn't like that one. I liked the triamp, though (though i thought its modern high gain tones weren't great).

personal preference and all that, though.

:drink:
Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: LazyNinja on June 28, 2007, 01:39:28 PM: I have no experience with their tube stuff but some of their SS amps seriously suck. The ones I've tried were the Matrix (which my mate bought, for £300 :? )and the Attax. IMO they sounded worse than a Line 6 Spider and a Marshall MG singing in harmony.

I dont think the vortex thing is a tube amp so I wouldn't be to disappointed that you couln't buy it.
Title: warp
Post by: futuregun on June 28, 2007, 01:42:21 PM: well i got a VERY decent deal on the head so im not fussed if it sucks,ill just sell it on for what i paid for it an keep scouting about.
but i hate my line6 which i have so i need something to pass the time... :evil:
Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: Ratrod on June 28, 2007, 06:07:21 PM: I don't have one of their amps but I do have a pedal. A Tube Factor. Excellent device.

The amps sound great IMO but it is a matter of taste. They're not as warm as a Marshall. And don't forget, it's German engineering. They're the Porsche of amps. And they look cool.
Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: futuregun on June 28, 2007, 06:26:46 PM: Quote from: Ratrod
. They're not as warm as a Marshall. And don't forget, it's German engineering.

thats good.i want a more ... biting amp than a marshall so its likely the business for me...plus it being german is reassuring for quality an reliability.
and the glowing red light of the hed will put a nice evilness to it :twisted:
Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: SamR on June 28, 2007, 08:53:49 PM: Sambo had a hughes and kettner, he was very happy with the clean tones, but the distortion was dissapointing. I dunno maybe it was just a one off bad amp.
Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: sambo on June 28, 2007, 09:02:46 PM: ^indeed- the clean was very nice. TOTALLY different to a 'nice' tube amp clean... it just had a nice quality about it...

and distortion was pretty average/not great... but than again it was a cheap, SS amp... so cant expect much really.
Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: gwEm on June 29, 2007, 10:16:39 AM: i have a h&k cream machine i use as practise amp for hard rock/metal.

i really liked it when i first got it, but now i'd prefer it was a little brighter. still sounds totally fiiiine.

build quality is beyond reproach.
Title: warp
Post by: futuregun on June 29, 2007, 10:25:19 AM: Quote from: sambo
^indeed- the clean was very nice. TOTALLY different to a 'nice' tube amp clean... it just had a nice quality about it...

and distortion was pretty average/not great... but than again it was a cheap, SS amp... so cant expect much really.

from what ive heard the warp channel should be plenty but if not im thinkin of gettin a mesaboogie twin v preamp peaddle of whatever theyre called as i like the mesa thud but not the price so that would improve the distortion i'd think.

but damn this postal strike i was expecting my new head the marra now itll be atleast monday so no weekend warrior'in it up for me. :cry: :evil:
Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: Ratrod on June 29, 2007, 06:59:37 PM: The Mesa V-Twin is NOT a metal pedal. It does NOT sound like a Rectifier. It's a tweed pedal, really. It's a very nice and sweet sounding device, though. But there are pedals out there that might be better suited to your needs.
Title: hughes and kettner
Post by: futuregun on June 29, 2007, 07:59:06 PM: Quote from: Ratrod
The Mesa V-Twin is NOT a metal pedal. It does NOT sound like a Rectifier. It's a tweed pedal, really. It's a very nice and sweet sounding device, though. But there are pedals out there that might be better suited to your needs.

thanks man!!!!!!! i was eye ballin one there on the ebay... any one got suggestions for a nice meaty dis pedal?