Looking for something new..need opinions and info.

[Chuckracer]

Re: Looking for something new..need opinions and info.

Only on the SLO and one of the preamps. The other Soldanos are still built like tanks, though. Ya know how everybody makes a big deal out of upgrading the transformers in Marshalls to Mercury Magnetics? Standard equipment in the Soldano HR's.
Rick, you need to get you hands on a Soldano HR50+, the two channel version. They can be had for $800 and you will be blown away after playing the DSL for a couple years.

Every time I go see a local band and the guitar player is using a newer Marshall, I swear I cannot hear any guitar. All I hear is this annoying sizzle from the speaker. No tone, no meat, no nuttin. I hate the sound of new Marshalls with a passion.

[kickinsomeaxe]

Re: Looking for something new..need opinions and i

[ QUOTE ]
i'd rather see you go with a XXX or JSX than the 5150.

are you looking for versitility or just a higain head?

[/ QUOTE ]
The JSX is just great for the money! [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]
i like it a lot more than the XXX even though they are similar
the JSX has a better gain(smoother)and a nicer clean channel.
essentially it is a updated XXX

[jgcable]

Re: Looking for something new..need opinions and i

Mesa Boogie Mark IV will sound good for every genre of music night after night and anywhere. You could certainly pick one up for around 800.00 on Ebay. Also look at the Mark III and the Nomad, 45,55,100 heads. I have a Nomad 45 and it kills. I also agree that the Soldano HR50 is in your price range and it ROCKS.

[Riffmeister]

Re: Looking for something new..need opinions and i

Chuck,

I agree with you about the new Marshalls, I did have mine moded a bit and it was niling the tone I was after for a long while, to get that it had to have a BBE run through it though, latelu=y it just seems like it sound good for about 3-4 weeks after I have it biased and new tubes etc. but then just starts to go haywire from time to time.

Is there such a thing as an amp not staying biased ? [img]/images/graemlins/brow.gif[/img]

Based on what I have heard from you guys and a few things I have been researching , I think I am down to 3 options.

1.The Legacy- but I have heaard that it is extremly loud [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
2. A hot Rod 50 Plus- How much do they go new by the way?

Lastly and this seems to be the most cost effective for me, have my head modded by Trace at Voodoo amps. According to their site, they ca nmake my amp sound like I want, at the levels I need and make it more reliable from day to day [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img], No differnt sound every 15 minutes HAHA1

Someone elaborate on this, I know ton of you guys have had work done by them and the sound clips that I hear d of the moded DSL on his site, were, well just about as close to what I want as I can get witout spending a bunch of cash that I don't have.

Oh and Chuck, where is a good place to look into a hot rod 50 plus ? I live in DE and they don't carry anythig like that around here. Thanks again for all your help.

[lerxstcat]

Re: Looking for something new..need opinions and info.

[ QUOTE ]
I play in a band with someone who has the Legacy head. It's a sick amp for the money. And I believe it is switchable to 50 watts. It pretty much sounds the same every time I hear it. He bought it because of Carvin's 10 day trial thinking he would send it back. It's been at least 3 or 4 years now. It sounds great. And it seems to be reliable. (It's not a bedroom amp. It gets to go to bars.) The only downfall is if you don't like it, You have to ship it back. You get your money back, but I think you pay to ship it back.

[/ QUOTE ]I would add to that that the MTS head that Boxcar mentioned seems to me to be basically the same thing as the Legacy head, without Vai's endorsement and a couple of hundred dollars cheaper. I have a Valve Master head which is the same as the MTS except cosmetically, and it sounds great to me. Those heads go for $300 to $400 on Ebay all the time. I also believe that Carvin will fix anything on one of their amps for about $120. You may want to call them to see if that's the same price but I had an XV212 combo from the first year of production and sent it in for repairs a few years ago, and they chargedme $120 plus freight (I took the chassis out; no sense paying to ship the 212 amp cab!). They don't include tubes in that price, but in my case they did comp me a new set of tubes. All Carvin tube amps since the X100Bshave a half-power switch as well, and many of the X100B and X60B heads also had 100%, 50% AND 25% power positionsfor lower-volume output drive. I had some X60B heads that sounded great at 15 watts! That still wasn't bedroom jam levels, but it made a great difference for jamming at reasonable volume levels.

[Chuckracer]

Re: Looking for something new..need opinions and i

The Trace mods are possibly a good idea, and the amp WILL sound killer, but in the end you still have crappy new Marshall quality throughout the amp. I wouldn't want to rely on that night after night.

I have no idea where you'd find one where you are. I bought my first HR without hearing one first and became a Soldano freak right then and there. I don't think there's any way you'd buy one blind and regret it. See, the thing is, you are getting better components throughout the amp. Better jacks, pots, thicker board, thicker traces on the board, high quality tube sockets, MM transformers, top quality caps, wires...construction...over spec'ed components...the list goes on really. All this stuff makes a difference. It would cost a fortune to mod a Marshall enough to put it on the same plane as a Soldano.

New they are spendy. 2k area. Ebay and $800 will get you one.

[Tooling]

Re: Looking for something new..need opinions and info.

There is a Soldano HR50+ in the Harmony Central classifieds right now...check it out.

[jgcable]

Re: Looking for something new..need opinions and info.

I agree with Chuck. I bought my first Soldano after NEVER playing one or even ever hearing one in person close up and I was totally blown away when I got mine. I can explain how a Soldano sounds. Just picture the ultimate high gain amp tone, the tone that hurts your ears but you can't stop turning it up because it sounds so good. The tone that makes all your guitar player friends jealous, the tone that is so unmistakable you will instantly recognize it. The definative metal guitar amp tone. Forget the Uber chunk or the Deisel thump. That is not what Soldano is all about. If you play nu-metal or detune or play a 7 string my suggestion would be to stay away from Soldano. Soldano's are everything a Marshall ever wished it was and the components are all top shelf grade. Michael does not mess around when he builds an amp. Thats for sure.