Help - Amp advice!

[Twisteramps]

Re: Help - Amp advice!

I second Ross on the used stuff... it allows you to check out a lot more gear, and if you buy wisely, you can break even when you resell.

I wouldn't buy *any* new amp without hearing it first just because of the huge loss you are going to take if you resell. If you buy a quality amp used, it's going to be as reliable as a new amp, and more reliable than some makes!

Pete

[StuTDavis]

Re: Help - Amp advice!

I don't know if you're playing in a band or just at home. If you're not playing out, and have any volume restrictions at home, keep in mind the "limitations" of a lot of all-tube amps. If you're not going to be going anywhere near wide-open, you might want/need some outboard gear to get you into that "shred" zone, anyway.

Personally, if I had to buy a head in that price range today, I'd check out the newer Peavey non-tube heads. I'd really be curious about those, especially maybe throwing a tube-based pedal in front, to up the tubey feel a bit, if they can take one and be happy.

[rodrigo_echeverri]

Re: Help - Amp advice!

Yes, if I had bought my guitar new I would be playing a beautiful Squire and I would not be a member of this forum... hahaha....

You can buy whatever you want dude but people here are very biased towards pieces of equipment that have become "classics" and are not even being made anymore... example: my beautiful Carvin Quad X... my ADA mp-1, my BBE 422A, the Charvel 650Xl I play.... all those have been tested by many and are known to be real jewels. They cannot be found new...

People here have this "treasure hunting" mentallity and buying new just takes the thrill away...

Not trying to convince you just justifying myself I guess...

If you are patient and do your research I guarantee you will find a piece of equipment that will blow everybody away for the money you have...

[ May 20, 2003, 06:41 PM: Message edited by: rodrigo_echeverri ]

[killerburst]

Re: Help - Amp advice!

Just thinkin' out loud:

If I had a thousand bucks and I wanted to buy an amp most-suitable for metal, I would by a mid-'80s JCM 800 2203 or 2204 with vertical inputs (better build quality). Then I would throw a couple hundred at it for new tubes and a good once over by a competent tech. I would then buy the distortion pedal of choice with the remaining $300.

One of the most wicked metal tones I have ever heard came from a Sovtek MIG-100 (sorta Marshall-esque) with a Boss Metal Zone in front of it. I'm getting that little tickle between my nads right now just thinkin' about it.

But then again, I play through a '66 Fender Vibrolux Reverb with a Barber Direct Drive, so what do I know about "real" tone. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Ace]

Re: Help - Amp advice!

Well, OK, if you want a new amp, that's totally your preference, but I'll have to agree with Pete and Chuck on this one. I haven't bought a new amp or guitar in several years. Just about every amp and guitar that I buy now I KNOW that I can sell for at least what I paid for it, if not more. Anyways, it IS totally your preference, but the moment you pay for a guitar or amp, it's not new anymore.

[ May 20, 2003, 12:37 PM: Message edited by: Ace ]

[raymo]

Re: Help - Amp advice!

Also forgot to mention if you want a Solid State vibe due to volume restraints, look into a Marshall MG100DFX those MGDFX models are their newest solidstate amps and the MG100DFX was pretty good, I think that dude from Static X uses one.

Also look into the AVT20 and AVT50 amps.

Ofcourse Im just mentioning Marshalls [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] and I know just about all you guys think all new Marshalls blow so I'll shut up now [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[rodrigo_echeverri]

Re: Help - Amp advice!

Oh, Raymond, come on, don't tell me you are going to give up on us ... [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] (It would be cool to see you come to the light though... [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] )

[ May 21, 2003, 03:25 AM: Message edited by: rodrigo_echeverri ]

[Firebird V]

Re: Help - Amp advice!

[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[ May 21, 2003, 07:54 AM: Message edited by: Firebird V ]

[Ric1983]

Re: Help - Amp advice!

I tried the new XXX and thought it had a great clean sound and two good gain channels and right in your price range. Also a new Marshall DSL has a great sound as well and is right around your $ limit. Both will do what you say you want and I beleive the XXX will give you more gain on its ultra channel than the DSL. Also a Marshall JCM series which is around the same price sounds good but needs the added help of a overdrive/distortion
pedal to achieve heavyier Metal tones in my opinion. Randall has a tube solid state hybrid design I beleive called the Cyclone which gets some brutal high gain and descent cleans but is typical of solid state wash out at near dimed volumes. Also some of the Line6 heads are in your range which are very versatile in having many amp models and effects and cab models but also are solid state and lack when approaching the dimed position on the volume. Id also check out some of the Laney heads which are high quality sound and are also in your price range and can cover clean to high gain also. Thats just a few that I am familiar with but there are many more I am not as familar with that deserved to be checked out. And I would have too echo what others have stated that you could get some real bang for your buck if Used wasnt an issue. Like an Egnater Tol which literally kills almost any amp produced today and has four outstanding channels. It covers sweet cleans to cut through steel high gain. But I can appreciate wanting a "Virgin" amp also. Good Luck.


Ric

[Econ]

Re: Help - Amp advice!

I've heard a lot about the Egnater TOL. Could you please talk a little bit more about the Egnater TOL? Can you get 80's metal and hard rock tones out of it? Does it have an effects loop? Is it a silent amp? Can you consider this amp to be a metal amp? Thanks.

[Ric1983]

Re: Help - Amp advice!

I have not owned a Tol 100 or 50 but have friends that have owned both. The Tol 100 is a 100 watt 4 channel amp that has an effects loop I beleive and also can switch out different power tubes I beleive. It was designed and produced by Bruce Egnater of Roctron and now Randall fame(RM 4). I beleive it also has a half power switch also and runs in 4-8-16 ohms. I have played it near dimed on the volume (8) and must say it was vey quiet but I also use Emg's. I beleive Twisteramps(Pete) owns one and Trillianguitars(Doug Trillian) owns one or both and absolutely love them and they are tone, tech guys with discerning ears. I have seen them on Ebay and locally(Detroit) a few times a year. If you do a search here and use keywords Egnater and or TOL 100 or 50 I beleive you will get some great first hand opinions and I have come too the same conclusion after using the Tol 100. Its like a modeler of four voices of amps but to say modeler detracts from what it is capable of and like I said it has a Marshall like singing bell clean too an overdrive crunch too a 5150/modded Marshall somewhat Boogie lead and Tripple/Uber/Soldano like Ultra channel. That was my interpitation anyways. And all channels are very high quality and very useable depending on your applications. Now the Tol 50 is a two channel with the same clean but I beleive the lead channel is more of a modded Jcm 800 type of sound and has a descent amount of gain but is also a very high quality sound and built unit. With the Tol 100 you could hang with the Rectifiers and Soldanos and the Bogners all day long and pound for pound be just as hi-gain just the Egnater gives you the flexibility of high quality cleans and crunches also. Just my opinion though. Hope this helps.


Ric

[RacerX]

Re: Help - Amp advice!

Decent