So frustrated trying to deal with amps and guitars.

[zeegler]

The problem with clips is that they are clips. The Dual Recto factory preset in my Axe Fx sounds massive through a QSC powered monitor. Its just something you have to hear in person to believe. When I played mine out live our drummer thought it was the best guitar he's leard live. My singer, well he couldn't get used to the idea that there was no big amp on stage, just the Axe-Fx with the QSC on a pole and running direct to front of house Anyway, you guys are free to believe what you want but I would caution about going simply by clips. Many great tube amps sound crappy in clips too. For example, my favorite high gain amp the Uberschall has many clips on youtube but not many of them sound good tone wise to me compared the Uber I play live.

Well, I for one, am not going to fault you for your opinion, but it's a none issue for me, as they are definitely out of my price range at the moment. Besides, I already have 3 computers in my house.

[jgcable]

Well, I for one, am not going to fault you for your opinion, but it's a none issue for me, as they are definitely out of my price range at the moment. Besides, I already have 3 computers in my house.

Me too. I believe you. It must be an incredible piece of equipment. Its expensive too.
Curious.. are there any pro's using it live? Its funny... you hear about pro's using this type of equipment in the studio and at clinics all the time (me included) but when it comes to playing live they always seem to have a frontline and backline of traditional tube amps.

The best live guitar sound I have heard lately from a club band playing covers was in Daytona last year at bikeweek. There was a guitarist using a Triple Rectifier and 4 Marshall 4 x 12 cabinets. He had the Rectifier sitting on top of the wall of Marshalls. He had a few pedals on the floor and that was it.
The best live guitar sound I have heard lately from a large arena concert was Joe Don's guitar sound from Rascal Flats. He uses multiple Bogner Ectasy 101b's. His guitar sound was outstanding.

[Firebird V]

Buy a Splawn. Maybe. Great Marshally type tone. Hell- I will sell you my Pro Mod. I have a Nitro that I have been using a lot lately and could use the cash...

[jgcable]

Buy a Splawn. Maybe. Great Marshally type tone. Hell- I will sell you my Pro Mod. I have a Nitro that I have been using a lot lately and could use the cash...

There you go Paul.

[Cygnus X1]

But that payoff is unfugginbelievable!!!

I always hung out in Dr Z's shop..everday..playin' with all his toys. But that was his buisness. I knew a guy some years ago name Dane Beamish who made his own 100wt amp. That fucker actually sounded pretty killer. He was in my old drummer's cover band. It kinda sounded like a 5150 with less lows ..to my memory.

You guys are crazy..but I envy you. I can't do that kinda shit. I'm much too stupid and lazy..

I was being a bit sarcastic-I spent far too many hours tweaking the SEL's I have built.
I put it together, and found it sounded like buzzy ass!
Then I did a better search of the projects based on the same, and the clips sounded like...buzzy ass!

It was what happened afterwards where the real education started. I'm overjoyed at the result. I'm thinking of cloning all kinds of builds, but then I play it, and say "why?"-
I nailed a great tone.
Both clean, slightly dirty, and dirty.
What a trip it was to "get there" though.
Worth a couple years of school.

[AK47]

Zeegler I think most of those amps you tried were in the 50watt range correct?

Me personally I have not had much luck with 50watt anything tube powered in the sound department.

I like the way the Laneys sound in the 100 watt range as well as most of the Marshalls but the 50 Watt sound from those two companies just does not do it for me.

[Cygnus X1]

Zeegler I think most of those amps you tried were in the 50watt range correct?

Me personally I have not had much luck with 50watt anything tube powered in the sound department.

I like the way the Laneys sound in the 100 watt range as well as most of the Marshalls but the 50 Watt sound from those two companies just does not do it for me.

Interesting to note.
I'm going to build an SLO at some point.
But I'm thinking of building a Hot Rod instead of the 100.
I have a chassis to fit it, but if the tone is that much different, should I order the transformers and build around the 100 instead?

[AK47]

Interesting to note.
I'm going to build an SLO at some point.
But I'm thinking of building a Hot Rod instead of the 100.
I have a chassis to fit it, but if the tone is that much different, should I order the transformers and build around the 100 instead?

I had a Mesa Mark IIB and I think it was rated at 60watts by the factory and that sounded great but those old Mesas were underrated as far as I know.

