what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

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Re: what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

CRATE are used by bands such as Lamb of God, GWAR, ect... I've got the BV-120HR and all I can say Is WOW Bottom End!!...Crushing Metal sound IMO

~Mitch~

!??!?!

Lamb of God uses Mark IV's exclusively, and GWAR uses Krank.
 
Re: what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

check the endorsers on the Crate website....at one point in time at least they used Crate:P

:O oh my god...Lamb of God was removed from the endorser list!..I'll correct my statement ....and at one point they did...now they dont:p..but Cannibal corpse does!!
~Mitch~
 
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Re: what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

Cannibal Corpse used Excalibur heads way back when... Now it's Metal Zone pedals into Mesa Rectifiers. No Crates.
 
Re: what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

What's with everyone hate of the Metal Head? I played one of those, and HOLY F*CKING SH*T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I play punk, but I was BLOWN away (literally) by the volume. The loose drive was SWEET in Drop C and pushed out System of A Down amazingly and the tight drive was great for Motorhead. And as for punk, man, if I ever buy a solid-state head, it'll be that one. Also, the clean were great, and could get some great Ska tones going with my Tele. Sublime anyone?

As for the JCM 900, I'm not talking about the 4100, I mean the older ones. (I'm looking at one in a hock shop that says JCM 900 Super Lead and doesn't look like the 4100).
 
Re: what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

mark iv are sexy as f***. and i've read many good things about the VHT PITTBULL. i want to try one sooooooo bad.
 
Re: what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

NOT Krank

...would be your answer if you asked the question "what isn't the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?".
 
Re: what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

Genz Benz El Diablo will get you there.

And don't forget the Peavey XXX.

HELL YEAH!!!!

I second this!!!!!! the EL DIABLO can be set up from jcm 800 to mesa to bogner to anything else. Active EQ and tube contour controls make it very versatile without compromise and is not a modeling amp. New modern tech allows this thing to recreate any other brand amp. I have to suggest that people try this amp out.
 
Re: what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

I used to have an ENGL Savage 120 and with some good JJ KT88's and good preamp tubes put into it through a nice cabinet, it had an amazing tight metal sound but not too scooped when in rough mode which was how I used it.

I sold it to get a SLO...and I wish I never did :(

Good thing about the ENGL's over other amps is that they sound amazing down low too. They may not be the best amps to work on from a techs point of view, but they are terrific sounding and feeling amps.
 
Re: what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

My vote goes to Engl as well. I have owned the SE, powerball, and the Savage 120. All of them are tight sounding metal machines that can do other styles just as well.
 
Re: what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

I'm going to have to chime in for the 5150. If money is an issue, it is an extremely great bang for the buck metal amp. They're built like tanks and can get some great metal tones. I would take my 5150 over any Mesa or Marshall, any day of the week.

Throw a BBE 422 or 422A into the loop, maybe an EQ, and you've got a killer metal set up. The fact that they're pretty budget conscious shouldn't throw you off, either. Some pretty serious musicians have used them for years.

And, if you're into modding amps, I hear that they're extremely responsive to certain mods. However, I have no experience with that so I can't personally vouch for it.
 
Re: what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

The loose drive was SWEET in Drop C and pushed out System of A Down amazingly
Well i think system of a down tone is one of the worst tones ever.
Definately try Laney my fave metal tones (mainly black sabbath) come out of those amps or some of the older mesa's.
 
Re: what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

Since this thread is asking "the ultimate" metal amp I don't think being overpriced to someone is a factor. I'd have a hard time considering Crate or Krank the ultimate at anything.

I'd say you can't go wrong with VHT, Soldano, Diezel or Bogner. That is about as good as it gets IMO. If you want the best bang per buck I'd say a good used VHT 50CL or 100CL would be a great choice.
 
Re: what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

Nothing beats a Triple Rectifier and a quality Jackson guitar with a JB or Distortion. This combination is just killer for metal.

VHT, Soldano, Bogner, and Diezels are good but the Triple Rectifier just has that death tone. Bogner Ubershall is very good as well but I personally would go with the mesa. Who are we kidding? They all deserve to be the ultimate metal amp. Once you narrow it to this group of amps it is personal taste after that. Hard to fault anyone for picking any of them.

One consideration...the mesa is half the money. I own a VHT pitbull and I prefer the mesa when playing metal.
 
Re: what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

Yeah, Krank's are ****ing pipes! it's like playing through a sponge.

I've used DSL's, TSL's, JCM800's, Treble Rectumfryers, ADA mp1's, Laney Heads, a 5150 and a 5150II and even VHT pitbull's and yet I have never found a better tone (especially live) than when using my Powerball. The thing just rips.
I liked the JCM800's but only all the way up, schmokin! and I find Triple Rec's to time consuming to set up... sure they have some good tones but they take so ****ing long to hone and can be too muddy when not used with excellent boogie cabs. I liked the 5150's, (both I and II) but I found them too limited and I ended up sounding like everyone else... and not EVH!!! ADA and Laney were to fuzzy or thuddy for me.

I use a customised ENGL cab (2xV60's and 2xV30's) and I find that combo particually helpful in crafting a crunching, singing tone.
 
Re: what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

desert doom/metal/rock! I need an orange rockerverb 50 and my life will be complete...



aha, or a Tiny Terror... that thing is ****ing smokin hot when it's cranked.

Funny thing is my neighbors complain more about that amp than ANY of my others!!!


haha
 
Re: what's the ultimate heavy metal amplifier?

Funny thing is my neighbors complain more about that amp than ANY of my others!!!
That says a lot for the fact that it's not all about volume. A good amp will cut through without having to be louder than everything else.
 
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