Lookin for a IInd amp

[Machek]

Hi guys,

I'm currently in the process of upgrading the two guitar amps of my band.
We play in a heavy-rock band ( http://www.myspace.com/lastpay ) maybe some of you
will remind it, cause i posted a dozen of times here quite a while ago, and are going for a very rich, grainy, roary, growly, phat sound that stays precise, touch-responsive and dynamic.

We are two guitarists and Bare Knuckle devotee, I play a crawlered Les Paul and cover the growly lower mids ground,
and my mate has got a RY'ed Flying Vee for that higher mids oh-so-pleasing bump and scream. Both guitar complete each other very nicely.

Now we need two amps with their 4*12 cabs that will do the same kind of job than the pickups:
sound fat without bothering each other too much.
They will have to be able to match each other volume wise for live performances.
We don't have anything against monocanals amps (on the contrary!) since we love to play with our beloved BKP's volumes knob... Second hand is not a problem.
And we dispose of 2000eur for each amp+4*12cab combo...

One given: I have a sweet deal on a Soldano Avenger head and I'm buying it.
What do you reckon / recommand for a cab? the speakers in particular? V30s?

And what would you suggest as a second amp?

I had another sweet second-hand deal on Vintage modern head+matching cab ( fancy greenbacks loaded),
but isn't the Soldano already sort of Marshally voiced??

Well what do you guys think, you know more than I do....

Thanks in advance

Machek

[hunter]

I played the Avenger through a Bogner 4x12 loaded with V30s, it was maybe the best hi-gain tone I ever experienced, even at low volume it was great.

I find the Avenger darker voiced than a Marshall, but depends on how you set them, I see it more between british and recto voicing.

Avenger and Marshall 2466 might indeed be a very good combo, as the Marshall is bright and has that upper mids thing going, whereas the Avenger can cover that crushing lowend roar.

[hamfist]

My instant thought was a VHT (now Fryette amplification) Deliverance. THese are some of the very, very best single channel amps around. Very flexible in the tones you can  get from them. I'm sure you could get a 60W or 120W  Deliverance and the matching 4x12 cab for approximately your budget.

Other thoughts -

A Peavey 6505
Diezel Einstein (perhaps pushing your budget a bit)

For sure, try out a Marshall VM, but I'm not a fan at all. WHo knows, though, it might be just what you're looking for.

[hunter]

Agree with Hamfist there, if the VM isn't tight enough in the lowend, a Deliverance could be a great match for the Avenger as well. They are also meant to be bright, so it's a perfect recommendation.

Instead of the Avenger, I could also think of
-MESA Rectifier and Marshall JCM800 (the classic combination)
-Bogner Überschall & Soldano

To have a bit something special: MAKO Dorado (http://www.makoamplification.com/dorado.html) and a Cameron modded Marshall (http://www.cameronamplifiers.com/)

[Machek]

Yeah, I should have precised that earlier, we are no fans of the Mesas.
Last summer we recorded in a big studio and had three different amps: a Mesa, an good old modded Marshall plexi and a Orange combo (rocker 30 I think)...

Thought i would prefer the mesa cause it sounded so cool during the rehearsals preparing the recording session...
But when we had to mix everything, the Mesa happened to be a simple blurry mush... an we didn't push the gain (was on 1)!!
Yeah it had this constant overcompressed hi pitched note and no precision (even with BKPs),
and it was just hell to mix it. While the boosted and maxed out Plexi in an old Hiwatt cab was awesome and blended nicely with the Orange...
In the end my preference was Marshall, Orange, Mesa...

Oh yeah, the budget is not really expendable cause it's not our money, but our label's.... and yeah, remember that right now 1£ pretty much = 1eur, so if you have any british buying website clue, bring it on!
What V30's loaded cab woul you recommand for the avenger?

Thanks for all the input guys, we really appreciate,
BKP forum: very informative as always ;)

Thanks again
Cheers

[hunter]

Yeah, I should have precised that earlier, we are no fans of the Mesas.
Last summer we recorded in a big studio and had three different amps: a Mesa, an good old modded Marshall plexi and a Orange combo (rocker 30 I think)...

