Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

[ItsaBass]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

Mesa Express Plus 5:50.

 

[B2D]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

It sounds to me like the Mesas you have are not the Mesa's you need....at least for the style of music you are playing. (etc)...

I'm not a fan of the relatively complex layout of the MkIV's and V's. I know they're great amps but the voicing of a Mark V or IV just isn't really "me" and with amps like that I spend more time tweaking and less time playing, and that's not a good road for me to go down. I prefer less options and more of a basic tone that is already in the area that I wanna go after.

I've never had the opportunity to play a II or a III. I'd like to!

The amp in Mesa's current lineup that most closely matches my description is that big Royal Atlantic head. Never played it, though, and since GC no longer carries Mesa I'll have to go to LA to try one. It's a candidate.

I used to have a 50W Rect-O-Verb head that I liked a lot but it had an effects loop issue that was a factory design flaw. Now that I know that it can be fixed, I might look into it again. I played one again recently and liked the cleans.

 

[B2D]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

A Bugera 333XL Infinium will probably give you the tone you're looking for in spades..

Lots of hate & derision out there for Bugera's lol....but it's an awesome sounding amp & I've had mine/gigged with it for 2 years now without a days hassle..

No frills room demo's. Prefer them to the overproduced, multi-tracked, Fx loaded slick demo's that make every amp sound the same..with a bit of imagination, these make it easier to gauge the actual amp sound.... (I think)

I don't even think I've seen a Bugera in a local shop for years. I'll keep my eyes open... the core tone in those demos isn't terrible and it does ballpark that Marshall vibe.

 

[B2D]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

Friedman and CAA/Suhr are VERY expensive. Of all of the Friedmans, the BE100 is probably my favorite. However, if you want something more organic, then the Suhr/CAA OD100 might be your best bet between the two. The BE100 is kind of a bright amp and lends itself to a variety of styles, but brown sounds the best. You could consider the CAA/Suhr PT100 which is the Pete Thorn-tweaked model. It's a bit more affordable than the OD100 too if I'm not mistaken.

I'm not afraid to drop some coin if I need to. I did try the PT100 and next to the OD100, the PT was too bright for my taste. Organic is good. I like organic, but also refined.

If you are in the mind of spending that kind of money, the ENGL SE is definitely worth looking into. If you are one who associates ENGL with metal, then it would be a mistake to make that stereotype because you would be missing out on an incredibly good amplifier. Then there's the ENGL Retro 100 & 50w models which cost less and offers a variety of incredible clean, driven, and distorted tones.

If you want to stick with prestigious boutique stuff, you can check out Komet amps and Carol Ann. The Carol Ann Triptik is offered in 25, 50 and 100w models. That's one superb sounding British style amp with lots of versatility. If you want 6L6, you can check out the Toucana 2 which I think is kind of like a 6L6/American voiced version of the Triptik.

Then again, in that price range, there's the Bogner Ecstasy 20th Anniversary head. You can order it with 6V6's if you want lower volume capabilities and slightly more midrange honk. You can go with EL34's if you want to get closer to the 101B sound. There's the class A/B option, but that's a few $$ more. It comes stock with 6L6's, and used to think EL34's were the best option, but over time the stock 6L6 version stuck to me. As far as I'm concerned, it has the best cleans of ANY amp I have ever played. There's no need to mention the overdrive/distortion sounds as it should already be renowned for those.

I used to own a 101B and I never could get the mids to sit quite right which is why I sold it. I was more comfortable with the Tremoverb, overall. It gelled a lot better with what I wanted to hear and how I wanted to play. But GAWD that Bogner blue channel was worth the price of the whole amp. Incredible sounds. They should make an amp that's just THAT channel and nothing more. I'd buy it in a second.

If you're not stuck in UK/Euro or American-made, you should check out Blackstar Series One amps. They are THE best, non UK/Euro/American-manufactured amps in the world - period.

I currently own a Diezel D-Moll (KT77s) which is extremely versatile. The Schmidt is THE choice for more British type tone if you can afford a Herbert or want class A goodness that surpasses even Badcat. The D-Moll is the successor of the Einstein (discontinued), but to me sounds quite different. It's less hi-fi than the Einstein and has better tweaking options which to me makes it more versatile for a variety of styles. The clean channel on the Einstein was really good, but the D-Moll has even better cleans. Moreover, it's not necessarily as bassy with the bit of natural mid-scoop that the Einstein has. It's has a bit more midrange overall, and leaves the scoop completely at the control of the contour settings. 3 channels - it's a dream amp.

If you're into the Mesa Boogie thing then the Mark V does it all. Personally, however, I find that the new Express 5:50 Plus offers everything I want from a Mesa Boogie for a lot less cost.

As I said before, the Mark V and IV are more complex than I'm comfortable with. However, the Express 5:50 along with the Royal Atlantic does look interesting though.

