Half stack vs. 212 combo

[zeegler]

You're gonna have to try out everything you can get your hands on. What kinda sound are you looking for? Vintage, 80's metal, super high gain scooped sound, muddy stoner rock? How much can you spend?

[kelly user]

i am really hesitant to use the shit-bay...... i don't even want to sell on there, much less buy. i am wanting a cab, that has tight low end, nice and punchy...... i hate to say it, but like metallica low end...............i know, i know every one and their mother has used that comparison. any recommendations. and hell how about a SS head to go with it, has to have a least a 100 watts, but i don't want something that will fall apart, $400 is the limit, throw your USED recommendations at me

zeegs....... we'll in case i wasn't clear, i have about $400 to spend on an amp, i want to be able to crank up the gain and rip anyone/anything to pieces, but then again i want a independent clean channel that sounds creamy. almost impossible, but doesn't hurt to ask. my GC are a bunch of dicks. you can't crank an amp or they'll tell you to lower it down. i though celestions were a good direction because the are a quality product.

i didn't know i could quote myself, and thanks horns for the advice.

[sl2lover]

Sorry to tell you but your not gonna be able to buy an amp that'll shred others to pieces with just 400 bones! Save up and buy something you know that will!!

[zeegler]

Well, there are plenty of high gain SS heads around that go for super cheap used. It shouldn't be too hard to find a 100watt head and 4X12 cab for $400.

[kelly user]

any suggestions??
i was thinking the Front man 2x12.... but you guys say that combos lack a certain something that stacks don't. 329 bones new and they shred and get sensitive(clean)

[kelly user]

http://fender.com/products/search.php?partno=2317000000

any thoughts???

[Axe Chemist]

Dude... get a half stack. First, it is going to sound a lot better. Second, it will be more scaleable then just a basic 2x12 system unless you go for something like a Genz-Benz GFlex 2x12 for your cab. Third, if it is a little too loud for your taste, get a hotplate.

Major thing here. Make sure you shop around when getting your cabinet and ask questions around here and sit and play infront of these cabs for a while and test them out at higher volumes to make sure they can handle your tone incase you want to take them to that level. Most places will be willing to throw you in a room if you are serious about buying. And fuggem if they give you shit. I was at a store, called them ahead of time to let them know that I needed to try stuff out and at louder volumes. The manager flipped me a little shit and I flipped it right back at him. Nice thing was that they stuck me in the high end room with a triple rectifier and a oversized cab. I was sold after that and payed them. Guitar Center was very accommodating when I let them know that I was going to come in and turn it up. They had a room waiting for me with all the different stuff that I wanted to try. I wish they sold boogie at that store. I would have bought it in a second. But, props to them for actually having some good customer service. Tried out JSX, VHT, Peavey, Marshall cab flavors. VHT oversized was second to the Boogie cabs. Boogie just has a way more fluid bottom end.

-Nate

Here is a follow up....Like Nateb said, you have to hear for yourself. My dilemma is I don't live near a bunch of stores with cool gear so I was relying so far on sound clips I've been able to find on the net. So, yesterday I finally got some time to drive to a few other stores (took my own axe) and finally played some of my top choices. I have to tell you I would have made a grave mistake if I would've relied on "sound clips". I have found MY ULTIMATE setup due to the fact that I actually plugged into the real deal. What I thought would be perfect ended up sounding like garbage to my ears. I was really amazed.

The final verdict for me is: Mesa Single Rectifier!

I won't mention the brand I thought was horrible since I'll probably get flamed....anyway, major lesson learned here. Thanks for the valuable advice.

[zeegler]

Mention it! I want to know. No one will flame you. Everyone has a right to their opinions. Hey most people think Blue Voodoos are crap. I happen to like them.

[kelly user]

it was more than likely a JCM or something........ well i guess i'll talk to the manager, i buy a lot of crap from them including a gibson, BTW i don't know if anyone remembered me saying i couldn't haggle, well i got it for $949, competors ads, hope i didn't break any rules by saying that...... i'll go talk to the same guy, he seemed cool

[CharvelRocker]

Used is the way to go on cabs. You can get a great cab for under $200 (like my Traynor YF-12). also a used solid state head can be found in the range of around $200 (Line6, Marshall MGs, etc) as well. Or you can get an Epiphone Valve Junior Head and an OD pedal to go with it for around $200...

[Axe Chemist]

Mention it! I want to know. No one will flame you. Everyone has a right to their opinions. Hey most people think Blue Voodoos are crap. I happen to like them.

Ok...it was the JSX!!! Just to make sure my ears weren't deceiving me I might go back tomorrow night and play through them again just to be sure I really didn't like it. I tried both a combo and a full stack. I thought the clean channel was somewhat dirty on the combo and the distortion had too much of a fuzzy sound for my tastes. Like I said, I thought it was hard to believe because in mind it was what I thought I wanted really bad. ...and everyone here speaks highly of them. Maybe I missed something, like a setting or something so that's why I might go back and play them again. But then again, I like simplicity...and that's what I found with the Mesa Single Rec. I instantly loved what I heard coming out of it!!!!!

[jim777]

First off, to hell with the neighbors I have a Carvin X100B with a Madison 4x12 and crank it all the time and I play in my dining room I like it loud and saturated, crank it up Jack.

I like the ambience created by a Carrvin X100B half stack in a living room, myself Though I don't think I've ever gotten it over 3.