Best combo amp
- Thread starter Surferman
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Lewguitar
New member
Re: Best combo amp
I don't play death metal or any metal at all.
But for $325 the Fender Mustang III w/Celestion 12 is the best $325 I have spent in many a moon.
I didn't keep any of the #00 - 80 factory presets. Those, IMO, are just to show you what the amp can do.
But I did keep all of the amp emulations from #81 - 100.
I use the Marshall, Vox or Fender amp emulations merely as a starting point and by the time I'm finished they sound nothing like what they started off sounding like.
Then I replaced the unwanted factory presets between #00 - 80 with with those new presets that I created, leaving the amp emulations between #80 - 100 unaltered so I can use them as a foundation for new settings again.
The amp has wonderful reverb and delay that's fully adjustable.
And the overdrive and distortion pedal emulations are superb.
I'm certain that if I were a death metal kind of guy I could dial in any tone I desired and store those presets.
The secret, IMO, to using a "modeling amp" is to use the amp emulations only as a starting point from which to create your own dramatically different sounds.
I don't play death metal or any metal at all.
But for $325 the Fender Mustang III w/Celestion 12 is the best $325 I have spent in many a moon.
I didn't keep any of the #00 - 80 factory presets. Those, IMO, are just to show you what the amp can do.
But I did keep all of the amp emulations from #81 - 100.
I use the Marshall, Vox or Fender amp emulations merely as a starting point and by the time I'm finished they sound nothing like what they started off sounding like.
Then I replaced the unwanted factory presets between #00 - 80 with with those new presets that I created, leaving the amp emulations between #80 - 100 unaltered so I can use them as a foundation for new settings again.
The amp has wonderful reverb and delay that's fully adjustable.
And the overdrive and distortion pedal emulations are superb.
I'm certain that if I were a death metal kind of guy I could dial in any tone I desired and store those presets.
The secret, IMO, to using a "modeling amp" is to use the amp emulations only as a starting point from which to create your own dramatically different sounds.
Last edited:
mantis
New member
Re: Best combo amp
It's not a question anyone can directly answer but can give you an opinion on what you described.
Muddiness is how I feel most amps today sound. I have been searching for a new amp and can't seem to find one that does everything I want it to do. When I do find one that does have everything I like, I find other things about it that turn me off.
I recently Purchased and returned the EVH 5150 III 50 watt head and matching 2 x 12 combo. I loved everything about it including it's sound which I felt was very usable but the volume drop going from OD to Clean was un manageable. But it had Mid control which worked perfectly. It had 3 channels in Clean crunch and Lead which is what I wanted.
Now You might love the 5150 2 x 12 combo amp I highly suggest at least checking it out. if cleans are not for you , you will love this amp. It does exactly what your looking for and maybe more then you need.
It's not muddy or crappy sounding. It does have a touch of that Marshall Driven sound to it but it goes way beyond that and can do any Metal music you want. Just be aware of the shared EQ and Volume setting from clean to Crunch. That was the deal breaker for me. If that wasn't true I would still own it.
It's not a question anyone can directly answer but can give you an opinion on what you described.
Muddiness is how I feel most amps today sound. I have been searching for a new amp and can't seem to find one that does everything I want it to do. When I do find one that does have everything I like, I find other things about it that turn me off.
I recently Purchased and returned the EVH 5150 III 50 watt head and matching 2 x 12 combo. I loved everything about it including it's sound which I felt was very usable but the volume drop going from OD to Clean was un manageable. But it had Mid control which worked perfectly. It had 3 channels in Clean crunch and Lead which is what I wanted.
Now You might love the 5150 2 x 12 combo amp I highly suggest at least checking it out. if cleans are not for you , you will love this amp. It does exactly what your looking for and maybe more then you need.
It's not muddy or crappy sounding. It does have a touch of that Marshall Driven sound to it but it goes way beyond that and can do any Metal music you want. Just be aware of the shared EQ and Volume setting from clean to Crunch. That was the deal breaker for me. If that wasn't true I would still own it.
