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

[barbarianbrute]

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

it's settled then. i'm selling and going back to mesa :clap:

 

[Hot _Grits]

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

You had an express, right? - that 5w mode would be awesome for home recording. Great choice for a home player with ambitions to play out. An just about all your bases covered: 50w, great cleans, reverb, and overdrive from blues through to uber-gain.

 

[barbarianbrute]

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

well if i sell the jvm 1/2 stack i should have enough for a mesa 5:50 and still enough money for some recording gear. i'll just have to do without the marshall tone... at least until i start making some money playing guitar

 

[Hot _Grits]

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

well if i sell the jvm 1/2 stack i should have enough for a mesa 5:50 and still enough money for some recording gear. i'll just have to do without the marshall tone... at least until i start making some money playing guitar

True. you could maybe look at adding a pedal aimed at the marshall thing in the interim, such as the Carl Martin plexitone, the radial hot british or the G2D classic od. They should give your amp some marshall flavour if needed.

Another great way to get the marshall thing happening at low volumes (but still enough for small gigs) is to look into an 18w marshall head. There are loads of reissues, clones and kits out there at all kinds of price levels. I'm guessing you could get an Express and something like a Ceriatone 18w marshall head and still have change from your monster marshall. Don't be afraid to shop secondhand, as your dollar will go further...

 

[Dr.Mavashi]

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

. But if you really want to engage with others, playing something original is the only way for people to really hear the real you. Be brave.

We rarely agree, but this was one of the best expression of something that is simply fundamental in rock n roll. :notworthy

 

[JB_From_Hell]

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

i'm only going to crank it loud enough to improve my tone. it's my understanding that around 2-3 should be enough to get it cooking at a decent level.

Are you talking about getting great tone out of a 100W tube amp at 2-3?

-Edit, I didn't see this whole page of posts. Nevermind

 

[Dr.Mavashi]

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

i've seen some pretty good deals already. dr.mahavashi linked to one that looks pretty good to me. i've decided to build a little studio instead of investing money into attenuators and stuff. i'm going to soundproof it and everything, so it's going to be pretty professional when i'm done. to hell with the small stuff. i want to crank my marshall and have it sound good like that. i have an el diablo combo i can use at home.

I would wait for other to comment but Webers attenuators have a line out. So you can crank it up and go direct. Is it same as micing a cranked 4X12 - Hell no, but hey the solo on Pink Floyds' "No education" was recorded direct. So you might wanna consider all the options.

 

[AmirH]

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

Honestly, mesa stomps all over new marshalls anyway. The jvm is like the only decent sounding marshall to come out in years(reissues aside) and I'd still take a mesa over it.

 

[Gamera]

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

well if i sell the jvm 1/2 stack i should have enough for a mesa 5:50 and still enough money for some recording gear. i'll just have to do without the marshall tone.

I think that's probably a really good plan. That 100watt Marshall is a beast and probably way overkill for your needs now and for any foreseeable future. Although remember you still have that El Diablo sitting there. Before you rush out and try to make peace with yet another amp, I really think spending some time with that El Diablo would really pay off. Because if you get a 5:50 you'll essentially have two amps that do the same thing, but in very different ways. If you're struggling with dialing in a tone on one the last thing you need is the confusion of doing the same thing with two different amps. And with some patience and tweaking I think the Genz Benz will get you into both Marshall and Mesa territories. Maybe not exact but certainly close enough for you to establish with greater certainty where you ultimately want to end up. And if you've really only been playing for a year or so like you've claimed, I think slowing down and getting familiar with just one amp is exactly what you need to finally find your tone.

 

[Gr8Scott]

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

Another suggestion. You could buy a Epiphone Valve Junior head for $129 and run some pedals through it to record. It's low wattage and it can sound great with the right stuff pushing the front end. If you want, you can mod the snot out of it. There are all kinds of mods out there for this little monster. Get that and a couple of really good pedals and your recording should be much larger sounding plus your neighbors won't call the cops when you crank it. No need for an attenuator that way, but you can still run one if you choose.

 

[SchecMan]

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

Check out this review of the Suhr Badger. I know that it's only 18 watts, but what is interesting is that it uses power scaling. I would love to have something like this on my amp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBUxUB-6qjw

 

[B2D]

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

Check out this review of the Suhr Badger. I know that it's only 18 watts, but what is interesting is that it uses power scaling. I would love to have something like this on my amp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBUxUB-6qjw

I was looking at those, actually! They sound pretty tasty from the clips, but to be honest I'd love to own one of the OD100's.

 

[bungalowbill]

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

it's settled then. i'm selling and going back to mesa :clap:

Boogies sound best when cranked, also. The 5 watt mode would be the best bet for home usage.

 

[Ascension]

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

i know, i used to own one. i love the overdrive and bassman channels, but i can't stand the vibrolux. it's too thin and twangy for me.

I agree on the Vibro channell on the Super Sonic but the Bassman and Burn channell are pretty good. You also may want to look for a used Zinky designed Fender Prosonic. In the Class A 30 watt mode they will get smooth buttery tones at resonably sane volume levels. I had a head and still have a combo. I like the tones I get out of the Prosonics better than any Marshall or Boogie I have ever owned!!
Right now I have the Prosonic combo and a TSL 60 Marshall head.

