Amp suggestions (Nevermore-ish) BILL!

[GodOfRhythm]

Looking for that awesomely saturated Nevermore tone.

Since selling my guitar is not an option (no one in these parts buys a custom shop Jackson), I'm thinking of selling the Quad and 50/50 and buying a different amp with the money.

Fireball is cheap, but it's pretty limited in its options and I have no experience with the Powerball.

Also open to other recommendations.

[SlasZ]

Post some pics of that CS

This might help too: http://www.petrucciforum.com/forums/...ad.php?t=17189

[GodOfRhythm]

I already saw that thread, but I'm shooting for a Godless Endeavor tone (eventhough the differences might just be mix-based). :p

[DumpyWumpy]

TGE was a mix of Dual Recto and a Krank Revolution. I've been shooting for that tone for a while and the sound I've been happiest with is my ENGL Blackmore. To my understanding the Fireball and Powerball are a bit harsher and thinner sounding than the Blackmore and Savage. My Recto can't get that Nevermore tone and neither can my 5150, but the 5150 gets me closer than I can with the Mesa strangely enough.

[jk2171]

Might want to try the ENGL SE as well...although that's a whole 'nother stratosphere price-wise.

[Mordor]

Triple X? I know Loomis has used one for a bit.

[GodOfRhythm]

Yeah my best friend's always raving about the Savage and how he wants one.

I just listened to some clips again, and that thing is INSANE! But I fear it might be a tad MUCH too expensive.

Anything in Savage ballpark in terms of tone / brutality / tightness and SATURATION?

[GodOfRhythm]

Gimme your opinions on the Powerball!

[SpiralArchitect]

I owned a powerball, and It sounded good, but to my ears was more processed than Nevermore's tone is. It will cop just about any style, I will say the "crunch" channel absolutly blows, I don't think the germans will ever be able to get a crunch channel right as the one on my diezel sucked too could just be me, and that's a total possability! ha!

anyhow, I'm gunna say it before Bill, but I use an Uberschall now and it's the perfect mix of Dual rec + 5150 + powerball, for me it nails every nevermore record tone you can imagine, especially with a 7 string mahogany guitar with duncan blackouts or emg 707's or the 81-7, it is PERFECT for that!

but I wouldn't buy an amp based on the tone of an album I like, because your tastes change at least mine do, but I can say with confidence the Uber nails EVERYTHING! and it looks WAY more evil than any Engl....well cept the SE maybe.

anyhow, try a bunch of stuff! but your right ditch the quad and 50/50, I had that setup and couldnt get anything out of it I liked.

just my .02

C

[GodOfRhythm]

Hey Spiral! Thanks for the input bro.

I just used TGE as a reference. I've played an Uberschall a couple of times and it sounded a bit fizzy to me (but then again, I didn't really get to open the taps). And it is WAY out of my pricerange.

A powerball is actually a lot cheaper, over here in Euro-land at least, than I had originally imagined. And I like more 'hifi'/'processed' sounding tones, which is something the powerball seems to have, especially in its sustain on the lead channels.

The powerball also seems to have that 'reverberating' low end, you know, the kind that is ultratight but still sounds a bit spongy and organic.

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I've heard a lot of 'debate' over Powerball vs Cobra. The cobra sounds 'thinner' and 'fuzzier' to me, for some reason, but of course I am judging the Cobra by clips I have heard at various sources and have yet to play one in real life.


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Does anyone know when the latest version of the Powerball came out? The one with the updated noisegate? (handy to know if I'm going to buy used)

[SlasZ]

I bought my Uberschall (with grill) for € 1850 in Belgium so if you look around you might get lucky.

[GodOfRhythm]

1850 is still and just too expensive, really.

I see myself getting about 1250 for the Quad and 50/50 when I finally sell them both. Which should be enough for a Powerball. With massive retries and a demanding college schedule, I'm limited to that 1250 for a new amp.

Powerball has my interest seriously, seriously raised. My friend suggested the Fireball, but I am in a position where I want ONE amp to be able to cover a lot of ground, and the Fireballs limited channels and bells and whistles seem like a serious limitatio to me in that regard. He also modded his own e530 pre, which is now very close to Powerball territory. That, too, is a valid option (and a really cheap one at that), but, again, it is limited in its applications and channels.

[ezbprimerib]

for nevermore-ish tones. try any of these amps: 5150, Dual Rectifier and Krank. These are all favs of Andy Sneap and used on Nevermore recordings.

[Spivonious]

If there's one thing Krank does right it's the saturated yet tight metal. Just don't expect any other sounds.

[ezbprimerib]

yeah, I don't really dig Krank's more than my Road King II for live stuff but that is a verstality issue. However, for studio work Kranks are just incredible. They record so well for high gain chunky tones. Locals "Battlecross" just took Kranks into Cloud City Studios and the end tones were great.