$800 high gain tube head??

[DSS3]

Re: $800 high gain tube head??

[ QUOTE ]
If we are going to stick with your $800.00 rule I would choose a Mesa Boogie Mark III.
Second choice would be a Series 2 Mesa Boogie Single Rectifier.
3rd choice would be a Peavey 6505+ or a 5150II.

[/ QUOTE ]

+ A freakin bajillion.

[Chuckracer]

Re: $800 high gain tube head??

Nope. Soldano was the one of the original "high gain" builders. Soldano HR's are very high gain amps.

[zeegler]

Re: $800 high gain tube head??

A Peavey 5150 (6505) is out of the question.

I don't like the Laney AOR. It's a nice sounding amp, but not what I would consider high gain by any means.

I have a B52 AT100, and it is fucked. I have managed to get an almost usable sound out of it, but only at low volumes. As soon as I turn iot up it sounds like a big giant can of shit. I don't want to send it back to B52, because the shipping will be astronomical, so I'm just going to go through everything myself when I get a chance.

I have a Crate Blue Voodoo BV120, which IMO sounds absolutely killer, butI have to crank it pretty loud to avoid being lost in the mix.

I have a Randall RGT100, which in my basement sounds better than anything I have heard, but, the last time I took it to rehearsal, it didn't sound as good at higher volumes. I have messed around with the settings alot since then, so maybe I have solved the problem with it. We shall have to see.

Basically, I need a "sure thing" that I can use at rehearsal, and live, that is going to have more than enough gain, and is capable of cutting through, without sounding horrid. I can not get a 5150 because that's what my other guitar player uses.

I'm very interested in trying the new Peavey Valve King.

Here's some others I have considered, but never tried.

Yamaha T50 - Soldano designed. Can be had for $400-500.

Marshall JCM800 2205 - Not sure if it would measure up in the gain department without a pedal.

Mesa Single Rectoverb - Lots of gain, but maybe too mushy to go with a 5150.

Randall RM100 - You don't see them used very often. The interchangeable modules are interesting.

Soldano Hot Rod 50 - Not sure if this has enough gain either. I read somewhere that they are a medium gain amp, and require high volumes to really come alive.

Mesa MkIII - These seem to go for low coin, but I've never played one, so have no idea whatsoever how they sound. Maybe the same problem with the Rectoverb.

Rivera Knucklehead 60 - Looks interesting, but I have no idea what it sounds like.

[DSS3]

Re: $800 high gain tube head??

Why is the 5150 out of the question? It's perfect for what you want, IMO.

I'd still go with a MKIII.

[zeegler]

Re: $800 high gain tube head??

[ QUOTE ]
Nope. Soldano was the one of the original "high gain" builders. Soldano HR's are very high gain amps.

[/ QUOTE ]

I really wish I could try one out, or at least hear a sound clip of one with nothing in front of it.

[Chuckracer]

Re: $800 high gain tube head??

Cause his other guitarist uses one. He wants something different.

I don't know where you heard that Soldano HR's are medium gain amps, but that's pretty funny. It's also really wrong.

A Single Recto is a great choice, too. My singers was anything BUT mushy...really nice sounding amp.

Mark III's are anything but muddy as well!

JCM800 will need a pedal, but then you're kickin ass...believe me!

Looks to me like you need to "go to the big city" and play some amps. Some of your pre-concieved notions are pretty far off the mark.

[toejam]

Re: $800 high gain tube head??

[ QUOTE ]
I would say go for a mesa dual caliber series or the F series. Good 2 channel amps.


[/ QUOTE ]
+ 1.

[zeegler]

Re: $800 high gain tube head??

[ QUOTE ]

Looks to me like you need to "go to the big city" and play some amps. Some of your pre-concieved notions are pretty far off the mark.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I'm pretty open minded about the whole thing, and I have just repeated what I have heard, because I have never played any of the above amps myself to form an opinion. The problem with going to the big city to try them out, is that it will be almost impossible to find somewhere that has a used Soldano HR50 I'm thinking.

I'll have to keep my eyes open on Ebay, and if a good deal comes along, I may just have to take a leap of faith because the Soldano sounds like it might be just the ticket.

What we need is a database of sound clips for every tube amp ever built!

[Chuckracer]

Re: $800 high gain tube head??

That's what I did, Bro! My first Soldano (an HR50) was a total blind leap based on what I had read about it.

My Peters was a blind leap, my VHT Pitbull 45, my Marshall, my old Rectos, my Soldano's...all of them were a blind leap. That's the beauty of ebay. Watch the market for a little while, research completed listings, and when the deal is right, buy it. Play it for a month or two, and sell it for the same price. You may be out shipping, but you've had the amp for a while...call it rent and buy the next one.

Highly recommended!

[zeegler]

Re: $800 high gain tube head??

There's only one thing bugging me about the HR50 Chuck. From the description on the Soldano site, it sounds like it is not footswitchable between channels. What say you?

[DSS3]

Re: $800 high gain tube head??

Even better...buy it for the lowest amount possible. Scour the classifieds ads in your paper, the recycler, etc. Find rich people who don't know wtf they have and get it cheep!

Then apply some armor all wipes (god that stuff makes tolex look good) and some high quality photo's and make some profit!

[Chuckracer]

Re: $800 high gain tube head??

Zeegs, that is correct. You need the HR50+, the two channel version.

[Firebird V]

Re: $800 high gain tube head??

The original hr50 was a single channel amp. Most of the HR series heads out there are 2 ch. Good Luck Zeeg.

[PallarAndersVisa]

Re: $800 high gain tube head??

Laney GH100L.

[Shotgun]

Re: $800 high gain tube head??

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