In all honesty, if I had to choose any of the amps listed, I'd go with the Engl SE (offered in 6L6 or EL34). In the past, even though I knew Engl amps are so, so much more than metal amps, the name/prestige value influenced me. In the end, it is the SE that I dream about now. There is simply no compromise in the SE. You can get everything you want, in any style from the SE without compromising a thing. You can switch around from clean, crunch, rhythm, lead... with nothing left wanting. If you prefer a bit more Fenderish vibe, the SE 6L6 version leans slightly more American flavor. If you want smooth, classy tones, the SE graduates with honors. If you want any kind of metal sound, the SE graduates with honors. If you want raunchy classic rock, or 80's hair metal, blues, jazz, or any flavor, the SE graduates with honors.

I simply can't think of another amp that offers it all without any compromise tonally. Even the XTC 20th requires some degree of compromise since the 6L6 cleans are so good, yet people either love the 20th red channel and yearn for the 101B blue channel, or the other way around. The Triptik might be a little too refined in a way. The CA100, PT100 has it all - immaculate cleans, warmth, crunch, blistering leads, etc..., yet in some way seems a bit generic. Keep in mind that I'm saying that in the most gracious way possible. By generic I mean kind of in the way in which some people have better personalities as others, but don't stand out as much... or something like that. Anyway... Friedman kills you with awesomeness, but either way you go may be wanting. For instance, the BE100 might not have the cleans you want, while the Naked might have the cleans but you prefer the BE100 overdrive, etc... The Dirty Shirley is absolutely fantastic, but single channel and not really going to give it up for clean headroom.

I know there's not going to be one true do-it-all amp for me unless I go with an Axe-FX or a Kemper, but I'm not ready to move away from hot glowing glass just yet. I know what you mean about generic. But on the other hand some amps that sound generic on the surface can be spiced up with pedals (which I'm not afraid of doing) but I found that the simpler amps that have that "easy" feel really bring out little playing idiosyncracies and control adjustments on the guitar and the licks you feed it.

I'm being extremely picky here, but just to make the point that the Engl SE is the only amp that never leaves you wanting a single thing. The thing about Engl is that you are going to have to accept that you won't necessarily have the traditional hollow, woody sounding neck tone, or open and bright jangle of Fenders, etc... I have heard some vintage amp people say that Engl amps all have some bit of processed sound in them. That's just not true, but in their minds it is because they expect to hear the wood, trem springs, etc... However, if you're not stuck in the classic or vintage mindset, you will realize equally good tone. You get it all, clear bell-like tone... chimey high end, crunchy rhythm, saturated lead, slight bluesy breakup, transparent jazzy cleans, etc... the SE does it and brings the character of your guitar and pickups out. Moreover, it has the versatility and friendliness to pedals/FX than no classic range amp has.

I'll look into the Engls. I've heard Ola Englund do some good clips with them, they're just not in very many shops around here. I'll look into 'em, though.

 

[B2D]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

Mesa Express Plus 5:50.

Yep... on my radar.


A thought occurred to me. I should really get Mark Day's opinion next time I'm in LA. He's owns both the Suhr and the Friedman as well as some other cool amps, and could probably give me a good opinion from an owner's standpoint.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

Since you know the merits of the XTC blue channel, you should keep it in the back of your mind that the XTC blue and red pedals are amazing. You can throw one of those in front of any fat sounding tube amp and it's literally like putting a Bogner Fish pre section in front of that amp.

Besides messing around with the new Egnater Vengeance head, I've been running Bogner pedals in front of my favorite sounding 212 amps like my JCM 800, Matchless, Gibson Goldtone, Pro Reverb, and Excelsior. Then, I get a base tone that's spectacular, and Bogner-ize it to gainy perfection. LOL

 

[B2D]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

Since you know the merits of the XTC blue channel, you should keep it in the back of your mind that the XTC blue and red pedals are amazing. You can throw one of those in front of any fat sounding tube amp and it's literally like putting a Bogner Fish pre section in front of that amp.

I tried a Bogner Blue pedal with an AC30 recently, which is an amp I really like. The pedal is good but it's really more like a preamp than a pedal. And it didn't quite give me the gossebumps like that blue channel on the Ecstasy did. Should I try it with a different amp?

 

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

I tried a Bogner Blue pedal with an AC30 recently, which is an amp I really like. The pedal is good but it's really more like a preamp than a pedal. And it didn't quite give me the gossebumps like that blue channel on the Ecstasy did. Should I try it with a different amp?

I tried out a Red in front of a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and it sounded great. As far as the VOX goes, if it has an effects loop, maybe try the pedal out in it. A little unorthodox, but not unheard of, and worth a try.

 

[B2D]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

Yeah the AC30 is a little different than most. I'll try it in front of a Fender tube combo or something like that next time.

