Hi Gain amps!

[PPPMAT]

I have just shifted a ton of gear recently and have built up a war chest specifically for GAS! (wicked  8))

I have settled down on guitars now and pretty much only play Gibsons which has helped my playing come on a bit from just getting used to one type of guitar - but thats another story.

Anyway, I am looking for a hi gain head. I have done loads of research and narrowed it down in my own mind to either:

1. Cornford MK50 II
2. Soldano Hot Rod 50+

I have tried neither and intend to have a go on the cornford soon. I suspect I will never get to try a Hot Rod 50+. My dream amp as a teenager was always an slo100 but its mega money and most reviews tend to have word in it such as 'upper mids' and 'ice picky' and also 'needs some volume' all of which don't sound ideal. slo100s are even rarer.

So, is there anything else out there that I may have overlooked? I am after a creamy thick overdrive together with a nice crunch. Also it has to be twin channel. I am aiming tone wise away from hot rod Marshall territory if possible as I have that base already covered.

Any ideas welcome.

cheers Matt

[Loomer]

If you want something a bit cheaper than those two, I can heartily recommend the Orange Rockerverb, and ESPECIALLY the new TH30.

The TH30 has massive amounts of gain, and a frankly ludicrous price tag. It has no right to sound half as good as it does while being that cheap, but the cheeky little bugger up and does it anyway.

[danger5oh]

I was in the market for a high gain amp a few months ago... after going to every single music shop that I had access to, I ended up with on Orange TH30 and never once looked back.  This amp nails basically every single tone I've had in my head... I don't think there's one setting on that shape knob that isn't useable for something awesome.

[Transcend]

I was in the market for a high gain amp a few months ago... after going to every single music shop that I had access to, I ended up with on Orange TH30 and never once looked back.  This amp nails basically every single tone I've had in my head... I don't think there's one setting on that shape knob that isn't useable for something awesome.

Just looking at your signature... Where did you get the EMG JH's from?

And to the OP have you looked into clones of the SLO.

I will agree that they do have a fair amount of upper mids but the mid control is very sensitive and you can just change it.

I would not describe them as ice picky at all and they do tick all the other boxes that you want.

It works out cheaper than buying most production amps to do it this way and the result is almost identical!

If you search i have a few threads regarding it on here.

And hopefully tomorrow i should be getting hold of a real SLO100 to do some A/B clips.

Depending on what options you want you can build one of these for a really small amount.

[Twinfan]

If you like the sound of an SLO, or fancy trying one, how about a Jet City JCA50H or JCA100H?

Cheap as chips, sound great and have the SLO circuit  ;)

[Transcend]

If you like the sound of an SLO, or fancy trying one, how about a Jet City JCA50H or JCA100H?

Cheap as chips, sound great and have the SLO circuit  ;)

This is also another option.

I however built an exact clone of the SLO with Hi def transformers for less than a new jca100h!

It all depends whether the OP is handy with an iron or not

[Twinfan]

True, but a Jet City is easy to get hold of now and sell on again if it doesn't suit  :)

[PPPMAT]

The trouble with all of this is that you have to make a decision based on 'youtube' clips and internet gossip. It is next to impossible to try an slo. I think the only way I could sort of do this is buy one from Thomann - try it and then just send it back if its a let down.

TF - I hear you on the Jet City stuff but do they really sound like an slo? Again - who knows?

I am interested in opinions on the Cornford though. The clips of the MK50 sound very nice. Common opinion appears to be a Soldano tone but a bit darker which would suit very nicely. I have owned a carrera before and didn't really like it but thats a very different beast.

Building a clone isn't something that I have the skills or time to do but I agree it is a good solution.

I think in the end I 'want' a Soldano but I think that the cornford might be better suited to me being a bit darker. I've looked at Splawns, Bogners,Diezel etc but none are right tone wise

[Transcend]

The jet city amps do have some similarities but they dont sound super close but they are good sounding amps for what you pay

As for trying them yeah thats awkward unless you know somebody with one or as has been suggested get one sent from thomman or the like and send it back if you dont like it

[Twinfan]

TF - I hear you on the Jet City stuff but do they really sound like an slo? Again - who knows?

They're designed by the same guy, using the same circuit, but with lesser grade parts.  They'll be pretty close.

I'm dead impressed with my JCA20H, and as you know I have/had some nice amps to compare it to.

[dave_mc]

I am interested in opinions on the Cornford though. The clips of the MK50 sound very nice. Common opinion appears to be a Soldano tone but a bit darker which would suit very nicely. I have owned a carrera before and didn't really like it but thats a very different beast.

that's what i'd have said- however i haven't tried the slo or mk50 (mark I or II), that's from trying the avenger and hurricane/hellcat/carrera.

[Dmoney]

TF - I hear you on the Jet City stuff but do they really sound like an slo? Again - who knows?

They're designed by the same guy, using the same circuit, but with lesser grade parts.  They'll be pretty close.

I'm dead impressed with my JCA20H, and as you know I have/had some nice amps to compare it to.

I don't think its the SLO circuit as such. lead channel is probably very similar, but its more like a budget Hot Rod Plus.
I've never peeped the MK50 circuit, but I once read a sentence on the internerd that it's based on the SLO. Although that isn't much to go on.

I think Toe-Knee has a good idea of SLO vs Jet City. I'd trust his opinion.

Do you need 2 channels?

[Tellboy]

Hunter (who I expect will comment later!) has a Cornford MK50 and is delighted with it - and he has previously had some top end amps.

Here is a clip of his MK50 together with an Elmood Modena M60 (which you might also consider) - the MK starts at around 3:20.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiEliO4BLlo

I'm sure he will be able to answer any queries you have on the Cornford.

[HTH AMPS]

I don't know how close in circuit the Jet City JCA100H is to the SLO100, but its designed by Mike Soldano so I'd imagine (like Twinfan said) its pretty close. 

I've heard a side-by-side comparison on Youtube and the SLO100 was definitely better, but you would hope it would be at around four times the price.  Still, there wasn't THAT much in it.

I know when I played a JCA100H in the flesh I was very impressed and almost bought one.

[Dmoney]

I don't know how close in circuit the Jet City JCA100H is to the SLO100, but its designed by Mike Soldano so I'd imagine (like Twinfan said) its pretty close. 

I've heard a side-by-side comparison on Youtube and the SLO100 was definitely better, but you would hope it would be at around four times the price.  Still, there wasn't THAT much in it.

I know when I played a JCA100H in the flesh I was very impressed and almost bought one.

there is a side by side with the SLO? ive seen a side by side with the 50watt hot rod. its not the best demo and i feel they could be more similar than the video demonstrates. also full of a fair bit of jibberish but the hot rod and jca100 sound similar. I think the clean channel in the SLO can have an effect on the lead channel right? doesn't the clean channel circuit load the lead channel or something? You get a lot of channel bleed in the SLO for sure, which can make a difference on the lead channel. The Hot Rod clean channel is different to the SLO. I bet the Hot Rod is pretty good though.

worth getting a JCA100H as cheap as you can and swapping some bits? maybe even the transformers?
For the cost of a JCA100H though, couldn't you build a pretty nice single channel high gain beast? or are they available for loads less than I realise?