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**quiksilver** · 02-22-2004, 10:47 PM

Re: Need some opinions about tone.

I don't know much about tube amps, but I do know a little about trying to get the most bang for your buck.

Tech 21 Trademark 120 - $750 new
Tech 21 NYC makes great sounding amps that can get that dry, tough sounding Jake E. Lee/Badlands sound (which I love). Ironically, I like their tiny Trademark 10 the best, but it's really too small to play outside of solo practice. Their Trademark 120 is a 120 watt twin which is supposed to be able to do everything the Trademark 10 can do, but at higher wattage. (I'd skip the Trademark 60; it's a different animal). If you're looking at going with a rack, the Tech 21 PSA-1 is a great preamp with the same capabilities. No effects included, so you'd have to look elsewhere for those. I'd go wtih a G-Major if you can swing it.

Behringer V-Amp Pro - $199 new
This has some great sounds in it and sounds very authentic to my ear. It has more high gain models than the Line 6 competition for a small fraction of the price. Pair it with a power amp and a speaker cabinet and you're good to go.

If you do go with modeling amps, it looks like speakers is one area where you can cut costs these days, as these amps already have the speaker coloration programmed into them and only require neutral sounding speakers. I foolishly spent big bucks (for me) on a Marshall 1960A with Celestions a few years ago, but if I was getting a cab today, I'd get a Behringer or Madison or something for a tiny fraction of the price. Hell, I might even forego a 4x12 altogether and just get a self-contained PA speaker/power amp like the JBL Eon, and plug my V-Amp into that.

On the other hand, if you decide to go with a tube amp, Peavey 5150 heads are readily available, and their prices are sometimes very cheap.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide on. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

**Chuckracer** · 02-23-2004, 01:16 AM

Re: Need some opinions about tone.

There are as many opinions about which amps are best for the sounds you are looking for as there are amps themselves. Fact is, you will need to spend mucho time and gas money driving and playing everything you can plug into to decide what is right for you. I can make my recommendations based on expirence, as can many other knowledgable folks here, but what works for me may not work for you. That tone in your head is as subjective as an opinion, cause that's just what it is and only YOURS is right for you.

Good luck in your search, take your time, and HAVE FUN with it.

**Riffmeister** · 02-23-2004, 03:42 AM

Re: Need some opinions about tone.

Chuck is absolutely right, but the right way isn't always the easiest [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

The only piece of gear I could recommend to you, that I know most other guys on the board would agree with for the type's of sounds you described, would be an ADA MP-1 and some sort of power amp.

**data187** · 02-23-2004, 09:40 AM

Re: Need some opinions about tone.

i used to have an ax2 212 which i actually liked except for the fact that there is a second of delay when switching from one patch to another.

other than that i thought the amp sounded pretty decent...

anyway, why don't you use the ax2 as a preamp and run its line out into a poweramp and cab.
if i remember correctly, the ax2 has a bunch of output options on the rear panel and i think one output bypasses the poweramp and speakers.

this way you still get all the f/x, but with a more powerful power amp.

just my 2¢

**catzodellamarina** · 02-23-2004, 03:52 PM

Re: Need some opinions about tone.

I have an AX2 212 as a practice/backup amp. I have discovered from hearing my friend's play through that amp, it has a harsh sound through the Line6 speakers. Both guys I know would mic it, which only translated this bad Line6 sound. It does have a headphone out, when activated is supposed to kick in a cabinet emulator. I don't go there.
The best sound I got live was running the speaker outs into a Marshall 1960 4X12, then had it mic'd. I had to fiddle with the EQing and actually scooped the mids on the AX2, letting the natural cab tone and deliver mids. The Line6 speakers always fart when you pump up the lows too which kills your heavy palm muting sound. The cab took care of that too and delivered rumbling low end. Using the Marshall, my sound wasn't bad for a backup rig. The crappy harsh Line6 openback speaker sound was gone. If you like your Ax2 and want to experiment, borrow a cab and try that. That's a cheap alternative for you.
I had a Spider too and the speaker was junk. The great features of Line6 seem to turn into crap when pushed through their speakers. I can't speak about the new amps, maybe they've fixed this. I do use the Line6 for acoustic shows and a stand-alone amp. The clean, stereo sound is nice and clear but I never mic a Line6 speaker. Yuk!

**jgcable** · 02-23-2004, 03:58 PM

Re: Need some opinions about tone.

If the Line 6 combo won't cut it live for you why don't you go for a Flextone HD and some 4 x 12 cabinets. I am similar in taste regarding tone to you. I would guess that we pretty much have the same dialed in tone based on the bands you mentioned. I use a Flextone HD and a full stack run in stereo and I get the exact sound live as I did with my Flextone IIxl combo. The only difference is that my HD is 300 watts (2 x 150 stereo) and it has enough power to take down small buildings and curdle milk and still give me my perfect home studio tone which is exactly the tone you described.

**jgcable** · 02-23-2004, 04:10 PM

Re: Need some opinions about tone.

A friend of mine has a Flextone IIxl combo and he replaced the Eminence speakers with Celestion Vintage 30's. He can crank that sucker until your ears bleed and there is not a fart to be heard. If it was a closed back cabinet it would get more bottom but it does fine on its own. It was a huge improvement.

**Donnie** · 02-23-2004, 10:38 PM

Re: Need some opinions about tone.

Thanks Everyone for the input. Gives me some more ideas. Got 2 nice celestions just setting in the create. Gonna stick em in the Line 6 and see what happens..

Thanks again..

Donnie

**Donnie** · 02-29-2004, 11:35 PM

Re: Need some opinions about tone.

Hello Everyone,

Wanted to post an update about my amp situation. I took jgcable's suggestion about the celestion speakers. My Create amp had 2 10" celestions in it. So I made a modifaction to the line 6 and put the celestions in it. It made a 200% improvement to the Line 6. The tone coming from this thing is fookin awsome now. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Also my friend gave me an old Marshall 5010 combo supposedly a 30W amp, that wasn't working along with the schematic. So I went down to the electronics shop, bought a bunch of capacitors and other stuff and got it up and going.

The Marshall along with digitech RP21D are a great combination. Every Amp I have ever plugged the RP21D into had trouble with it's output and would feed back and squeal so bad that I could never use it. Even with marshall craked to full volume there is not the first hint of noise. And this little sucker will make your ears bleed. (It gets the wifes attention)... [img]graemlins/nono.gif[/img] Anyway I am set for a while. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Thanks again for everyones input..

**catzodellamarina** · 03-02-2004, 01:10 AM

Re: Need some opinions about tone.

Good to hear. I've decided I'm gonna try something similar. Although my AX212 is for home and practice, I'm still gonna mod it. I'm going to replace the LineSux speakers with Celestions and attempt to close the back with plywood. I was wondering if anyone here has bought Carvin's GT12-16's? How do the Carvin's measure up with Celestion Vintage 30's? They advertise they're comparable and 20 bucks cheaper.

**Sinistas** · 03-02-2004, 06:41 AM

Re: Need some opinions about tone.

Sounds like it's a good thing Line6 uses Celestions now...

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Need some opinions about tone.

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