If You Had $1,600 For A New Amp...?

[Mephis]

Re: If You Had $1,600 For A New Amp...?

alright you guys are right, but i'm FRUSTRATED with my tone. i'm FRUSTRATED with my recording. i can't seem to figure out how to get great tone. maybe it is the low volume, but several professional players have told me it's not hard to get great tone at low volumes. **** it i'm pissed. not at you guys but my inability to master my amp.

screw it, i'm going to take a break from playing for a couple of days. my ears are toast right now. it's like i got great equipment and i can't get it to sound great.

You can get "good" tone at low volumes, but not head turning tone.

What helped my tone the most was slowing down my technique then re-learning how to apply my touch to the string, then trying to build back up using that technique. I went from thin and squeaky to fat and bold just with that simple change.

You're miles beyond me in playing talent but I am obsessive compulsive about my tone and how I get it, and how I can get it to sound after recording.


I think what it really comes down to is being happy with more than 1 tone on your pallet. Learn to like and use a wide variety of tones and enjoy them all. If you become obsessive about that 1 tone in your head, you can pretty much guarantee you'll never have it.


As far as amps go, you need to establish a baseline in what you're searching for, and not with specs either. You should go to a GC and try a bunch of amps and see how you get along with them. Then tell us what you liked best but what you would like to be different and such, and we could go a lot further from there.

If I had $1600 for a new amp, I would get a dual recto and shock everyone with the fact that they can actually sound good for more than metal.

 

[barbarianbrute]

Re: If You Had $1,600 For A New Amp...?

You can get "good" tone at low volumes, but not head turning tone.

What helped my tone the most was slowing down my technique then re-learning how to apply my touch to the string, then trying to build back up using that technique. I went from thin and squeaky to fat and bold just with that simple change.

You're miles beyond me in playing talent but I am obsessive compulsive about my tone and how I get it, and how I can get it to sound after recording.


I think what it really comes down to is being happy with more than 1 tone on your pallet. Learn to like and use a wide variety of tones and enjoy them all. If you become obsessive about that 1 tone in your head, you can pretty much guarantee you'll never have it.


As far as amps go, you need to establish a baseline in what you're searching for, and not with specs either. You should go to a GC and try a bunch of amps and see how you get along with them. Then tell us what you liked best but what you would like to be different and such, and we could go a lot further from there.

If I had $1600 for a new amp, I would get a dual recto and shock everyone with the fact that they can actually sound good for more than metal.

there's some great advice here man, much appreciated.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: If You Had $1,600 For A New Amp...?

Either a Celtic, or some other brand's handwired JTM-45 clone. Frenzel Bassman copy, maybe.

 

[Ascension]

Re: If You Had $1,600 For A New Amp...?

you've got some good points there, and i think that you're right. the thing is that i really wanted that marshall tone, but if the only way to get it is to crank the thing up to 4-5, i won't have much of an opportunity to do it. after all the trial and error and feedback on my tone, i've come to the conclusion that i can't do any better than the mesa 5:50. for some reason, it fits me well. it's also the same size as my genz-benz and both are suitable for home, studio, and live. the only thing is that i am going to get the extension cab with it too. thanks for your help though everyone. there is so much to learn and so little time to do it.

I will again recomend finding a good Fender Prosonic.
I played Marshalls for years and a Prosonic feels "right " to me unlike the Mesas. In the 30 Watt Class A Tube Rec mode the Prosonic will NAIL a killer fat jucy tone at sane volumes. My Prosonic is also LOUDER than the JCM 900 50 Watt dual Reverb and the TSL 60 head I have in the 60 watt A/B SS rec mode. You get the best of both worlds, :naughty:, jucy fat and sweet low volume tones in Class A 30 watt mode + over the top LOUD tight metal tones in the A/B 60 watt mode.

 

[Ascension]

Re: If You Had $1,600 For A New Amp...?

I just threw this together with my MG 122 Washburn with a Custom Custom through the Prosonic. The Master Volume is set at 2 in the Class A mode through my 16 OHM Yamaha 4/12 loaded with GT-12 75 watt Celestians. I would say that the amp volume level was only running at around 85 DB in the room. http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=261302&songID=5865727
Here she is cranked during an outdoor show last Summer in Florida with my MG 100 loaded with the Crazy 8 http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=439224&songID=5312459

 

[Dr.Mavashi]

Re: If You Had $1,600 For A New Amp...?

I just threw this together with my MG 122 Washburn with a Custom Custom through the Prosonic. The Master Volume is set at 2 in the Class A mode through my 16 OHM Yamaha 4/12 loaded with GT-12 75 watt Celestians. I would say that the amp volume level was only running at around 85 DB in the room. http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=261302&songID=5865727
Here she is cranked during an outdoor show last Summer in Florida with my MG 100 loaded with the Crazy 8 http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=439224&songID=5312459

Wow, i didnt hear that much of ice pick highs my GT-1275 drive me nuts with .... hm .... On the first clip there is some classy, George Lynch mojo here and there. Fender gain, huh?

