Help me decide: JSX, Stiletto or Vetta

[Twisteramps]

When you buy a modelling amp, you're going to get disappointed if you think that an emulation is going to be 100% that of the original amp. It isn't going to happen. Hell, I've never heard two marshalls sound exactly the same either! But they do have qualities of the original amps, which is close enough for most of us. The big thing about modelling amps is flexibility.

Pete

[Shawn Lutz]

I've never played the JSX or a Vetta............................................. ................ but since I'm a tube snob...I'd go for the JSX Seriously since you already have the XT Live why get a Vetta????

Also for your budget of $1000 there are far more options avail in the used market to get you the VH tone. You can get a Splawn or VHT 50CL w/EQ ror that rage...alos since you have the XT you could use that as your clean channel so you could also look at single channel JMP 2203/4, JCM800 2203/4's

I dont care what Bill says of the JSX after playing an hour or two....Splawn and VHT kick mucho ass

[jgcable]

That's stretching it a little, isn't it? I loved my Vetta, but I don't think it's all things to all guitarists. I love my JSX now, but I don't think it's the amp for everyone.

Pete

Pete, I don't think thats stretching it at all. I am suggesting to him that he shouldn't buy an amp without at least checking out the Vetta. After all.. he did express interest in trying one.

Modeling isn't for everybody but the Vetta could possibly be the perfect amp for him. I trust your opinion on amps but I am one of the few people around here that is not blown away by the JSX.
Probably one of the best sounding 2 guitar bands I have heard locally was using a Carvin Quad X /Peavey Sixty-Sixty through a Marshall 1960a and a Peavey 5150 with the stock 5150 cab.
The best tone I ever got live was through a Mesa Mark III. The problem with it is that it wasn't versatile enough for me live. I need alot of different tones at my disposal and I don't like to tap dance.

[jgcable]

I've never played the JSX or a Vetta............................................. ................ but since I'm a tube snob...I'd go for the JSX Seriously since you already have the XT Live why get a Vetta????

Also for your budget of $1000 there are far more options avail in the used market to get you the VH tone. You can get a Splawn or VHT 50CL w/EQ ror that rage...alos since you have the XT you could use that as your clean channel so you could also look at single channel JMP 2203/4, JCM800 2203/4's

I dont care what Bill says of the JSX after playing an hour or two....Splawn and VHT kick mucho ass

I agree with much of the above statement. If you don't like the XT Live, you probably won't like the Vetta.
BTW... a JMP1 will certainly give you the old school VH tone.

[jgcable]

When you buy a modelling amp, you're going to get disappointed if you think that an emulation is going to be 100% that of the original amp. It isn't going to happen. Hell, I've never heard two marshalls sound exactly the same either! But they do have qualities of the original amps, which is close enough for most of us. The big thing about modelling amps is flexibility.

Pete

I agree 100%.

[jgcable]

That was live in a basement studio, as a promo for gigs..THAT tone is a JMP-1/Peavey 120/120 w/6L6s..My Marshall 9200 w/6L6s sounds better than that!

If you want that tone in a "grab and go" tube head, I suggest a ol' 2210 Marshall which are getting harder to find a nice one at a reasonable price.

I played the JSX, I can't praise it enough..That's Pete's (twisteramps) amp of choice and I can see why. Peavey finally made a amp that kicks the 5150's ass in every way..it took them 17 years..but they did it!

Check one out for yourself at GC or Peavey dealer ..I heard you can score a nice used one for aprrox $700-$800 bucks on the Bay!!!

I haven't been that impressed with a amp in a very long time...hint, don't be afraid to use the gain knob on the "ultra" channel..it's ALL %100 usable...unlike a 5150.

The ultimate grab and go metal amp is the 5150, 5150II, 6505 and 6505+.
Oh yea.. and I don't think the JSX kicks the 5150's ass in every way except that it has a better clean channel. I still think the 5150 has a totally useable clean channel of you are in a metal band. I wouldn't use it if I was in a Beatles Tribute band though.

[Twisteramps]

Pete, I don't think thats stretching it at all. I am suggesting to him that he shouldn't buy an amp without at least checking out the Vetta. After all.. he did express interest in trying one.

Modeling isn't for everybody but the Vetta could possibly be the perfect amp for him. I trust your opinion on amps but I am one of the few people around here that is not blown away by the JSX.
Probably one of the best sounding 2 guitar bands I have heard locally was using a Carvin Quad X /Peavey Sixty-Sixty through a Marshall 1960a and a Peavey 5150 with the stock 5150 cab.
The best tone I ever got live was through a Mesa Mark III. The problem with it is that it wasn't versatile enough for me live. I need alot of different tones at my disposal and I don't like to tap dance.

