NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

[CTN]

Happy Tubemesiter 18 day to me!

I actually got it yesterday, and we had band practice yesterday too, so I took it down to the jam space, brought my pedalboard and got it all set up with my buddy's Mesa oversized 4x12 cab.

Sweet mother of mercy, it sounds glorious! Cleans were crystalline and articulate, but smooth and soulful as well. It seems that even 18W (through a 4x12) is plenty of headroom for a good clean sound with a full band

The high gain was a thing of beauty. I was obviously using the lead boost, but I didn't max the gain on the lead channel. I think it was at about 3 o'clock, and then I boosted it with my Monte Allums modified Boss GE-7, set to a clean volume/upper mid boost to push it into total metal meltdown mode. The Tubemeister yielded a thick, chunky, growly sound that reminded me a little bit of the Soldano sound - it's not fat, loose and gritty like a Mesa, but not ultra crunchy like a Marshall either...It's sorta halfway in between. There's tons of note definition/attack, and remains articulate and clear at the highest gain levels, even when used with delay, wah, and a noise supressor. Speaking of delay, the FX loop is also great - nice and transparent sounding.

And that's just with the stock chinese tubes!

I ordered a set of Tung Sol EL84s and 12ax7s which should get here in the next day or two. I'm sure these will push the amp into over-the-top-awesome territory.

Now I just need a nice 2x12 cab..............

 

[DankStar]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

Nice - I'm jellin like a fellon

 

[CTN]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

As I mentioned in the other thread, I found this at a Canadian chain music store listed as used and without a history of repairs or anything, for $100 lower than the regular sale price and it included a footswitch (normally an extra $60). Total steal!

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

Fancy pants.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

That looks awesome. Next mandatory purchase for you is a fog machine!

 

[youngthrasher9]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

My blackstar is gonna be gone in the next month or so, this is definitely on the list of possible replacements. I found a cosemetically damaged EVH 5150 III for $700 that I might get instead though.

 

[Aceman]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

One of those is on my Fantasy Amp Lineup:

Marshall JCM 900 SL-X
Mesa Boogie Stilleto Ace
Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 18
Peavey 5150 Combo (Original)

 

[CTN]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

That looks awesome. Next mandatory purchase for you is a fog machine!

Hah! That'll be the day!

My blackstar is gonna be gone in the next month or so, this is definitely on the list of possible replacements. I found a cosemetically damaged EVH 5150 III for $700 that I might get instead though.

I thought you wanted a ton more power than your 20W...no? If I'm mistaken, then yeah, the 5150III would be a great buy. But I'm remarkably impressed with how much OOMPH this little bugger can dish out. Seriously, yesterday's band practice sounded great!

One of those is on my Fantasy Amp Lineup:

Marshall JCM 900 SL-X
Mesa Boogie Stilleto Ace
Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 18
Peavey 5150 Combo (Original)

Sweet list, but I dunno about it being a fantasy...it really isn't that expensive compared to the SL-X and Stiletto. (I also love the stilettos and am supremely bummed that Mesa stopped making them) I'd really like to own a Deuce or Trident one day. Can't have anything that says Ace on it though.

 

[JeffB]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

Congrats Bro. Glad that it was able to work out for you. It is surprisingly versatile when you get in there and tweak. Lots of different tones. Kinda like a MESA but without all the fussiness of a MESA tonestack.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

Congrats Bro. Glad that it was able to work out for you. It is surprisingly versatile when you get in there and tweak. Lots of different tones. Kinda like a MESA but without all the fussiness of a MESA tonestack.

You mean to say, you don't enjoy either taking copious notes/photos of your amp settings or spending 8+ hours every time you turn on the amp dialing in your tone?? =p

 

[JeffB]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

You mean to say, you don't enjoy either taking copious notes/photos of your amp settings or spending 8+ hours every time you turn on the amp dialing in your tone?? =p

No comment.

