Engl Fireball

[bucketshred]

Right guys, I need some real opinions on this amp, not some HC cr@p.

Are they really as good as everyone says they are? I'm doing Thrash Metal with it (think in the vein of Trivium and Megadeth) and I just want to know how good this amp really sounds, and if the cleans are nice at all (got to have those nice interludes sounding good). I need some pretty articulate distortion that'll sit well against a Marshall Jmp1. If I do buy one, I promise to post clips!

Anyways, clips and opinions are always good.

Cheers!

(Oh yeh, cheapest place to buy one in the UK with a cab?)

[dave_mc]

Ok, i haven't tried the fireball. From what I hear, it's like channel 4 of the powerball, and i assume the cleans are similar. Assuming I'm correct:

It'll be heavy as hell, and very, very tight. Slightly (if not more than slightly, lol) scooped too. Aimed at metal. Cleans will be good. Pretty much nothing in-between clean and mega-high gain, though. You'll need to know you're only playing metal, lol.

Chrisola has one, you might want to ask or pm him.

[TwilightOdyssey]

The Fireball is a good head. Should do what you want it to.
Trivium has a total "Marshall" sound, as does Megadeth. Engl is designed more for power metal (Think Edguy, Blind Guardian, Nocturnal Rites, Warlock, Avantasia).

For the kind of sound you're going for, honestly, I would look into:
- Diezel
- Peavey 5150, XXX
- Marshall TSL

I'm doing Thrash Metal with it (think in the vein of Trivium and Megadeth)

Trivium is thrash?! ;) PDT_008

[bucketshred]

New school Thrash.

See, I'm trying not to go for that Marshall style sound, the other guitarist has a Marshall metal sound and I'd like something to compliment it and remain different.

Diezel - I can't afford, not when I've got around £1200 to spend.

Peavey 5150 - Don't know why but I've never really been a fan of them when I've tried them, seem a little too dry and the clean blows.

TSL - They're good up to and around heavy rock, to me they don't seem to have that much gain on tap, in comparison to a DSL.

Andy!

[TwilightOdyssey]

Sounds like you've made up your mind, then. DO IT!

[maliciousteve]

I'd just go with the fireball. Looks like it would do exactly what you want it to

[dave_mc]

The Fireball is a good head. Should do what you want it to.
Trivium has a total "Marshall" sound, as does Megadeth. Engl is designed more for power metal (Think Edguy, Blind Guardian, Nocturnal Rites, Warlock, Avantasia).

For the kind of sound you're going for, honestly, I would look into:
- Diezel
- Peavey 5150, XXX
- Marshall TSL

+1 on the engls not sounding like marshalls. However, diezel are way too dear, ditto peavey in the UK, although the tsl might be worth a look. I thought tsl's had more gain than dsl's?

anyway, what about a blackmore? That might be worth a look. Or a savage, if you can stretch to it (unlikely, since the head is about £1350 on its own)- the savage is like a more marshally engl, which can still do the heavier stuff, and from what i hear (haven't tried it), the blackmore is more marshally too.

The laney tt100 is worth a look too, it's about £600. Ditto the VH100r (heavier, more metal).

[chrisola]

i have a Fireball.. and Nailbomb hb.

Its a thrash MONSTER.

Half gain, deep switch + bright on, roll off treb, boost the mids and bass... tight, crunchy and awesome!

I will do some clips when i get my guitar back from being tweaked\having a sinner fitted.

The Fireball IS amazing mate, you'll only ever need about half gain so the 'clean' channel is still clean and sparkly (shared gain...).

Bit of delay and its amazing for lead too..

the more you push the gain the deathier it gos (crank it and nail Strapping Young Lad level crunch!)

I listen\play everything from PROPER thrash like Overkill, Destruction, Sodom and Kreator to trivium,in flames, bodom, edguy, dragonforce etc etc and the amp will do it all  :twisted:

Put it this way, i spent the first 3hours on my 1st proper testing the amp run that i simply hit open e power chords with varying degrees of gallop and palm mute... look up 'ultra tight crunchy ball breaking face melting goodness x10' on google and it'll be an ENGL Fireball powered by a BKP 8)

*** sorry to go all fanboy... the proof is in your own playing\hearing after all... but i was blown away.. and i've had my share of amps!**

[_tom_]

Do Engls do classic-y rock sounds, with guitars with lower output pickups? Just wondering as theres a Richie Blackmore sig head but I've only found heavier clips for that. Also, Maiden tones possible? Or is my dream amp still gonna have to be a JCM 800  :P

[dave_mc]

^it depends. Things like the powerball will, but as it has shared gain on clean/crunch you can only get the gain on crunch up half way, as the clean starts to break up above that- on crunch that gets you up to classic rock. Then the high gain channels, unless you set the gain about 1 or 2, are instant metal.

But other models do classic rock/maiden. The savage se i have does it really well. I assume the savage would too (haven't tried). The blackmore might too, I haven't tried it.

You need to try them, tom. I probably wouldn't get an engl if I only played classic rock (maybe a classic tube- but there are other classic rock amps I like better). Engl come into their own when you play a wide variety of stuff and need (at worst) good tones for everything (and engl high gain is amazing!). Another amp aimed at one type of tone might sound slightly more authentic, but the engls will own it for versatility.

So yeah, that's my unbiased engl review. If you want versatility, with a slight (little more than slight, lol) emphasis on high gain, Engl are awesome.

[chrisola]

theres an ENGL classic combo\head aswell :)


The Thunder and Screamer do classic stuff well, and the Blackmore is classicy (well it IS Ritchie Blackmores head!) but yes death metal lovers have found its bone snappingly brutal aswell :P

www.rocksolidamps.com for clips...

I LOVE iron maiden, i find the fireball is good for it 8)

As dave says, engls are very versatile amps...

As a comparison i had a JCM800 just before my Fireball... the JCM800 was very limited and had to be boosted, the Fireball has the advantage of gain control that gos from twang to terror :P

[sambo]

how would you compare the '800 to the thunder and screamer chris?

[_tom_]

Hmm, I'm guessing the fireball doesnt do the "classic" tones so well though. I wish there was somewhere close I could try em out at!

[bucketshred]

i have a Fireball.. and Nailbomb hb.

Its a thrash MONSTER.

Half gain, deep switch + bright on, roll off treb, boost the mids and bass... tight, crunchy and awesome!

I will do some clips when i get my guitar back from being tweaked\having a sinner fitted.

The Fireball IS amazing mate, you'll only ever need about half gain so the 'clean' channel is still clean and sparkly (shared gain...).

Bit of delay and its amazing for lead too..

the more you push the gain the deathier it gos (crank it and nail Strapping Young Lad level crunch!)

I listen\play everything from PROPER thrash like Overkill, Destruction, Sodom and Kreator to trivium,in flames, bodom, edguy, dragonforce etc etc and the amp will do it all  :twisted:

Put it this way, i spent the first 3hours on my 1st proper testing the amp run that i simply hit open e power chords with varying degrees of gallop and palm mute... look up 'ultra tight crunchy ball breaking face melting goodness x10' on google and it'll be an ENGL Fireball powered by a BKP 8)

*** sorry to go all fanboy... the proof is in your own playing\hearing after all... but i was blown away.. and i've had my share of amps!**

*Wets pants*(

Where'd you get yours from?

Andy!

[dave_mc]

theres an ENGL classic combo\head aswell :)

Yeah, i know, i mentioned it, :D