Soldano vs. Vetta 2

[jgcable]

Just make sure your Vetta I already comes with 2.5...like I did.

The only thing you need to upgrade your Vetta to Vetta 2 specs (without the Variax or spidf ports) is a $30.00 midi interface and a pair of cheap midi cables. You don't have to install a new card to upgrade it.

The ONLY difference between a Vetta 1 and a Vetta 2 are:

The Vetta 1 has silver and gray appointments. The Vetta 2 is all black.
The Vetta 2 comes with a Variax direct port (like the XTL) and digital spidf outputs (for re-amping).
You can add this card to your Vetta 1 for $100.00 if you need to.

[skorb]

that in my mind says the vetta is the amp that can sound just as good or maybe better than multiple amps out there without the expense of buying many different amps. What other single amp can you buy that gets that kind of results?

that is precisely the logic that sold me on the Vetta.

do you have one Quakana?

[Cleveland Metal]

When the Vetta takes a voltage hit or some evil thing, is dead and unrepairable like my Voodu Valve (and not many places can repair something that serious), and a tube guys tosses a set of tubes in backstage and goes on. I'll be happy about replacing tubes.

What I'm curious about, is that I don't see many upper end pro guitarists saying they use Vetta's... Am I missing this? Who is using them really?

I did see Mike Romeo using one and his tone was horrid. Me and his bass player were both heckling him to go back to Mesa.

[Twisteramps]

You can have show-ending issues with tube amps too - I had a mesa .50 head that burned a hole in the PCB the size of a dime! Friend of mine lost the heater voltage on his TSL during a rehearsal - the fix was to reheat all the solder joints, but that's going to take too long at a typical gig to fix. Not all tube amp issues are "throw me some tubes and fuses".

The number of upper end pro guitarists who use Vettas doesn't hold water with me, as I just go for what sounds good to ME. I mean heck, how many real upper end pro guitarists play Jackson? I'm not talking about guys signed to Metal Blade or whatever - I mean guys going double platnium. Other than the Def Leppard guy, not many. How many guys in that stratosphere are using CAE preamps?

Don't forget I sold my Vetta a few years back, and am happy as a clam with the VHT I'm using now. But I was nearly as happy with the JSX and the Vetta was close too... I just like to switch things up.

Pete

[sevser]

Don't take this too heavy but I think it's kinda funny how people make a big deal about tubes and tube replacement..."You need to pay a tech....Replacing tubes all the time..." It just seems to get exaggerated a bit....I have NEVER paid for a tech...hand a valve amp fail and been stuck at a gig...I always carry a quad set with me and a few 12ax7s...I know shit happens with valve amps but...Not like it a regular ordeal and expense. I have played the ass off my XXX for well over 3 years...Gigs and rehearsal...One set of 6l6's and one set of El34's...Both sets still going strong. Oh...I did have the original Sovteks too...So I did run them for a while...Still good too.

Besides...If I need help with tubes...I get it here for free from the two of you!

[danastas]

Well, I wasn't making a big deal out of it. If I thought it was a big deal, I wouldn't have bought a tube amp and put my Vetta up for sale.

I just mentioned that when you're doing a cost comparison, you have to factor in the tubes. That's all.

[quakana]

that is precisely the logic that sold me on the Vetta.

do you have one Quakana?

Yez....Combo...looking for a 1/2 stack

[sevser]

Well, I wasn't making a big deal out of it. If I thought it was a big deal, I wouldn't have bought a tube amp and put my Vetta up for sale.

I just mentioned that when you're doing a cost comparison, you have to factor in the tubes. That's all.

Yes... you are correct...It's only fair. I just don't find it a big expense with my old Jubilee, YCV 80 or XXX...Hope I didn't just jinx myself haha...

My co guitarist always says stuff about my "expensive tubes" and...I don't...I have spent much less on my rig than he has on his...He keeps up grading it, to keep up with me...The rest of my band who know very little about guitar stuff always look at his rig with contempt...They wish he would just get something like mine...I tell em it's the Tubes Vs his SS...They don't understand but they know the three set ups he has had...(All modeling through SS Power) have not been able to stand with me...I know guys like Pete know their shit about both sides and have an appreciation for both sides, as I do...I just think people tend to "Tell themselves" what they WANT to believe and having a rig that can do any amp like the real thing would be great but IMO...It is not there and if you are not using a Tube power section, you are not getting the most out of it...If you don't run side by side with someone you can compare with on a regular basis...with different environments...You can be the greatest tech in the world and still not know just how different it is.

My rig kills my other guitarist and when I ran right into my XXX...(Not using the XTL) it was even more devastating to him...I just needed the versatility. Steve will not admit this but...he keeps getting frustrated with his rig and I haven’t...People keep saying his tone gets too harsh when we play with a drummer and mine sounds killer...

