Help deciding on amp

[jacksonguru91]

Got a budget of $600. I mainly play slayer pantera type stuff and im looking into buying a new halfstack. Right now im stuck between the Carvin V3 and the Krank Krankenstein, also Im looking for brutal distortion but with nice cleans. Anyone have any experience with either of these or any other amps in my budget that meet the requirements?

Thanks

[pickford1625]

I love the krankenstein. A lot of the guys here don't though. Krank is out of business . You can find them used for a decent price. For your budget check out the 50 or 20 watt heads , you'd have enough left to buy the matching cabs probably .

[pickford1625]

Mine was used on sworn enemy's as real as it gets and the beginning of the end records. Both guitarists used krankensteins a gate and a tuner. Nothing else.

[tomanyjacksons]

V3's IMO sound a lot better if they have 6L6 tubes in them and a Sonic Maximizer in front of them. Had a second guitarist (EMG guy) in my band for awhile and he had this setup. It sounded very tight and modern when the gain was up. I wish I could remember what he used in his 412 cab. Sorry if this doesn't help you. Good luck.

[toejam]

I used to own a V3 with EL34s and loved it. The only reason I got rid of it is because I also own the smaller V3M head (with EL84s) and just play around the house, and it sounded pretty close to the regular V3. Very versatile amps.

[jacksonguru91]

Thanks for the replies. I love Carvin, their quality is almost unmatched for the price. I had an MTS 3200 which was a fantastic amp and I like the idea of owning another Carvin Im just wondering if the V3 has the gain im looking for, all the demos online are horrible quality and theres a couple of good krankenstein videos. Im kinda on the fence. Ive read some bad reviews on the Krankenstein and Krank in general but ive also read some outstanding reviews as well. And I havent read a single bad review of the V3 besides the occasional Mesa fanboy (no offense lol) suggesting the DR isthe best amp ever. I also heard that awhile back that Krank was going online and writing reviews on their own stuff??? Sketchy? But regardless im still stuck!! Pickford is that a song or album and if so do you have a link? id love to check it out

[toejam]

The V3 has plenty of gain on tap, no need for an OD pedal to boost it.

[Devotee]

An EVH 5150III 50 Watt will get you where you need to be.

[jacksonguru91]

I actually played the 5150 III and wasnt to impressed. I just felt it was lacking something. .hard to explain. Well ive eliminated the krankenstein just because the "dime channel" dont get me wrong i love dime but i just dont want my rig to have someone else's name on it no im atuck between the v3, laney gh100s and The peavey xxx

[jacksonguru91]

Probably gonna get the v3 just found a sweet deal for head and 412 cab. Problem solved!

[pianoguyy]

Or we throw a curve ball and screw the amp all together.

I recently picked up a line 6 pod hd500. Then I went and downloaded a Pantera tone that blew me away!

[jacksonguru91]

Not familiar with the pods. How do those work ive always used just amp and guitar no pedals or anything. Pure amp but seriously whats a pod ive seen them just havent known what they do?

[pianoguyy]

The HD500 is a combination fx unit and amp modeler. (This model even works on bass and vocals.)

Meaning, it gives you all of your effects.
But it can also replicate amp and speaker cabinets. So, in theory, you don't need to lug around an amp ever again. You plug straight into the pa instead of having your speakers mic'd. And you can still sound like you're using a cab.
I hate to use this reference, but its like a keyboard. You don't need to lug a piano and orchestra around. You can digitally reproduce those sounds.

This particular unit lets you choose from various heads and cabinets, and even a selection of microphones.
For example, the Pantera sound I mentioned earlier, It simulates a Line 6 Elektrik amp head with a 4x12 Bogner Uberschall cab using a 87 Condensor mic.
But the Metallica Seek and Destroy sound uses a Marshall Plexi 1959 Super Lead 100 amp head on the Bright Channel with closed-back 4x12” cab with Celestion G12M “Greenback” speakers with a 421 Dynamic mic.

The Metallica sound is ok, but the Pantera sound blew me away with its realism. I played the first few notes of Walk and stopped to make sure it was my guitar and my fingers making those noises. Whoever made that patch was spot on. But could you imagine lugging around those two different heads and two cabinets to get those two different sounds? I get those, and so much more, out of one pedal board. Not needing to break my back carrying amps or damaging my hearing having tube amps cranked up to 11 to get the best warmth out of them.



Honestly, I just got it. I haven't even used it live yet. But I've been f'n around with it, just to learn all of the gizmos and gadgets before I take it live and get stuck not knowing how to get sound out of it or something. Its real neat. I bought it for specific purposes, but I am finding that I am going to have a lot more uses for it then originally intended.

[pickford1625]

those are 2 of their records. here is the better of the 2.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69bP9BgUiFU

[roodyrocker]

The Line 6 stuff is pretty unimpressive live. Of the other choices, I'd take the Carvin V3 over Krank. I picked up a Carvin V3 a while back to add to the amp collection and it was priced right and sounds good.