 

[Ascension]

Re: If You Had $1,600 For A New Amp...?

Wow, i didnt hear that much of ice pick highs my GT-1275 drive me nuts with .... hm .... On the first clip there is some classy, George Lynch mojo here and there. Fender gain, huh?

Nothing but my guitar amp and a wah in the front. The gain is all amp. I'm actually running NOS 12AT7 Mulllards in V1 and 2 to KILL some gain and this was at 4 on gain 1 and 7 on gain 2 (dual cascaiding gains on the Prosonic).
Thanks on the Lynch comment he was a BIG influnce and I'm honored:cool2:

 

[barbarianbrute]

Re: If You Had $1,600 For A New Amp...?

to be quite honest, the mesa express sounds very fenderish. i love fender amps, but that mesa is probably my second best choice after marshall. fender would be a very very close third. that sound you got is really great. i like the raw and deep tone you had. great clips, thanks man

 

[Dr.Mavashi]

Re: If You Had $1,600 For A New Amp...?

Nothing but my guitar amp and a wah in the front. The gain is all amp. I'm actually running NOS 12AT7 Mulllards in V1 and 2 to KILL some gain and this was at 4 on gain 1 and 7 on gain 2 (dual cascaiding gains on the Prosonic).
Thanks on the Lynch comment he was a BIG influnce and I'm honored:cool2:

12AT7s ??? two of them at first gain stage and at tone stack and still no overdirve? What can I say, I am confused about understanding pre-amps again, just when I thought I was begining to have a basic understanding of things ... how many V's are there in PS? I am glad that you dig Lynch, whenever I say I hear GL its a comp, he is still a huge influence on me.

 

[Ascension]

Re: If You Had $1,600 For A New Amp...?

12AT7s ??? two of them at first gain stage and at tone stack and still no overdirve? What can I say, I am confused about understanding pre-amps again, just when I thought I was begining to have a basic understanding of things ... how many V's are there in PS? I am glad that you dig Lynch, whenever I say I hear GL its a comp, he is still a huge influence on me.

The Prosonic has 6 tubes in the preamp a rec tube and a pair of 6L6's. 5 12AX7's normally and a 12AT7 in the V5 Reverb driver slot. The Prosonic has so MUCH over the top SCORCHING gain it can be hard to controll without using the lower gain 12AT7 in the first two slots. Dimed on both Gains a Prosonc with 12AX7's will just go NUTS with occilating feedback without anything plugged into it!! More gain in these beasties than a Soldano SLO!! With the AT7's they become smoother and more civilized. Nothing on the face of the earth is as responsive to touch and tecnique as a Prosonic when they are set up right!!
Why do you think these amps have such a RABID cult of folowers??
These Prosonics sound unlike anything else Fender has ever done except the Tonemaster which like the Prosonic was also designed by Bruce Zinky.

 

[Dr.Mavashi]

Re: If You Had $1,600 For A New Amp...?

WOW !!!! a tube recto, 5 ECC83 pre-amp and a tube reverb???? I have to re-think this, this might be a thing for me ..... PEOPLE CAN WE HAVE MORE CLIPS OF THIS BEAST ???? made in U.S.? WOW !!!!

 

[Ascension]

Re: If You Had $1,600 For A New Amp...?

WOW !!!! a tube recto, 5 ECC83 pre-amp and a tube reverb???? I have to re-think this, this might be a thing for me ..... PEOPLE CAN WE HAVE MORE CLIPS OF THIS BEAST ???? made in U.S.? WOW !!!!

Try a SWITCHABLE triple rec set up on the Prosonics!! 60 watt Class A/B SS, 50 watt A/B Tube and a 30 watt class A mode.

 

[Dr.Mavashi]

Re: If You Had $1,600 For A New Amp...?

I could only find these on ebay, how much are the head usually go for? I am not in the buying mode at all now, but I am die hard fender strat/metal dude so I already have a lot of
loyalty for the company ...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Prosonic...ryZ38074QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: If You Had $1,600 For A New Amp...?

For $1600, I'm doubtful if it gets much better than the Mesa Stiletto Ace. I swear the more times I play that the more times I grin. It's probably the best Mesa I've heard (or dialed in well anyhow) to date.

 

[barbarianbrute]

Re: If You Had $1,600 For A New Amp...?

the stiletto is a kick-ass amp, but i actually like the way the 5:50 sounds more. plus the 5:50 has bad-ass reverb while the stiletto doesn't. not that it matters to some people, but i like built-in spring reverb on my amps. one less pedal on the board and one less to invest in.