Thought i would prefer the mesa cause it sounded so cool during the rehearsals preparing the recording session...
But when we had to mix everything, the Mesa happened to be a simple blurry mush... an we didn't push the gain (was on 1)!!
Yeah it had this constant overcompressed hi pitched note and no precision (even with BKPs),
and it was just hell to mix it. While the boosted and maxed out Plexi in an old Hiwatt cab was awesome and blended nicely with the Orange...
In the end my preference was Marshall, Orange, Mesa...

Oh yeah, the budget is not really expendable cause it's not our money, but our label's.... and yeah, remember that right now 1£ pretty much = 1eur, so if you have any british buying website clue, bring it on!
What V30's loaded cab woul you recommand for the avenger?

Thanks for all the input guys, we really appreciate,
BKP forum: very informative as always ;)

Thanks again
Cheers

In that case Vintage Modern and the stock 2466 Cab for the Marshall, and for the Avenger I would recommend a Bogner Cab (anyways as they are dead on awesome) or a real good cab for the money with a nice low end punch is as well the new EVH one, which is loaded with 20W Celestions.

[dave_mc]

the avenger's nice... so's the deliverance. both single channel, though, if that's a problem... considering you're in europe, not the best value either, engl and other european brands would be worth a look too...

[Denim n Leather]

I also think that ENGL is the way to go.

[Machek]

Yeah, I already looked up for ENGLs, but i have a really sweet deal going on the Avenger and think
I'll go for it.... Do you think the ENGL will blend nicely with it? fill the upper mids?

[dave_mc]

if you can get a good deal on the avenger, then sure. i agree with hunter, kind of in-between marshall and recto.

not sure how engl would sit with it, i haven't tried both together... :lol: going to depend on which engl too, they all more or less sound like engls, but they all have their own thing going on too, if that makes sense. :)

[Machek]

Man I'm pissed of!....

I'm so bummed dudes, I practicly had it: the only second-hand Avenger currently on sell in France, for an extremely fair price of 1000euros -against the 2300eur new-.....!!!
The guy was trying to sell it since august, constantly upped his selling thread on french forums until like three days ago... the day I tried to reach him. I thought, well he must still have it and is still looking for a buyer...
Well the guy risponded today and said he already find a buyer and that the guy already came to pick the head up.
F*****K!

I'm back to square one, except the obvious ENGL solution, has anyone has a clue?
an idea for a couple of 2000eur-completing-each-other-50-to-100-hi-gain-watters plus their respective cabs....?

[hunter]

Dude there is one for 849 GBP on the bay. Looks like a great deal for less than half of what it's new. If it only had a loop then I would get it myself.

http://cgi.ebay.de/SOLDANO-AVENGER-HIGH-GAIN-100WATT-HEAD-MINT-BEST_W0QQitemZ250355826178QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL?hash=item250355826178&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

[Lew]

I know where a dualrectumfryerc(2chan) is for 899 if it's any good 8)

[Machek]

THANKS HUNTER!!! You're the man!!

We're gonna see tonight with our label, if they can slightly increase our budget in order to buy the Avenger new (with a VHT too ;) ).
But if they don't want to, man this is a hell of a plan B !!

Hunter, have you ever considered and A/B box to play with two amps?
You could have one with an effect loop for wet sounds and one without that you'd run completely dry, say a Soldano Avenger for example... That could rip too right?.... just a suggestion...

Well Thanks again hunter, really appreciate :)

[hunter]

Hunter, have you ever considered and A/B box to play with two amps?
You could have one with an effect loop for wet sounds and one without that you'd run completely dry, say a Soldano Avenger for example... That could rip too right?.... just a suggestion...

DON'T TEMPT ME.

I just thought I was cured of amp gas, having played the Axe FX through SS poweramp lately, but recently I cranked my Shiva direct w/o any FX, and it was  :o

Now you see the result, I am browsing the Amps on the bay again :(

Don't wait too long, that Avenger might soon be gone ...