Tested some REALLY cool amps today...
- Thread starter B2D
- Start date
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: Tested some REALLY cool amps today...
In my last post, I was contemplating my love for the Matchless Chieftain, and it never fails - I plug in and realize there's very few amps that have a more beautiful clean tone. There's only maybe 3 or 4 amps that can even touch it so the Matchless is staying. Maybe I'll part with the Gibson, but even that's hard to do. It's like a Vox with more beef than chime.
Speaking of Vox amps, that new tan handwired AC-30, which is on our local Craigslist haunts me, but I can't come up with the money........real world finances takes precedence over my amp gluttony.
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/msg/1616690072.html
Maybe I should make a deal with a forum member - you buy it, and I pick it up and play it for a month, then wrap it up and ship it! hehe
In my last post, I was contemplating my love for the Matchless Chieftain, and it never fails - I plug in and realize there's very few amps that have a more beautiful clean tone. There's only maybe 3 or 4 amps that can even touch it so the Matchless is staying. Maybe I'll part with the Gibson, but even that's hard to do. It's like a Vox with more beef than chime.
Speaking of Vox amps, that new tan handwired AC-30, which is on our local Craigslist haunts me, but I can't come up with the money........real world finances takes precedence over my amp gluttony.
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/msg/1616690072.html
Maybe I should make a deal with a forum member - you buy it, and I pick it up and play it for a month, then wrap it up and ship it! hehe
soundgardener75
New member
Re: Tested some REALLY cool amps today...
That is why I've never stepped into Tone Merchants. They have really nice boutique stuff and it will send me into bankruptcy in no time.:lmao:
But a very informative review I might say. As soon as you said Dave Friedman, like Kevin, I also hoped you'd mention Billy Howerdel, which you did.
Ah someday....
That is why I've never stepped into Tone Merchants. They have really nice boutique stuff and it will send me into bankruptcy in no time.:lmao:
But a very informative review I might say. As soon as you said Dave Friedman, like Kevin, I also hoped you'd mention Billy Howerdel, which you did.
Ah someday....
Re: Tested some REALLY cool amps today...
I visit TM once every 4-5 months, and it's always inspiring. Some of these peices are real works of art. There was a Suhr Modern in there that was amazingly gorgeous.
And I see you have a G-System... very cool peice, always wanted one of those.
I'll have to check your band's MySpace out tomorrow.
I visit TM once every 4-5 months, and it's always inspiring. Some of these peices are real works of art. There was a Suhr Modern in there that was amazingly gorgeous.
And I see you have a G-System... very cool peice, always wanted one of those.
I'll have to check your band's MySpace out tomorrow.
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Tested some REALLY cool amps today...
sorry, just seemed like the thing to do. We guitarists do spend a lot of time and money trying to reinvent the wheel.
sorry, just seemed like the thing to do. We guitarists do spend a lot of time and money trying to reinvent the wheel.
eschoendorff
New member
Re: Tested some REALLY cool amps today...
LOL it's cool I get the joke.
Thing is, sometimes those little variations on the wheels that people come up with are tortally souper allsome!
LOL it's cool I get the joke.
Thing is, sometimes those little variations on the wheels that people come up with are tortally souper allsome!
taxi
New member
Re: Tested some REALLY cool amps today...
Great review! I know of tone merchants, great people.
I'd suggest you spend some time with the axe-fx thru a power amp and guitar cab. The first impression gets better and better, there's virtually nothing it can't do. There are certain boutique things I can't exactly duplicate, but it does things no other amp could ever do.
Great review! I know of tone merchants, great people.
I'd suggest you spend some time with the axe-fx thru a power amp and guitar cab. The first impression gets better and better, there's virtually nothing it can't do. There are certain boutique things I can't exactly duplicate, but it does things no other amp could ever do.
Lazarus1140
New member
Re: Tested some REALLY cool amps today...
How well does the Fractal unit do clean tones. To my ears, that's where most simulators fail.
I know Tor sounds good on his unti (I think it's not an Ultra?), but it's hard to judge accurately at MP3 quality.
How well does the Fractal unit do clean tones. To my ears, that's where most simulators fail.
