Looking for advice from those that've gone before me.

[some_dude]

Warning.....this is going to be a ramble.

I'm kinda at a crossroads tonally and musically and I don't know which way to go.

Musically I want to both stay heavy and go lighter. I really like heavy music....it excites me and pulls me in. But, as I delve into the influences of my influences I'm being drawn more and more into a blues and blues rock direction and I'm finding that I like that too. While I'm not really interested in 'jam band' (subgenre) music I am getting more and more interested in music that you can jam to.

Tonally....I'm really torn up. I want ball breaking levels of sludge but whenever I play that way I can't stand the feel of it. My skill seems to be hitting a point where I want more and more articulation out of an amp but I can't get that with 4 to 5 gain stages slugging overdriven power tubes. I want more midrange without loosing definition. In addition to the feel I can't stand how that much gain covers up the sound of the individual strings.

So I've switched to lower wattage British flavoured tube amps.....great for overdriven sounds that maintain definition, but the problem is the power required to overdrive them. To get the sounds I'm after I've switched back to high output pickups. It's given me great tone but I lost most of my articulation. Now I want to switch back to low output pups (thinking about Seths or Antiquities actually) but I need a way to boost output up to get the drive I want without adding too much compression. The problem is with that idea is that historically I don't like using OD pedals...they just don't feel right to me.

I donno.....I want heavy and I want articulate and I want both at the same time. Is it possible?

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Looking for advice from those that've gone before me.

I've heard some pretty sick tones coming out of Matchless amps. Articulate and fuzzy at the same time.

I dig 'em.

 

[Sludgenutz]

Re: Looking for advice from those that've gone before me.

Warning.....this is going to be a ramble.

I'm kinda at a crossroads tonally and musically and I don't know which way to go.

Musically I want to both stay heavy and go lighter. I really like heavy music....it excites me and pulls me in.

I want more and more articulation out of an amp but I can't get that with 4 to 5 gain stages slugging overdriven power tubes".

I donno.....I want heavy and I want articulate and I want both at the same time. Is it possible?

Hey, that sounds like me! I have 6550 tubes on the brain for my Mesa. Big/brawny/clean/linear...a 6550 is like using a sledgehammer when a heavier hammer is called for. I don't think I like highly overdriven power tubes as much as others.

I like tube peamp distortion, and like to keep the power section warm and clean. I do not hop from one tone to next, so I think this a good direction for me. I hope this helps.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Looking for advice from those that've gone before me.

Hey, that sounds like me! I have 6550 tubes on the brain for my Mesa. Big/brawny/clean/linear...a 6550 is like using a sledgehammer when a heavier hammer is called for. I don't think I like highly overdriven power tubes as much as others.

I like tube peamp distortion, and like to keep the power section warm and clean. I do not hop from one tone to next, so I think this a good direction for me. I hope this helps.

By overdriven, I like to turn the master volume up until the buzziness smooths out. If I leave the power amp too clean I find it too buzzy/harsh.

 

[Dirtyking]

Re: Looking for advice from those that've gone before me.

I donno.....I want heavy and I want articulate and I want both at the same time. Is it possible?

Thats where I'm at too. I have guitars with high output pups and low output pups and just can't find a happy place with my half stack. What amp is gonna you cut in a band, fullness and articulation tuned to C sharp?

And I don't care for distortion pedals either....

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: Looking for advice from those that've gone before me.

Try a VHT 2/50/2 & GP-3 .....it'll take you from clean to mean to downright DAMN !!! :headbang:

What speakers ya' got in that 4x12?

 

[Dirtyking]

Re: Looking for advice from those that've gone before me.

What speakers ya' got in that 4x12?

Its a Peavey cab with G12-85's. Soon to be replaced with a V30 loaded cab if I could just settle on the right Head or Combo.

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: Looking for advice from those that've gone before me.

Its a Peavey cab with G12-85's. Soon to be replaced with a V30 loaded cab if I could just settle on the right Head or Combo.

Sorry....that question was for Screaming Daisy :beerchug:

 

[Dirtyking]

Re: Looking for advice from those that've gone before me.

Sorry....that question was for Screaming Daisy :beerchug:

OPPs...My bad:smack:

 

[some_dude]

Re: Looking for advice from those that've gone before me.

Try a VHT 2/50/2 & GP-3 .....it'll take you from clean to mean to downright DAMN !!! :headbang:

What speakers ya' got in that 4x12?

V30s.

I'm a little hesitant on VHT....how tight are they? I mean, I want articulate.....but I still want some sag and blossom.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Looking for advice from those that've gone before me.

V30s.

I'm a little hesitant on VHT....how tight are they? I mean, I want articulate.....but I still want some sag and blossom.

Every VHT I've played so far has an extremely tight lowend. They're a bit "dry" sounding, but very articulate and always have plenty of gain on tap and you'll get some sag from it.