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Author Topic: Considering new amps.  (Read 7049 times)

Alex

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Re: Considering new amps.
« Reply #15 on: April 25, 2010, 01:20:31 PM »
There are tons of good little amps out there. Are you looking for head/box or rather - as your choices suggest - a combo?

Do you want a two channel amp or a single channel one?

I dig the small Laney LC15 and LC30, but they are both single channel.
I also love the Lionheart series, which this board seems not to favor very much.

I also thought about replacing my own Krank Rev Jr with a more British MJW amp, but since I play a lot in D standard the small power amps just can't give enough definition on low tunings.

I personally think that all the MESA stuff is severely overpriced in the UK. And if Guitarist continues to give them incredible reviews, I stand by my opinion that MESA is worth their price only in US $, not in Europe.

Current BKPs: Miracle Man, Nailbomb, Juggernaut, VHII
Past BKPS: Holy Diver, Trilogy Suite, Sinner, Black Dog

Ian Price

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Re: Considering new amps.
« Reply #16 on: April 25, 2010, 01:23:09 PM »
Has anyone got any experience of the Laney VC15? I'm assuming they are similar to the VC30.
I think I hate being indecisive.

sgmypod

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Re: Considering new amps.
« Reply #17 on: April 25, 2010, 02:06:46 PM »
yeah supersonic even though was a 1x12 is very, very loud
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Elliot

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Re: Considering new amps.
« Reply #18 on: April 25, 2010, 02:48:20 PM »
Fender always seem to put silly tapers on their volume controls - like at 2 its loud.  Its easy to mod but they could stagger things abit!
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38thBeatle

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Re: Considering new amps.
« Reply #19 on: April 25, 2010, 03:02:30 PM »
I also have a VC30 - mine is a 2x10. Very usable amp and can be quite warm. Easy to get a tone out of though.I do sometimes wish it would do the great Fender cleans but otherwise a great all rounder.
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tomjackson

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Re: Considering new amps.
« Reply #20 on: April 25, 2010, 06:24:40 PM »
Has anyone got any experience of the Laney VC15? I'm assuming they are similar to the VC30.

Yes, pretty similar.  The VC15's are nice too, very light and portable.  Well made with a plywood cab.  Nice cleans crunch and drive. Reverb is just OK.

I've just bought one for my small practise amp, I wanted something grab-and-go for smaller drummerless gigs and jammin' at mates.   The Jensen Speaker can't give out enough to keep up with a loud drummer.  You would need an extension cab for that.  Also note that as the valves are directly behind the speaker you can't really upgrade it unless you can find something as shallow (about 90mm).  That said the low efficiency is helpful to me in most situations.

For full band gigs I'll be ordering an MJW Roadstar as soon as I can but I'm glad I've got the Laney, it's so nice to just rush out the house carrying only a guitar on your back and a 14kg Combo.

Mine is in Ols English White.

Might be worth having a look at the new 15w cubs as well, they have an attenuated 1w output as well.

tomjackson

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Re: Considering new amps.
« Reply #21 on: April 25, 2010, 06:28:25 PM »

I also had an LC15R at one stage for about 2 days which I took back.  The VC15 is far better made.  The LC15's cab seemed flimsy and lightweight and couldn't handle the 10 inch speaker at gigher volumes.  The VC15 is fine at full volume.

dave_mc

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Re: Considering new amps.
« Reply #22 on: April 25, 2010, 07:23:16 PM »
I personally think that all the MESA stuff is severely overpriced in the UK. And if Guitarist continues to give them incredible reviews, I stand by my opinion that MESA is worth their price only in US $, not in Europe.

+ infinity. Guitarist must have shares in mesa (most of the big brands, to be honest).

even in the states there are plenty of people (on forums) who complain that mesas are way too dear! :lol:

regarding the laneys: I didn't much like the lc15 i tried. VC15 is better (somewhat subjective, but that's my opinion), but I also thought that the vc30 was noticeably better than the vc15.

d1dsj

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Re: Considering new amps.
« Reply #23 on: April 25, 2010, 07:43:36 PM »
I've gotten pretty good results with my newly aquired JCM900 1 x 12 by setting A with the gain max'd for a nice crunch and then channel B (high gain channel) with the volume max'd and just bring the gain up to keep thiongs as clean as possible. It works well enough and takes pedals real well.... ok it's not Fender cleans but it was an absolute bargain in such a solid yet compact package.

LazyNinja

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Re: Considering new amps.
« Reply #24 on: April 25, 2010, 08:03:36 PM »
I prefer the VC15 much more than the LC15. LC15 sounds like your typical boxy little amp.

VC15 is not the lower powered version of VC30 by the way. It's class AB not A and supposed to have much more gain than the VC30, although I can't say for sure because I've not played a VC30. It has enough gain to play hard rock/classic metal stuff.

The main reason (other than tone) I got mine was portability. It's light enough I can carry it with one hand, my pedalboard in the other hand and the guitar on my back. Just gigged mine last night to a crowd of about 100 people and people didnt have problem hearing me.



Ian Price

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Re: Considering new amps.
« Reply #25 on: April 25, 2010, 08:16:33 PM »
That's useful to know - cheers! I'm also having a think about the AC15. It's about £100 more expensive, not sure if that is good value or not. Perhaps I should try one out.

Apologies for the slight thread hijack!
I think I hate being indecisive.

LazyNinja

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Re: Considering new amps.
« Reply #26 on: April 25, 2010, 10:21:45 PM »
That's useful to know - cheers! I'm also having a think about the AC15. It's about £100 more expensive, not sure if that is good value or not. Perhaps I should try one out.

Apologies for the slight thread hijack!

Which AC15 are you after? The custom classic was a fizzy mess on anything above clean sound. Reverb on it is useless. Not sure if the new one is any better. AC15 is quite picky about pedals too. It's actually about twice the size of VC15. I hated it, but ymmv. I do hear good things about the handwired version, but they're very pricey.


dave_mc

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Re: Considering new amps.
« Reply #27 on: April 25, 2010, 10:31:57 PM »
^ yeah, the ac15cc i tried was horrible too. it was second-hand, so maybe the valves were dodgy, but i've heard several other people have the same opinion I have, so...

i thought the vc15 sounded fairly similar to the vc30. ages since i tried both, though.

HTH AMPS

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Re: Considering new amps.
« Reply #28 on: April 26, 2010, 10:13:57 AM »
I've had quite a few of those Chinese-made AC30s in for repair - I doubt the AC15 is any better.  Overall, the construction isn't too bad, they just skimped on some things like the screen resistors which tend to burn out. 

Also, if they don't have the alnico blue Celestion in them, they sound bloody awful - especially with those Neo-magnet Celestions.

How about an old Wem 15w combo? - you'll pick one up for less than £300 all day. 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WEM-Dominator-Bass-MK-1-amp_W0QQitemZ320521564163QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL?hash=item4aa092f003#ht_500wt_1182


Ian Price

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Re: Considering new amps.
« Reply #29 on: April 26, 2010, 10:40:24 AM »
I'd not really bothered looking into WEM before you posted that link. After a quick look up on youtube I'm pretty impressed! Are they any good played clean - the clips I watched were all pretty gainy and compressed.
I think I hate being indecisive.