 

[youngthrasher9]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

I thought you wanted a ton more power than your 20W...no? If I'm mistaken, then yeah, the 5150III would be a great buy. But I'm remarkably impressed with how much OOMPH this little bugger can dish out. Seriously, yesterday's band practice sounded great!

No, I just need something with a more aggressive gain texture than my blackstar basically. I'm considering just getting a tubemeister first and if it doesn't do what I want I could sell it. It couldn't be worse for my needs than my blackstar. I probably won't end up getting the 5153 at this point because I have a feeling that large dent + a nice tear in the white tolex would bother me, and it's a stretch financially to dish out $400 after selling my amp. If the next amp I get doesn't blow me away I can always use it until I graduate and use graduation present money to get a new 5150 III.

What kind of metal tones were you pulling out of this thing?

 

[CTN]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

Well I was going for what I like to hear which is a good chunky but tight-tracking low end, plenty of mids, and enough treble so that it's not harsh, or bright or dark for that matter. Sorta JCM800 on steroids and bath salts. Thick, rich, growly, but crisp and articulate and kinda polished sounding. Think of Testament's tone on Formation of Damnation, but a bit chunkier.

That said, it wouldn't take a ton of tweaking to get convincing death metal, raw 80s thrash or black metal sounds either. Just a matter of adjusting the EQ.

Also keep in mind, that even with the gain almost all the way up and with the lead boost engaged, I still boosted it to get a bit more of an aggressive sound out of it.

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

Now you need to book a gig in a REALLY dark seedy bar.

 

[CTN]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

Not a problem. I have just such a gig this Sunday. It's called "The Bovine Sex Club"

No, it's not a cattle breeding club.

(unless you count crazy goth chicks :crazy: )

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

Shaaaweeet.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

JCM800 on steroids and bath salts.

Win.

 

[youngthrasher9]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

Well I was going for what I like to hear which is a good chunky but tight-tracking low end, plenty of mids, and enough treble so that it's not harsh, or bright or dark for that matter. Sorta JCM800 on steroids and bath salts. Thick, rich, growly, but crisp and articulate and kinda polished sounding. Think of Testament's tone on Formation of Damnation, but a bit chunkier.

That said, it wouldn't take a ton of tweaking to get convincing death metal, raw 80s thrash or black metal sounds either. Just a matter of adjusting the EQ.

Also keep in mind, that even with the gain almost all the way up and with the lead boost engaged, I still boosted it to get a bit more of an aggressive sound out of it.

Tubemeister is probably what I'll end up getting. I can't really think of anything better in the same price range.

 

[CTN]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

Tubemeister is probably what I'll end up getting. I can't really think of anything better in the same price range.

There's also the Orange Dark Terror, which also sounds fantastic (other guitarist in the band has one), and is around the same price here anyway. But it's not as versatile. Single channel, no power scaling, no 3-band EQ. But it can do high gain very well, and the single tone shaping knob has a good amount of adjustment range.

If you have more money to throw around (like twice as much as the TM18) the Engl Ironball is the obvious winner. It sounds devastating.

 

[youngthrasher9]

Re: NAD!!! Shiny Happy Bluey Glowy Awesomeness!

There's also the Orange Dark Terror, which also sounds fantastic (other guitarist in the band has one), and is around the same price here anyway. But it's not as versatile. Single channel, no power scaling, no 3-band EQ. But it can do high gain very well, and the single tone shaping knob has a good amount of adjustment range.

If you have more money to throw around (like twice as much as the TM18) the Engl Ironball is the obvious winner. It sounds devastating.

I was thinking about the dark terror for a while, it seems to have a lot of gain, but it's skimpy on features, voiced really dark (based on clips I've heard), and it was designed to be played cranked, and even at 7 watts that would be too loud for use while my family is home. The Ironball or Thunder would probably be awesome but they are too pricey for me right now. If I got the tubemeister used I could probably get a nicer OD or maybe an EQ to get that extra push. I have a Bad Monkey but I think a higher quality OD or EQ might be better for this use.