Dilemma...

[Mephis]

Re: Dilemma...

My bad on the metal amps comment. Sorry. But, perhaps JeffB is right. You may be able to tweak the Classic 50's tone by changing the pre and power tubes. That can have a huge effect and get it to sound like you want. Maybe you have an amp tech that could help you with that.

I have a Reverend HellHound which I really liked but I would more radical overdrive out of. I changed out the EH 6L6 tubes for some NOS 6L6WGB and whoa babby! This thing really gets wild and crazy. A tube change can be the Jeklyl and Hyde potion or the octane booster that the Classic 50 needs.

There FWIW. I'll be curious to see what you end up doing.

\

Well, theres a lot about the classic 50 that I'd need to change for a high-gain tone, and in the end it'd be far less hassle I think to just get some really nice modeler. Because in my suitation, the classic 50 is overkill anyway.

Its a good amp if you want vintage tones, but I don't think anything you could do to this thing beside having a new preamp circut put in, would get the tone I want.

And I'm sorry, I'm just leary as hell about having a solid state amp. Hybrids(Done correctly) still maintain the tube character. While a full solid state isn't going to naturaly distort from cranking it.

[JeffB]

Re: Dilemma...

\

And I'm sorry, I'm just leary as hell about having a solid state amp. Hybrids(Done correctly) still maintain the tube character. While a full solid state isn't going to naturaly distort from cranking it.

Yeah I was too...that said..tube or ss, you need headroom. Flex have decent headroom, especially the 2x12 version (150 watts). I don't have enough headroom on my Rivera for the XTL...even on the low gain input. the POD XTL sounds like @$$ when the Rivera starts to break up.

I'm not sure which hybrids you are speaking of, but I've yet to find one that sounds as good as the FLex/Vetta. The key to EVHs tone or anyone who gets those great cranked amp sounds is POWER tube distortion..not preamp gain. Hybrids like the AVT and mode4 (despite claims to the contrary) can't really mimic that. The Modellers model it quite well, and then just amplify the entire relationship between speaker, power amp and preamp distortion.

If you are speking of the Vox modeler as your hybrid...ehh...The Soldano model is pretty good, but the the Marshall models are just not voiced right (coming from a Marshall junkie who has owned and played most of the amps it models). Line 6s 800 series is much more authentic. Though like GJ has said, if ya fiddle enough you can get a good Marshall like sound out the VT combining the peds and stuff with the Soldano or Bassman mods (in fact the Bassman model sounds more like a Plexi than the Plexi model the valvetronix has, same with the Line 6..plexis are tough to model I guess).

And don't underestimate Trace at Voodo. He custom mods the things to what you want. If there is room inside the amp I guarantee he could another gain stage and a global mod and get that Classic 50 to scream or purr or whatever else ya want. Shoot him an email. He's very friendly and quite helpful.

[Mephis]

Re: Dilemma...

And don't underestimate Trace at Voodo. He custom mods the things to what you want. If there is room inside the amp I guarantee he could another gain stage and a global mod and get that Classic 50 to scream or purr or whatever else ya want. Shoot him an email. He's very friendly and quite helpful.

Yea, I agree about the marshall models on the vox, but hell, the soldano model makes me not care lol.


And the only problem with modding is... My classic 50 cost $40 to ship, thats $80 in shipping expenses already, and then I'd only have $20 left over for modding.

If I sell my classic for $450, I'd have $550. I'd get an atomic reactor than just save up till I could afford a pod XT used or something, theres bound to be a slew of em used. I could just use the korg modeler I have now in the atomic. (Its the EXACT SAME THING as in the vox modelers, but standalone, and with cab modeling.)

And on the reactor, I'm pretty sure it has an ext cab out, I could just get an avatar 1x12 with a celestion greenback later on if I wanted a 2x12.

Geting a reactor sounds like the most sound and safe solution to the problem for me, what do you think?

[JeffB]

Re: Dilemma...

hmmm..OK...funds are limited...

Atomic comes highly recommended, butI'd hate to recommend it since I haven't tried it myself...not saying it's bad..just hate to recco something I have not used in general

You may look into the Tech21 stuff . It will do exactly what you want. I haven't played the TM60 (in your budget range..$520), but I know what the SansAmp can do (had one for almost 15 years) and the TM 10...and they give a GREAT modded Marshall sound...or classic Marshall sound...or MK MESA sound, or Fender...Or Hiwatt or...etc etc.