Re: Best combo amp
You guys are all making very good points......I want to have something to practice with AND be able to play a gig with.......price range in the "combo amp" price range, if I were to pay $2,000 for a combo I might as well get a stack lol I really want EXCELLENT separation between notes and WHY DO PEOPLE SCOOP MIDS?!?!?!?!?!??! I'm Def not a fan of scooped mids for metal but maybe because I like good riffing and leads throughout idk basically I think it's retarded when there's a badass riff playing and you can't hear it because of the rythm guitar and the scoopage of mids
You guys are all making very good points......I want to have something to practice with AND be able to play a gig with.......price range in the "combo amp" price range, if I were to pay $2,000 for a combo I might as well get a stack lol I really want EXCELLENT separation between notes and WHY DO PEOPLE SCOOP MIDS?!?!?!?!?!??! I'm Def not a fan of scooped mids for metal but maybe because I like good riffing and leads throughout idk basically I think it's retarded when there's a badass riff playing and you can't hear it because of the rythm guitar and the scoopage of mids
Jackson Distortion
New member
stratguy23
New member
Re: Best combo amp
If I played the kind of music you do and I specifically wanted a combo, the EVH 5150 or the Peavey equivalent (6505) would be my first choices. They are dedicated modern high gain machines. You're going to get clarity at high gain. I've played both; both have high build quality. I get the impression that EVH build quality is higher because Eddie is so demanding of his gear (read about how he "crash tests" his amps).
Second choices would be Randall Diavlo and Blackstar HT Metal. Blackstar HT (non-Metal) could get you to where you want to go gain-wise, but b/c it is built to be versatile, YMMV. Again, for a specific application, I recommend tools that are purpose-built for it.
I don't think of "combo" as a price point. There are expensive combos and cheap head/cabs. All "combo" means is that you're getting the amp and cabinet together. There are advantages and disadvantages to that. If you're going high wattage (50W+), you might want to look at head/cabs b/c the amp will start getting heavy in weight. Head/cab also provides more options in case you like one but not the other.
Practicing at home doesn't require uber-tone, and maybe you don't want to cart your big gigging amp back and forth. So for home practice, just get something cheap, maybe even a modeler. Spend small $ on your home amp and most of your budget on your gigging one.
If I played the kind of music you do and I specifically wanted a combo, the EVH 5150 or the Peavey equivalent (6505) would be my first choices. They are dedicated modern high gain machines. You're going to get clarity at high gain. I've played both; both have high build quality. I get the impression that EVH build quality is higher because Eddie is so demanding of his gear (read about how he "crash tests" his amps).
Second choices would be Randall Diavlo and Blackstar HT Metal. Blackstar HT (non-Metal) could get you to where you want to go gain-wise, but b/c it is built to be versatile, YMMV. Again, for a specific application, I recommend tools that are purpose-built for it.
I don't think of "combo" as a price point. There are expensive combos and cheap head/cabs. All "combo" means is that you're getting the amp and cabinet together. There are advantages and disadvantages to that. If you're going high wattage (50W+), you might want to look at head/cabs b/c the amp will start getting heavy in weight. Head/cab also provides more options in case you like one but not the other.
Practicing at home doesn't require uber-tone, and maybe you don't want to cart your big gigging amp back and forth. So for home practice, just get something cheap, maybe even a modeler. Spend small $ on your home amp and most of your budget on your gigging one.
Re: Best combo amp
Wow so I just listened to a bunch of clips of the Marshall jcm 2000 dsl 100 and I'm completely blown away now I may not get a combo amp after all lol the peavey 6505 sounds amazing as well but I feel like the Marshall is less muddy and a bit punchier maybe I don't know
Wow so I just listened to a bunch of clips of the Marshall jcm 2000 dsl 100 and I'm completely blown away now I may not get a combo amp after all lol the peavey 6505 sounds amazing as well but I feel like the Marshall is less muddy and a bit punchier maybe I don't know
NecroPolo
New member
Re: Best combo amp
I have known adventures, seen places you people will never see, I've been Offworld and back...frontiers! I've stood on the back deck of a blinker bound for the Plutition Camps with sweat in my eyes watching the stars fight on the shoulder of Orion. I've felt wind in my hair, riding test boats off the black galaxies and seen an attack fleet burn like a match and disappear...
...but then I concluded that due to practical reasons, the best combo for metal is to have amps and cabs separated.
In your case sniff around the newest EVH and Peavey lunchboxes and matching 1x12" cabs. They bite your heart out.
I have known adventures, seen places you people will never see, I've been Offworld and back...frontiers! I've stood on the back deck of a blinker bound for the Plutition Camps with sweat in my eyes watching the stars fight on the shoulder of Orion. I've felt wind in my hair, riding test boats off the black galaxies and seen an attack fleet burn like a match and disappear...
