Most Brutal Amp in the Market under $2000

[kherman]

Re: Most Brutal Amp in the Market under $2000

Are you guys using the Carvin 4x12 cabs for these? Carvin says they are loaded with GT12s. Are they same as Celestion G12T-75s? or different. Do you recommend these matching cabs for this amp?

It is also great that it supports MIDI. Do you know if I can control it with my Line6 POD X3 live and use some of the effects in this pedal as well?

Thank you all again for this great recommendation.

What I've learned so far about the Carvin 4x12 cabs is that they
are made of 13 ply poplar plywood. No MDF or particle board.

As for the Carvin GT12-8 or GT12-16 speakers.
They are made for Carvin by Eminence.
They are Carvins version of the Celestion V30.
Power: 100w
Freq resp: 75-5.5k
Weight: 9lbs.

V30 is
60w
75-5k
8.25lbs.

You can get V30s instead of the GT12's for an upcharge.

I do have the GT12's in one of my Sonic cabinets (an ok cab).
They seem fine to me.

I have been toying with the idea of getting another 4x12.
You can get an Avatar cab with V30s for around the same price as a Carvin cab. The Avatar is 13 ply Birch plywood. Which seems to be the prefered norm.
I don't no how much of a difference there is tonally between poplar ply and birch ply.

I was also thinking of trying the Eminence Wizard speakers.
Out of all the Eminence website samples those sounded the best to me.
Next being the Swamp Thing and the Texas Heat.


Oh, and yes you can use your Pod X3L for effects and as a controller.
I use my Pod XTL the same way.

The advantage you have with the X3 is that you can do the 4 cable method.
Which allows you to put effects like wah and stomp box effects in front of the amp, and effects like
chorus and delay through the effects loop of the amp.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Most Brutal Amp in the Market under $2000

I have to defer to you, since you had one, but this video shows a pretty badass brutal tone. Start at 0:40 to bypass the guy talking about it.

It's not bad (I have owned the Mk 1 and the Duotone after all, but you can hear how compressed and fizzy it sounds with the gain turned up).

This is pretty f'n metal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXB_miK49nM

 

[cakire82]

Re: Most Brutal Amp in the Market under $2000

Do you know any where we can try a Carvin on the East coast? Preferably MA or TriState area?

 

[kherman]

Re: Most Brutal Amp in the Market under $2000

Do you know any where we can try a Carvin on the East coast? Preferably MA or TriState area?

Carvin only has stores in California.
Everyone else has to buy factory direct.
Maybe go over to the Carvin Forum in the amp section and ask if there's anyone near you who has one that you could try out.


Another couple of thoughts for you.
Kustom Double Cross.
Egnater Tourmaster.
H&K Coreblade. (their new one. Designed for metal).

 

[\m/(00)\m/]

Re: Most Brutal Amp in the Market under $2000

I bet my one opinion won't really move the discussion too much...but my 2 cents is....


Mesa Boogie Mark 5
3 channels
clean channel is simply great
2nd channel can do the light gain thing really well
3rd channel does all 3 modes fantastic, and can get very very heavy. I thoroughly enjoyed it when i owned it a couple months ago.

also, if you can find a used one...Orange rockerverb series are great too.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Most Brutal Amp in the Market under $2000

You sound like you want a boogie dual rectifier. Just make sure you get a really nice speaker cab to enjoy all that grunt.

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Most Brutal Amp in the Market under $2000

No love for the Mesa Stilettos or a good old fashioned JCM 800 with a gain mod?? :eek13:

When I hear someone ask for brutal, I think Recto, because it has such an aggressive voice to it. I think the Stiletto is more than capable of being pretty fierce, I guess it comes down to personal taste, but the Stiletto is no joke.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Most Brutal Amp in the Market under $2000

Now, you ruined my day Do you know what the problem was?

The very first ones had a design flaw. Carvin recalled and fixed them for the orgional owner.
You might want to look at the new Series IV Carvin X100B also as I have friends who swear by them and are getting BRUTAL tones out of those amps!!
I have owned a bunch of Carvin amps and have found them to be bullet proof reliable.
Here is my bud Keith Miller with his X100 B
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IOqtiibzfs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlBfbKgRvFA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPMLZrOrLMY&feature=related
Here are a couple more clips from different guys these amps ROCK!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkVJ7AxkBH4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrkXxUvvioE&feature=related

 

[slugworth]

Re: Most Brutal Amp in the Market under $2000

Another couple of thoughts for you.
Kustom Double Cross.

You SERIOUSLY should check out this amp. There are some good vids from Kustom that show what it will do. The vids are made by the guy who designed the amp. Take the time to watch them.

The "Kustom" name is not as sexy as some of the others, but just wait until you hear this.

 

[ex-250]

Re: Most Brutal Amp in the Market under $2000

Im loving my Hotrodded JCM800! took me awhile to warm up to it as my PV ultra plus had a bigger low end roar, but Im really digging the JCM now.. Afraid it may need maintenance tho.. making some pops and stuff. : (

What I think is cool is that alot of guys are rediscovering them.. Marshall has reissued and Ive noticed alot of guys interviewed in guitar mags are recording with them again..

If I was buying new, Id buy the Kerry king one.. More gain and less than the reissue.

if somebody gave me a stack of cash and said "go buy an amp under $2k," id probably go for the kerry king 800. store near me has one for much less than normal, so id grab a nighttrain as well to round out the $2k

 

[Loserchief]

Re: Most Brutal Amp in the Market under $2000

I'd go with the Powerball or try to find a used Invader 100. Engls in general have great cleans(i owned a powerball before my current sovereign) and lot and lots of options,channels and switches. You can't really beat them for variety but you have to like the High gain tones. They have ultra-tight lows and lots of highs. Great amps for low tunings or 7-strings but some people find them too trebly.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Most Brutal Amp in the Market under $2000

if somebody gave me a stack of cash and said "go buy an amp under $2k," id probably go for the kerry king 800. store near me has one for much less than normal, so id grab a nighttrain as well to round out the $2k

yeah, been seeing them on the bay for less then they were. Im considering buying another used JCM800 and having an 80s mod done to it.. I dont want to change the one I have! Took me awhile to get used to it cuz my PV ultra plus had such a big low end, but now Ive got the eq set how I like it and Im used to it, Im loving it!