what would you do (Laney and Engl content)

[maliciousteve]

Ok so I have both a Laney VH100R and an ENGL Powerball. Being unemployed sucks so I think i'm going to have to sell one of them. I don't really want to as both are incredible. Two of my all time favourite amps.

I've been comparing them this afternoon thinking about which one would I rather keep.  Here's what I used:

PRS standard 24 with a Bareknuckle Miracleman in the bridge
Marshall 4 x 12
Laney and ENGL. no boosts or any other effects.

I started with the ENGL. Compressed clean tone, kinda sterile. Very much something like a Petrucci clean tone. Mid gain tones, they're alright but nothing amazing. Overdriven sounds, great tone. Smooth, expressive, slight fizz but I think they may be something some decent preamp valves could fix. Distored tone, monsterous. Huge, very very fight, lots of growl.


Then switched to the Laney. Much more open clean tone, very warm. Mid gain tone, very expressive and very clear. Overdriven tone, again expressive, smooth, no fizz that I can really hear, alot of 'oomph'. The notes really seem to 'punch out' of the amp. Distorted tone, not as tight as the ENGL, very high gain marshall type of growl. But nothing a tube screamer or change of power amp valves to 6L6's could fix.


So as you can see i'm very stuck picking either one. Which one would you guys pick?

I'm not in a band at the moment, but in the future i'll probably be playing in a metal band and would probably would want something along the lines of a Testament/Eidolon rhythm tone, with a Petrucci/Wylde lead tone. As well as have the capability to play other styles of music (blues, Jazz etc etc). I'm really stuck here guys. I'm not really asking you to decide for me, but to give me a few pointers as to what to do  :lol:

[lepersmeesa]

Metal is the main music you are going to play. So worry about that. There are effects that can help your clean sound. There isnt much you can do with a loose distorted sound.

[Crazy_Joe]

Are we talking old school Testament or the new Mesa boogie tone Testament?

Laney if it's old school as they used Marshalls i think, Engl for the Boogie style. or you could keep the Laney and get a preamp in the future like i did and run it through the power amp of the Laney.
Laney are just as metal as any other amp however they need to be cranked all the time to achieve it.

[Davey]

my preference is laney

[Johnny Mac]

Keep them and work out a new plan! You'll only regret it!

[Brow]

Goingby the way you described the tones of both the amps, I'd keep the Laney if it were me.

[Davey]

Goingby the way you described the tones of both the amps, I'd keep the Laney if it were me.

exactly.. well, i'm biased, but anyway :P

super high gain like the powerball, is nothing a good distortion pedal wont fix.

[Transcend]

Personally id take the engl but i arnet too fond of the laney dist sound and i HATE having to use pedals to achieve the sounds i want,

[sambo]

Goingby the way you described the tones of both the amps, I'd keep the Laney if it were me.

thats what i was going to say.

your personal description gives the impression that the laney is the better option to keep.

on the other hand, i wouldnt just get rid of the ENGL thinking that with the aid of a pedal, the laney will achieve whatever it is you love about the the Powerball...

[dave_mc]

sounds to me like you like the laney better... i think i prefer the powerball. at the end of the day, you know more than i do, as you have both sitting in front of you, though.

[indysmith]

i think that the powerball sounds more like what you need... I like the sound of the laney more tho, haha.
If i were you i'd keep em both! like someone's already said you'll always regret it if you don't. c'mon think of ways to make money, or at least get a shitety joe-job for the time being...

[Crazy_Joe]

I don't think it matters that much, both are great amps and can do what you want well, any decision is the right decision. If you sell one it's not the end of the world, there won't be a national shortage of Engl Powerball's or Laney VH100R's, you can always buy another one in the future if you want.

[Mavet]

the way I see it a passable clean sound can be achieved with an some effects on the powerball, whereas tightening the lany distortion would be more hard to achieve (bbe sonic stomp perhaps).
and no dist pedal can give you what a full tube head aimed at mass destruction can.
so I say keep the powerball and get a reverb pedal or something.

[Antag]

I would have to literally starve before I considered selling my possessions.

IMO you should keep 'em both & concentrate all your energy on getting a job - even a shitety unpleasant job that pays pittance if it'll keep the wolf from the door - doesn't have to be a lifelong careeer decision right now.

Selling either amp isn't going to get you more than a few hundred - OK, maybe several hundred for the Powerball if you're lucky, but still <1k.  That's hardly going to keep you for months on end, or lift you out of poverty is it?

Sorry, that doesn't sound nice & I feel a bit bad saying it having just bought something rather nice for myself, but you'll only regret it later on.

[Kilby]

Keep them and work out a new plan! You'll only regret it!

I agree with the above, it will be the hardest decision at the momentm it will provide some short term relief, but only for a short period.

Also which ever one you sell it will be the wrong one (I can guarentee that)

If you are going to see one then wait until you are disatisfied with one of them, then sell the other one like I would do (theres something wrong in that sentance, but I'm buggered if I know what it is).

Rob...

Not being funny but theres a guy who plays Hendrix covers in canary wharf underground on Friday mornings and the fecker earns a fortune (and he isn't even good). Borrow a battery amp and practice in public, and get some coin for it

If I wasn't totally shite I's do it (and I have a full time job)