I would go with a 100watts. People always say 50 watts is enough and it is better for home because you dont need to get that loud but then everyone I know who got a 50 watt head was disappointed only to trade up for a 100 watts later. The 100s always sounded better.

For example a friend had a JCM900 50 watt head sounded like shit. He traded it in for a 100 watt JCM 900 and he wont sell that thing to this day. Both of those heads were brand new and made the same year.

[roodyrocker]

Me too. I believe you. It must be an incredible piece of equipment. Its expensive too.
Curious.. are there any pro's using it live? Its funny... you hear about pro's using this type of equipment in the studio and at clinics all the time (me included) but when it comes to playing live they always seem to have a frontline and backline of traditional tube amps.

The best live guitar sound I have heard lately from a club band playing covers was in Daytona last year at bikeweek. There was a guitarist using a Triple Rectifier and 4 Marshall 4 x 12 cabinets. He had the Rectifier sitting on top of the wall of Marshalls. He had a few pedals on the floor and that was it.
The best live guitar sound I have heard lately from a large arena concert was Joe Don's guitar sound from Rascal Flats. He uses multiple Bogner Ectasy 101b's. His guitar sound was outstanding.

I don't really know if pros are or aren't using it. But if they were, it would be easy to conceal it off stage as the audience stares at massive dummy stacks since all you need is a mic cable going direct from the Axe Fx to the PA and no one would ever know Just like many use an amp under the stage in an isolation box mic'd up while they have stacks on stage for looks. As far as studio stuff I don't know for sure either but it wouldn't surprise me to learn that we probably already heard recordings with it and just don't know it.
I have the amps you mentioned above (Marshall, Mesa, and Bogner) and they all sound amazing in their own right. The Uber has the gain to destroy all while the Marshall Rhoads is just a plain beast in the volume dept and I bet it could cut through any mix. Its strictly old school, no loop, no boost, no channel switching but great sound. The Ecstacy 101B is the classiest of the bunch, very versatile with tons of options on it. The Dual Recto has the typical Mesa voice but is very difficult to dial in. Once it is dialed in however it kicks some butt. Its probably the amp I have that is most sensitive to volume. It sounds like utter crap at bedroom levels but really wakes up on stage when turned up a bit. Anyway, these amps as well as the Axe-Fx are expensive. So if money is an issue I always recommend the Randall RM100 for a tube amp. With its various modules you can get very clean to very dirty very easily and its much less $ than the others. Plus its loop actually seems to work better than those in my Uber or Mesa. Well, I've rambled long enough. With all these amps and an Axe-Fx I still wouldn't mind adding more tube amps to the arsenal

[guitarsjb]

I don't even care about the money at this point. I just want to be able to turn on my amp, plug in my guitar, and play, without having stupid problems, and be happy with the sound I'm getting.

Go back to your Crate!

[åron]

Me too. I believe you. It must be an incredible piece of equipment. Its expensive too.
Curious.. are there any pro's using it live? Its funny... you hear about pro's using this type of equipment in the studio and at clinics all the time (me included) but when it comes to playing live they always seem to have a frontline and backline of traditional tube amps.

Cynic used two Axe FX in their opening slot for Meshuggah recently. The sound of these things through a proper PA is amazing. Definitely the best sounding mix for a two guitar, twin lead player band I've heard. What might be sterile when isolated sounds incredible in context.

[horns666]

Aron..did Cynic put out a new one yet?

[VitaminG]

they did, Ron. http://www.metalinjection.net/review...-traced-in-air

[horns666]

Cool, one more cd I gotta buy..

[zeegler]

Zeegler I think most of those amps you tried were in the 50watt range correct?

Me personally I have not had much luck with 50watt anything tube powered in the sound department.

I like the way the Laneys sound in the 100 watt range as well as most of the Marshalls but the 50 Watt sound from those two companies just does not do it for me.

Actually, the 900 is the first 50 watter I've ever owned. The Laney was the second, and the Carlsbro the 3rd. It's really amazing how sensitive the Carlsbro is to what guitar is being played through it. I've owned a lot of tube amps that pretty much sounded the same through any guitar using the bridge humbucker. Of course I'm oversimplifying, and there was a noticable difference, but those differences are far more pronounced with the Carlsbro. I'm really growing to like it more and more.

I had tossed around the idea of a Splawn before too, but I got the 50 Top instead.

Jeri, the Blue Voodoo was a very reliable, trouble free amp for me. I guess I just tired of it.