High gain amp with switchable wattage?

[ixelion]

Something like a Mesa Express 5:25 but doesn't break the bank.

[microdmitry]

Egnater Rebel. Not out yet, but when it does come out, I will pick one up.

[ixelion]

Rebel looks cool dunno if it has enough gain, will have to wait and see.

Any other suggestions are appreciated.

[losgatosrg350dx]

if u go on evilauction

search, sometimes it hard to find
peavey

classic series tube rack power amp 60
classic series tube rack power amp 60/60
classic series tube rack power amp 120
classic series tube rack power amp 120/120


these are some of the best cleanest sounding, no hum no nothing amps ever made

the modern day equivelant with some added features are the engl rack amps wich are freaking spectacular

but i couldnt afford it or the the presense or sonic frequency controls that the engls have, but he classic series rack amps peavey made, were strait up, input preamp tube(s) pahse inverter tube, them ur power amps section and tubes, everything was strait forward
and u can do soo much with them, and the function and quality is great

if u want new maybe get a carvin rack amp, the headroom isnt as high as the peavey or the new engl amps but it is a great unit and u can switch the tubes

but i found with most amps sometimes when they have the switchable tube selections it makes it sound slightly hollow, compared to a power amp that is wired just for one type

but i dunno it could just be me

and the peavey rack amps, let me tell you theres no need for a solo button, they got bite beyond


anyone else have amps like those but made by someone else that are awesome??

[RSVampire]

JSX Combo switches from 120 down to 50 watts with a switch.

All of Carvin's amps pretty much have a wattage switch. The MTS and V3 are high gain amps.

Most amps have a wattage switch and if they don't, you can usually take out 2 power tubes to reduce the wattage of the amp. Call a tech before you do this to figure out what tubes you need to take out though.

[shogun]

keep in mine that bringing 100 watts to 50 watts does not mean it will be half the volume w/ the tubes roaring...

[David McCarroll]

save up for the 5:25 - they are phenomenal sounding amps - mind you even the 5 watt setting is LOUD!!!!!

Went looking at Boogies with a friend who had a wad of cash burning a hole in his pocket - he wanted a Rectifier Combo - didn't like it..... Lonestar, nice, but oddly quite low gain for a Mesa amp, but the Express series just shine with a huge, round, bodacious high gain wallop - totally free of fizz, fuzz or buzz in the tone - so he went home with a 5:25 2x12 combo which just kills - would be very much on my list of amps to get..... um, if i had any room left!

[losgatosrg350dx]

Originally Posted by David McCarroll

save up for the 5:25 - they are phenomenal sounding amps - mind you even the 5 watt setting is LOUD!!!!!

Went looking at Boogies with a friend who had a wad of cash burning a hole in his pocket - he wanted a Rectifier Combo - didn't like it..... Lonestar, nice, but oddly quite low gain for a Mesa amp, but the Express series just shine with a huge, round, bodacious high gain wallop - totally free of fizz, fuzz or buzz in the tone - so he went home with a 5:25 2x12 combo which just kills - would be very much on my list of amps to get..... um, if i had any room left!

messa are the number one most over played amp brand
sound is unique but when it comes to an amp, they purely suck in parts, assembly, components, and response time
not a very responsive amp, and not really a performer, but it was tone forsure, but you really re limited to the tone the messa produces and u can get some pretty bad buzzing, fizzing, fuzzing etc

[elcid]

Doesnt your dad have 37 vintage Mesas from the 1920s that sound great?

[David McCarroll]

Originally Posted by losgatosrg350dx

messa are the number one most over played amp brand
sound is unique but when it comes to an amp, they purely suck in parts, assembly, components, and response time
not a very responsive amp, and not really a performer, but it was tone forsure, but you really re limited to the tone the messa produces and u can get some pretty bad buzzing, fizzing, fuzzing etc

..... cool, yeah, I know - I own two of them so I experience all these problems first hand - don't know why I bought them really........

[ixelion]

Originally Posted by losgatosrg350dx

if u go on evilauction

search, sometimes it hard to find
peavey

classic series tube rack power amp 60
classic series tube rack power amp 60/60
classic series tube rack power amp 120
classic series tube rack power amp 120/120


these are some of the best cleanest sounding, no hum no nothing amps ever made

the modern day equivelant with some added features are the engl rack amps wich are freaking spectacular

but i couldnt afford it or the the presense or sonic frequency controls that the engls have, but he classic series rack amps peavey made, were strait up, input preamp tube(s) pahse inverter tube, them ur power amps section and tubes, everything was strait forward
and u can do soo much with them, and the function and quality is great

if u want new maybe get a carvin rack amp, the headroom isnt as high as the peavey or the new engl amps but it is a great unit and u can switch the tubes

but i found with most amps sometimes when they have the switchable tube selections it makes it sound slightly hollow, compared to a power amp that is wired just for one type

but i dunno it could just be me

and the peavey rack amps, let me tell you theres no need for a solo button, they got bite beyond


anyone else have amps like those but made by someone else that are awesome??

Sorry for my ignorance but:

These are power amps and pre amps right? I wont have to buy a separate preamp section?

[David McCarroll]

yes they are power amps - you need a separate pre-amp to get anything other than a giant super clean tone out of them. and to answer the last question on losgatosrg350dx's original post, I have a Mesa 2:90 power amp which delivers humungous clean tone up to ear-bleeding volume, but of course purely sucks in parts, assembly, componenets and response time, and seems to have all this odd buzzing, fizzing and fuzzing going on ........

Apologies for being a bit fascetious (sic), but I actually PLAY through Mesa gear, at home, on gigs and in the studio, so I know what they do and what they sound like on a day to day basis, rather than what is said about them on various forums....

Again, the 5:25 is a fantastic amp - you have already stated that yourself, I really would suggest you keep saving, have a look at second hand ones etc - otherwise you will be settling for a compromise on what you are really looking for.

[markyperfection]

Originally Posted by losgatosrg350dx

classic series tube rack power amp 60
classic series tube rack power amp 60/60
classic series tube rack power amp 120
classic series tube rack power amp 120/120

yeah, because somebody looking for a high-gain amp with switchable wattage is going to be able make really good use of a rack-mounted power amp without a pre-amp section.

great advice, dude. is there anybody on jemsite who knows less about what they're talking about than you? i'd love to read that guy's posts.

Originally Posted by elperrorg993xmsatellitedeathstaredition

honsetly br0 your a idiot if you plug into anything other than a unripe lemon

ive tried car batteries
balls of yarn
a 80watt lightbulb sticking out of a ham
and
cans of hard candies and peanut brittle taht i found from my dads

nothing else eevn comes close!

[markyperfection]

Originally Posted by ixelion

Something like a Mesa Express 5:25 but doesn't break the bank.

maybe the peavey valve-king? they sound pretty decent, but i'm thinking like with all peavey products you'll have to try a few of them to get one that sounds right and continues to sound that way. tone-wise, the vk is almost the polar opposite of the mesa, but i've actually had a great time playing through them, combos and heads alike.

[Gudster]

Marshall TSL.