Even when we play shows and we are sound checking...It's only when I chug a E5 power chord do people take notice...Steve and I even use the same patch!

[skorb]

just as with any tool, there are ideal situations for using either a Vetta or a killer tube amp.

ideal situation for Vetta:
you need to cop all sorts of different tones and effects, like in a cover band, or in a band that does a variety of original stuff. you need the cleanest cleans and super heaviness, and lots of variations in between, including vintage Fender amp tones, etc. you want multiple effects to choose from and be able to grab on the fly at gigs. you don't have tons of cash to blow on multiple amps and multiple effects.

ideal situation for tube amp like a Marshall/Mesa/Soldano:
you are playing mostly aggressive hard rock and metal with little variation in tone from song to song - some variations/effects, but not a lot. you might need one clean channel tone and that's about it. you have the cash to drop on these more expensive tube amps and you know that they are worth it.

the two tools are best suited for differing applications, IMO.

[sevser]

just as with any tool, there are ideal situations for using either a Vetta or a killer tube amp.

ideal situation for Vetta:
you need to cop all sorts of different tones and effects, like in a cover band, or in a band that does a variety of original stuff. you need the cleanest cleans and super heaviness, and lots of variations in between, including vintage Fender amp tones, etc. you want multiple effects to choose from and be able to grab on the fly at gigs. you don't have tons of cash to blow on multiple amps and multiple effects.

ideal situation for tube amp like a Marshall/Mesa/Soldano:
you are playing mostly aggressive hard rock and metal with little variation in tone from song to song - some variations/effects, but not a lot. you might need one clean channel tone and that's about it. you have the cash to drop on these more expensive tube amps and you know that they are worth it.

the two tools are best suited for differing applications, IMO.

Totally agree!

I just found a middle ground by combining my XTL with Tube power. That would defeat the purpose for some people who don't want to bother with valves at all I suppose...I think a lot of tube purists would be pleasantly surprised with a set up like mine.

[Sanctuary]

When the Vetta takes a voltage hit or some evil thing

Always use a surge protector. Yes, even with your tube amps!

[Sanctuary]

The only thing you need to upgrade your Vetta to Vetta 2 specs (without the Variax or spidf ports) is a $30.00 midi interface and a pair of cheap midi cables. You don't have to install a new card to upgrade it.

The ONLY difference between a Vetta 1 and a Vetta 2 are:

The Vetta 1 has silver and gray appointments. The Vetta 2 is all black.
The Vetta 2 comes with a Variax direct port (like the XTL) and digital spidf outputs (for re-amping).
You can add this card to your Vetta 1 for $100.00 if you need to.

Good info. Thanks.

[danastas]

Yes... you are correct...It's only fair. I just don't find it a big expense with my old Jubilee, YCV 80 or XXX...Hope I didn't just jinx myself haha...

My co guitarist always says stuff about my "expensive tubes" and...I don't...I have spent much less on my rig than he has on his...He keeps up grading it, to keep up with me...The rest of my band who know very little about guitar stuff always look at his rig with contempt...They wish he would just get something like mine...I tell em it's the Tubes Vs his SS...They don't understand but they know the three set ups he has had...(All modeling through SS Power) have not been able to stand with me...I know guys like Pete know their shit about both sides and have an appreciation for both sides, as I do...I just think people tend to "Tell themselves" what they WANT to believe and having a rig that can do any amp like the real thing would be great but IMO...It is not there and if you are not using a Tube power section, you are not getting the most out of it...If you don't run side by side with someone you can compare with on a regular basis...with different environments...You can be the greatest tech in the world and still not know just how different it is.

My rig kills my other guitarist and when I ran right into my XXX...(Not using the XTL) it was even more devastating to him...I just needed the versatility. Steve will not admit this but...he keeps getting frustrated with his rig and I haven’t...People keep saying his tone gets too harsh when we play with a drummer and mine sounds killer...

Even when we play shows and we are sound checking...It's only when I chug a E5 power chord do people take notice...Steve and I even use the same patch!

That's really good and interesting information. Of course, the only proper question now is, is he playing through a Vetta??

[sevser]

No but it's the fact that a Vetta is still SS...My findings so far have been that it's the power section that seems (From whayt I have found) to make the biggest diff...I have heard the Vettas live but they were situations when it was one guitarist in a small venue and the other band had both guitarist running through them...I didn't like the tone but I have no idea how they were set up.

[Guitardude86]

No but it's the fact that a Vetta is still SS....

For some strange reason I used to separate Solid State, tube-driven and digital amps.. Probably because the only SS amp I've owned was a Randall without any digital effects, and the Line6 amps seemed like something completely different from that at the time.