Well, then I'd say tell him to check out all the amps, not one in particular that he's interested in. Regarding the JSX - I liked it ok with EL34s, but with 6L6s it's a whole other animal entirely. I'm chewing my nails waiting on the VHT, to see if it sounds as good as the last one I had.

Pete

[nor]

The Stiletto is a cool amp. I can nail Zakk tones but haven't found much 'brown'. My MkIII does a much better job for that. But that's cool, cause I bought the Deuce to get tones missing from my Boogie.

[skorb]

I haven't played the Vetta but I have played the Spiders, Xt live , Tone core pedals and the Flextone amps. I have not heard any Fender Twin models that sound anything like a Fender. I'm not a fan. I also owned a Korg Processor and currently a Boss GT 8 which has alot of different amps and none of them sound like the real thing to me.My Vox Valvetronix AD120VTX was pretty good, it sounded really good on alot of things but if you compare it direclty to the real thing, it's missing the "breath of fresh air" like said on here already. If you grew up on tubes, you know exaclty what I'm talking about.

if you have not played the Vetta at volume then you are totally justified with your views here on most modelers. what you are missing out on by not having tried one, is that the Vetta is far far superior to most modelers. the emulations are more sophisticated and the stereo dual amp feature makes it sound fukkin huge. it has that tube feel that most cheaper modelers lack. at least that is what mine sounds like. and my bandmates agree, our bass player forgot it was not a tube amp. it has that headroom, but again, it needs to be turned up to get the most out of it. and yeah it may need some fine tuning to get exactly what the player wants.

you should not judge the Vetta by hearing a Spider or a Flextone. it's not even close.

[Twisteramps]

Vettas sound great, but they do not feel like tube amps. I think my Randall RG80 (solid state head) feels more like a tube amp than the vetta does, probably because it is so much faster. There's a slight delay between when you hit a note on any modelling amp and what comes out, at least to my ears. Not a real big deal once you get used to it.

I think if someone played through two amps (a vetta and a 'real' tube amp) it would be hard to tell which was tube if you were LISTENING. If you were playing, it would be pretty easy imho.

Pete

[jgcable]

Vettas sound great, but they do not feel like tube amps. I think my Randall RG80 (solid state head) feels more like a tube amp than the vetta does, probably because it is so much faster. There's a slight delay between when you hit a note on any modelling amp and what comes out, at least to my ears. Not a real big deal once you get used to it.

I think if someone played through two amps (a vetta and a 'real' tube amp) it would be hard to tell which was tube if you were LISTENING. If you were playing, it would be pretty easy imho.

Pete

Again... I agree Pete. Modelers definately "feel" different.

[Spivonious]

Out of those, my favorite is the Stiletto. Sounded like a Marshall being passed through a Recto. Very nice. A bit overpriced IMO though, as are most amps.

It's not in your list, but try out the Genz-Benz El Diablo. The first note I played put a huge smile on my face, as I knew that my tone quest had come to an end (at least temporarily )

[quiksilver]

I really appreciate all of the excellent advice offered in this thread. I would be open to the others mentioned here, too, e.g., Splawn, VHT, etc. I didn't think I could afford those. I really like my XT Live, but I have some cash to spend and would like to improve my sound.

I love the fact that on my XTL, I can have a "Hear About it Later" patch, and a "Women In Love" patch, along with an "Eruption" patch, etc. I also like the fact that it can sound great at low volume, record to the computer, etc., and I like being able to get tones from Line 6's on-line database, thus my interest in the Vetta (plus the 2-amps-at-once feature sounds great). When Mesa came out with the Stiletto, it sounded like they were really going for a hot-rodded Marshall, EVH sound to me, with the built-in Variac stuff, etc., so I thought that would be my amp-to-end-all. The JSX is an amp that I wouldn't have considered, until I started reading all the great comments on it on the JCF, and now I'm interested in that, too.

[jgcable]

The Vetta can certainly give you all the tones you are looking for. It can also give you any other tone you can think of.

[Robotechnology]

To be honest with you, I don't really like my POD XT Live. I only like the Vetta II because I spent 40 minutes tweaking two presets to my liking (EJ & Satch ones). Without being able to mix two amptones at the same time, I wouldn't like Vetta's either. Since you can mix 2 amps, I like it.