Gettin' me a new amp

[Dave_the_rave]

Howdy fellow BKP'ers! Got the typical amp question here: I'm looking to get a new amp head+cab, looking to get a good, high gain but decent tone metal sound, with a bit of range. Sort of Painkiller era Judas Priest, through to something more modern like Children of Bodom, and preferably with a nice enough clean to it.
Here's the challenge - my budget is about £600-700. It would be for say, at maximum big pub and club gigs, as well as my own personal amusement :P

Any thoughts?

[hunter]

Laney GH-50L used and a used 2x12 or 4x12 cab.

Do get a good cab, it has a big impact, so I would split the investment almost 400 Head, 3-400 cab.

This is just one of many routes you could take though.

[Dave_the_rave]

hmmm Laney...well, ive not had much experience with Laney, would a Laney really fill those kind of requirements? They seema bit less....i dont know, 'gain heavy' then perhaps some other amps. i dont know really, any opinions guys on that Laney or another amp?

[AdamB]

Second hand Peavey 5150 for the head

[PhilKing]

If you can find a second hand JCM800 that be the best sound, with either a 4x12 or 2x12 depending on your funds.  If you can find a cheap cab, and know someone who can make a head cab, the Ceriatone JCM 800 clone in the 50W 2204 version is not a bad price.

[Dave_the_rave]

listening to the Lanel ghl50, some of the tone some of the guys are getting on youtube is pretty good i have to admit, listening to the peavey now - never been a huge fan of peaveys, maybe thats cus ive only played little diddy ones, any other suggestions?

[JamesHealey]

the peavey 5150 is a cracking amp!  8)
I use a JCM800 they're the dogs bollox!

[noodleplugerine]

5150 combo is about 800 on thomann if I remember right.

Other than that - Engl Screamer will do you proud.

Edit: Just realised that you don't seem to know about 5150s, and the posts here don't quite cover what they're about...

Let me put it this way - the 5150 has arguably the best metal distortion of any amp EVER.

[_tom_]

GH50L with a boost to tighten up the bass will do metal no problems.

[Dave_the_rave]

sounds like the GH50L is a good idea - tone wise i do use a line6 Uber Metal pedal so a bass boost etc isnt too much of a problem, but if the distortion is good enough for me without all the better. what about a cab, any recommendations of make - i was tihnking something like a simple Marshall cab of some description

[_tom_]

The only thing with the GH is that if you need a proper clean sound you wont really get it if you have the amp set up for distortion, it being a single channel amp. I rarely use clean though and when I do I like it to have a bit of dirt in it anyway so its not a problem for me. I wouldnt use the uber metal with it, all you need is a tubescreamer style pedal like an sd1 or something, with the gain all the way down, volume all the way up and tone to taste.

I'm using a Tube-Town 2x12 with G12H speakers and it sounds really good, only cost about £250 all in. You can have custom tolex etc - www.tube-town.net

I personally wouldnt get a cheap Marshall cab, my mate has one of the old valvestate 4x12s and my 2x12 sounds much bigger and better :)

[Nolly]

+1 on the Laney, it's got PLENTY of gain, though you may want a tubescreamer-type OD to tighten it up for the more modern stuff.

I had Twinfan's old GH50L for a while, and it was a very very nice sounding amp.

[LazyNinja]

I agree with everything said about the GH50L but would like to add that if you want a really clean clean you could get a VH100R. Mine puts many Fenders to shame on the clean channel tons of headroom and has a nice chime to the sound.

Framus cab with vintage 30s from thomann is a very good deal at under £200 from Thomann if they still sell them.

[dave_mc]

Let me put it this way - the 5150 has arguably the best metal distortion of any amp EVER.

steady on, now...  :?

[indysmith]

Let me put it this way - the 5150 has arguably the best metal distortion of any amp EVER.

You could say that...


...or you could say they sound like cr@p