Buying a head without playing it..... advice!

Justice4all

Justice4all

New member
Hi all, i am looking at buying new head in the next 4 weeks. I am set on the ENGL Powerball. Only problem is there isnt a dealer here so i will be getting it from over seas without being able to try it. I have heard nothing but praise
about this company, and this head just sounds like its a keeper!

Has anyone got this head or any other ENGL amplifier..
just wondering about reliabilty.... and any other little things i might need to
look out for.

Thanks for any help!
 
Re: Buying a head without playing it..... advice!

I bought a Peavey XXX that had been modded by Voodoo amps, having been told that it was like a DSL50 with more of everything, and I'd never played one before...

I sold the amp a week after I got it cuz the distortion was too middy and I hated the cleans. Never buy a peice of gear unplayed or unheard unless you can REALLY afford to do it and not lose money. If its an amp at least listen to some sound clips.
 
Re: Buying a head without playing it..... advice!

someone around here had a great link to a site with TONS of clips of amps like EBGL, Fender, Marshall, Matchless, Buddah, you name it.. unfortuneatly i lost the link when my hard drive was wiped out.

i have a sovtek mig-60 in the mail for me as we speak, ive never tried one but i figured it was worth a shot because of the super value on the amps and the GREAT reviews.. as far as buying something as exspensive as ENGL..

TRY ONE FIRST.. especially if your buying new..
 
Re: Buying a head without playing it..... advice!

McLaughysSN said:
someone around here had a great link to a site with TONS of clips of amps like EBGL, Fender, Marshall, Matchless, Buddah, you name it.. unfortuneatly i lost the link when my hard drive was wiped out.
........

..
Click to expand...

This site has many soundclips of various ENGL models (Powerball included) and the Framus Cobra head:

http://www.rocksolidamps.com/

http://www.rocksolidamps.com/sounds.php?UID=20040428082637213.23.223.16
 
Re: Buying a head without playing it..... advice!

McLaughysSN said:
someone around here had a great link to a site with TONS of clips of amps like EBGL, Fender, Marshall, Matchless, Buddah, you name it.. unfortuneatly i lost the link when my hard drive was wiped out.
Click to expand...

The link to all those amp clips is http://www.proguitar.de/AudioDemo/CompareAmps/CompareAmps.html

The link was working for me last week, but not today :smack:

About 8 years ago I bought an Egnater IE4 preamp for $1,100, a VHT 2502 power amp for $900 and two Bogner 2x12 cabinets for $1,400 - all without having heard any of them. It was the best investment I've made. The reviews of each of these products described excactly how I wanted my rig to sound and perform. I trusted my instincts and it paid off (thank God!).
 
Re: Buying a head without playing it..... advice!

Hawkman said:
The link to all those amp clips is http://www.proguitar.de/AudioDemo/CompareAmps/CompareAmps.html

The link was working for me last week, but not today :smack:

About 8 years ago I bought an Egnater IE4 preamp for $1,100, a VHT 2502 power amp for $900 and two Bogner 2x12 cabinets for $1,400 - all without having heard any of them. It was the best investment I've made. The reviews of each of these products described excactly how I wanted my rig to sound and perform. I trusted my instincts and it paid off (thank God!).
Click to expand...

See everybody: As Hawkman shows, it is actually possible and with good results. I bought my two Jacksons without having tried them. Best investments ever.
 
Re: Buying a head without playing it..... advice!

I do that all the time and I always end up with good stuff.
Click to expand...
Well I would not...since I want to hear it first no matter what!
How it responds to how I play and so on...but I have a good hunch most of the time :burnout:
 
Re: Buying a head without playing it..... advice!

Try before you buy! I went through a lot of amps before I got to my Peavey 5150. Believe me, you don't wanna spend that much time and money sifting through amps you've never heard to get to "the one".
 
Re: Buying a head without playing it..... advice!

