Amps you didn't get on with

[FELINEGUITARS]

Anything with EL84s.  I find they're set up to do the Vox thing, which to my ears only works for singlecoils.  Buckers + Vox = thick muddy mess.

I often find that Voxes sound muddy yet too shrill with humbuckers and yet sound fine with single coil guitars.

I have also found issues with some big amps that maybe sound great once you open them up to stage volume (assuming you are playing a big theatre) but you can't use them at home as they sound rotten at low volume.

I liked my Jcm800 2205 split channel though, although my rack through a 10w single ended power amp suits me best - I use an MJW one with my Egnater modular system.

[darkbluemurder]

The two that stood out were the Diezel VH4 and an Engl Straight combo I once had (it's out of production for years now). Cleans were good on both amps but neither had a crunch tone I liked and both had too much gain on their lead channels for me. Especially the Engl was frustrating in that aspect since it lost more and more highs the further down you set the gain control. Traded them both.

Cheers Stephan

[Brow]

A long time ago I had a solidstate Vox AC30 and that was probably the worst amp I've ever heard or used in my life!

I'm also not a fan of the 2x12 Fender Hot Rod Deville; even though I love the 4x10 version. The 2x12 version was very boomy in the lows and very thin and ice pick-y in the highs with next to no mids at all. The 4x10 version seemed a lot more neutral sounding and took pedals really well. If I were to have a clean only amp for live use it'd probably be this.

I also tried a Hugh and Kettner Switchblade for a while whilst on my big amp hunt a few years ago and really didn't like that much either. The cleans were very flat and dull and the mid to high level OD/Distortion sounds sounded like a really piss poorly EQ'd Metal Zone :lol:

[Roobubba]

Randall RG200 G2

Aside from some major reliability issues I had with it (ie it died within a couple of months from new), it just didn't have any balls.

All fixed with my 5150 full stack! :)

[Twinfan]

I often find that Voxes sound muddy yet too shrill with humbuckers and yet sound fine with single coil guitars.

Yeah, odd isn't it??  :?

I'm also not a fan of the 2x12 Fender Hot Rod Deville; even though I love the 4x10 version. The 2x12 version was very boomy in the lows and very thin and ice pick-y in the highs with next to no mids at all. The 4x10 version seemed a lot more neutral sounding and took pedals really well. If I were to have a clean only amp for live use it'd probably be this.

I've found that too.  I played a Blues DeVille 4x10 once that I thought sounded really great.

[Philly Q]

Interesting comments about Voxes.  I know it's sacrilege, but I've never quite been able to hear the "magic" of the AC30.

[Twinfan]

Me neither, that's why I sold my 65 Amps London Pro.  Far too Vox-y for my liking, especially as it only really liked singlecoils.  I sold it to a guy who likes Telecasters and Voxes!

[FELINEGUITARS]

Interesting comments about Voxes.  I know it's sacrilege, but I've never quite been able to hear the "magic" of the AC30.

I think a few people get it right - Brian May for one!

[Dmoney]

Interesting comments about Voxes.  I know it's sacrilege, but I've never quite been able to hear the "magic" of the AC30.

I think a few people get it right - Brian May for one!

Rory Gallagher too maybe?

[Philly Q]

Interesting comments about Voxes.  I know it's sacrilege, but I've never quite been able to hear the "magic" of the AC30.

I think a few people get it right - Brian May for one!

Rory Gallagher too maybe?

Oh yeah, I wasn't saying it's impossible to get a good sound out of one!  Just whenever I've heard one up close and in the flesh I wasn't that keen.

Both single-coil guys of course, although I know Brian May does use them in humbucker-like combinations sometimes!

[FELINEGUITARS]

I meant to add Rory ...and Quo did well with them apparently.
Shadows and Beatles seemed to fare well from what I've heard

[Dmoney]

I meant to add Rory ...and Quo did well with them apparently.
Shadows and Beatles seemed to fare well from what I've heard

Never heard of those guys.

[Philly Q]

I concede defeat!

[Twinfan]

Notice how it's singlecoils that seem to rule with Voxes - do any famous humbucker users use one for dirty tones?

[gwEm]

Notice how it's singlecoils that seem to rule with Voxes - do any famous humbucker users use one for dirty tones?

Dave Davies? Though his V tone was more of a light crunch by today's standards.