Author Topic: Another Bedroom Amp Thread.... (Read 7913 times)

Twinfan · « **Reply #15 on:** March 04, 2008, 09:50:41 PM »

It gets worse when you know all the guys in there really well and they mention new stuff on the way whenever you go in :roll:

apmaman · « **Reply #16 on:** March 04, 2008, 11:34:51 PM »

for the cheapo Crate Blackhearts? What about them?

MajorPentatonic · « **Reply #17 on:** March 06, 2008, 10:10:55 PM »

I'd recommend the Cornell Romany Plus as well, with a Seymour Duncan Twin Tube Classic pedal.

The Romany is single channel 1x12, very much in the Fender style, but add in the Twin Tube and you end up with a great 3 channel amp. Perfect for blues and rock.

The great thing about the Cornell (other than the tone) is that you can switch it from 10 to 1/4 watt, so it's perfect for home use, but can also hold it's own if you're jamming with other people. Probably not up to serious gigging though.

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #18 on:** March 06, 2008, 11:00:33 PM »

Matt - you can try out the Romany (mine an old pre-romany one called "the Stinger") and pedals at mine when you come down for the guitar if you haven't already gotten sorted.

Ted · « **Reply #19 on:** March 07, 2008, 12:49:32 PM »

Quote from: indysmith

I don't know much about the minimat 2, but the first one is HORRIBLE.

On the subject of Laneys though; the Lionhearts are apparently really nice, and the clips I've heard are orgasmic

bog off indy, my minimat rocks your house... :P

PhilKing · « **Reply #20 on:** March 07, 2008, 12:58:25 PM »

Quote from: indysmith

I don't know much about the minimat 2, but the first one is HORRIBLE.

I'd have to disagree stongly with you there. I have one with a matamp 1x12 and a G12M heritage and I can get some great sounds out of it. The boost isn't the greatest, but I don't use it, I prefer to use a pedal in front of the amp. Tim was at my house and was playing through it and he commented on how good it sounded.

What are you basing your opinion on? Did you have one and didn't like it? If so, did you try it with different speakers, because it does seem to be very fussy about the speakers you use?

Ted · « **Reply #21 on:** March 07, 2008, 01:09:07 PM »

I'd agree with PhilK.

I'd also recommend a good Mosfet Clean Boost with a Minimat. This really makes the amp sound alive, just like proper tube amps should.

Although I did try the speaker wall throughout the factory and most of the speakers sounded good, but I just prefered the Hot100.

I plug into my Minimat more than into my King Street these days.

indysmith · « **Reply #22 on:** March 07, 2008, 01:14:25 PM »

Quote from: PhilKing

Quote from: indysmith
I don't know much about the minimat 2, but the first one is HORRIBLE.

I'd have to disagree stongly with you there. I have one with a matamp 1x12 and a G12M heritage and I can get some great sounds out of it. The boost isn't the greatest, but I don't use it, I prefer to use a pedal in front of the amp. Tim was at my house and was playing through it and he commented on how good it sounded.

What are you basing your opinion on? Did you have one and didn't like it? If so, did you try it with different speakers, because it does seem to be very fussy about the speakers you use?

I have one and I've tried it through a few different speakers. G12H, Vintage 30, G12M-70, Goodmans Audiom 12-P. I just really hate the amp; i can't get a useable sound out of the thing. It sounds so thin and hard no matter what I put it through. I think I'm just not a 6V6 fan at all...or a Matamp fan.

Twinfan · « **Reply #23 on:** March 07, 2008, 01:23:48 PM »

If it's that bad there may be something wrong with it - wiring error at the factory? I'd get in touch with them and have them take a look at it.

Ted · « **Reply #24 on:** March 07, 2008, 01:26:19 PM »

Quote from: indysmith

Quote from: PhilKing
Quote from: indysmith
I don't know much about the minimat 2, but the first one is HORRIBLE.

