New amp time...

[CountFunkula]

I'm sick and tired of my hideous sounding Blues Jr. I need a fairly high gain amp for gigging. The tone I want is something along the lines of Satch/Timmons/Vai/ and so forth. It needs to be able to play all kind of rock, including classic, alternative, funk, progressive and instrumental rock. I don't need a super-tight djenty tone, but a huge saturated power chord would be nice once in a while. It needs to have good cleans and a GREAT lead tone. Rhythm tone can be compromised, but it doesn't have to be! I am thinking about the Legacy, so don't recommend that. 5150 is also an option, but it seems very much marketed towards a different audience than I. Went to GC and tried the JSX. FIZZY AND THIN is all I have to say, especially since I have a bright guitar. EQed to no avail. I cranked it up pretty loud in the store, but it didn't help. Budget is now expanded to $1500 and under because I realize I will never be happy with an affordable amp! :joke:

If you need more details, just ask!

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: New amp time...

the jsx sounded thin because like all tube amps it needs to be working at a certain level of saturation....which with a powerful amp like that means loud. Perhaps a good option for you is to find some amps that you can borrow or hire and crank them up in a rehearsal room type situation with a drummer and bass player.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: New amp time...

Everybody's gonna dismiss my recommendation but: Genz Benz El Diablo.
Very versatile and quite cheap on the used market. IMHO, very underrated amp. Can do almost anything...

They are at least worth looking into.

 

[CountFunkula]

Re: New amp time...

^^I did play it pretty loud at the store, but I have a feeling it wasn't loud enough haha. If I can find one I can borrow/rent/whatever, I will do that.

^I've heard of that. It looks like that I can get a used head for around $500-700. Very cheap, but the youtube videos don't impress me (which they usually never do anyway).

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: New amp time...

what about a splawn? like a quickrod or something

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: New amp time...

what about a splawn? like a quickrod or something

^
This. Or a Nitro.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: New amp time...

I have a Nitro AND a JSX. The Nitro has a better overdrive. The JSX has a great clean channel, but the Nitro also has a great clean channel. I was wondering how loud you turned up the JSX because it only sounds thin and fizzy if you are playing at low volumes.

You have to remember that it's a 120 watt amp. Maybe it's because you are used to playing a 15 watt amp you are used to getting saturation at much lower volumes.

I would recommend a Nitro or a Mesa Boogie Mark V for the sound you are after. The Nitro has a effects level and a 1/2 power switch that allows you to get great sound at home without waking the family. The Mark V has a 10 watt setting you can use to get great low volume tone too.

 

[CountFunkula]

Re: New amp time...

Trust me, it was quite loud. It was in a soundproof room and it was around 3, which should be loud enough to get rid of any fizzyness. Anyway, a Nitro would be absolutely incredible, but that would be stretching my budget A LOT. What price do you think I could get used?

 

[metlking]

Re: New amp time...

You shoul be able to pick up a used Splawn for under your $1500 budget........more like $1300 or $1400.......

 

[CountFunkula]

Re: New amp time...

Sounds good. So, QR or Nitro? Which one does a smooth lead tone better? What's the difference(except for low-mids/saturation)?

 

[Wattage]

Re: New amp time...

^^I did play it pretty loud at the store, but I have a feeling it wasn't loud enough haha. If I can find one I can borrow/rent/whatever, I will do that.

^I've heard of that. It looks like that I can get a used head for around $500-700. Very cheap, but the youtube videos don't impress me (which they usually never do anyway).

Stock tubes generally are so-so and they are EQ'd very cold out of the box which would contribute to thin and tinny.

GC's are putting the JSX heads on clearance for $899 if they have them in stock from what I have seen. Grab one and re-bias it and or swap in a nice set of tubes. They are killer amps.

 

[Van Noord]

Re: New amp time...

Trust me, it was quite loud. It was in a soundproof room and it was around 3, which should be loud enough to get rid of any fizzyness. Anyway, a Nitro would be absolutely incredible, but that would be stretching my budget A LOT. What price do you think I could get used?

The JSX sounds best with the master on 8 and the channel volume at 2.
Maybe look for a used Mesa Single Rec, they go for $800-$1000 all day.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: New amp time...

Do you need an amp with so much power that you can't saturate the tone?
The Mesa Mark V is a great suggestion.
I've been finding that my Bogner Alchemist is really a great versatile amp. Very rich cleans and crunch to die for. Can get very high gain (too much for my taste). It's rated at 40 watts, but I can barely get the clean channel past "1" no matter how loud I play it. Plenty of sound volume with this amp.

 

[Brown Note]

Re: New amp time...

Marshall DSL is quite good. It does not have really 2 channels, as it shares the EQ section but it does sound quite good.

 

[metlking]

Re: New amp time...

http://www.rig-talk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=83399

 

[BloodRose]

Re: New amp time...

Sounds good. So, QR or Nitro? Which one does a smooth lead tone better? What's the difference(except for low-mids/saturation)?

to answer this, what do you prefer? You like a modded marshall, leads cutting thru front and center tone (QR) or alittle more low midgrowl? (nitro)

 

[CountFunkula]

Re: New amp time...

to answer this, what do you prefer? You like a modded marshall, leads cutting thru front and center tone (QR) or alittle more low midgrowl? (nitro)

The Nitro definitely sounds more appealing. My main guitar (maple neck-thru) has plenty of treble and very hard upper mids, while lacking in the lower frequencies (although, they're very tight). It's just that when I think of a lot of lows/low mids, I think of a kind of stiff, lifeless lead tone. Don't know why though...