VHT GP3 PREAMP Who's tried one?

[Fretburner]

Thinking about buying a VHT GP3 Preamp. Any of you guys ever try or own one? I've read some mixed reviews on Harmony Central.

How bout some feedback? [img]/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif[/img]

[LRGman]

Re: VHT GP3 PREAMP Who\'s tried one?

I think Pat-Strangletooth got one of the first ones maybe he will speak up. I forget what hi opinion was.

[Inearthed]

Re: VHT GP3 PREAMP Who\'s tried one?

Well, I bought Pat's and after a while I sold it to... Hippietim, I believe, not 100% sure though. Simply because I was going back to using heads.

The GP3 had some of the cleanest and tightest high gain distortion that I've ever played around with. I teamed mine with a VHT 2150 and it was deafeningly loud as well as massive. The problems I had for it was that at times I was wishing it was a little bit more loose and the low end chunk was a little bit less defined and bigger sounding. With such a tight sound with distortion it sometimes gives the illusion of needing more gain. Leads through this amp sound excellent; very crisp and lots of sustain. Cleans sounded very nice too. The amp really only has a clean channel and then two channels that are exact copies of each other (same controls and all). To me you pretty much get the same sound out of both of them with maybe minor differences.

If you grab the preamp you need a midi foot controller if you plan on switching channels at all. I also highly recommend you team a 2902 or a 2150 with it, otherwise you'll be shortchanging yourself. I'd also definitely recommend grabbing a rackmounted effects processor (probably a GMajor?). I never had any need for a noise gate.. The unit never really produced any feedback.

But it really comes down to the style of music you play and what sort of amplifiers you like. I felt that the GP3 didn't suit the music for my band that I'm currently in (scandinavian styled melodic metal). The preamp would be great for anyone looking to play 80's metal, shred or any other style where you need a clean sounding distortion with a versitile clean channel.

Any specific questions about the unit?

(edit because it ate half of my post)

[Ace]

Re: VHT GP3 PREAMP Who\'s tried one?

I played one at NAMM two years ago and I freakin' loved it. I only got to spend maybe 10 minutes with it though, so I can't give you as detialed a description as Inearthed's...

[hippietim]

Re: VHT GP3 PREAMP Who\'s tried one?

I got the Strangletooth -> Inearthed hand me down. I thought the GP3 sounded like a stinky fart. Buzzy, buzzy, crappy, nasty. Ok, it wasn't that bad but it was at best mediocre sounding. The metal tones were weak IMO, the "classic" crunch tones lacked richness, and the clean tones were just bland.

Strangletooth kept telling me I needed to dial it in with a parametric EQ. That may have worked but I didn't bother because I can't see keeping a preamp that is that expensive needing "help" to sound good. I mean the damn thing has separate tone controls on each channel plus a graphic EQ.

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: VHT GP3 PREAMP Who\'s tried one?

[ QUOTE ]
I can't see keeping a preamp that is that expensive needing "help" to sound good.

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Back to reality Timah... Ain't none that are perfect that I've found yet. And I've had some nice stuff. I see my future with my CAE3+se teamed up with an ENGL 570 in my rack, haha, cuz neither does what the other does... 3+k in preamps... Jeez... I'm nuts...

[Tetsuo]

Re: VHT GP3 PREAMP Who\'s tried one?

John that would be a perfect setup I think... You would be very happy with that...

Inearthed described the UL with his description...

[hippietim]

Re: VHT GP3 PREAMP Who\'s tried one?

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I can't see keeping a preamp that is that expensive needing "help" to sound good.

[/ QUOTE ]

Back to reality Timah... Ain't none that are perfect that I've found yet. And I've had some nice stuff.

[/ QUOTE ]

Reality? Dude, that GP3 did not sound good. I have no qualms about getting an EQ or something to improve a fundamentally good tone but I don't believe for a second that you should have to add something to make it sound good to begin with. I know this isn't a requirement for tons and tons of gear. I too have played through lots of gear. And nothing I ever considered good needed help to sound good.