They are solid state but I'm actually kinda kicking myself for selling my Sansamp to PedalGuru. Cos it would solve my dilemma. It sounds great even through my ADT 30..the POD does not.

check out Tech21

[Mephis]

Re: Dilemma...

hmmm..OK...funds are limited...

Atomic comes highly recommended, butI'd hate to recommend it since I haven't tried it myself...not saying it's bad..just hate to recco something I have not used in general

You may look into the Tech21 stuff . It will do exactly what you want. I haven't played the TM60 (in your budget range..$520), but I know what the SansAmp can do (had one for almost 15 years) and the TM 10...and they give a GREAT modded Marshall sound...or classic Marshall sound...or MK MESA sound, or Fender...Or Hiwatt or...etc etc.

They are solid state but I'm actually kinda kicking myself for selling my Sansamp to PedalGuru. Cos it would solve my dilemma. It sounds great even through my ADT 30..the POD does not.

check out Tech21

AhahahAHAH, yea, funds are always limited. I'm a broke 18 year old still in school, living in his parents house. No bogners for me! hahahahaha

And I've heard tech 21's stuff (It sounds great, but I wasn't playing it either), But I'm scared as hell at looking into something I'm not sure about. I've heard the podXT (Thanks to DSS666) and I have to say it kicks ass as far as what I'm looking for.

Gotta remember, I'm someone who hunts out a different tone weekly, and the prospect of all the tweaking options on the podxt makes me foam at the mouth. Oh and when I heard the tech 21, someone had a pod running into it also, sounded very buttery and warm.

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Dilemma...

It sounds like you need to be patient. And breathe for a few moments.

It sounds like you need a lot more money to reach your end goal. In the meantime, you have an amp, find a distortion/OD pedal that will get you closer to the sound that you want. And play with that set-up until you can get the Amp and modeler that you want.

How's that old Stones song go,
"...You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you just might find, that you get what you need."

Experiment with tubes and pedals in the meantime.
My 2cents, FWIW.

[Mephis]

Re: Dilemma...

It sounds like you need to be patient. And breathe for a few moments.

It sounds like you need a lot more money to reach your end goal. In the meantime, you have an amp, find a distortion/OD pedal that will get you closer to the sound that you want. And play with that set-up until you can get the Amp and modeler that you want.

How's that old Stones song go,
"...You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you just might find, that you get what you need."

Experiment with tubes and pedals in the meantime.
My 2cents, FWIW.

Well see, thats the deal. I've been expermenting with things and all its done is waste my money. My classic is an open back amp voiced for vintage cleans, and it does not want to get away from that without becoming un-ruley. (I can't afford to have it modded)

I just think I'm sitting on $500 worth of amp that could be better used on something that I'd actually plugin to. (As it stands now, It gets maybe 10mins of playtime a week, and my vox gets played for about 3 hours a day)

And I'm not going about it hastily really, I've had my eyes on a atomic reactor since they came out, but stupid me thought any tube amp would be the "end all" at the time, so i got this peavey and learned alot.

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Dilemma...

Ya, you're probably right. You should sell it and save the money until you can get what you want. It sounds like you might want an EL84 or EL34 amp over a 6L6 amp.

Good luck with your quest!

[Mephis]

Re: Dilemma...

Ya, you're probably right. You should sell it and save the money until you can get what you want. It sounds like you might want an EL84 or EL34 amp over a 6L6 amp.

Good luck with your quest!

Actually TBH, I want to stay away from a true tube amp until I can afford (or see a reason why I'd ever need something like it) something crazy like a mesa road king or bogner ecstasy. Reason being, I change my tonal taste quite often and I can't be satisifyed without thousands of tweaking options.

I just need a cool studio amp that can do damn near anything, but not be so quite it can't be heard. And when I think about an amp like that, I instantly think of an atomic reactor.

For instance, look at my guitar!

60/89, I can cover just about any tone from just about any era with that guitar, depending on tunings and string gauges. And It gets a workout!

I can go from Joe Walsh to death metal without even touching the amp.

And my classic is an EL84 amp, hehehehe.

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Dilemma...

