Which Amp For Me?

[Lee Bob]

I'm currently looking to switch amps and require your help on which amps I should look at. My Tremoverb is a nice amp and fits the bill pretty well (decent clean channel and good hi gain channel) however, I'm not completely satisfied. I play in a hard rock band that plays Velvet Revolver, STP, Soundgarden, Foo Fighters etc covers as well as our originals. Therefore I'm searching for an amp that can provide good cleans (the T-verb's are fine here) and tight, thick, articulate gain (the T-verb is fizzy and loose).

I've been thinking of various amps but because of my location (southwestern Ontario, Canada) there aren't very many dealers that carry VHT's, Splawns, ENGLs or many Mesas, so I can't get a chance to try these without traveling a substantial difference.

Basically here are the amps I've been looking at and my concerns I may have with them.

Mesa Boogie Mark IV - I owned the 1X12 combo of this amp a few years back and could not dial in a decent tone. I found it lacked balls and low end. I assume getting a head version and running it through my Diezel 2X12 would help with that.

Splawn Quick/Pro Mod - I've loved all of the clips I have heard of these amps gain channels (Marshall on steroids), but is the clean channel very good?

VHT 50CL - I've heard some clips of this amp and it is very tight. My concern is that the gain will be too dry/tight. Also, how is the clean channel on this amp?

Mesa Boogie Stilletto Deuce - Alot of these are selling for quite cheap recently. I have never heard a clip or played one in person but I'm intrigued by the mix of Mesa with EL34's. I currently prefer to run my T-verb with E34L's.

ENGL Blackmore - I have heard alot of good things about these amps recently but have never seen an ENGL in person. From what I've read they are very saturated gain that sounds great at low levels. My main concern also lies with the clean channel. How does it sound? Is it hard to dial in good high gain tones and clean tones with the shared EQ?

Bogner Shiva EL34 - I just recently started looking at this head. I assumed it couldn't cut it with the amount of gain I'm looking for but I totally dig the tones the lead guitarist on Rockstar:Supernova can get with this. I know the clean channel is great but can it still achieve great, saturated high gain tones like the other amps listed?

Those are the main amps I've been looking into. If there are others I should consider please suggest them. As you can see I am looking at amps in the $1500 USD used (give or take) price point so please don't suggest a Bogner XTC 101B etc because I can't afford it.

Thanks

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Which Amp For Me?

Man, you listed some really nice amps there. IMO, and for what you are looking for, the Shiva will fit the bill and then some. I'm not a Mesa fan, some are, so I'll leave the virtues of those amps to others, and am in no position to bash them.

The Splawn amps are wicked at the Hot Rodded Marshall tone...and Scott's shop is only a 20 minute drive from where I work. I haven't been able to spend much time with any of his clean channel stuff. What I do remember is decent, but not mind blowing crystal clean. 7 on a scale of 10 would be a guess.

The Shiva will just give you the best of both worlds IMO.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Which Amp For Me?

For the bands you've listed Lee Bob, I think you'll feel right at home with the Shiva. I'm into the exact same bands you've listed (I absolutely love all of those bands, must be the age - influenced by alt 90's stuff thang).

The Bogner has some big, fat warm plexi cleans with some topend chime (for an idea of the kind of tone, listen to Foo Fighters "Big Me" or "For All the Cows"). For overdrive, it can definitely handle any Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, Stone Temple Pilots or Velvet Revolver you throw at it. As long as you're looking at those kind of tones (saturation level, gain level, etc.) and not Metallica or something, you'll be happy Saturated, medium high gain rock tones are where this thing excels. Bogner does this amazing thing with the master volumes on his amps where he always makes those amps sound like cranked Marshalls with any realistic volume settings.

 

[Jay 77]

Re: Which Amp For Me?

Good luck with whatever you get, man. Just be sure if you're playing at the Embassy you crank it up loud! The sound there always used to rule. I miss playing out there.

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: Which Amp For Me?

wow, you listed a lot of amps that DO NOT DO CLEAN WELL but nail the distortion. I would say the VHT has the best tone for what you want. If you need cleans - the Mesa Mark IV is a good choice but hell to milk the right tone out of without a ton of tweaking - and it will still be very focused and midrange-y.


The Shiva has the best blend of clean and gain, but it is not alawys big enough or nasty enough. Great amp nonetheless.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Which Amp For Me?

I know you don't want to hear this, but I went through a tremendous tone search through every amp imagineable to find the elusive grail. It is the Bogner Ecstasy 101B that wins. I love amps, almost more than guitars, and continue to be in love with cool amps, but for a #1 winner, the Ecstasy comes out on top.
I sold 2 amps, and came up with a $1000 to get one, and it's the last piece of gear I'd ever let go of. It's irreplaceable.

Read the harmony-central reviews, you you'll see a list of amps owned by players that came to realize that the Bogner Ecstasy 101B is the end of the road.