The Official Find an Affordable Tube Amp for me Thread.

[Crazy_Joe]

Ok i have made various threads about amps and if i should go SS or Tube. Now i'm definate that i want to go tube.
Here is the briefing:

Tone I'm looking for: Early Metallica.
Money i have to spend: In the range of 400-500 quid (unless there is something exceptional, in that case i will save more for it)

Various notes: Not really bothered if i have to use a pedal, though it would be nice for it too have a great distortion so i wouldn't need one.
I want good cleans aswel, but usually most tube amps have nice clean sounds anyway.

Amps i'm looking at now:

Laney LC50-II ------------------£415 (inc. postage)
Peavey Valve King 212 --------£359
Ashdown FA60 DSP ------------£455 (inc. postage)

When i get my Bare Knuckles in the future it looks like i will be getting Ceramic Warpig bridge and Cold Sweat neck, if all goes to plan.

[dave_mc]

if by early you mean ride the lightning and kill em all, I'd say the dsl. EDIT: if you mean later, probably the ashdown or the randall rg50tc. th marshall may do it if you can get to crank it (i.e. be able to run it at at least half volume most of the time.. which is pretty loud)

[Crazy_Joe]

Master Of Puppets, ...And Justice For All, kind of tone. Though i still like Kill 'Em All and RTL tone aswel.

What is the best amp in there for the MoP, AJFA tone? (if they can do it)
Also if they can't do it is there a pedal i could use with it which would get the tone?

[_tom_]

Ever thought about Laney? I hear they're quite good for metal and not really expensive. Gilbert uses Laneys and has amazing tone.

[Crazy_Joe]

What's the best Laney combo amp for the tone i want?

[HTH AMPS]

Master Of Puppets, ...And Justice For All, kind of tone. Though i still like Kill 'Em All and RTL tone aswel.

What is the best amp in there for the MoP, AJFA tone? (if they can do it)
Also if they can't do it is there a pedal i could use with it which would get the tone?

early Metallica is still Marshalls as far as I know (Ride The Lightening certainly sounds like it).  They were still using passive pickups on this album too - most likely Dimarzio Super Distortions.

Master of Puppets and Justice are both mkIII Boogies into EV-loaded 4x12s with guitars running EMG81s.

The Justice rhythm tone is one of my all time faves in metal.

 :twisted:

[Dakine]

If we are talking about Hetfield here;

KEA = Jose Arrendondo Modified 100 watt Marshall SLP
Pro Co Rat Distortion Pedal
Marshall 4x12
White Flying V Copy (passive

RTL = Replacement 100 watt Marshall Heads that were later modified (KEA originals stolen)
Ibanez Tube Screamer-Last time James used an overdrive/distortion pedal
Marshall 4x12
White Flying V Copy
White Gibson Explorer EMG

MOP = Mesa Boogie Mk IIC+

Mesa Boogie Quad Preamp
Marshall JCM 800

Marshall JMP Heads
Marshall 4x12 with 65 watt speakers
Furman PQ4 parametric EQ
Ibanez multi-effects box
Mesa Boogie Heads slaved into Marshalls
White Gibson Explorer EMG
White Flying V Copy


AJFA = Mesa Boogie Mark IIc+
Mesa Boogie Quad Preamp

Marshall JMP/JCM Heads
Roland JC120 Combo
Marshall 4x12
Mesa Boogie 4x12
Mesa Boogie Heads slaved into Marshalls
White Gibson Explorer EMG
2xWhite and 1xBlack ESP Explorer

Marshall 4x12 cabs all use Celestion Vintage 30's!

Also, on AJFA, James 'scoops' his mids alot more than usual (as, contrary to many beliefs he is not a 'heavy' scooper.

This is all studio eqpt.

Dare say with pedals may get close but KEA had heavily modded Marshall heads and 'most' of perceived Tallica tone is pure 'Mesa' tone.
Mesa, being rather costly, esp. for what he used/uses (a ROV does the job nicely though) a Mesa pedal 'may' work;
like a Mesa 'V twin' if you can find one.
Apart from that, a modellor I guess.
Having played and now owning a Mesa I have to say they have a VERY distinctive tone and hitting it without digital effect (modellor) or real thing may be tricky.
Sorry, hope ya get close though.
BTW, Have an ENGL Screamer half stack (pedals, HBE) and 10 band EQ and cannot replicate the tone of the Mesa Rectifier (so this may be one to knock off list).

[Dakine]

NO first hand experience but have heard this can get close to a Rectifier tone;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hughes-and-Kettner-Warp-Factor-Distortion-New_W0QQitemZ120025351171QQihZ002QQcategoryZ22669QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[lp_man]

I run a DSL 401 and it does Metallica well, I'd invest in a booster pedal though, such as an SD-1 to get a more tight sound. It is also good for going from a bassy chug to upper midrange bite - good for Metallica. You might want it modifying though - DIY all the way!

[Ratrod]

I used to have a Marshall Valvestate. Clean and crunch channel were horrible but that heavy overdrive was pure Metallica.

A DSL should do the trick nicely with that 'deep' switch.

[lp_man]

The 401 combo dosnt have a deep switch, but the DSL 50 does - which can be had new for arround £520 but then you would need a cab (usually in the 400-500 range depending on first/seccond hand and make) :)

[Crazy_Joe]

I run a DSL 401 and it does Metallica well, I'd invest in a booster pedal though, such as an SD-1 to get a more tight sound. It is also good for going from a bassy chug to upper midrange bite - good for Metallica. You might want it modifying though - DIY all the way!

I looked at the SS H&K Matrix 100 combo ages ago and thought the warp channel was great, it does sound quite close to a rectifier too, it is also well in my price range, though it is not tube.

http://www.hughes-and-kettner.com/products.php?mode=sound&id=94#

Listen to the warp channel and tell me if that sounds like a rectifier.

[Crazy_Joe]

Also, i have heard clips of the Rocktron pedals, the Zombie rectifier, Silver Dragon tube pedal and the Metal Planet sound pretty good, and might get near to a tone i want.

[Hell Hound]

I personnaly think the H&K Warp serie is pure cr@p (beside the Warp Factor dist box wich kicks serious ass through a good tube amp), I've played on one of those warp transistor head and it sounded like a loud Boss MT-2... horrible.
I recently tried a Peavey Valveking and recommend it to anyone with a tight budget (or noobs, they like the fact it's all tubes, they fell like their idols with that haha), it very versatile (2 channels, reverb, can be set for class A vintage sound to AB modern with a pot, fully footswitchable) and IMHO kills anything in that price range in term of sound quality. And with all that it's VERY powerfull, the 212 combo wich is priced 470€ (thomann, germany) is rated 100W full tube power (insane IMO ^_^; ).
No hesitation here I think...

[maliciousteve]

Perhaps a used JCM800 combo? they go cheap on Ebay.