I'd have to disagree stongly with you there. I have one with a matamp 1x12 and a G12M heritage and I can get some great sounds out of it. The boost isn't the greatest, but I don't use it, I prefer to use a pedal in front of the amp. Tim was at my house and was playing through it and he commented on how good it sounded.

What are you basing your opinion on? Did you have one and didn't like it? If so, did you try it with different speakers, because it does seem to be very fussy about the speakers you use?

I have one and I've tried it through a few different speakers. G12H, Vintage 30, G12M-70, Goodmans Audiom 12-P. I just really hate the amp; i can't get a useable sound out of the thing. It sounds so thin and hard no matter what I put it through. I think I'm just not a 6V6 fan at all...or a Matamp fan.

What are you plugging into it? A broom?

Thats sounds broken, I'll give you £100 for it!

gwEm · « **Reply #25 on:** March 07, 2008, 01:26:52 PM »

before he gets blasted too much, i must say i agree with indy. i tried the minimat in a guitar shop once. we tried all sorts of different speakers and so on through it. in the end i decided i prefered the sound of my old marshall, even with the master volume on a half.

shop owner told me that there was a number of different revisions of the minimat, even within the mk1 series. maybe this accounts for it, i dont know, but i was very dissapointed.

perhaps it needs a nice pedal to get the best from it. for the price the minimat is, i think i would prefer to spend my money in another way.

Ted · « **Reply #26 on:** March 07, 2008, 01:34:05 PM »

Quote from: gwEm

before he gets blasted too much, i must say i agree with indy. i tried the minimat in a guitar shop once. we tried all sorts of different speakers and so on through it. in the end i decided i prefered the sound of my old marshall, even with the master volume on a half.

shop owner told me that there was a number of different revisions of the minimat, even within the mk1 series. maybe this accounts for it, i dont know, but i was very dissapointed.

perhaps it needs a nice pedal to get the best from it. for the price the minimat is, i think i would prefer to spend my money in another way.

You really need a clean boost into the high channel to get the best out of it. Then you need to crank the volume and adjust master volume to taste. It took me a while to work this out, but now it rocks and is very simple to use. If you like pedals, this amp is a joy as it loves them. I have owned both versions EL84 and 6V6 (still own this one) and they are both fantastic.

gwEm · « **Reply #27 on:** March 07, 2008, 01:39:06 PM »

Quote from: Ted

Quote from: gwEm
perhaps it needs a nice pedal to get the best from it. for the price the minimat is, i think i would prefer to spend my money in another way.

You really need a clean boost into the high channel to get the best out of it. Then you need to crank the volume and adjust master volume to taste. It took me a while to work this out, but now it rocks and is very simple to use. If you like pedals, this amp is a joy as it loves them. I have owned both versions EL84 and 6V6 (still own this one) and they are both fantastic.

you seem like a nice guy Ted, and if it works for you - then i'm pleased for you :) one thing i did really like on it was the built-in attenuator.

perhaps i just prefer preamp distortion and marshall tonal colouration - but i do see what indy means and agree. i'm happy i didn't blind purchase one, which i almost did.

Ted · « **Reply #28 on:** March 07, 2008, 02:02:55 PM »

Yep, the Mini sounds nothing like a Marshall, but it still rocks.

I can see how loads of people accustomed to modern 2 channel amps with modern gain stages would be confused by it, but I like the simplicity.

I'm glad I stuck with mine cause as you said gwEm it does work for me, but I could see how it won't work for some people. But its not "Horrible".

martinw · « **Reply #29 on:** March 07, 2008, 07:05:18 PM »

Re the Minimat:

If anyone's got a Minimat they're not happy with, pop in to the factory, and I can arrange to carry out the re-voicing mods I have been developing. Of course, I can't make it sound like a JCM800

but the "new" Minmat sounds significantly brighter, with a less grainy/ragged distortion, a smoother transition, tighter bass when flat out and a bit more power.
I should stress that this is not custom voicing, but a package of mods that alter the core tone of the amp to produce an amp we are now very happy with.
The revoiced Minimat may become the Minimat III or something similar.

Cheers! :)