mp-1 + powerblock?

[lerxstcat]

I haven't tried the Powerblock, but try telling Lynch, Bettencourt, Skolnick, Vito Bratta etc. that the MP-1 is a "beginners" piece of equipment.. I dare you!
Without a doubt one of the coolest pieces of gear ever in guitardom!

Considering that there are much more expensive preamps around nowadays, and the fact that the MP-1 IS relatively inexpensive, maybe you're overreacting to his statement just a bit. I doubt that anybody you named is still using an MP-1 in their main rigs either.

I think by "beginner" he meant nothing more than "inexpensive", and when you can still get an MP-1 for under $200, and many here got theirs used for about $100 a few years ago, that qualifies as "beginner" in that respect. So a $200 preamp and a $100 poweramp is a beginner rack setup.