Guitar/Amp Dilemma

[Norm Fireland]

Ok here goes!!!! I am seriously cracking up!!!

My Situation is as follows:

I used to be in a Doom band, not sludgy, think Sabbath Bloody Sabbath era Sabbath.

I used a Les Paul Supreme into a Marshall 30th Anniversary head, no effects and we tuned down a whole step. A great sound!

We split up and i thought... i fancy a change lets sell all my gear and get a fender twin and a strat! D'oh!!

The band is now getting back together and my current rig is just not going to cut it, so consequently i am selling the twin and my custom shop relic strat.

Now the dilemma, its hard to get an anniversary head and a Les Paul supreme is out of my price range now ( i got an awesome deal on the first one hence why i was able to afford it!)

So i have tried a couple of les paul standards and sg's but they just dont do it for me, they are great for palm muting and stuff but i like to play lots of big held chords that dont go into feedback after 2 seconds, thats what the supreme was good at, maybe the chambered body!?

So my question is, what guitars that i haven't mentioned should i give a blast and whats anyones opinion on amps? (bear in mind i am a marshall and gibson man at heart!)


P.S. If anyone is interested in the amp or strat feel free to ask!!

[Twinfan]

I'd say a Matamp or Orange amp would work well for you - they're popular with the Doom guys as they're really heavy sounding.

Guitar-wise, I'd keep trying Les Pauls until you find one you like.  They're not all built equal so try everything - Japanese copies, Studios, Standards, Customs even the horro tat is the BFG...

[deg0ey]

Have you looked at Ibanez? I know it's very different from the Gibbo's you're used to, but they have an instrument in every price range so there may be something for you?

Mebbe PRS SE Custom?

[Elliot]

Why don't you make your band reform as a Richard Thompson cover band - that way you wouldn't have to sell your new and very tasteful Fender rig.  :D

[Blueminerva]

If you want to go metal you could always try the les-paul shaped ESPs? They're rock solid guitars and from the ones I've played the necks are great.

Personally though I've got a good old Gibbo Les Paul Standard and that sees me right through anything (jazz cleans to metal distortions). Try the more recent ones with the burstbucker pro pickups in em, they take distortion brilliantly.

I've played through massively high gain and never experienced the "feedback after 2 seconds" problem you mention - try turning the gain on the amp down a bit? I find that with the gain on about 6 you get a really high-gain sound because of the natural power of the BB-pro pup, and it sounds uber-tight too (too much distortion tends to smush things up a bit and dampen the clarity, but then I've only really played through cr@p amps...)

[Oli]

JCM900!!! I use mine for doom- big long drawn out chords, and it sounds great. Currently i use a Jackson 7 string (tuned to either standard B or A (or Ab, i can't remember)). What about one of the LP copies- Edwards or something like that?

It's all about the doom :)

[hunter]

Obvious choice would be to try the two new Marshalls, both seem great (JVM and VM).

How many sounds do you need? Just Overdrive and Distortion? In that case you might even consider an Orange Tiny Terror + Tube Screamer, they sound very Sabbath ...

[maliciousteve]

Matamp's seem to have the sort of tone you're after. They're around £1000 though but you can customise them to how you want to.

For guitars, maybe look into Tokai's or Ibanez SZ's

[WezV]

even the horror that is the BFG...   (with spelling correction :P )

Actually the BFG isnt a bad idea as something to try out - it does at least have the chambered body.

now if only i was able to sell half made guitars like gibson thinks they can

[LazyNinja]

amp wise you could buy a Matamp or Orange as others mentioned or you could buy the original Sabbath amp, the Laney Supergroup. They typically go for £400 on ebay although I have seen one go for as little as £220 (damn!!!!).

[indysmith]

As far as chambered bodies go - there's also the Les Paul Standard Double Cut and the Epiphone Les Paul Ultra

[Ted]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MATAMP-King-Street-Valve-Head-2x12-Cab-TRADES_W0QQitemZ170128328348QQihZ007QQcategoryZ10171QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

^ On ebay. Or if this doesn't cut it look at GT1 - ultimate doom/stoner amp. I'd love one but I'd never play it as its so friggin loud.

As for guitar, lots of nice MIJ Gibson LP copies on ebay, spoilt for choice. New Gibbos are basically overpriced shitee...

[Norm Fireland]

Firstly thanks guys for the responses  :D    


Ok i have thought about both Orange and Matamp, but living in Northern Ireland is the problem, i haven't really had a chance to play through either. I am looking at going for a Marshall. Played the Vintage Modern and i thought it was way too muddy and the JVM is way too modern sounding! I dont use alot of gain, just alot of power amp oomph!!


Guitar wise, some good suggestions guys and its good to see so many people with different views!!!

To be honest i couldn't see myself playing anything else other than gibson, or a guitar that will deliver as close to that sound as possible.

One question, i love ES335's, but does anyone think it could handle the detuning a whole step and serious volume without feedbacking?  (in local gigs i can play a marshall 100 watt head through a 4x12 with greenbacks at 7 on the master volume no problem, we have generous soundmen  over here!! :D) Im looking for that big sound, where chords ring out with lots of clarity making each chord tone come through, not just the root note!

[dave_mc]

mac 2 music in banbridge stocks orange, at least they did last time i was there.

matamp is harder. i got to try one second hand, but blue bought it, i believe.  :lol:

[deg0ey]

matamp is harder. i got to try one second hand, but blue bought it, i believe.  :lol:

That's no problem - just go round blue's house and have a go, I'm sure he won't mind :lol: