New Amp Advice

[mkh02]

Hey guys after your fantastic advice on the PRS which I have now settled on I am turning the question to amps.

I am looking to get a new valve amp as I am finding I am using my Carvin Vai Legacy II more and more on the clean channel with a POD HD 500 as  I dont find the distorted channel has enough gain or smothness in its distortion to play highly overdriven lead breaks the way I like. i am happy with my set up and really like the POD but I would like another amp that I could purely use the valaves on (why not lol!)

I am thinking about going for a Marshall of some degree however your opinons would be greatly received.

I am looking for:

2-3 channels so I can play rhythm secions with a good classic rock crunch then kick in for more gain in the solos.

Nice classic rock tones with the ability to kick out massive gain and thick distortion.

Nothing too clean.. I know this sounds strange but quite frequently I find that the heavy distortions on some amps can still be a bit to pronounced. i dont want anything too fizzy but a thickness and smoothness to the sound for lead breaks would be good. I dont really like the biting treble that some boutique blues amps kick out.

Some versitility. Amps like the Mesa Boogie are good at what they do however I dont want everything to sound like metal.

As a guide point I really love Doug Aldrich's sound on the new Whitesnake album Forevermore. Very modern high gain sounding but really seems to be at the high end of 'blues rock'. Its not quite over the edge of full blown mesa/ metal teritory but it aint far off and the sound is great.

Any thoughts would be great again I would ideally want a Marshall. I would ideally not want to spend more than 1500 if possible !

Thanks for your advice in advance guys!

Mark

[Twinfan]

From your description, and your preference for Marshall tones, I'd say you should be looking at:

Bogner Ecstasy:  http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_amps_detail.asp?stock=06020318075129
Bogner Goldfinger:  http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_amps_detail.asp?stock=11010518230319
Splawn Quickrod:  http://www.soundsgreatmusic.com/products/6972/5111/splawn-quick-rod.aspx

All are over your budget new though, especially the XTC.  Finding a Goldfinger or Quickrod used will be difficult as the GF has only just come out and Splawns are rare in the UK.  A used XTC would probably cost as much as a new Quickrod.

I think a new Quickrod is your best bet, so you need to speak to "Brow" here on the forum who has one.  I've played it and it's great, very Marshall-y.

[Alex]

I really enjoy the new Marshalls, the JVM series and the Vintage Modern. They cover a lot of ground - be sure to check them out.

[Twinfan]

The Vintage Modern hasn't got the channels and flexibilty, so the JVM would be a better choice I think?

[HTH AMPS]

2nd vote for the Goldfinger - played one in Guitar Guitar and it was Marshally alright.

[Alex]

The Vintage Modern hasn't got the channels and flexibilty, so the JVM would be a better choice I think?

True, but it reacts nicely to the volume pot and does a great classic rock sound.

[hunter]

You want a Cornford Mk50H. It's a beast of an amp, amazes me whenever I plug in! If you need cleans get the MkII.

TFs suggestion for a Bogner Goldfinger is also cool, I'm sure they are as amazing as the clips.
A Splawn will be quite hard to play but sound great in band context.

[Twinfan]

How do you mean "quite hard to play", Hunter?  I played Brow's at lower volume and it sounded great with little or no effort on my part!  :lol:

[HTH AMPS]

worth looking at the Egnater stuff too...

http://www.soundsgreatmusic.com/products/6972/5902/egnater-renegade-50-head-.aspx
http://www.soundsgreatmusic.com/products/6972/4681/egnater-tourmaster-4100-head-.aspx

[Telerocker]

Bogner Goldfinger
Bogner Ecstacy
Splawn Quickrod
Hughes & Kettner Triamp
Marshall JVM (cheaper and good allrounder)

[St.James]

[

[HTH AMPS]

also, you could do worse than check out a Mesa 3-channel dual recto for the kind of tones you're after, maybe a Lonestar or Stilleto (used prices of course as new are over £2k)

[Dmoney]

also, you could do worse than check out a Mesa 3-channel dual recto for the kind of tones you're after, maybe a Lonestar or Stilleto (used prices of course as new are over £2k)

and use EL34 in the dual rec, and my advice would to also use a lower gain 12AX7, maybe even a 5751 in V1.