noisenet
New member
Re: Great High Gain Amp For Under 1500$?
IMHO, if you want a good "Marshall" like tone, you'll have to go for a Marshall. You can find some killer JCM 800's for well under $1500, most times under a grand. I have an '82 50 watter I got for $850 on eBay a month or so ago, love it. I have an '86 that I fell into for $750, INCLUDING a '79 Marshall 4x12. Deals are out there, you just have to find them. Somewhere there's a guy who has the amp you're looking for, and needs money, LOL!
Although these aren't high gain amps, that's nothing a decent stompbox can't cure and, honestly, I haven't heard a high gain amp that sounds as good as a medium gain 800 puched with a good OD pedal. My preference is a Boss SD-1 overdrive pedal. I'm thinking of having it modded by Robert Keeley. Any opinions there?
IMHO, if you want a good "Marshall" like tone, you'll have to go for a Marshall. You can find some killer JCM 800's for well under $1500, most times under a grand. I have an '82 50 watter I got for $850 on eBay a month or so ago, love it. I have an '86 that I fell into for $750, INCLUDING a '79 Marshall 4x12. Deals are out there, you just have to find them. Somewhere there's a guy who has the amp you're looking for, and needs money, LOL!
Although these aren't high gain amps, that's nothing a decent stompbox can't cure and, honestly, I haven't heard a high gain amp that sounds as good as a medium gain 800 puched with a good OD pedal. My preference is a Boss SD-1 overdrive pedal. I'm thinking of having it modded by Robert Keeley. Any opinions there?
Davey
Goliath of Tone
FPFL
New member
Re: Great High Gain Amp For Under 1500$?
I love my Ace. I sold a VHT Deliverance to get it. The Dev was great on paper and disappointing in person - the EQ was just wrong IMO... there were these harsh upper mids that wouldn't dial out no matter how I twisted the knobs.
Since the Ace I haven't been amp shopping... The Ace is godly. Does a whole range of british style tones amazingly well from vintage crunch to modern thrash and its pretty easy to dial in assuming you've already got a good cab and an axe you understand.
Don't pass it over in your tests or you'll regret it later.
-P
I love my Ace. I sold a VHT Deliverance to get it. The Dev was great on paper and disappointing in person - the EQ was just wrong IMO... there were these harsh upper mids that wouldn't dial out no matter how I twisted the knobs.
Since the Ace I haven't been amp shopping... The Ace is godly. Does a whole range of british style tones amazingly well from vintage crunch to modern thrash and its pretty easy to dial in assuming you've already got a good cab and an axe you understand.
Don't pass it over in your tests or you'll regret it later.
-P
L
LooseCannon
Guest
Re: Great High Gain Amp For Under 1500$?
Thanks for the help guys. I should have mentioned that i'm not looking for a clean channel, and not second hand so no ebay. I'm also not looking for a JCM800.
I know about the Randell RM100 but does it really keep up with the Splawn or Soldano? I haven't heared it in person so i'm not sure.
About the Ace as I understand there is the first series which weren't that great, and the second which is supposed to be better. Which one do you have?
Thanks for the help guys. I should have mentioned that i'm not looking for a clean channel, and not second hand so no ebay. I'm also not looking for a JCM800.
I know about the Randell RM100 but does it really keep up with the Splawn or Soldano? I haven't heared it in person so i'm not sure.
About the Ace as I understand there is the first series which weren't that great, and the second which is supposed to be better. Which one do you have?
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: Great High Gain Amp For Under 1500$?
Not looking second hand eliminates a lot of options and possibly saving some cash too. I have never purchases a tube amp new. The only new one I ever got was from a trade, no money out of my pocket. Coincidentally, it's the one that gave me the most trouble.
It is nice to have something like that new though, that "new car smell" and all.
Not looking second hand eliminates a lot of options and possibly saving some cash too. I have never purchases a tube amp new. The only new one I ever got was from a trade, no money out of my pocket. Coincidentally, it's the one that gave me the most trouble.
It is nice to have something like that new though, that "new car smell" and all.
FPFL
New member
Re: Great High Gain Amp For Under 1500$?
There was no first gen Ace; the whole line is known as the Stiletto series and the Ace was the only part to show up in the 2nd gen exclusively. Its the 50W head to go with the 100W and 150W Deuce and Trident's.
For my $ the Ace is the sweet spot of the whole lineup - unless you are playing arenas 50W is just right for power and tone in clubs and bars.
