Help me chose an amp/ £1,500 budget.

[Kerrley]

YO.
I need help choosing an amp.
Done my research but thought id ask around.
Looking for valve, 50w or under. Above 30. got £1,500 to play with. (alot of saving up)
Needs two channels. 1 clean. the other with the ability to get some heavy distortion if needed.
Im 19. don't have a huge vehicle so i don't want something that would make transport difficult. Both due to space and i dont exactly want to break my back.
SO basically no orange rockerverb mk 3. that is heavy af.

Again, as 19= broke. Dont really want two amps.

I play a variety of genres. Im my room i will do anything from bossanova, to fuzz face of jimi style, or maybe some pink floyd. or idk. Arctic monkeys or two door cinema club. so indie i guess.
Why i need a clean channel.

In my band we do alot of hardcore/ slipknot/ metalcore/ grunge punk rock thing. Idk. Basically sometimes drop c or B. Or just good old fashion grunge like nirvana or soundgarden.


In that respect, SOrt of going for this sound (i know they pretty wet but oh well...)

Beartooth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=557mc5ICVv8
They use orange rockeverb mk2 100 watt sometimes

Or Again (wet ass band warning)

A day to remember

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejw9pDVYvpM

He used to use a jcm 800 with a tubescreamer to really push it.
Was thinking of doing that, but again they're a bit difficult to lug around.
Also thought about JVM. same sort of problem.

Heres their rig rundown.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvGzCZYxYx4

Their using kemper now tho.

another sort of sound style example is while she sleeps. More on the hardocre side.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqRNGSS7Mq4

He now uses 50w Jvm 205 with a Dave mustaine cab. But u get the picture.

So in other words. Overall, Im really looking for a british Distortion Sounding amp head.

Was looking at the Victory Kraken. Thought i could get some nice parkway Drive tones with that. (I know that's more american gain)
Parkway - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ItHNdrPEh0

However. As we do alot of grunge stuff. More so than the hardcore. I end up switching on and of distortion more than I use my high E string. lol.
So i don't really want to use the volume knob to get clean. I really need a footswitch to go from two different channels.

Then i though. What about the V30 Countess. But i dont think ill get enough distortion. Unless u guys think i could get the desired sound bu using a od like a tube screamer or joyo od clone to push it?

Did think about the EVH 5150 iii 50 watt.

https://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/electric-guitar-amps/valve-amps/evh-5150-iii-hd-50w-tube-amplifier-head-ivory-2253006410

But I also need something that has a little switch in the back to allow me to make it more suitable for my room when im not gigging. E.g that switch at the the back of the kraken that gets it down to 2 watts.

Thought about using The Hughes & Kettner D40. But just wasn't really a fan of it.

https://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/electric-guitar-amps/valve-amps/hughes-kettner-tubemeister-deluxe-tm40-head-tm40h

If it helps, I use default Fender deluxe double humbucker for Drop D/ Standard.
Then a custom guitar i built for Drop C or B.
Wenge neck, ebony fretboard. Les paul scale length. Neck and bridge bareknuckle warpig humbuckers. (High outpick ups with alot of mid)
I got a ****y ibanez 7 string that i found. (Literally found it by my local dump)
I use this to practice Aal occasionally.

SO basically do u guys have any suggestions. chose what i spend me 1500 on.

Ive only ever got second hand gear going for alot cheaper than it has any right to. (Ebay for the win)
So I would quite like to get something new for the first time in my life.

Again. looking for;
50 watt - 30 watt max with switch to go lower. e.g 50/30/9/2 watt kraken.
High Gain
2 channels
clean.
Fairly easy to carry. Doesn't have to be anything crazy tho. This is more of a bonus.
£1500 or under.

Cheers lads. Have a good one.

Kerrley

[Fonzie]

Re: Help me chose an amp/ £1,500 budget.

You've a big budget range, so you can pretty much get any kickass amp you want! If I were you I'd go with one of the Mark series amps from Mesa. They're highly adaptable, have lots of tones, and sound badass.

May the force be with you!

[Kerrley]

Re: Help me chose an amp/ £1,500 budget.

Cheers man, ill have a look at those. The trouble is. I dont really want to spend that much as ill have to get a cab. However it this stage id much prefer a better head over a cab. Plus some of thats my food money lol. Decided breakfast and lunch were secondary to getting an amp. Been using a line 6 for the past 5 years. lol. Didnt want to throw it out as i got it for xmas. sentimental value and everything. I think my response in return is to get as far away from crap sounding gear as possible. Tired of no mids lol. Actually no. Tired of the line 6 spider in general. 5 years.....................

[Fonzie]

Re: Help me chose an amp/ £1,500 budget.

Cheers man, ill have a look at those. The trouble is. I dont really want to spend that much as ill have to get a cab. However it this stage id much prefer a better head over a cab. Plus some of thats my food money lol. Decided breakfast and lunch were secondary to getting an amp. Been using a line 6 for the past 5 years. lol. Didnt want to throw it out as i got it for xmas. sentimental value and everything. I think my response in return is to get as far away from crap sounding gear as possible. Tired of no mids lol. Actually no. Tired of the line 6 spider in general. 5 years.....................