I bought my Dean Chafin and Gibson Les Paul Standard off eBay and they are two great guitars. Never had any problems and never forsee any. Funny thing is that I hadn't tried them beforehand, I just looked up reviews and bought accordingly. I looked up Grosh guitars and sure enough, one of the guitars I was looking at I finally played and am in love with it. I guess it's one heck of a gamble, but I haven't messed up yet ;)
 
Re: Buying a head without playing it..... advice!

Hawkman said:
The link to all those amp clips is http://www.proguitar.de/AudioDemo/CompareAmps/CompareAmps.html

The link was working for me last week, but not today :smack:

About 8 years ago I bought an Egnater IE4 preamp for $1,100, a VHT 2502 power amp for $900 and two Bogner 2x12 cabinets for $1,400 - all without having heard any of them. It was the best investment I've made. The reviews of each of these products described excactly how I wanted my rig to sound and perform. I trusted my instincts and it paid off (thank God!).
Click to expand...

Yup.. thats the one!... its responsible for giving me matchless GAS.. d*** $3,000+ price tags...
 
Re: Buying a head without playing it..... advice!

Asuming you like metal, then you will love the powerball. I would get it right away, and if you talk to Derek B. over at www.rocksolidamps.com then he might give you a trial period. Might. But its an awesome amp and you will never regret buying it.
 
Re: Buying a head without playing it..... advice!

Personally, I feel it's a real gamble to buy an amp without hearing it first. and from my own experiance, the odds of getting somthing you like aren't terribly good.
 
Re: Buying a head without playing it..... advice!

Thanks for alll the replys guys!
I live in New Zealand so i cant try one out first.... But im heading over to Australia at the end of the year , they have dealers there so i might hold out till then!..
It willl cost me $3450 Aus dollars.... so i might try b4 i buy!
But know doubt i will love it... My TSL head isnt doing it for me anymore....
 
Re: Buying a head without playing it..... advice!

There are a percentage of people who buy without playing and actually get what they wanted. There's an equal or greater number of people that buy without playing and hate the piece of equipment that they purchased. If you're risking $300, it's not a big loss. If you're risking $3500, that's a lot of money to lose. My advice, wait until you can play one, you might love it, but you might hate it as well.
 
Re: Buying a head without playing it..... advice!

XXX-FACTOR said:
There are a percentage of people who buy without playing and actually get what they wanted. There's an equal or greater number of people that buy without playing and hate the piece of equipment that they purchased. If you're risking $300, it's not a big loss. If you're risking $3500, that's a lot of money to lose. My advice, wait until you can play one, you might love it, but you might hate it as well.
Click to expand...

If you have the opportunity, you definately want to play what you're considering purchasing. In my case, there is no way to test the combination of Egnater preamp, VHT power amp and Bogner cabinets. I don't know any stores that would have stocked all of these high end pieces - especially the Egnater. I figured my investment came with an insurance policy - that is, each item would retain, if not increase in value and has a very high resale option. Or, I could have returned the equipment to the dealer within a 30 day trial period. Not an issue though - I'm a very happy camper with my sight unseen and unheard rig!
 
Re: Buying a head without playing it..... advice!

If you have no ability to play it, just go on the opinions of guys who have owned them.
Also, if the amp or guitar is played by the same type of players that you are, it's a good bet that it'll suit your needs.

I've bought and sold around 160 amps, so I've gotten a lot of them without knowing everything about their tone. Even when you're buying high end amps, you've got to pin it down to your style, at least. When Matchless came out, everyone went crazy over the 'boutique' status that was placed on them, then sold stuff to get one.
Most of the one's being sold used are by guys who realized that the Matchless sound
was far from what their sound is. You really have to know that an amp will fit your style before buying. The Powerball is for the guy who needs an amp that's got a lot more flexibility than Peavey, Marshall, Mesa, but wants the best of those tones.
I would say it's easily in the top ten of best multichannel tube amps.
When I played on one, I liked the amount of EQ possibilites on all the channels, to really dial the whole thing in.
 
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