On another note, if I did want to improve on a JVM, how would I do it? Retube or slight circuit mod?

 

[everdrone]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

I'll look into it. I've tried the Rockerverb MkII's pretty extensively and while they sound great and the reverb is fantastic, there's something about the gain channel I can't quite peg as being off to me, Maybe it's the way the gain jumps up drastically from the 6-8 range... like a HUGE increase in a small range. The Rockerverb falls in that 'close, but not quite' category for me. I'll keep the Thunderverb in mind. There's a good collection of Oranges at a local GC, I'll take one for a spin.

cool brutha, its a real winner

I know you have a great ear and have test drove a ton of amps , this one has a great vintage tone, and has a HUGE bass transformers in it for a massive tone that I think you would dig

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

Yep... on my radar.

Great, great amp. Incredibly tonally versatile, yet also very easy to set up, and somewhat affordable in the grad scheme of all things Mesa-Boogie. Plus it has an absolutely stunning 25W class A mode that will make you want to largely ignore the other power settings. The amp is worth it for that mode alone.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

My advice would be to contact Mesa and other brands and see if they can point you in the right direction within their amps (they would know their products best) or if they can recommend something outside of their brand that will fit your needs. Be sure you have access to try anything you are recommended though to to be sure the amp(s) are indeed what they are said to be.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

My advice would be to contact Mesa and other brands that you can track down to test and see if they can point you in the right direction as they know their amps better than anyone. If they don't make anything that fits the bill they may be able to recommend something from another brand that does.

 

[Animal]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

I don't know if there are any distributors in your area, but the MI Audio Megalith Gamma might be worthy of consideration.

- Two channels
- 80w switchable down to 30w.
- 2x 6550 tubes (KT100, KT90, KT88, KT77, 6550, EL34 and 6CA7 also possible)
- Line level active FX loop /w send return levels
- Smaller footprint.
- Reviews claiming comparable to Mesa, ENGL, Soldano, VHT/Fryette, Bogner, Peavey .etc Some saying they even prefer the Megalith more than said brands.

More info here:
http://miaudio.com/amplifiers/megalith-gamma/

While I don't like the official clips by MI Audio, these particular videos give a good impression to me:






Skip to 4:11

 

[B2D]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

^^^ I've never heard of the above. Sounds a tad dry in the clips but video clips don't convey a lot of things, like feel. I'll keep an eye out.

I need to talk to Mark Day at Tone Merchants. He's owned and gigged with the two top contenders for me and he'd probably have some things to say as far as an owners perspective. Next time I'm in LA I'll go see him.

The BE100 and OD100 are still really the only amps that make me go "hell yeah" when I listen to them over video. The JVM sure is fun to play though.

 

[Mad-Max]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

Look into the Mesa Royal Atlantic. It's supposed to be Mesa's take on a more British voiced characteristic. On top of that, it has only a few knobs. Sounds like something you'd need.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

Brendan, have you ever played a Fryette? Take a serious look at the Sig:X, or maybe an old Pittbull UL. I'm not sure there's anything they CAN'T do.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

I've never been totally 100% in love with my Boogie Dual Rec Multiwatt. It always seems like there's a "but" when I'm talking about it. As in "The cleans are nice but..." " the high gain tone is really tight but..." you know what I mean?

I think I tend to gravitate towards amps that have the following attributes in them:

- 2 channels, maybe with some modes or options switches but nothing too fancy. A simple layout overall.
- Really good, yet simple effects loops.
- Plays well with pedals.
- Bridges a hard rock/old school metal category but can still be versatile enough for classic rock and blues and the like.
- Not very stiff... very touch-reactive and a bit compressed but not dry.
- Tight, deep, f a t lows, clear, crisp mids and smooth but defined highs.

I tend to go between 6L6's and EL34's based on the amp. I've been known to like 5881's as well. 50w or 100w - doesn't matter, someone's gonna tell me to turn down anyways.

I really like my cab and the speakers in it, so that's not really an issue, it's mainly a good head I'm after.

I've been thinking about throwing EL34's in my Dual Rec and seeing if that pushes it in the direction I want, but I seem to remember liking it more with 6L6's. I'll try it again anyways.


Suggestions of any other amps that fit the general description of what I'm after would be welcome. :smokin:

You might wanna take a closer, more in depth look at the 5150's !

Very under rated amp !!!

 

[mdambros]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

I currently own a Dual Rec Multi Watt and I get what you're saying. I've looked around for awhile and I'm getting ready to buy a 5150 III in the near future. It pretty much solved all of those "buts" that I have about my Mesa.

I'd recommend checking out the EVH 5150 III.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Possibly looking for a new amp... suggestions?

If you like Friedman's stuff, he collaborated a bit with Dan Boul @ 65 Amps on the new Whiskey. Minimalist controls with a good effects loop.