Best Amp for Hard Rock/Metal under $300?

[EuphoriX]

Re: Best Amp for Hard Rock/Metal under $300?

That XV's pretty steep for me. Any experience with that sx-100 though? And not to be rude, but to all of Carvin's amps have carpet? Looks pretty strange. Guess I could use it in my dorm as a chair though. XD

[Drano Max]

Re: Best Amp for Hard Rock/Metal under $300?

Oh man! I forgot about the Carvin X100B. Killer amp for the money! Those can be had for dirt cheap. I had version 4, I think, just last year. I scored it used for $350. Had a great clean, and several gain switching options. I remember it being a swiss army knife, as far as amps go. Very Mesa'ish in the higher gain department.

Edit: I can't even find one of those for a good price, right now. Amps have jumped in price over the past year.

[EuphoriX]

Re: Best Amp for Hard Rock/Metal under $300?

I'd certianly like a good recto tone. This is gonna flame some people, but another guitar tone I actually like a lot is Nickelback's rhythm... which I believe is driven by a mesa dual recto.

---Not to say I wanna be the next Nickelback.. I'd like to avoid the tumbleweed hairstyle and lyrics full of mindless debauchery.. Just like the dual rec tone.

[chadd]

Re: Best Amp for Hard Rock/Metal under $300?

I'd certianly like a good recto tone. This is gonna flame some people, but another guitar tone I actually like a lot is Nickelback's rhythm... which I believe is driven by a mesa dual recto.

---Not to say I wanna be the next Nickelback.. I'd like to avoid the tumbleweed hairstyle and lyrics full of mindless debauchery.. Just like the dual rec tone.

Single Rectos are getting a lot cheaper, I've seen a couple under $500 (I know it's above your limit).

As for the Valvestate amps, I melted three of them. They were all first year production though, never saw a problem with later models.

Used Jet City 50 watt amps should be pretty close to your budget too. I would keep an eye out for one of them.

[EuphoriX]

Re: Best Amp for Hard Rock/Metal under $300?

Specifically which jet city models? Cause it seems like most of them are for blues.

[EuphoriX]

Re: Best Amp for Hard Rock/Metal under $300?

Do you plan on gigging with it? Or playing with a drummer? My favorite budget amp is the Marshall VS100. 60/100 watts, 1x12 speaker, pure Marshall tone and decent spring reverb. I had one for years and just sold it to make room. Aceman also plays one and swears by it. It is a very warm sounding amp with great built in gain and tons of headroom. It also delivers beautiful cleans. I paid around $225 for mine I think Ace got his even cheaper.

What do you make of this?

http://www.musicgoround.com/p/436392/used-marshall-avt50-valvestate-2000-1x12-combo-amp

[EuphoriX]

Re: Best Amp for Hard Rock/Metal under $300?

By the way, no one has experience with the Randall RVC? It's also known as the RD5C, and from what I hear, it's an amazing little tuber. Would be my first Tube amp, haha.

[Drano Max]

Re: Best Amp for Hard Rock/Metal under $300?

Specifically which jet city models? Cause it seems like most of them are for blues.

JCA50 would probably be what you're looking for.

[chadd]

Re: Best Amp for Hard Rock/Metal under $300?

Specifically which jet city models? Cause it seems like most of them are for blues.

Most blues guys I know wouldn't touch a Jet City amp, they don't want anywhere near that much gain. The 50 watt head or combo is great for rock stuff and would be good enough for some types of metal with a boost on the front end.

[Drano Max]

Re: Best Amp for Hard Rock/Metal under $300?

By the way, no one has experience with the Randall RVC? It's also known as the RD5C, and from what I hear, it's an amazing little tuber. Would be my first Tube amp, haha.

I have the little RD1H, that I use for recording. I love that amp! It's not loud at all, but the recorded tones are great. The 5 watter shouldn't be too different, unless it's one of the Pre-Fortin releases.

I believe, though I could be wrong, that the RVC was a release specific to MF, or Guitar Center. I'll have to look around a little, but if it was that amp, it is not a Fortin tweaked or designed amp. The later Fortin tweaked amps do seem to get more appreciation than the others. Mike Fortin can work magic on an amp.

[ehdwuld]

Re: Best Amp for Hard Rock/Metal under $300?

GC Used should have a great selection of Bandits
Figure in $100 for a speaker change
Most are there because of the crappy speakers

[BadBen]

Re: Best Amp for Hard Rock/Metal under $300?

To add mud to the waters, I picked up a 70s Peavey Classic VT for $200 a couple of months ago. Great cleans and loves distortion pedals. From what I read, it has the same solid state preamp circuit as the Peavey Mace that Lynyrd Skynyrd (and pretty much every Southern Rock band) used.

In fact, the Classic(of that era, different from Classics that followed), Heritage, Deuce, and Mace all shared that circuit with different wattage/ # of output tubes. My Classic VT is 50 Watts and while still very loud, is the most modest of the bunch.

If you had to put another $100 in for a re-cap/cleaning you'd still be in budget and speaking for myself it's a great sounding classic rock amp that can easily be driven into heavy distortion.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[Securb]

Re: Best Amp for Hard Rock/Metal under $300?

What do you make of this?
http://www.musicgoround.com/p/436392...1x12-combo-amp

That is not a bad little amp for the price. I have never played one I had the VS but for the money why not? Are you in MA? That amp is in Natick.

[EuphoriX]

Re: Best Amp for Hard Rock/Metal under $300?

So, I reached a decision, and bought a used Peavey RedStripe USA made Bandit for $139 on guitar center with $30 shipping. I was strongly considering this one, (Because like the transfex... sheffields) but this video sold me... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4nOF9zXadM
I will let you all know how it turns out. Thank you for the suggestions.

[mwalluk]

Re: Best Amp for Hard Rock/Metal under $300?

Blackstar HT40