Simple, Heavy Amps

Empty Pockets

Empty Pockets

BadHairDayologist
Sooo I've got a pretty straight-up amp that gets a pretty heavy tone. I just want another one, you know, a different flavor. I'm pretty sure I want an Orange...for the visual appeal and the pure sweetness of tone. I just wanna know if there are any other good (but SIMPLE...Mesa/Boogies and amps with more than 2 channels need not apply) amps out there that fit my style and budget.

I'm lookin at:
Orange Rocker 30, Rockerverb 50 and AD30

Soldano Hot Rod 50 or 50+

Marshall DSL50

Laney...I hear the AOR series is good

Marshall JMP clones that cost less than a grand

and anything else that's hi-gain or brightly colored.

This is something I'm gonna be saving up for once I get settled down in Atlanta so don't expect pics of my new improved rig any time soon...I just wanna know what I'm gonna need to fulfill my goals :smokin:

-X
 
Re: Simple, Heavy Amps

Every time I've asked about a cool cheap amp, I get a ton of recommendations for the Laney AOR. Maybe one of these days I'll actually buy one :)
 
Re: Simple, Heavy Amps

The laney GH series will give you a heavier tone than the AOR's. The latter are still great amps though. Haven't found a laney I hated yet. I do like them better with 6L6's though.
 
Re: Simple, Heavy Amps

Aside from crackheads selling their room mate's stuff on craigs list you can't get a better bang for your buck than AOR. As far as i am concerned this thing is the OG hi-gain crowd. A lot of people compare them to JCM800 ... well may be the Pro-Tubes that came before the AORs, The Pro-Tube AORs are not JCM800ish at all. The secret weapon of this amp are the pull options on the Bass/Middle/Treble ... you will need an attenuator to play with all three pulled at home but it just gives balls that only Marshall Major can match. Just think of this this way: with an OD pedal you can match any modern high gainer, trust me, great, gorgeous cleans of late 70s/early 80s, a four stage pre-amp gives you loads of classic, rich, grainy gain - amplified with a classic british EL34, sounding power amp, and an amzing EQ with push/pull option all that for $500 usually ???? Come on, find me a better deal.

P.S.
no diode clipping too.
 
Re: Simple, Heavy Amps

The best simple heavy amp I've come across is the Soldano Avenger. A single channel amp that is basically the lead channel of the SLO, but thicker sounding.
 
Re: Simple, Heavy Amps

The simplest and most brutally heavy sounding amp with 2 channels imo is the Engl Fireball. Just the two channels, few knobs, only clean and high gain. Vicious amp.
 
Re: Simple, Heavy Amps

what's the pull thing on the AOR's all about?

and is it like a jcm800 or not?

oh and xander if you swing by wichita on your way to ATL i'll let you play with the traynor for a little bit
 
Re: Simple, Heavy Amps

drew_half_empty said:
what's the pull thing on the AOR's all about?

and is it like a jcm800 or not?

oh and xander if you swing by wichita on your way to ATL i'll let you play with the traynor for a little bit
Click to expand...

Ok, first the 80s started for laney with Pro-Tube series, most people would say that this is straight knock off of the earlier JCM800s, 3 ECC83 pre-amp, no EFX loop. Soon after came the Pro-Tube Lead AOR(advanced overdrive response) series. I don't think anything had more gain on tap back then than these guys before Soldano's SLO100 came out. This guys have extra gain stage, extra ECC83 that is 3+1, it has an EFX loop, and Bass/Treble/Middle knobs are all push/pulled, when you pull the Bass knob and you are not carefull you will be ejected through the window, all three pulled - LANEY DARK ARTS, I cant described it, its POWER !!!! I am telling you guys, all three on mine pulled and the pre-amp pushed with Spina's TS9 - I can match any modern high-gainer no problems. The pre-amp's gain is natural - no diode clipping. A lot of people say that its still a modded JCM800. Nope, I dissagree . I've started a Lee Jackson JCM800 thread recently, and its very different from the tone you hear on the links there. AOR's have a very dark agressive bass and very smooth, pronounced but rolled off highs - main difference with JCM800s very agressive piercing highs, just think of the darkness of the Sabbath tone, Zero the Hero with Ian Gillan was recorded on AOR, so were the Savatage's Gutter Ballet, Streets and Hole of the Mountain King albums.
Late 80s had the AOR II and the most common openion is that it was build with cheaper components, it has 8 vs. 6 knobs. Two extra knobs are seperate MV and Pre-amp for the clean channel. The are both single channel amps, High sensitivity is a dirty channel V1-V4, Low Sensitivity is clean V2-V4. You can still find them for about $500 - Best Bang for the buck hands down.
 