Actually TBH, I want to stay away from a true tube amp until I can afford (or see a reason why I'd ever need something like it) something crazy like a mesa road king or bogner ecstasy. Reason being, I change my tonal taste quite often and I can't be satisifyed without thousands of tweaking options.

I just need a cool studio amp that can do damn near anything, but not be so quite it can't be heard. And when I think about an amp like that, I instantly think of an atomic reactor.

For instance, look at my guitar!

60/89, I can cover just about any tone from just about any era with that guitar, depending on tunings and string gauges. And It gets a workout!

I can go from Joe Walsh to death metal without even touching the amp.

And my classic is an EL84 amp, hehehehe.

I guess that shows how little I know!
I'll step out now so the pros can talk to you

[Mephis]

Re: Dilemma...

I guess that shows how little I know!
I'll step out now so the pros can talk to you

Ahh man, don't make it sound like I'm steping on your toes!

No offense, I didn't mean to sound like a smartass lol.

[JeffB]

Re: Dilemma...

like a mesa road king or bogner ecstasy.

I'm not a Pro by any means..but Road Kin will not get ya too close to that Soldano/Modded Marshall EVH sound....great friggin amp...but not what ya want for that sound. Bogner should be a good choice. I've played the classic, I think it was. Great amp. I think it's over priced though. Don't get me wrong, shes a tone monster, but I don't think it sounds any better than a Splawn or Voodoo which cost half as much.

Get yourself a reactor. With the POD (or just a Flextone) it will cover a wide variety of sounds. Not perfect..but for what you need and can afford it's as close as you are gonna get.

[mnbaseball91]

Re: Dilemma...

I can't believe nobody has mentioned this yet...Traynor YCV50 Blue.

You can find them around $600 US if you're patient enought, and I know I can get VERY good EVH tones out of mine by cranking the preamp volume and setting the gain just above 1/2. It's got better cleans than the Classic 50 and a distortion channel that's surprisingly versatile. With the gain boost off, think chimy Vox AC30 up to cranked Plexi territory. Kick in the boost and it will take you from GnR to EVH all the way to Iron Maiden. It takes a while for the Vintage 30 to get broken in (it sounded quite sterile for the first weak or two), but really warms up nicely. SoCalSteve has an Eminence V12 in his and says it sounds even better, which I don't doubt one bit. I'm like you in that I get bored only having one or two tones, but I keep putting off buying a multieffects pedal (my original plan was to run one in front of this and I left room in my budget) because I just can't see that I need one.

Edit: Fixed attrocious grammar, typos, and punctuation.

[Mephis]

Re: Dilemma...

I can't believe nobody has mentioned this yet...Traynor YCV50 Blue.

You can find them around $600 US if you're patient enought, and I know I can get VERY good EVH tones out of mine by cranking the preamp volume and setting the gain just above 1/2. It's got better cleans than the Classic 50, and a distortion channel that's surprisingly versatile. With the gain boost off, think chimy Vox AC30 up to cranked Plexi territory. Kick in the boost and it will take you from GnR to EVH all the way to Iron Maiden. It takes a while for the Vintage 30 to get broken in (it sound quite sterile for the first weak or two), but it really warms up nicely. SoCalSteve has an Eminence V12 in his and says it sound even better, which I don't doubt one bit. I'm like you in that I get bored only having one or two tones, but I keep putting off buying a multieffects pedal (my original plan was to run one in front of this and I left room in my budget) but I just can't make myself do it because I really don't need one.

Over kill for me, I haven't mentioned it, but from playing my classic I've already stuffered substantial hearing loss. Not to mention it's not going to have the versitility I'm after. I know what they are man, and they do sound good, but next week I'll probably like something else.

I'm sure you understand what I'm saying, tho I will be looking around a bit this time to make sure the reactor will be good for me. Does anyone know what guitar shops carry them? Sam ash, GC, GW, Guitars and more? Tho I guess testing one in person isn't going to be much help because its just PA.

[mnbaseball91]

Re: Dilemma...

^It can get loud yes, but consider that the Classic 50 is 212 compared to the YCV's 112. Plus, the beauty of the YCV50 is that it really sounds good even at low volumes. I don't think I've ever played a tube amp that reacts so well with the master volume below two. Oh well.