Help me find an amp

S

Shredordead

New member
Hi,
I'v been looking for a new amp for a while, but to no avail. I play mainly Metallica, Dream Theater, Iron Maiden, Childern of bobom etc... And i'm looking for an amp that will cover most of these sounds. My budget is about 1000(uk). I'm looking for a seperate head and cab and would like to avoid E-Bay if possible. Thanks in advance for your help


Ali
 
Last edited:
Re: Help me find an amp

That's a lot of money! I'm not too familiar with the UK prices, but you've got about 1500 euros there. If you would at least consider shopping outdoors you could easilly get a Mesa Dual Rectifier which John Petrucci (Dream Theater) and the Metallica boys use. I'd get a V30 loaded cab, you can't go wrong with those. If you like a little more bottom end and if you're planning on using it on reasonably small gigs and bedroom practices I highly recommend a 2x12 cab.
 
Re: Help me find an amp

I'v been working all summer to be able to buy a new amp. I'v been looking to to the Dual Rectifiers. I'v heard mixed reviews about them, some people say they love them, some people say they hate them. The only problem is that i'm having trouble finding a dealer here in scotland, and mesa don't trade online. Does anyone know a mesa/boogie dealer here in scotland and roughly how much Dual rectifiers are over here. cheers


Ali
 
Re: Help me find an amp

You might look for a Framus Dragon (made in Germany), three channel (clean,crunch,lead) independent eq's for each channel with gain adjustments, dual master volume (footswitchable), effects loop (footswitchable) midi controllable (can be programmed to select channels via a midi footpedal and midi out to controll any midi effects processor). 100 watts, EL34's, hand wired, PCB board construction but very well made. I picked one up here in the states for $800 US. I will go from extreme clean and do pretty much everything you mentioned above. I've compared this amp with a Mesa Mark IV, 80's verticle input 50 watt JCM800, Don Butler modded 100 watt Plexi Reissue, and it definitely holds it's own in tone and character, has more gain than the marhalls and less sizzle than the master volume mesa.
 
Re: Help me find an amp

That looks like a very, very nice amp, bit pricy though. 1000 is for the Head and Cab by the way. What's the Peavey tripple XXX like? I'v heard a few good things about it.
 
Re: Help me find an amp

www.gak.co.uk but there dont go for cheap here in europe, you'll need at least another £500 if not more for the head alone new for the dual recto, single recto go for £1250 on GAK, the cabs arent on that site but on www.thomann.de the mesa cab go for about €800 for the 2X12 and €1000 fro the 4x12.. Best bet is Ebay but if your not going that route then you'll have to keep savin' :laugh2:
 
Re: Help me find an amp

try kranks, i think they ship overseas

and i'm sure theres a lot of mesa dealers in england, take the drive
 
Re: Help me find an amp

Right, well i'v been doing some looking around and i'v found a few possibles. Any feedback (no pun intended) on these amps would be great. Thanks

1.Peavey XXX
2.Peavey 5150
3.Laney VH100R
 
Re: Help me find an amp

I've got an XXX, love it to friggen death, but only get it if you can turn it up, otherwise it won't sound it's best. Children of Bodom is probably one of my favorite and most influencial bands, and I listen to Norther, Kalmah, Arch Enemy, old In Flames, Carcass, At The Gates, and Death as well. The 2 biggest influences are Death and CoB though. It can handle everything from marshall style crunch tones to mesa chunk, and has a convertable poweramp section from 6l6 to EL34 without a rebias. very very good amp if you don't need gorgeous cleans. I wouldn't trade mine for much besides maybe a Bogner Shiva.
 
Re: Help me find an amp

Dude, i dont know what that much money actually is but if you can afford one id look at the ENGL heads and cabs...they do what you mention above in spades and much much more! They have 4x12 cabs and 2x12 cabs, and lots of heads to choose from.

I myself have a savage120 which sounds amazing for anything gain related, especially high gain! Its one of their older heads so they can be had cheap if you know where to look, and they are just amazing and very versatile with four channels and two master volumes, two presences, and lots of "back of amp" options as far as cabs and footswitches go. It just sounds fantastic! And i recommend vintage 30s, that what i run mine through (an ENGL vintage 30 4x12) and it just sounds amazing.
http://www.engl-amps.com/engl-amps/
check them out ;)

Also though probably for a little less money you could find a peavey 5150 head and cab and this would also be great for you i think. The mark 2 would be better, as the cleans are much better, but both have good distortion but i think the mark 2 might be a little better in some respect but im not sure what. But this amp just sounds killer and they can be had for a reasonable dollar as well.

In my opinion what you're after is a 6L6 or 6550 power tube based amp, this will be tighter than the EL34 amps and that is what it sounds like you're after.

Good luck ;)
 
Re: Help me find an amp

Yeah, I agree with Angus to some extent, I don't know if ENGL Would be what you're after. The XXX has a super open uncompressed tone, that's the kind of tone I love, and the 5150 does that very well, too. The XXX can get compressed like a Boogie on the ultra channel, but the active eq has a huge sweep. I've always found ENGL's to be more on the compressed side of the spectrum, and that wasn't my bag too much, but again, I like a super open tone, like Lamb of God or Arch Enemy, more than say Metallica or Children of Bodom.
 
Re: Help me find an amp

Shredordead said:
Right, well i'v been doing some looking around and i'v found a few possibles. Any feedback (no pun intended) on these amps would be great. Thanks

2.Peavey 5150
3.Laney VH100R
Click to expand...

Deadskinslayer3 already commented on the triple XXX

The 5150 is a brutal machine really, this thing has more amounts of gain than almost anyone can handle. Did I say brutal? They don't really sound like something EVH would play, more like a Trash or Black metal thing. I know a guy who has the combo and I think he once said he wasn't able to turn the volume up to one because it was sooo loud. You can get some smooth leads out of it if you mess around with it long enough, but I surely wouldn't recommend it for bedroom practices, you might even have trouble cranking it up during band practice. This thing is also as heavy as a rhino's *ss, but then again you were trying to do the half stack thing right?
 
Re: Help me find an amp

www.musicstore.de does engl , and alot of others, the savage 120 is abot €1,900..the 5150 isnt too mch on GAK, not sure but im pretty sure its well under the £1000 mark..
 
Re: Help me find an amp

The savage 120 might be a bit pricey new, but among the amazing feature list of this amp is the fact that you dont need to crank it to get awesome tone out of it...i get all sorts of amazing high gain tones at bedroom levels due to the way it is built and the fantastic preamp design. Although im sure it would sound even better cranked ;)
 
Re: Help me find an amp

There's a VH100R halfstack for sale here in Holland, 850 euros and I think it's mint!
I'll translate the ad for you:

100 Watt top, full tube 4 channel,reverb and effectloop with lots of features.
Clean, 2 x drive British and American), super gain lead channel.
With speakercabinet, 4 x 12"HH speakers, connectable to lots of independences.
Warm clean sound and beautiful overdrive-sounds.
Incl. footswitch and cabels.Superrock amplifier!

Here's the advertised picture:

22108.jpg
 
Re: Help me find an amp

I'm torn between the VH100R, XXX and Savage 120. There is no music shops near me ( i don't think) that stock the savage or the VH100R. Does anyone have any clips of these amps?

P.S Thanks for all the help!
 
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