Re: Simple, Heavy Amps

Hmm. Is the 5150 an EL34 amp?

I think SLEEP used an AOR to record 'Holy Mountain'. It's some kind of Laney anyway...and it sounds good. Maybe I'll check one of those out first and work my way up the ladder from there.
 
Re: Simple, Heavy Amps

I'd recommend looking at a depth mod for the Soldano Hot Rod if you got one. That would put you right in avenger territory.

There's a bunch of cool amps that do high gain and are simple, but the best aren't cheap. But if you have the cash (or are wiling to save), look up Reinhardt.

Also Splawn's Competition is a screaming deal in the gained up marshall area and much better quality. Fairly simple too, one channel with boosts. And you can get it in all kinds of silly colours and finishes. Try to think past Orange. Maybe I live in a pretty hip town, but it's hardly an original look around here...
 
Re: Simple, Heavy Amps

he's not looking for high gain, just thick gain, like a jumped plexi or an orange

dude, xander, one of those AOR's with a plexi tone stack could be amazing

it's a cheap mod, too.
 
Re: Simple, Heavy Amps

Yeah I've been thinkin Laney AOR since this time last year but I kinda lost my focus. Whatever convinced me they were perfect last time is just being reinforced by this thread hahaha.
 
Re: Simple, Heavy Amps

Loserchief said:
The simplest and most brutally heavy sounding amp with 2 channels imo is the Engl Fireball. Just the two channels, few knobs, only clean and high gain. Vicious amp.
Click to expand...

:werd:

And...It's not just sweet sounding....It's really powerfull.I really take it over many expensive amps.One of my all-time Fav amps.Great value!
 
Re: Simple, Heavy Amps

I own a rocker 30 combo and love the little guy. For a small amp, this thing is hella loud and screams. I honestly can't comment on most of the other amps you listed b/c I've neber seen them in person much less demoed them. I will tell you that if you want a small, simple, crunchy amp with a lot of gain the rocker 30 is pretty B.A.

I did try the marshall dsl401 combo and it was alright, but not worth the money imo. It had kinda a fizzy sound at higher gain settings, I was trying it at lower volumes tho. I don't really care how good the amp sounds cranked cuz I can't crank it up 95% of the time. I also tried the ad30 combo and it was nice, but too much amp for me.

I say go to some stores and demo out these amps and find out which one works best for your needs, after all it's your money not ours.
 
Re: Simple, Heavy Amps

ksmith63 said:
????
Click to expand...

heh, I did say high-gain but i've talked more about tone to Drew than anybody else on the forum, and his description of 'thick gain' is definitely a better description given that 'high-gain' is usually that tight crunchy metal LOG tone which isn't really what I'm going for.

Laney AOR or Marshall DSL50 seem like the closest to what i want for the least cash. I've always thought 5150's sound great but I gotta get an EL34 amp...the idea is to have a different flavor, not just a heavier one.

What about Soldano? Their reputation is quality but they're not that popular so i'm interested in how they stack up to the Oranges and Marshalls and Mesas...
 
Re: Simple, Heavy Amps

Well, Laney AOR would cost you half if not less than DSL50 and i've owned an giged metal with DSL50 it aint that thick. But if you put JJ ECC83s goldpin in V1 and couple of high gain ones and BU-YA THICK TUBE CRUNCH !!! as EL34 as it gets the only thing that is more EL34 is Iommi's Supergroup on the Sabbath's 70s albums.
 
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