help with amp shopping...

[tellthatmick]

i'm buying a new amp, and i'm not really sure what to go for.

i've currently got a marshall avt150H which is okay, but to be honest it just doesnt cut it for the type of music in playing.

my bands music can best be described as 'tech-punk' [you can check us out at www.myspace.com/tripdash] and i'm the only guitarist so i need something with alot of beef, but also a reasonable amount of treble.
i dont really play any 'typical' solos such as widdling about on the upper strings, but there are alot of single note runs and accents on the lower strings, so the amp must be able to define the notes at the lower levels.

i think the sound i'm trying to describe is an amalgamation of these bands...
www.myspace.com/awilhelmscream
www.myspace.com/protestthehero
...but it's hard to really put my finger on it.

my budget is about 800quid i reckon, but i could maybes stretch that a grand.

all suggestions are welcome!!!cheers guys!

[waves]

awesome bands man. kezia is one of my favourite albums everr.

[tellthatmick]

yeah totally, its amazing. new album in january =D

[waves]

i know its been too long.

anyway, i don't want to change the subject so i'll shut up  :)

[hunter]

With your budget I'd look into:

Marshall JVM / DSL / TSL
Peavey EVH 5150
Boogie Mk III or IV (if you can get a deal)
Marshall JMP1/ Power Amp
Spider Valve ?

[Mr Ed]

Marshall JCM900. ;)

JVM's look hella nice too.

[Roobubba]

Check out my other topic on speakers for pics of my 5150-II and some clips comparing the speakers. It will give you a small idea of what the 5150-II sounds like (although I didn't make it sound pretty for those recordings!!).

Or! Look in my sig!

All done on the 5150-II, albeit without the latest speaker change in my 5150 cab ;)

I can thoroughly recommend this amp. It is just SO nice :)

Roo

(PS 5150 = Peavey 6505, exactly the same. Similarly, 5150-II = 6505+. Just depends whether it was pre- or post-EVH splitting from Peavey for this amp!)

[tellthatmick]

awesome, cheers guys.

the 6505+ sounds brutal as hell!!!!!

does anyone have any opinions on the Engl Fireball head?

[Roobubba]

I've not tried one, but what I hear is good. Most people seem to recommend the Powerball over the fireball, though. The cleans are much better than on the Peavey (although personally I think the cleans are absolutely fine for most uses on the 6505+, but poor on the 6505).

I am very biased though, as I love my 5150-II :)

[noodleplugerine]

Powerball = Fireball basically, with 2 extra channels, an EQ for each channel and Midi connectivity.

The Fireball is a superb amp.

Personally, I would probably rather an Engl to a 5150 - Simply because they're just so much more rounded.

[tellthatmick]

yeah, a mate has a fireball and he swears by it. i tried one out aaaages ago and i thought it was very cool, nice and simple, mind i've yet to try the 6505/5150 or any of the JVM.

the JVM does seem to have alot of stuff that i really dont need to be honest.

[dave_mc]

does anyone have any opinions on the Engl Fireball head?

it's my least favourite engl- not terribly versatile. And I'm an engl fanboy.

Then again, i don't play much death metal so I'm probably biased.

[stratguy23]

I tried the Engl Invader. It was not impressive. I used a Custom Shop '57 Strat to try it too. Sovteks are good but not versitile. I have two and love them both.

[tellthatmick]

i just tried the Engl fireball + the 6505 at my local store....

the 6505 simply blows the fireball away for sheer heaviness. it's unbelievable. while the fireball is still a pretty awesome amp (clean tone was very nice), its just nowhere near as beefy as the 6505. not even close.

i'm actually in shock as to how disgustingly menacing the 6505 sounded..

[Roobubba]

Great stuff! :) Now you see what I meant ;)

Roo