Tube amps, distortion: coarse/tight... recommendations, thoughts?

[yabba]

Wow, I have never heard anyone say that. And you know A LOT about amps! That's weird, but interesting!

If anything I always found the marks to be tighter than recto's and most people i've spoken too, agreed with me on this, but you're pretty much saying the opposite.

ditto!

rectos can be dialed in pretty tight (especially with a boost!), but they're definetely not the first thing that pops into my head when I think 'tight amp'

[hippietim]

a vetta would be great for this.

[jgcable]

ditto!

rectos can be dialed in pretty tight (especially with a boost!), but they're definetely not the first thing that pops into my head when I think 'tight amp'

I think they are the ultimate in tightness. Its why so many speed metal bands use Rectifiers. They stay tight when palm muted or when the bass is way up. I think the delay you hear in pick attack comes from some frequencies in the midrange territory which is right where the DSL/TSL sits in the band. Scooped tone always sounds tighter.
Frankly.. I am surprised that Rectifiers get such a bad rap around the JCF. Many call them 1 dimensional. I couldn't disagree more. Besides the 5150... the Single,Dual and Triple Rectifiers are pretty much the industry standard for all types of metal.

[jgcable]

a vetta would be great for this.

The nice thing about the Vetta for Annah is that she could dial in the exact amp combination to compliment her bands sound.

[horns666]

Rectos are tight but I can't dial out the "fuzz" I hear in them..

when I play them they sound fuzzy and buzzy..presence up or down, treble up or down and no matter where I set the gain..buzz..

I had three different EQs in that thing..I'm just Eq-ing all the fuzz..ahhhhhhhhhh. fuggit, I sold traded it for a Soldano HR100.

Jeff Loomis never sounded better when he played his Recto tho..he's a dick!

Rectos have to be good..maybe I just SUCK!!

I dunno..

[MSGfan]

I use first year (1992) early two channel Mesa Dual Recto's on the orange channel with an Ibanez TS808 reissue or a Maxon OD808 as a boost and my sound is nice and tight!

Speakers and cabinet size and construction have a lot to do with your sound also, it's someting that a lot of people overlook. I like 800 Marshall cabs with Celestion 80's.

[horns666]

I NEED Help guys..John and I were just here playin' with my amps..

My Uber sounds like it's taking a crap..it crackles as soon as you "touch" a string..the lighter you touch the string the more you can hear it crackle and break up..

If you hold the note it sounds fine..it decays fine and everything..

I thought it may be the noise gate on the G-Major..nope.

I'm thinkin' a tube goin' bad..

your thoughts..

[horns666]

"I like 800 Marshall cabs with Celestion 80's."

Hell, that's what I used with the Recto..

I tried about a dozen different cabs..the recto cab seems best to my ears..

what do I know..I suck with the recto!!

I bought the first ones that came out..in '92..the add with the armadillo..

[Twisteramps]

I will say that the tightest sounding amps IMHO are the Mesa Rectifiers.
They are perfect when you want instant response to pick attack.

A VHT is much tighter... by far. Soldanos are great amps - I've owned a HR50XL+ that I modded, currently own a really nice SLO clone, and have played two 'real' SLOs. The VHTs are tighter. Really, in my playing experience - the VHT is tighter than *any* other tube amp. I've played buddas, bogners, owned many of the mesas, tons of Marshalls, modded marshalls (voodoo hex), badcats, Vettas, HD147s, etc...

VHT is tighter. No offense John, but the VHT 50/CL I owned made every Mesa rectifier I have ever owned (2 dual rectifier rackmounts, an early (first 250) Dual recto reverse chassis head, Single rectifier head) sound like it was a floptacular mess.

Pete

[Endrik]

Rectos aren't the tightest metal amps.
Most of the power metal or whatever metal dudes who play fast palm muting rhythms don't like rectos because they aren't tight enough.

5150, Uber, VHT, ENGLs, Framus etc. are way way tighter.

