ultimate hi gain guitar room setup

[Grim]

Well, I've been gigging and giving guitar lessons since the mid 80's. I have a home recording studio and am currently recording and producing the music for a national cable TV show (Wired Outdoors on the Sportsman Channel, Fridays at 6:30 EST...you'll see my name in the credits). I may not be Mutt Lange, but I know the deal.

So you've heard a few industry "pros" rave about the CCV (who?)...great, its an awesome amp from what I can tell but I have yet to plug into one. That said, I have no doubt that I could find other "pros" in alarming numbers who would choose differently...it still comes down to personal tastes and preferences. I know one studio owner who has demo'd the CCV and still prefers a Diezel VH4 as his high gain go-to amp. From the samples that I have heard (which are in no way anything to base an ultimate decision on) I prefer the Friedman Marsha to the CCV for that hot rodded Marshall type of high gain tone (although I would reserve final judgement until I plugged in to each). There are people who have already flipped their CCVs for other amps that they feel sound better (including amps by Soldano, Bogner, Friedman, and Fortin). If all of the industry "pros" thought the CCV was "the best", there's no way you'd even be able to get your hands on one since the waiting list would be crazier than it is now.

To say anything is "the best", be it guitar, amp, stomp box, car, tv, blow-up sex doll, etc, etc, etc is pure silliness...everybody will have different opinions, even the "pros". Go make this same statement over at TGP and see how badly you get flamed.

The VH4 IS an awesome amp . If only I could afford one.

[Econ]

Thanks for the advice man. Have a question for you. Do you use anything for preset switching etc...? Like a midi footcontroller I mean.

Not at the moment, but Fractal just released a footcontroller for the Axe FX Ultra. It is $750, but I'm planning to get it anyway. I have read good reviews. If you dont want to spend that much, you can go for something as cheap as the Behringer FCB 1010.

[AK47]

Well, I've been gigging and giving guitar lessons since the mid 80's. I have a home recording studio and am currently recording and producing the music for a national cable TV show (Wired Outdoors on the Sportsman Channel, Fridays at 6:30 EST...you'll see my name in the credits). I may not be Mutt Lange, but I know the deal.

So you've heard a few industry "pros" rave about the CCV (who?)...great, its an awesome amp from what I can tell but I have yet to plug into one. That said, I have no doubt that I could find other "pros" in alarming numbers who would choose differently...it still comes down to personal tastes and preferences. I know one studio owner who has demo'd the CCV and still prefers a Diezel VH4 as his high gain go-to amp. From the samples that I have heard (which are in no way anything to base an ultimate decision on) I prefer the Friedman Marsha to the CCV for that hot rodded Marshall type of high gain tone (although I would reserve final judgement until I plugged in to each). There are people who have already flipped their CCVs for other amps that they feel sound better (including amps by Soldano, Bogner, Friedman, and Fortin). If all of the industry "pros" thought the CCV was "the best", there's no way you'd even be able to get your hands on one since the waiting list would be crazier than it is now.

To say anything is "the best", be it guitar, amp, stomp box, car, tv, blow-up sex doll, etc, etc, etc is pure silliness...everybody will have different opinions, even the "pros". Go make this same statement over at TGP and see how badly you get flamed.

Let me rephrase myself for a current production high gain amplifier the Cameron right now is "The Best". There is other stuff out there that is good and does more than a CCV does but for a high gain amp the Cameron is where its at.

Does not mean the other stuff is crap, there is also vintage stuff that's better as well. Diezel VH4s dont sell twice the price over retail on the used market unless they are a older blueface. That should say something right there, Friedman Marsha is awesome and I think it is one of the better amps out there. Money talks and bullshit walks, the Marsha does not sell for twice over retail on the second hand market.

I bet I can go to TGP and say that "Dumble" is the best and they will hail me as a genius, those are not high gain type of people over there, they say Diezel sucks.

[Rupe]

The best for some maybe, not for others. One last time..."the best" is completely subjective, to say otherwise is moronic.

Where has one sold for over double its original price? The last two that I've seen for sale were at $4500...last I checked $3000 x 2 = $4500 was incorrect math. If Cameron was able to reliably produce these amps (which may change now with Jerry Dyer building them) the current demand wouldn't drive the price up to where its at now on the second hand market...its simply a matter of Mark's Marshall mods generating more fanbois than he's been able to provide CCVs to.

And if all the "pros" thought that they were the best, there's no way you or any other non-celebrity player/producer would even be able to get your hands on one...they would all be going to the big shots.