I know Tor sounds good on his unti (I think it's not an Ultra?), but it's hard to judge accurately at MP3 quality.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: Tested some REALLY cool amps today...
The only way for me to chime in here, is to say that selling the Bogner Ecstasy head is a big mistake. It's the ultimate EL-34 head, so tube changes and cabinets will push it in different directions.
But that doesn't mean ignoring other good amps. I just think you should keep the Bogner, and move through other amps as secondaries. That's what I plan on doing. Even right now when money's tight, I hang onto the keepers, and only contemplate moving around pieces of gear that aren't once in a lifetime keepers. So far, the Bogner and Matchless are staying. Other stuff is like playing cards that can be shuffled around.
The only way for me to chime in here, is to say that selling the Bogner Ecstasy head is a big mistake. It's the ultimate EL-34 head, so tube changes and cabinets will push it in different directions.
But that doesn't mean ignoring other good amps. I just think you should keep the Bogner, and move through other amps as secondaries. That's what I plan on doing. Even right now when money's tight, I hang onto the keepers, and only contemplate moving around pieces of gear that aren't once in a lifetime keepers. So far, the Bogner and Matchless are staying. Other stuff is like playing cards that can be shuffled around.
Re: Tested some REALLY cool amps today...
LOL don't worry... that Bogner won't be going anywhere for quite some time...
probably.
As amazing as the Naked is, I've never heard anything like the Ecstasy's Blue channel. If that was all the amp had in it, it would probably still be worth the price tag.
LOL don't worry... that Bogner won't be going anywhere for quite some time...
probably.
As amazing as the Naked is, I've never heard anything like the Ecstasy's Blue channel. If that was all the amp had in it, it would probably still be worth the price tag.
taxi
New member
Re: Tested some REALLY cool amps today...
The cleans are fantastic. Even better are the "on the edge" sounds. There's a Dr. Z sim in there that I can spend hours with using settings with the master high and the gain at half-mast.
I do have a sense that it's hard to get the top-end sibilance of a fender if you are using a solid-state power amp with it. That little snap at the very top end. But if you use a tube power amp it's all there, and nicer SS amps will cut it.
Overall, the axe is very "in the room", it doesn't seem like the amp is somewhere else with a mic in front of it. Lots of folks use a FRFR setup, which is cool to bring all the different cabinet sims to your feet, but I like the feel of a real amp so I use it with a power amp and cab, and run the same cab sim to the board (you can have cab sim to your direct line and tap into your signal chain before the cab sim to go thru a power amp to a guitar cab).
Also, you can play an acoustic thru it, big plus for me live. Some clips are here, but they are kinda sloppy. The indoor shows are axe fx, the outdoor are triaxis. It's a 3-piece, everything you hear other than bass and drums is the axe. Sorry in advance for the sloppy playing, it's an after-dinner band and on some of the clips it was my first show with the axe so some weird things happened. :beerchug:
www.myspace.com/ice9sa
The cleans are fantastic. Even better are the "on the edge" sounds. There's a Dr. Z sim in there that I can spend hours with using settings with the master high and the gain at half-mast.
I do have a sense that it's hard to get the top-end sibilance of a fender if you are using a solid-state power amp with it. That little snap at the very top end. But if you use a tube power amp it's all there, and nicer SS amps will cut it.
Overall, the axe is very "in the room", it doesn't seem like the amp is somewhere else with a mic in front of it. Lots of folks use a FRFR setup, which is cool to bring all the different cabinet sims to your feet, but I like the feel of a real amp so I use it with a power amp and cab, and run the same cab sim to the board (you can have cab sim to your direct line and tap into your signal chain before the cab sim to go thru a power amp to a guitar cab).
Also, you can play an acoustic thru it, big plus for me live. Some clips are here, but they are kinda sloppy. The indoor shows are axe fx, the outdoor are triaxis. It's a 3-piece, everything you hear other than bass and drums is the axe. Sorry in advance for the sloppy playing, it's an after-dinner band and on some of the clips it was my first show with the axe so some weird things happened. :beerchug:
www.myspace.com/ice9sa