Haha I feel you man, but I wouldn't think a Mesa would eat too much into your budget. They're expensive new, but a lot cheaper used. If you don't mind combos, they've got some really nice ones for like 400-800 dollars (used), like the Mark series and Caliber series combos (and don't worry, they can get LOUD.) You could probably get a Mark series head and cab for around 1k-1.5k used if you're willing to go all out. I still play my Line 6! The venues I play have nice Fender amps usually anyways.

[VinceT]

Re: Help me chose an amp/ £1,500 budget.

I think it’d be worth checking out the Mesa’s too. I play a Rectoverb 25 and it’d fulfill your basic brief. Even the Mini-rec head.


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[Fonzie]

Re: Help me chose an amp/ £1,500 budget.

I think it’d be worth checking out the Mesa’s too. I play a Rectoverb 25 and it’d fulfill your basic brief. Even the Mini-rec head.


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Both of those are killer!

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Help me chose an amp/ £1,500 budget.

Another vote for Mesa. I won't try to pick a model for you because there are so many choices. Other than the Mini-Recto head or its combo brother with reverb, I'd steer you away from the Rectos. Look more towards the Mark Series, Lonestar or the new TC-50. Used Mark III and Mark IV, Express, Stiletto and Royal Atlantic would all be good choices. All of these amps have great clean tones, variable power, and the lead tones Mesas are famous for. They are very versatile amps for multiple genres.

And do not discount the idea of getting a combo, rather than a head, and then getting a matching extention speaker cab. The Mesa 112 Thiele cab adds a lot to a Mark III or IV combo; mine have EVM speakers and I've never had a problem matching up to 100-watt half-stacks. I use the Mesa Wide-Body Closed-Back cab with a V30 to pair with my Mark V combo. Big sound, portable, and a small stage footprint. And, when I have a practice session or just want something quick to take to a jam...I can take just the combo amp. I can use the Thiele cab with my smaller DC-3 and Mark V:35 and they sound HUGE!

Mesas are great amps that can keep you gigging for a lifetime.

Bill

[Synapsys]

Re: Help me chose an amp/ £1,500 budget.

What you need is this one. Thank me later.

https://media.sweetwater.com/images/items/750/GM40H-large.jpg?220e7269b0

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Help me chose an amp/ £1,500 budget.

Mesa's are very expensive in the UK, and since the budget is Pound units, I assume the OP is in the UK. I looked up Anderton's UK prices for Mesa's and a Mesa will exceed the budget.

The 5153 50 watt combo has low watt settings, but it is big and heavy. However, the master volume of the head version can bring it down to bedroom levels while still sounding acceptable. Get a head and cab to split up the weight in any case.

I wonder how the 5153 50 watt head and 2x12 cab compares to the JVM205 and 2x12 cab weight wise? The JVM 205 might still be your best option.

[neverwind]

Re: Help me chose an amp/ £1,500 budget.

+1 for the H&K. For versatility their hybrid models are unbeatable. They still do sound hybrid, though.
Keep in mind the CAB is just as important to the sound as the head is, if not even more.

I'd take a look at same Laney stuff as well if I were you. They have some watt switchable models and since you're in the UK, you would be able to go and check them out locally, I suppose.

If you're really into buying a conventional guitar head, look for second hand - new production, any make, just sounds worse...

[Kerrley]

Re: Help me chose an amp/ £1,500 budget.

+1 for the H&K. For versatility their hybrid models are unbeatable. They still do sound hybrid, though.
Keep in mind the CAB is just as important to the sound as the head is, if not even more.

I'd take a look at same Laney stuff as well if I were you. They have some watt switchable models and since you're in the UK, you would be able to go and check them out locally, I suppose.

If you're really into buying a conventional guitar head, look for second hand - new production, any make, just sounds worse...

Cheers lads. Got me a list. I'm going in to Andertons tomorrow to try stuff out. Ill pop into Gak another day just to be sure.
Might try that new blackstar that they put on their Youtube. the s1 might be another good shout.

[allbutromeo]

Re: Help me chose an amp/ £1,500 budget.

Another option might be 2 amps, one for at home like a fender Bassbreaker 7 or a Super Champ, and then a bigger higher gain option, like a Marshall JVM 205 1x12 combo. At Anderton's that would be roughly £1400

[Synapsys]

Re: Help me chose an amp/ £1,500 budget.

+1 for the H&K. For versatility their hybrid models are unbeatable. They still do sound hybrid, though.

The GMD 40 Deluxe is NOT a hybrid. Valve preamp section and valve power section. Only the effects are digital.

[kramersteen]

Re: Help me chose an amp/ £1,500 budget.

What about something engl in a combo form?

[GilmourD]

Re: Help me chose an amp/ £1,500 budget.

You could probably get yourself a Friedman, Revv, or KSR for that much.