Genz Benz amps?

[bombtek]

How are these? They seem pretty expensive, but the ones that I've heard (youtube) seem pretty damn sweet, especially the clean tones. Are they worth the price tag? They seem interesting to me.

[Firebird V]

The cleans on the Diablo are great. The high gain tones are more Mesa boogie to my ears and I am more of a Marshall guy. I sold the one I had but they are built very good and the cabs are very nice too.

My Brother still has a Diablo. I can see if he can do some clips for you...

He is in the middle of a remodel so I am not sure what he has setup but I could ask...

[Spivonious]

I love my El Diablo. Very versatile, but I admit the distortion isn't for everyone. Definitely play one first.

The cleans have a lot of headroom, yet a simple turn of the gain knob gives you a great overdrive tone.

I'll try to get some clips done tonight. It's really amazing how many sounds you can get out of these things with just the active EQ.

edit: I see you're just down in Edgewood. If you're ever in the area, let me know and you can come and check it out in person.

[bombtek]

Alright man thanks for the invite. Just a question, how much did you spend on yours? I was interested in the Black Pearl combos, but they seem kinda high priced I think.

[Spivonious]

I bought mine new for $1100 if I remember correctly. It's the 60W combo.

I hear that the Black Pearls give a great blues sound.

They're all assembled in the U.S., if that makes a difference to you, and mine has survived going back and forth to band practice for a year with no problems, so the build quality seems to be good.

[bombtek]

I bought mine new for $1100 if I remember correctly. It's the 60W combo.

I hear that the Black Pearls give a great blues sound.

They're all assembled in the U.S., if that makes a difference to you, and mine has survived going back and forth to band practice for a year with no problems, so the build quality seems to be good.

I'm really not all that interested in how the gain sounds whether it be distortion for metal or just overdrive for blues. What I AM interested in is the clean channel. I am looking for a WAY clean sounding amp. Yanno a sparkling type clean tone ....not really sure how to explain it just know that when I hear it, that is the tone I'm looking for in an amp. If I have that clean tone I'm looking for, I can put any pedal I like in front of it for my distortion/metal/overdrive sound.

A few of the Crate (believe it or not LOL) vids on youtube NAIL that tone, but those models are hard to find. Mostly the older Vntage Cubs, and some of the earlier Palominos/V series that were manufactured in the US.

A lot of the more well known brands (Fender, Marshall, Vox) that I hear on youtube, when cranked in the clean channel, seem to have some tube breakup. While that is a trait that a lot of folks are looking for, I'm not.

I know that they're youtube videso and that the recordings aren't the best quality, but that is all I have to go off of. That said, the models I mentioned seem to me to sound better for those clean tones I'm looking for.

Yeah I know I rant LOL. Back to the original subject of Genz Benz. Do you or anyone know how the clean tones are on the Black Pearl series of amps?

[bombtek]

This is pretty much the tone I'm looking for

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_mXdCb6lL0

Listen to 3:28-4:50 to get an idea of what I am talking about.

LOL Maybe I should just find one of these damn things!! It sounds Killer!

[Firebird V]

The clean channel is really great. I would recommend it for the clarity of the clean channel.

[bombtek]

The clean channel is really great. I would recommend it for the clarity of the clean channel.

You're talking about the Genz Benz Black Pearl right?

[Spivonious]

The clean on the El Diablo can get pretty loud without breaking up, but you have to really keep the gain low. If you're playing with hot pickups, a really clean clean is impossible unless you turn down the volume on the guitar.

[Rupe]

A lot of the more well known brands (Fender, Marshall, Vox) that I hear on youtube, when cranked in the clean channel, seem to have some tube breakup. While that is a trait that a lot of folks are looking for, I'm not.


This is pretty much the tone I'm looking for

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_mXdCb6lL0

Listen to 3:28-4:50 to get an idea of what I am talking about.

The Fender/Marshall/Vox amps you mention won't break up if you roll your guitar's volume back. The type of clean tone that you referred to that you like is attained in just that manner...tube amp, guitar's volume rolled back. You won't get near as good of a clean tone with your guitar volume full up, even through a completely clean amp...the amp is only part of the equation for that sound.

[Spivonious]

You could also replace the 12AX7s in the preamp with 12AT7s...they're a bit less gain.

Listened to the youtube clip...lots of tube amps will give you that tone. It sounds kind of Fender-y to me.

[Firebird V]

You're talking about the Genz Benz Black Pearl right?

Diablo.

[Firebird V]

You could also replace the 12AX7s in the preamp with 12AT7s...they're a bit less gain.

Listened to the youtube clip...lots of tube amps will give you that tone. It sounds kind of Fender-y to me.

12au7's would be the quietest. Great tube for reverb units too. Barely a hiss with 12au7's. JJ makes some really nice ones for cheap.

[Firebird V]

The Fender/Marshall/Vox amps you mention won't break up if you roll your guitar's volume back. The type of clean tone that you referred to that you like is attained in just that manner...tube amp, guitar's volume rolled back. You won't get near as good of a clean tone with your guitar volume full up, even through a completely clean amp...the amp is only part of the equation for that sound.

Absolutely!