As for the TGP, you'd definitely be considered a genius pimping Dumble...until the Trainwreck club showed up

[AK47]

New price on the heads is 3k, before that it was 2500, I did not pay 3k for mine, I have seen Camerons go for 5500, the last two sold at 4500 because that is what the sellers asked for and they got it.

The "best" is subjective when it comes down to bedroom players but ask a producer or sound engineer and they will tell you some heads are superior to others because of the voicing, frequency responce how they track etc. Every pro that has used a Cameron amp finds it superior, there is a limited supply but its the internet age so not all the big shots get first crack at the best gear anymore like they did in the 80's and 90's.

Actually I am going down to LA very soon to see Mark and pickup my head. I am also going to be visting some friends and studios that are associated with major label acts, I am talking Grammy winners here, I am going to get their opinion of the CCV as a high gain head. Plus I got a old Bogner modded Marshall I got to drop off with Bogner for servicing, I want them to check that head out as well. The old single channel Bogner JCM800 heads were another superior head from a engineering stand point. I was lucky enough to get one of the originals from the late 80's but dont take my word for it Ronnie Champagne made millions off his JCM800 Bogner.

Money talks and bullshit walks.

[tonemonster]

dont buy any "computer" amp. no line 6, nothing like that. get a real tube amp. lots of good ones on the market now. look at Splawn amps. blackstar amps. mesa boogie is always a great choice.

[GCSHREDSHED]

just had one in the shred shed at the job, we blew a new evh cab and a new boogie recto cab with it, put it up against a shiva, a mark v, a jvm, a line 6 bogner, a engl, a egnater, and a stilleto........it ate their lunch.....thats all I'm sayin....that just one mans opinion of coarse

[Rupe]

The best is subjective among producers and engineers (once again, WHO ARE ALL THESE PRODUCERS??!!) as well...if it was a fact that the Cameron was superior to all other high gain amps, you sure as hell wouldn't have one based on the limited numbers being made.

I'm now tired of trying to stop you from sounding like idiot so I'm done...here's your mouthpiece and helmet, be careful as you step on the short bus.

[tonemonster]

just had one in the shred shed at the job, we blew a new evh cab and a new boogie recto cab with it, put it up against a shiva, a mark v, a jvm, a line 6 bogner, a engl, a egnater, and a stilleto........it ate their lunch.....thats all I'm sayin....that just one mans opinion of coarse

uh....... what amp are you referring to? you didnt say.....

[Grim]

dont buy any "computer" amp. no line 6, nothing like that. get a real tube amp. lots of good ones on the market now. look at Splawn amps. blackstar amps. mesa boogie is always a great choice.

Agreed, you can't go wrong with a Dual recto.

I'd say you can't go wrong with an ENGL Powerball either, but the used market isn't as strong with those so you'd end up paying close to new if not new prices. The Invader is a bit more money than both but you can't go wrong with that one either.

[Grim]

New price on the heads is 3k, before that it was 2500, I did not pay 3k for mine, I have seen Camerons go for 5500, the last two sold at 4500 because that is what the sellers asked for and they got it.

The "best" is subjective when it comes down to bedroom players but ask a producer or sound engineer and they will tell you some heads are superior to others because of the voicing, frequency responce how they track etc. Every pro that has used a Cameron amp finds it superior, there is a limited supply but its the internet age so not all the big shots get first crack at the best gear anymore like they did in the 80's and 90's.

Actually I am going down to LA very soon to see Mark and pickup my head. I am also going to be visting some friends and studios that are associated with major label acts, I am talking Grammy winners here, I am going to get their opinion of the CCV as a high gain head. Plus I got a old Bogner modded Marshall I got to drop off with Bogner for servicing, I want them to check that head out as well. The old single channel Bogner JCM800 heads were another superior head from a engineering stand point. I was lucky enough to get one of the originals from the late 80's but dont take my word for it Ronnie Champagne made millions off his JCM800 Bogner.

Money talks and bullshit walks.

Plenty of producers use Mesa, ENGL or Peavey.

Helmet time?

[Grim]

uh....... what amp are you referring to? you didnt say.....

I am assuming he means the Cameron. In which case (@GCSHREDSHED), congratulations, you found it to be better than these amps!

Shall I underline you?

[DRM]

You guys are all wrong. Gorilla amps pwn all of the above.

[Grim]

You guys are all wrong. Gorilla amps pwn all of the above.

[tonemonster]

I am assuming he means the Cameron. In which case (@GCSHREDSHED), congratulations, you found it to be better than these amps!

Shall I underline you?

you can underline me if you wish. there are no rules against underlining. at least with me. you know. here. I dont mind being udnerlined here. its not a problem. I am OK with it.

Now, as for amps, this dude needs a nice tube amp. they kick ass.