 

[B2D]

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

FWIW I tried the Mesa 5:25 express and liked it a LOT more than the 50... more brit flavored to my ears (running el84s) and still enough volume for small gigs. Might be a better "home" amp but the 50 would have enough wattage for gigs, no doubt.

 

[MrHat]

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

I would say get something with less watts and crank it, but if you want something in the 40-50w range, look at a Budda Superdrive 45, its about everything you were describing in your initial post except for it's lacking reverb, but it has a nice effects loop so you could add a decent reverb pedal.

 

[barbarianbrute]

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

I think that's probably a really good plan. That 100watt Marshall is a beast and probably way overkill for your needs now and for any foreseeable future. Although remember you still have that El Diablo sitting there. Before you rush out and try to make peace with yet another amp, I really think spending some time with that El Diablo would really pay off. Because if you get a 5:50 you'll essentially have two amps that do the same thing, but in very different ways. If you're struggling with dialing in a tone on one the last thing you need is the confusion of doing the same thing with two different amps. And with some patience and tweaking I think the Genz Benz will get you into both Marshall and Mesa territories. Maybe not exact but certainly close enough for you to establish with greater certainty where you ultimately want to end up. And if you've really only been playing for a year or so like you've claimed, I think slowing down and getting familiar with just one amp is exactly what you need to finally find your tone.

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.

 

[Rainmaker]

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

Check out this review of the Suhr Badger. I know that it's only 18 watts, but what is interesting is that it uses power scaling. I would love to have something like this on my amp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBUxUB-6qjw

Lower wattage and a power scaling feature.

Isn't that two guarantees that you'll get closer to cranked timbres at desirable volumes?

 

[barbarianbrute]

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

Now you're talking. An attenuator is a great idea, but I'd suggest you don't skimp when shopping for one. Avoid marshall's power brake and look at the weber MASS or the THD hotplate.

-also be aware that even the best attenuators start munging your tone up a bit after a 15db reduction. So an attenuator will be a great help, but it won't work miracles.

Look into buying a 1x12 cabinet specifically for recording. 2x12 and 4x12 cabs sound great when you stand in front of them, but for recording, nothing beats the focus of a single 12. It's also a great way to cut down recording volume further.

To go an extra step, drop your wattage. Your marshall is a nice amp, but you could look at getting a 50w amp to help cut down on volume a bit. And a 50w amp will play ANY venue. Trust me on that one.

Now, as far as tone/playing frustration goes, it pays to relax a bit if you can. Recording your playing is an excellent idea, as it's a fantastic way to understand what your strengths and weaknesses are. But it's also great to take a break and come back fresh. I'm also a strong advocate of playing clean with no effects or playing unplugged, as that was you'll get a real understanding of where your hands are at compared to your brain/soul.

From hearing your clips, your tone isn't too bad at all, in fact much better than many home recording players I hear. That's not to say it's truly inspiring, pro-level stuff, but it's not too shabby either. I'd say you'd be better off refocusing on some technique spadework in a few areas: bending intonation, rushing your timing, and cleanliness of technique. You've set yourself high standards by trying to play the stuff you've recorded, but those standards are attainable if you work at it and are honest with yourself.

Originality goes a long way. You're about the ten millionth young player to post 'still got the blues' and 'cliffs of dover' clips on an internet forum in the hope that other players will tell you that you play/sound really good. and you could easily become one of the several thousand players out there who can nail this stuff, too. If that's the limit of your ambition, cool. But if you really want to engage with others, playing something original is the only way for people to really hear the real you. Be brave.

And nothing beats the real world for advancing as a musician. Get yourself a gig, and try not to get angry when one of those real world people offers some advice. Chances are they're trying to help.

i've actually given some thought to what you wrote here. i've analyzed my own playing and realized that i'm sometimes hit and miss because i tend to get sloppy on things that i either don't have a current interest in or have already learned. i think that ruins my consistency, so some days i can almost play anything and other days i feel like i just have to slow it down a lot.

i'm going to practice more with a metronome and try to pay more attention to the subtleties in each note. i plan to do this intensively for about 3 mo. so i can really engain that into my brain. one thing i've noticed is that if i play regular rock music or something that's not really fast and complicated like vai or eric johnson, my tone is so much better. i seem to play van halen, pink floyd, iron maiden stuff a lot better than i play malmsteen. then again, i really only like to learn riffs of songs to incorporate in my playing, so i'm not going to get down on my self too much as a player. slowing down and feeling the notes is a must for me now.

if i don't have to think a lot about what i'm playing, my tone seems to improve quite a bit, so i'm in some agreement that tone is in your fingers. i still believe good equipment has a lot to do with it though.

from this day on, i'm going to try and make at least a few songs that don't involve more than 1-2 fast runs or any at all if i can help it. if you guys have any suggestions on some feel players that i can learn from, let me know (please exclude all the well-knowns like clapton, andy timmons, satriani, etc...)

 

[Empty Pockets]

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

Check out some bands like the Sword, Goatsnake, Solace, Black Betty, High on Fire, and Boris. They all get great tone and don't really have fancy gear...it's all about the riffs with these bands.