School me on Trainwreck amps.

rivera213

rivera213

Guest
Peyps,

Do as the thread title says and I'll buy you 1 *.

* If you give me $70k so I can buy 1 myself.


I'm especially interested to hear from those who've played 1. Are they THAT good tonally?

I understand the appeal and why they cost so much, but I wonder how they sound and if they all sound similar or whether there are distinct differences between 1 and another etc. :)

Peace

- Steve
 
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Re: School me on Trainwreck amps.

I didn't actually play through it myself but I did stand less than 5 feet from a real Trainwreck Express some years ago, guy was using an original 57 GT Les Paul an old Strat and a Terry Mcinturf, played the head with no pedals into an old Marshall cab...IMHO that amp didn't do anything that a good Plexi Marshall can't.

I understand why they cost so much...it's simply because lots of people want one, what I don't understand is why so many people want one!
 
Re: School me on Trainwreck amps.

The circuit is ultra ultra simple, but very very unstable. Ken was one of the three amp gurus that worked for Ampeg during their golden era and actually suggested a two channel amp to Everett Hull....that was shot down DOUBLE quick.

I've got a Fuchs Train 45, and have also played through Two Rock Ruby. Both are great amps with great tone. Like Christian said though, they don't do anything that a good plexi (probably jumpered channels) doesn't. They are lower wattage and give up the goods a little quicker I think.

The genius thing that Ken did (IMO) is make it where you can run 6V6s or EL34s in the amp with a re-bias. That means you can knock off approximately ten watts or so with a tube switch. However, if my Train 45 is an indication the 6V6s in a Wreck are darn near JUST as loud.

I've got a hotrodded 2204 so I'm selling the Train because it seems kind of like I'm duplicating a sound.

Luke
 
Re: School me on Trainwreck amps.

Well I have played through one. A good friend used to sell vintage guitars. A collector had bought a couple of Strats from him and we delivered them. He plugged several vintage guitars through an Express. It was very very loud, but also had amazing control with just the volume knob on the guitar. A very articulate amp. Are they worth 70K..... well I don't think any amp is worth that. But I was so impressed with it that I did buy a Komet. Another Ken Fisher design. The Komet from what I am told is pretty close to a Trainwreck. In fact on the Komets website they have sound comparisons to the Komet and a trainwrek. They are very close.
 
Re: School me on Trainwreck amps.

I've played a few as well, both an Express and some blackface Fender's that had been Wrecked... I don't recall any Marshall resemblance. They really seemed to have their own thing going on. A liquid sustain that's really touch responsive... rounder & smoother then a Plexi with a whole different texture.
 
Re: School me on Trainwreck amps.

IMO, there are no finer video examples of what a Trainwreck Express is all about than glen kuykendall's clips with a strat and Les Paul

you can visit his MySpace for more info
 
Re: School me on Trainwreck amps.

J Moose said:
I've played a few as well, both an Express and some blackface Fender's that had been Wrecked... I don't recall any Marshall resemblance. They really seemed to have their own thing going on. A liquid sustain that's really touch responsive... rounder & smoother then a Plexi with a whole different texture.
Click to expand...

I dunno man a jumpered plexi can get pretty smooth if you keep the bright side under control. I'm not saying they are the same, but if you took a blind test with an express like Glenn's and a solid running 50 watt and did a blind test I can't say for sure I could differentiate.


Curly said:
IMO, there are no finer video examples of what a Trainwreck Express is all about than glen kuykendall's clips with a strat and Les Paul

you can visit his MySpace for more info
Click to expand...

Glen's work is really really top notch, and tone to die for!

Luke
 
Re: School me on Trainwreck amps.

Luke Duke said:
I dunno man a jumpered plexi can get pretty smooth if you keep the bright side under control. I'm not saying they are the same, but if you took a blind test with an express like Glenn's and a solid running 50 watt and did a blind test I can't say for sure I could differentiate.
Click to expand...

I hear what 'yer saying but I'll take that Pepsi challenge any day!

Listening to those Utoob clips... man... no Marshall I've ever plugged into has the liquid, blooming sustain of a Wreck.
 
Re: School me on Trainwreck amps.

