New amp: Instant picking response.

[Gex]

I thinking about buying a new amp. Instead of this being another "I need a good amp . . . DISCUSS!!!!!" style thread, I've got a very specific idea in mind with what I want. I just dont know exactly where to look. I've played a fair share of amps, but usually not at stage volumes, usually at low volumes, and recently I've descovered that certain characteristics of amps you like do not hold over when you have them cranked up, they take on very different, alien forms. Quite frustrating to say the least, a real stubbed-toe on the voyage to finding "your" tone.

I play a variety of stuff, whatever rolls off the fingers, mostly instrumental stuff. I'm not a "shredder" but I do get going that fast sometimes. Could be very light, slow and beautiful, calm, smooth and tranquil. Sometimes, very fast, aggressive singing tone, and I go from these two styles frequently, so versitilty with the guitar's volume knob is very good. Something with controllable natural compression. Its gotta have juice to sing, but I dont want to excessive gain to get there, because its noisy, hard-to-control, muddy, ect. I dont play in a thrash metal band, nor a SRV tribute band. I need a very smooth, linear, clear sound FROM THE AMP. Its gotta be very in-your-face and bold.

I dont want to use boosts to get my sounds. Just a wah for the occasional toying with. I dont like Delay much, or heavy reverb, so I need an amp that will sound GREAT without the help of those two, which are commonly used to smooth up harsher amps.

I like alot of Vai and Satch (pretty standard, huh?) but expecially the very strange stuff like Mattias Eklundh and Bumblefoot. They're more along my style. I also like Paul Gilbert and Guthrie Govan alot as well.

Now. . . .I REALLY love Mattias Eklundh's tone. I'm about 90% decided that I want a Laney VH100R, which is the amp that he uses (among several other Laneys) His sound is very clean, smooth, and sustains without excessive gain. It just rings out, and thats what I want. I also dig Guthrie Govans tone, and he uses the Cornford Hellcat (I think? I may be confused on the model) but his tone is really great. Another example of clean, singing tone, that isnt out-of-control or nasty chainsaw gain.

It also needs to sound very clean at high volumes. Lots of amps I've tried sound just right at low volumes but then you crank it and they'res gain and noise all over the place.

Right now, I have a Carvin X100B and a Laney Pro Tube. I like both of them, they're both good amps, but they're not really doing what I want them to do. The Carvin is almost what I want, except its natual picking dynamics aren't very good. With a tubescreamer, its a great amp. But overall, its not really fitting the bill. If I had lots of money, I'd keep it around, but if I get a new amp, I'll need to sell it to pay for it.

The Laney Pro Tube is another great amp, but just isn't what im looking for. At low volumes, I really dig the sound. Its one of the main reasons I'm considering the Laney VH100R, because I expect it to be pretty similar, have that same Laney tone, but be more refined and all around better. The Laney Pro Tube turns into a JCM 800 with alot of gain when you crank it. If your looking for that sort of sound, its a GREAT amp for that. But, neither it or a Marshall JCM 800 will do what I want it to. This is what I was talking about how some amps turn into something else when you crank it. It sounds alot different at higher volumes, it sounds GREAT. . it sounds huge, thumpy, crunchy, mean. . . but. . it doesnt do detail very well. Overdrive pedals go a long way, but again. . .I want an amp that I dont have to depend on pedals to do what I want to.

What I really need in an amp. . is instant picking response. Some amps are faster than others, its true. Some sag a bit. Tonight I was sitting with my guitar in my lap, unplugged, and was just plinking along. I noticed that my playing was very clean and quick, and paced really nicely. I realzed that my Carvin doesn't accurately reproduce what my fingers are actually doing at the speed my fingers are actually DOING it. When playing slow, its not a problem, but when you kick up the Paul Gilbert licks. . its very noticable. They'll sound great and perfect unplugged, but when you plug it in . somethings missing, things get "overlooked" by the amp, and its simply not "fast" enough to keep up. It sometimes feels like the amp is "vacuuming" all your notes and you have to flick, hammer and pick as hard as you can to counter-balance it.

I used to think that this was part of playing with less overdrive. I make a point not to use much overdrive at all when playing, so I have to build up my fingers and so I can hear accurately what I'm playing so I can make it cleaner, more accurate, ect, just have more control over the string.