It all depends what you perfer.
Rectos are great for me because they sound great when you play big chords or groovy rhythms on single strings. Also the picking attack sounds great with them. I dig recto's loosness because I think it makes the notes "sing" more and makes 'em sound crunchier. That makes recto sound unique compared to other hi gain amps.

Tight metal amps are great for fast rhythm work, but they aren't for me. I don't play power/speed/whatever metal. A lot of tight amps sound too sterile and kinda solid state-ish to my ears.
To each it's own.

Now Soldanos aren't the tightest amps, but SLO-100 is IMO the ultimate hot rodded Marshall. Nothing else does 80's metal better than SLO in my book. But they aren't for death metal or any other super scoop/hi gain music.

[horns666]

You know what does tight 80's metal right..My Marshall rig that John always busted on. He was here playing it and couldn't put it down..they became one!!

He's doing Savatge material this weekend at a gig..Mna, NOTHING comes closer to Criss Oliva than My Marsjall rig..PERIOD..

I had two mint 2210s that I traded for this thing because it blew them away then and it still does now..

That's why I weill never never never get rid of my 9200/w5881s/JMP-1/JFX-1 into four 1960b cabs..for 80's metal that rig OWNS!

Of course I have a BBE 422 in the loop..it works well with it if used in moderation..

To be %100 completely honest I never heard John sound better EVER..not to these ears. He could doubt and nay say all he wants..it won't change my mind..not then..and definitely not now..

He's thinkin' of taking this to the gig..I want him to..

How close does it sound to classic Tage..it's like your standing in the room with the cd on loud!

It also does VH like nobody's biz..ask Tony my VH tribute guitarsist..

and it can do Glen Drover, Death, and more..so I'd say that this is pretty versatile..

Tight..you can't get any tighter..I LOVE VHT, Bogner, Soldano, and 5150..seven 5150s in all..

You don''t see me playing any of them and you won't, 'cept the Uber..which doesn't touch my Marshal rig for 80's metal..PERIOD!

I don't like the 9200 EL34 version at all..it's sounds nothing like mine.

My Marshall rig has been the coolest friend I could ask for, almost 12 years now..and no matter what rig I owned, try or play..I always go back turn it on and go...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..NICE!!

anyone who hears it would be taken back..

[Endrik]

Marshalls are great because they hide slop

[horns666]

I always go for that classic VH, Criss Oliva and Steve Stevens tone..especially back then in '95.

when I heard The Marshall rack..it gave me that in spades..

I can't stop praisng this rig..it treated me so good all these years and made me the player I am today. It's always consistant, I never spend time "tweaking" the thing, just rippin'!

It has the same exact patches I programmed in '95..no need to change them..they're perfect.

Whenever I play the Uber I go instantly to "TWEAK" mode..Fuck that already..I spent a 100,000 hours tweaking knobs ..fuck that all to hell!!

Those 100,000 hours could have been used for PLAYING!

what a waiste of precious playing time and energy.

[Endrik]

The best Marshalls I've ever heard were Cameron modded Plexis

[horns666]

Marshalls are great because they hide slop

Well E John's not sloppy, I can say that ..I have my share of slop..well who don't.

He's more "controlled" in his playing than I am..Yngwie riffs up the gee gee..like no ones biz..nails the vibe, feel everything..I don't do that..

I go more for a Dime, Zakk and Loomis kinda thing..or try to..I'm much more reckless in my playing than John is..some of it is "slop" I guess..but I honed it and it conveys pretty cool..I could do all the whammys, squeals and whatnots..Eddie/Lynch school I guess..

Well..the best way to say it is. My uberschall is pretty unforgiving, if you shit a note, it'll let you know..big time.

The Marshall, well, it's a pretty player friendly..when I go for a Satch dip harmonic..it will always gives it to me evertime..not the Uber..

So, with that said yeah, you are right in a way..but, would you rather have a girl who likes to play and does it all..or a moody bitch that bitchin' and fightin' half the time your bangin' her... that's a good anology..especially for you E..