J Moose said:
I hear what 'yer saying but I'll take that Pepsi challenge any day!
Click to expand...
That's a bold statement... ;). (Name the movie)

Can anyone buy a Trainwreck or is he like Dumble where he has to approve you to buy an amp?
 
Re: School me on Trainwreck amps.

PFDarkside said:
That's a bold statement... ;). (Name the movie)

Can anyone buy a Trainwreck or is he like Dumble where he has to approve you to buy an amp?
Click to expand...

Ken Fisher died about 2 years ago. His amps are considered to be the Holy Grail of lead guitar tone. So they are not made anymore and there are only about 500 Trainwrecks in existence. He did mod some Fenders and others too, but his amps are a very special breed. They go for 25K and up nowadays. All of the Trainwreck amps are "named" not serial #. Very Very Very expensive.
 
Re: School me on Trainwreck amps.

The new VOX Valvetronix will have a Trainwreck Express model, by the way.

May not be relevant, but knowledge is like water on a hike --- better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
 
Re: School me on Trainwreck amps.

Evrybody talks about the sustain in Glen's clips...he's got a 35 watt amp running into a 4x12 cab CRANKED witha Les Paul and he's standing 2 feet away...almost any amp could get sustainin that situation!

Not that it matters what I think because I don't own a Wreck and never will (no amp is worth 35k...) but, I still maintain that an old Marshall can do anything an Express can do...
 
Re: School me on Trainwreck amps.

the guy who invented fire said:
Evrybody talks about the sustain in Glen's clips...he's got a 35 watt amp running into a 4x12 cab CRANKED witha Les Paul and he's standing 2 feet away...almost any amp could get sustainin that situation!

Not that it matters what I think because I don't own a Wreck and never will (no amp is worth 35k...) but, I still maintain that an old Marshall can do anything an Express can do...
Click to expand...

My 20K Subaru Forester XL will be in the junk yard twenty or thirty years from now. My 30 year old Fender amps perform better than they did when new - thanks to my brother Bruce.

I think if you have the cash, magic amps like Dumbles and Trainwrecks are worth 20 or 30K. They'll last a long, long time - almost like old violins.

We guitarists are so spoiled! If you played violin in a mediocre orchestra like the Denver Symphony you'd have to invest $50K or much, much, much more for a decent Italian or French fiddle. http://cgi.ebay.com/Old-19th-centur...&_trkparms=72:1240|66:1|65:12|39:1|240:1308If If you you were a soloist touring with major orchestras you'd be looking at closer to a million for a great Italian violin.

Lew
 
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Re: School me on Trainwreck amps.

Bludave said:
Ken Fisher died about 2 years ago. His amps are considered to be the Holy Grail of lead guitar tone. So they are not made anymore and there are only about 500 Trainwrecks in existence. He did mod some Fenders and others too, but his amps are a very special breed. They go for 25K and up nowadays. All of the Trainwreck amps are "named" not serial #. Very Very Very expensive.
Click to expand...

i was under the impression that there was only like 100 real trainwrecks
 
Re: School me on Trainwreck amps.

jeremy said:
i was under the impression that there was only like 100 real trainwrecks
Click to expand...

I think you are right...

The very first question on the FAQ.

How do I get a Trainwreck Amp?

Once in a blue moon they show up on eBay. There are only about one hundred of them so they are hard to find.
 
Re: School me on Trainwreck amps.

Thanks for the replies guys. Some mixed opinions on them obviously.

If you are interested in buying 1 then: http://www.ultrasoundampsales.com/

I saw that site while checking out Tony Bruno amp dealers (none in the UK- WTF?!?!?!?!) and noticed they have a number of Trainwrecks for sale between $30-45k.

That site makes my groin feel all tingly......
 
Re: School me on Trainwreck amps.

Curly said:
IMO, there are no finer video examples of what a Trainwreck Express is all about than glen kuykendall's clips with a strat and Les Paul
Click to expand...

I've watched all the Trainwreck vids on you tube before though. Thanks for the links anyway- you can't have too much of a good thing & I love the tone. :)


you can visit his MySpace for more info
Click to expand...

I can't. My computer doesn't load MySpace pages. Every time it freezes on a white or black page. :(

Thanks anyways though. :)
 
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