I know I don't have sloppy technique, I know that from playing around unplugged. Its not really a matter of not having enough distortion or picking hard enough. Some amps simply dont throw back what you throw at them. I want an amp my fingers can CO-OPERATE with, one that will launch back at me what I launch at it with no hesitation or delay.

I hope what I've said makes some sense, and somebody can steer me in the right direction.

Right now, I'm very interested in:

Laney VH100R (never played it, and I'm unable to. I like Mattias's sound though)
Cornford (also, never played, and I dont think I can afford it)
Carvin Legacy (I've played before briefly, really liked it at low volumes, didn't get to see how it reacts at high volumes. Vai sounds good with it, but vai uses boost pedals, I'm looking for something that works great without pedals)
Laney GH100L (Paul Gilbert plays them, and he shreds like mad, so it definately will pick up the notes quickily.)


In the past, I've had:
Peavey Classic 30. (nice little amp, but SAGGY overdrive)
Marshall JCM 800/plexi mod. (1 sound, not very responsive)
Peavey JSX (GREAT response, this is one amp I know that has pretty instant picking response. Unfortunately, its rather fizzy, gainy and can be harsh, especially with my beloved Maple Fretboard guitars. This is one I'm considering going back to, if I cant find another to do what I want.)

so. . . well. . .DISCUSS!!!

[wallie!]

JSX is good

[RSVampire]

get the Legacy if you liked it at low volumes. You don't NEED a boost pedal, people just like to use em in front of amps... it's been done forever.

[jl2556]

2 words...DIEZEL HUEBERT
Trust me, save your money and just get
it over with...No marshall, soldano, mesa. ect.
compares...at all!!!! At lower volumes, the amp is tight and
the tone doesn't change at low or high volumes.
No pedals needed!!!! All the dynamics,fast response, tight....
Trust me....just do it....really....NO MORE AMP PROBLEMS!!!!

[speedy mcfeely]

of the brands that you suggested I'd get the Cornford. If it was me, I would take a serious look at the Mesa Road King II, or a Bogner Ecstasy. You would have all of your needs in one box. The RKII has the lonestar cleans, plus any OD/ distortion sound you can think of. The Bogner is well a Bogner.

On a side note, the Road King cabs are half open back, and half closed back, best of both worlds.

Good luck on your quest for sonic nirvana.

[satchboogeyman]

Have you tried re-tubbing your current amps to get what your looking for or a speaker cab change? Email this guy and tell him what your looking for. He's pretty cool and usually responds quickly

http://www.eurotubes.com/index.htm

[toshiro]

Originally Posted by Gex

Right now, I'm very interested in:

Laney VH100R (never played it, and I'm unable to. I like Mattias's sound though)
Cornford (also, never played, and I dont think I can afford it)
Carvin Legacy (I've played before briefly, really liked it at low volumes, didn't get to see how it reacts at high volumes. Vai sounds good with it, but vai uses boost pedals, I'm looking for something that works great without pedals)
Laney GH100L (Paul Gilbert plays them, and he shreds like mad, so it definately will pick up the notes quickily.)

Well, the VH's gain channel and the GH are the same thing for the most part, so you could just lump them together and call that my pick. The Laneys do not have a low volume sound, BTW. You'll really need an attenuator to play at conversation volumes with good tone, as they use the power-stage as part of the sound. In otherwords, they sound better cranked up. These are clear and bright amps, that smooth out when pushed hard. I abosultely love my Gh50L. The GH series has no clean, it's a single channel amp. You can roll the volume on the guitar down and kick off the extra gain stage, but that's not a clean channel. If you need clean tones that are *clean* go for the VH.

Might also want to consider the TT50H and TT100H, which are more of a "rock" amp, and might offer a smoother tone. I've never heard one in person though, just going by word of mouth here.

Never heard a Cornford in person, no opinion.

The Legacy is very smooth and warm all the time. I liked it for playing lead, and that was about it. The clean is great.

[Ozzdoc]

Bonger Escasty

O yea, we Jemsiters arn't millioniers!!!

