High end amp thread . . .

ColinMmmmm · #1 02-10-2009, 04:13 PM

Hey all - it's been a while since there's been a thread about serious high-end amps. Let's hear from people who own the best of the best. Last fall I picked up a Splawn Quickrod - and it's the single coolest thing I've ever purchased. I get this huge grin every time I plug in. But I was considering amps from Soldano, Marshall and THD while trying to decide. Anyway - any amps people would love to have/have already? Anyone actually found their ideal amp?

**jim777** · #2 02-10-2009, 04:46 PM

I thought you were thinking along the lines of Two Rock, Fuchs, Trainwreck, etc. Is Marshall really seriously high end?

ColinMmmmm · #3 02-10-2009, 05:02 PM

Yeah I know what you're saying - but the Marshalls I was considering were the higher end ones like the vintage modern and JVM.

dark_void86 · #4 02-10-2009, 06:48 PM

Not so much my ideal amp, but my ideal pair of amps together. A cornford Mk50MkII and a Diezel VH4.

lynchfan6 · #5 02-10-2009, 11:25 PM

I''ve found my match with a Soldano SLO100. Over three years later, and I still
can't believe what I'm hearing. I've wanted one since I was in high school, and Van
Halen's FOr unlawful carnal knowledge came out. Then I got to see Warren Demartini use one live at a small fair gig, literally 15 feet in front of me. Then there was a show I caught with Lynch using one,,and then seeing MOtley live in 2005,,,,what a tone, and Mick uses an SLO as part of his rig. I went through many preamps, Marshalls, etc, along the way. I finally had the funds, and bought a Hot Rod 50+ brand new.......and I was blown away. I just had to hear an SLO. 3 months later, I had a brand new SLO. Honesty, ever time I plug in I get that feeling in my stomach just like the first day it arrived. I borrowed EVH's settings from a guitar world magazine back in 1990, and you could see his settings on his SLO marked with permanent marker. I can only describe the tone as 3 dimensional and liquid and so touch responsive. You'd just have to hear one. Unfortunately, I got my SLO about a year after my decade long gigging band called it quits. But I've played a couple of gigs and jam sessions since with other people, and I get endless compliments on my tone. I even had a sound guy at an outdoor festival gig who couldn't stop raving about how easy it was to mix my sound and how warm and full it was. Anyway,,,this is the amp of a lifetime for me. Now guitars,,,that's another story

callen3615 · #6 02-10-2009, 11:34 PM

I would LOVE a 15 watt line 6. Thousands of different tones, LOL!

AxeHappy · #7 02-11-2009, 12:13 AM

I'd kill for a Genz Benz El Diablo head. But that'll almost certainly never happen. Unless I win the lottery or something. So instead I'm aiming for an ENGL Powerball.

TheMusicBucket · #8 02-11-2009, 03:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by callen3615

I would LOVE a 15 watt line 6. Thousands of different tones, LOL!

I was gonna say the marshall MG10 has some of the most 'high end' you can find on today's market!!!

Seriously you can shatter glass with that thing!

SimpleMind · #9 02-11-2009, 01:03 PM

Diezel. Played the Einstein and it blew away every singel other amp i played including Elmwood Modena, Bogner XTC, Cornford MK II and Mesa. I heard that their new amp the Schmidt is even better especally for Blues and Jazz, but not the cheapest amp around. Heard that they are planing a new amp called Hagen. After what i heard the Hagen is "the ultimate amp".

MadRyan · #10 02-15-2009, 03:35 AM

It all sorta comes down to your voicing choice. I personally think if I had to choose one amp it'd be an SLO, but my Orange Rockerverb is truly incredible as well.

shogun · #11 02-15-2009, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AxeHappy

I'd kill for a Genz Benz El Diablo head. But that'll almost certainly never happen. Unless I win the lottery or something. So instead I'm aiming for an ENGL Powerball.

my first tube amp was a genz benz el diablo 100c... talk about a 212 combo with balls

Hikey Mikey · #12 02-15-2009, 12:21 PM

My brother got a Tone King, and it was the amp that sold me on the tube sound.

http://www.toneking.com/index.html

I am more into the classic rock/blues sound and my brother plays rock and praise music in church, so I can't really comment on how these amps are for high gain stuff or metal. But for vintage tube sound, they are great. His amp has transparent, glassy cleans and it takes pedals really well. Around two grand in the shops.

My first tube amp is the Peavey JSX Mini Colossal, and I love its power sponge feature that allows me to get distortion at low (master) volume. So I am really excited about the new Tone King Metropolitan, which is claimed to have the same ability to manage the power output from 0.1 to 40 watts.

waylay00 · #13 02-15-2009, 12:40 PM

I already have my ideal amp - Splawn Quick Rod!

THEE HAMMER · #14 02-18-2009, 11:59 PM

The Fender prosonic combo is the apple of my eye, mine was handbuilt in the fender amp custom shop in 1998.... can't help but be inspired.

if i was to faint over any amp, it'd have to be a laney 5-watt lionheart, covered in purple paisley sued like my favorite blazer. (odd huh?)

my best friend has that koch 50 watter i can't help but be jealous over too.

musicdr · #15 02-21-2009, 04:29 AM

I'm playing through a custom audio electronics od50 standard plus and an egnater mod50 with assorted modules.Digging both.An honorable mention goes to the egnater rebel.I'm currently satisfied.I had an engl powerball,triaxis, randall rm100's and a vht pitbull.All good amps, but I'm really liking the current harem.