AMPAMPAMPAMPAMPAMPAMP AND NEGATIVE VIEWS ON LINE6

[futuregun]

honestly im rubbish at this tech stuff...unto a few days ago i thought only marshalls an mesa ruled the high gain plain.
why are tube amps so much better than solid states?i mean ss are alot less hassle arent they are are tubes not really that demandin for their upkeep?
im lookin at a peavey xxl (ss amp) an maybe a hughes an kettner matrix100. but heres my stickler whats a good cab? i hear line6 are great cabs but i dont like th digital sound of the effects...good as they are ppl are always putting them down compared to  *REAL*  amps.are they really that bad???

i dont get out much so havent heard anythin others..all my mates own line6 amps as theyre handy.

[viking]

why are tube amps so much better than solid states

The BIG difference is dynamics; also the way the amp reacts to your playing,the way you pick etc..That's huge !Transistors don't saturate very well because they should'nt  saturate at all..But there are good ss amps outhere,it's one's choice (preference)...

[38thBeatle]

If you are not getting out much, that is, not gigging, then a tube amp might not be your choice as they tend to like being driven a bit (not all but probably most) which means volume. A lot of ss gear is pretty good in my view and there are a lot of people out there who read stuff on the internet about how tubes are " better" but don't understand the dynamics. I'd say, try a tube amp for yourself at a store if you can, in fact try a few if you can and see what you think.In fact, the same applies to any amp you try-if you like it and it suits you then don't worry too much about what others say.Guitarists are gear heads and always looking for the next big thing to get "that tone" (I am as guilty as anyone on this)-once you are sucked in, there is no escape.

[futuregun]

aye i think thats what ill have to do...but first i need a warpig humbucker for my guitar...cant get that tone(its already happened to me) from any of the pups ive tried.

cheers lads

[LazyNinja]

If you are not getting out much, that is, not gigging, then a tube amp might not be your choice as they tend to like being driven a bit (not all but probably most) which means volume. A lot of ss gear is pretty good in my view and there are a lot of people out there who read stuff on the internet about how tubes are " better" but don't understand the dynamics. I'd say, try a tube amp for yourself at a store if you can, in fact try a few if you can and see what you think.In fact, the same applies to any amp you try-if you like it and it suits you then don't worry too much about what others say.Guitarists are gear heads and always looking for the next big thing to get "that tone" (I am as guilty as anyone on this)-once you are sucked in, there is no escape.

I agree for most part but SS amps can sound good in shops but might be cr@ppy once you turn it up, and vice versa for tube amps.

[dave_mc]

you can try out engl in the belfast guitar emporium, mesa in reasound in cookstown, peavey in bairds in belfast, genz benz in banbridge (mac or 2 mac music, i forget which), and, sometimes, brunetti in portadown (mac 2 music or mac's music, now you understand my confusion).

I suggest doing that, lol.

bear in mind, though, those are expensive, and as 38th has correctly pointed out, most of these amps like to be driven- they'll still sound really good at low volumes (better than most solid states, IMO), but will sound a lot better loud.

how much money are you looking at spending? and what's your current rig?

problem is, high gain, tube, and quality = rarely cheap. you can get vintage-toned tube amps for quite reasonable prices, it's modern high gain that's expensive...

I agree for most part but SS amps can sound good in shops but might be cr@ppy once you turn it up, and vice versa for tube amps.

I agree. at shop volumes, ss/modellers will tend to sound better than they actually are, while tube amps will be short-changed...

also, when considering volume, unless your bedroom is the size of a shop, something that sounds "quiet enough" in the shop probably isn't!

Of course, it does depend very much on your situation... most high gainers are pretty high wattage, and that's loud.

[DeanS]

For me SS just don't cut it. Playing an electric guitar is all about the relationship and interaction between you>guitar>valves>transformer>speaker ie it becomes one instrument and not a collection of devices etc.

[futuregun]

god lads ive been lookin at all those amps online......they all look goood!!!!
cheers dave i havent been in reasound for years so ill head down next day im off.an likely head to bel too.
my rig....if you'd call it that is dire.pod2 into a flextone2,i used to have a 100watt trace elliot but found it lackin.
like i said im only really startin to get serious on th guitar now so am a complete noob to amps an all.

[dave_mc]

^ remember to try those amps at loud volumes and bedroom volumes... not much point in getting it if it only sounds good cranked, but likewise if you think you might get into a band eventually, not much point in getting something that only sounds good at bedroom volumes either...

:drink:

[Sailor Charon]

What about an attenuator? It'll let you wind your amp up and not deafen people... At least that's the theory...

[futuregun]

aye im moving to england to study music technology an recordin nonsense hence the rush for good pickups and amp ideas.
ill likely try to find a brute band when i get over there.

im gonna get nailbombs i think for my jackson an im not sure about valve amps...is their up keep hard? like tubes do they last long etc?
thinkin of maybe a peavey xxl or a valve amp around that price.

any good cabs?? i hear peavey cabs are dung but ironically line6 cabs are good?

[Woogie]

Tube replacement depends on how much they are used. I replace mine every 8 months. £70-£100 isn't too bad for another 8 months of great tone!!

[Colin Johnston]

If you need a price for Genz Benz or Brunetti, email me:

info (at) musicgalleria (dot) com

[deg0ey]

futuregun: are you looking at getting a head/cab set up? (it looks like you are...) - it may be worth rethinking and looking at some combos, as you can normally get a decent combo for less money and not a significant difference in sound.

Obviously there are advantages to both, and you need to find what is right for you, but it's definitely worth considering - I stand by my ENGL Screamer combo, it creates a lot of noise when you want it to and it sounds awesome. There's actually one on ebay atm (although it finishes in an hour or two so it may be gone when you look) for £660, so they're not exactly cheap - but a Peavey XXL head is £450, and then you need to buy a cab, with the cheapest Line6 (which you seem to be looking at) coming in at around £220, for a total of £670

Hopefully you now see my point :)

EDIT: There is a cheaper one.

[dave_mc]

^ aye i was just going to say you could get the screamer for £650 new if you knew where to look, you beat me to it, lol.