[jemplayer55]

I suggest you check into the Komet amps..... very touch sensitive. I heard them, went and seen someone using one and was pretty impressed. Personally haven't tried one yet. http://www.kometamps.com/

[Gex]

Originally Posted by satchboogeyman

Have you tried re-tubbing your current amps to get what your looking for or a speaker cab change? Email this guy and tell him what your looking for. He's pretty cool and usually responds quickly

http://www.eurotubes.com/index.htm

Speaker Change? no, but I have THOUGHT ALOT about doing so. I need to haul my amp up to the store and try out a Mesa non-oversized 4x12 and see if that does the trick.


As for tubes, I re-tubed both of them with JJ's from Eurotubes. They sound like a** now. They're harsh, razor edged, and dont break up well. Sluggish picking dynamics, I wont be getting JJ's ever again. I much prefer the sound of my Electro Harmonics. I would like to give the SED Winged "C"s a try, supposed to be really good.

Originally Posted by jl2556

2 words...DIEZEL HUEBERT
Trust me, save your money and just get
it over with...No marshall, soldano, mesa. ect.
compares...at all!!!! At lower volumes, the amp is tight and
the tone doesn't change at low or high volumes.
No pedals needed!!!! All the dynamics,fast response, tight....
Trust me....just do it....really....NO MORE AMP PROBLEMS!!!!

I've played one, and thought it was godly.

Tried it again several months later. . .not as impressed at all. Very strange how it can flip like that. I dunno, I will consider it still.

[Gex]

Originally Posted by jemplayer55

I suggest you check into the Komet amps..... very touch sensitive. I heard them, went and seen someone using one and was pretty impressed. Personally haven't tried one yet. http://www.kometamps.com/

I just checked out some clips.

Cool amps, but....


It seems very vintage-y, which is cool but I dont think thats really what I want. I would like something pretty modern and unique sounding.

[sveto]

Hey Gex, how's it going? I would like to hear what amp did you finally choose. Because i'm in the same boat i think. I'm searching for a very similar sound and ATM am contemplating buying either the Legacy or a Laney VH/TT.

Cheers,
Sveto

[MadRyan]

If you want the most percussive, touch sensitive high gainer you must try a VHT Deliverance. I had one for a brief time and it was absolutely killer. It's a beast though.

[EL-CeeDee]

Well,. about the legacy, I can only elaborate my own experience with it.

First of all,.. the tone is not for everything.
For metal, to me, it just doesn't cut it. The sound remains a bit "woolly", whatever is done ( or goes to woolly with a very sharp edge. )

I had my legacy head modded by a very qualified guy who also is the prime ADA-MP1 guy here in the netherlands. ( think 3TM mod, new transformers, etc. )
He performed some modifications to the preamp stage and made some changes (FET) on the fx loop.
It really made this amp more of a boutique sounding monster.
The harmonic content seems even richer than before, but mostly, the amp has become "painfully" accurate, giving a lot of control. The fx loop sounds far more transparent than before.
For leadwork however, I still use a boost pedal and the reasoning behind it has become clear to me.
The basic channel 2 distortion doesn't really cut it for some leads. Punching in a boost pedal works like a charm, especially the DS-1, which enhances the harmonics even more, making a Eric Johnson sort of "flutey" sound possible. With old style petrucci pick attacks.
And second, the distorted channel works like a charm for slight overdrives when the volume on the guitar is rolled down, something that wouldn't be so great if the channels main distortion was over the top.
So in short, even though I prefer simplicity in a setup, the boost pedal works for me. Something you might want to consider.

Summing up: The legacy has a very specific sound (notice the "sandy" edges on Vai's sound). Especially with the mods and a boost pedal, it gives you a lot of expressive options, even though it's just a 2 channel amp, you can be anywhere between the channels ( if that makes sense ). The Clean channel has been praised enough, so I won't do that here. The main poweramp is more than decent. At high volumes, it just feels better, you might need to re-eq things a bit.

I'm not advising anything, the choice will always be 100% yours, just sharing my opinion. Feel free to ask if you have more questions.

[sveto]

EL-CeeDee, have you tried to remove that wooliness by changing the preamp tubes? And how would it sound with 6L6 tubes in the poweramp?
sv