...but then I concluded that due to practical reasons, the best combo for metal is to have amps and cabs separated.
In your case sniff around the newest EVH and Peavey lunchboxes and matching 1x12" cabs. They bite your heart out.
Last edited:
Drunken Bowling
New member
Re: Best combo amp
I've been frustrated with my Mustang III. I took out the Celestion and put in a Swamp Thang. It made the Marshall emulations more muddy, and it made the whole amp more bassy overall. I only recently learned how to save user-created presets but for some reason, they don't sound the same when I recall them as they did when I made them. The Celestion has to go back in.
My theory of why I'm not getting cool sounds out of it is my pickups. They're 57 Classics with the pcb. That's part of it, anyway. Gibson 57 Classics, to me anyway, are very dull-sounding and lack midrange. The pcb, in my opinion, is further hindering the tone from being what it could be. I've heard so many stories of people who took out their pcb and replaced it with old-school hard wiring and got a better-sounding guitar out of it. So, I'm planning to get an RS kit and install it with my Whole Lotta Humbuckers. If I still don't like what I'm hearing, I'm selling the amp and buying a Bassbreaker 15.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Now I'm not afraid to completely obliterate the cheesy factory presets in favor of my own!
However, I will say that the Cranked Princeton setting isn't bad.
I've been frustrated with my Mustang III. I took out the Celestion and put in a Swamp Thang. It made the Marshall emulations more muddy, and it made the whole amp more bassy overall. I only recently learned how to save user-created presets but for some reason, they don't sound the same when I recall them as they did when I made them. The Celestion has to go back in.
My theory of why I'm not getting cool sounds out of it is my pickups. They're 57 Classics with the pcb. That's part of it, anyway. Gibson 57 Classics, to me anyway, are very dull-sounding and lack midrange. The pcb, in my opinion, is further hindering the tone from being what it could be. I've heard so many stories of people who took out their pcb and replaced it with old-school hard wiring and got a better-sounding guitar out of it. So, I'm planning to get an RS kit and install it with my Whole Lotta Humbuckers. If I still don't like what I'm hearing, I'm selling the amp and buying a Bassbreaker 15.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Now I'm not afraid to completely obliterate the cheesy factory presets in favor of my own!
However, I will say that the Cranked Princeton setting isn't bad.
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: Best combo amp
5150, 6165, PRS Archon, Mesa something... the list goes on and on.
5150, 6165, PRS Archon, Mesa something... the list goes on and on.
mantis
New member
Re: Best combo amp
The HT Metal from Blackstar is another very good choice for what you are looking for. It's punchy as hell, heavy as F%&k and Brutal. Yet has a killer mid range tone and a ISF knob that allows you to dial in exactly what your looking for.
I like this amp a lot I just wish it had Midi control. I would require a Amp Gizmo
The HT Metal from Blackstar is another very good choice for what you are looking for. It's punchy as hell, heavy as F%&k and Brutal. Yet has a killer mid range tone and a ISF knob that allows you to dial in exactly what your looking for.
I like this amp a lot I just wish it had Midi control. I would require a Amp Gizmo
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Best combo amp
Combo amp price range is from $15 for a second hand First Act to $65,000 for a second hand Dumble Overdrive Special. Give a real number and you'll get better suggestions.
That said, I recommend the Dumble. The note separation will be killer.
Combo amp price range is from $15 for a second hand First Act to $65,000 for a second hand Dumble Overdrive Special. Give a real number and you'll get better suggestions.
That said, I recommend the Dumble. The note separation will be killer.
Open lane
New member
Re: Best combo amp
My marshall dsl40c is great for metal. A much more aggressive tone than my Jubilee.
My marshall dsl40c is great for metal. A much more aggressive tone than my Jubilee.
Demanic
PenultimateTone Member
Re: Best combo amp
I have an old Carvin V-212 combo. Paid less than $300 for it 5 years ago. It has two chanel's and an assignable eq.
Takes pedals well and has a foot switched loop. Oh, and a power switch for 25/50/100 watts. I usually run it in 100 watt mode on the clean channel set to three. And a 31 band eq in the loop.
Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
I have an old Carvin V-212 combo. Paid less than $300 for it 5 years ago. It has two chanel's and an assignable eq.
Takes pedals well and has a foot switched loop. Oh, and a power switch for 25/50/100 watts. I usually run it in 100 watt mode on the clean channel set to three. And a 31 band eq in the loop.
Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