The first series was lower gain and looser voicing - more vintage vibe. The 2nd series is a bit hotter and tighter. Neither series was bad but they are different.
There was no first gen Ace; the whole line is known as the Stiletto series and the Ace was the only part to show up in the 2nd gen exclusively. Its the 50W head to go with the 100W and 150W Deuce and Trident's.
For my $ the Ace is the sweet spot of the whole lineup - unless you are playing arenas 50W is just right for power and tone in clubs and bars.
The first series was lower gain and looser voicing - more vintage vibe. The 2nd series is a bit hotter and tighter. Neither series was bad but they are different.
L
LooseCannon
Guest
Re: Great High Gain Amp For Under 1500$?
Ahh I see. Do you have any clips of the Ace?
Ahh I see. Do you have any clips of the Ace?
FPFL
New member
Re: Great High Gain Amp For Under 1500$?
www.myspace.com/blackcalifornia
all three songs are Ace only for the dirty parts - the acoustic were not - duh.
You've got three songs - the first two "rock slut" and "gift" are studio demos without any fancy mixing and the last "bend" is a raw feed from the sound boards at a local club so this is a REAL amp sound not a multitracked monster fake sound. I was going for a big rock sound more than a metal sound per se but it still had sack.
I've changed pups since then, these were all with a custom custom in the bridge. I've since gone to the '78 which I prefer but the CC was good too if just a bit too middy.
I don't think these clips showcase the tone as much as make it clear its an amp that has a tone of dynamics and responds to feel and feedback very well. Listen to the controlled feedback in "bend" it makes the song a lot better and thats easy to do and control once you understand the amp. Again, This is one slice of tones the Ace can do, by no means the library of tones.
www.myspace.com/blackcalifornia
all three songs are Ace only for the dirty parts - the acoustic were not - duh.
You've got three songs - the first two "rock slut" and "gift" are studio demos without any fancy mixing and the last "bend" is a raw feed from the sound boards at a local club so this is a REAL amp sound not a multitracked monster fake sound. I was going for a big rock sound more than a metal sound per se but it still had sack.
I've changed pups since then, these were all with a custom custom in the bridge. I've since gone to the '78 which I prefer but the CC was good too if just a bit too middy.
I don't think these clips showcase the tone as much as make it clear its an amp that has a tone of dynamics and responds to feel and feedback very well. Listen to the controlled feedback in "bend" it makes the song a lot better and thats easy to do and control once you understand the amp. Again, This is one slice of tones the Ace can do, by no means the library of tones.
L
LooseCannon
Guest
Re: Great High Gain Amp For Under 1500$?
Played it, big dissapointment. Buzzy unclear distortion, good for heavy metal leads only.
Played it, big dissapointment. Buzzy unclear distortion, good for heavy metal leads only.
brit84
Active member
Re: Great High Gain Amp For Under 1500$?
what did you use though it and what did you play into? Its an amp that needs a few hours playtime to set up well.
what did you use though it and what did you play into? Its an amp that needs a few hours playtime to set up well.
L
LooseCannon
Guest
Re: Great High Gain Amp For Under 1500$?
I used a strat and an LP straight into a diablo combo, I don't know how you set it up to get rid of the buzz, but it didn't work out for me...
I used a strat and an LP straight into a diablo combo, I don't know how you set it up to get rid of the buzz, but it didn't work out for me...
sosomething
Seymour Duncan Customer Support
Re: Great High Gain Amp For Under 1500$?
My Pro Mod cost $1300 as-new. I've had it for a year and a half and it still trips me out how good it sounds.
$1500 gives you a lot of room to look around. You have a lot of options, but you would have considerably more if you were willing to buy used. Is there some reason you don't want a used amp?
My Pro Mod cost $1300 as-new. I've had it for a year and a half and it still trips me out how good it sounds.
$1500 gives you a lot of room to look around. You have a lot of options, but you would have considerably more if you were willing to buy used. Is there some reason you don't want a used amp?
L
LooseCannon
Guest
Re: Great High Gain Amp For Under 1500$?
Well as I wrote before I don't really have a problem with buying used, but since I live in Israel I don't wanna take the chance of buying something from ebay only to find out something's wrong with it when it gets here.
Well as I wrote before I don't really have a problem with buying used, but since I live in Israel I don't wanna take the chance of buying something from ebay only to find out something's wrong with it when it gets here.
sosomething
Seymour Duncan Customer Support
Re: Great High Gain Amp For Under 1500$?
Oh sorry - I must have missed that detail.
Oh sorry - I must have missed that detail.
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