The Jemsite guide to amps

[Mark DY]

Pablo - Don't you have a Diezel?

I think my guitar jones is turning into an amp jones. I've never heard one in my life, but cannot ignore what I've heard about a Diezel Herbert. I got a Mesa RK in April (coming from a Line 6 for a few years) and am just starting to get it dialed in. We play everything from Journey to Fall Out Boy (yeah, yeah, save your flame ) so I wanted versatility which I get from the RK for sure and can get a great classic tone to it, but it's somewhat, er, "dry" to me. I'm running a G-System with no other effects - I get the distortion completely from the amp. The clean channel is great - clear and crisp.

I'd really like to get a Diezel but would hate to spend $3-4K and not like it but it's not like I couldn't sell it either. I still need a classic tone but would like something with a nice tight high gain to it as well.

I'm running it into a Bogner 4x12 and a Mesa 2x12 both with V30's - maybe a different cab?

Any advice would be welcome.

[Pablo]

Nope no diezel unless your getting me confused with someone else.

No I 'only' have 2 Laney 100Watt heads (GH and VH) Legacy head and an Engl Powerball

...and some rack preamps.

[Reaper of Doom]

PEAVEY 5150

It has to be said that this is an awesome amp. I think a lot of people who don't know much about this bad boy think it will make them sound like King Ed. NOT TRUE!

Only EVH sounds LIKE EVH!

Someone mentioned earlier about people want to sound like what they hear on a CD and it's almost insane to think like that. As far as the 5150 goes and this only through my experience, i've had every Marshall head you can think of and the 5150 is basically a hot rodded Marshall. It has endless amounts of gain and thats why it's preferred by the Metal guys. The sound is very raw and is perfect for an in your face live sound. It's never gonna be Nu-metal. Sounds like 80's Heavy Metal on roids! I love this amp and once you get to grips with the resonance control and how it affects the bottom end then it'll give you some serious tone.

The best part, you can pick them up for next to nothing cuz people are scared they're gonna sound like later VH so they dont give the 5150 a look. I bought a 5150II for £350 which in the UK is cheaper than a 2nd hand Marshall. You know why it was so cheap? Cuz the kid I got it from said it had too much gain and didn't know haw to use it! What do you think the gain control does.

His loss and definatley my GAIN. No pun intended.

Bottom line, check these out. Not for everybody but will give you a unique tone. I plug my 7vsbl straight in through a couple of Boss pedals and a noise gate cuz the only downside is, these things can be a little noisy.
Tone Heaven!

[Ke^in]

Originally Posted by sniperfrommars1

How would you guys rate the lead tone of the jcm900 series of amps? Whats it sound like?

I love mine. And I don't even use a boost.

[mi2tom]

Originally Posted by raglor

The Laney GH50L is the best sounding tube amp I've ever heard

Ah.... It's my dream tube amp

[JackButlerGOT]

I did my entire summer tour for National Guitar Workshop plugged straight into a Peavey JSX..no pedals.. I had brought my rack and all the techno toys..but it seems that during the day clinics, a lot of kids (and adults too) were preoccupied with.."so and so uses this box or that processor"..so I did all the clinics and performances just straight into an amp to show them that you could do "over the top" and just have the guitar, amp and a good cable.. no matter how much you got on the floor or in a rack..a lot of tones is still in the hands. The JSX has more than enough gain and the clean channel is spanking clean..I can dial up a a nice crisp funk clean without a hint of dirt whatsoever..even a loud volumes.. the clincher for me was the half power switch on the back..which is how I usually run mine in 60 watt mode.. it had no problem this summer running along side with Boogies, Marshalls, a Bruno modded Fender and a Guytron Boutique head. Just a really great working musician's amp.

[mike-o]

Just wanted to say that the Laney GH100L has the best drive tone I've ever heard.

[texshred777]

Originally Posted by mike-o

Just wanted to say that the Laney GH100L has the best drive tone I've ever heard.

I listened to a live Racer X album and can't say I disagree much. I spent most of the album wondering what is PG playing on, it sounds amazing!

I think my favorite drive tones have been compliments of a Rivera tbr-1SL. I also really love the Mesa Mark IV, Nomad series and I also love the 5150(prefer the 1 over the 2)!

[ibanez777vbk]

yeah this is a good imformative thread,what about line6 amps ive just swapped my jem555,for a line6 flextone111.does anyone have one of these amps.and whats your thoughts on line6 amps.

[HeavyMetal4Ever]

I've got a Flextone III too, and I love it

It's a really versatile amp, and I am happy with the huge range of tones it's capable of. I've heard people say that the models don't sound as good as the original amps, and they are probably right (I havn't played most so can't say), but who cares?

If you look at it as an amp that can produce a huge range of tones, for the price, it's pure gold.

That being said, i'm currently on the lookout for a 5150 locally. Pure metal mayhem!

By the way, great thread folks

Please keep the quality info coming...

Rock on!

[ibanez777vbk]

Originally Posted by HeavyMetal4Ever

I've got a Flextone III too, and I love it

It's a really versatile amp, and I am happy with the huge range of tones it's capable of. I've heard people say that the models don't sound as good as the original amps, and they are probably right (I havn't played most so can't say), but who cares?

If you look at it as an amp that can produce a huge range of tones, for the price, it's pure gold.

That being said, i'm currently on the lookout for a 5150 locally. Pure metal mayhem!

By the way, great thread folks

Please keep the quality info coming...

Rock on!

if you hang on a bit evh is bring out a new rig,might be worth checking out.yeah i like my flextone only use it indoors so its ideal.have you got another speaker wired up to it,i have its awsome sounds like playing in a stadium

[7 Dying Trees]

Well, I'll have to throw VHT into the ring again, absolutely awesome amps, why anyone in the UK would buy a rectifier instead of this I have no idea...

Originally Posted by Fear_Factory

VHT amplifiers! www.vhtamp.com

Originally Posted by Mr Orange

When it comes to VHTs, the Pittbull is a bad mutha. 3 channels, footswitchable graphic eq, half power function, power and gain to spare and tones modern as hell. Suits almost everything. Smokes your average boxes. A buddy's got a 2x12 Pittbull, I've gigged it a couple of times and loved it. Btw, the Pittbull won the 100 W GP combo shootout back in '92. The runner-up was the 30th Anniversary Marshall (yup, the blue one).

I've got an Ultr Lead, with the graphic EQ on it. Seriously smokes, pinpoint precise, and a lead tone that just screams. It's not a dominating amp, but rather one that sits nicely in a growling snarly midrange, with ridiculously tight almost percussive bass response. However, it's not for everyone, and is a seriously dry amp, tight as hell, but whilst still having an organice 3d sounding midrange.

[manfromplanetX]

I like my James Brown designed Peaveys... from the VTM through the JSX, I have one of each... except a JSX, which I may pick one up sometime. I really like the VTM and the Ultra Plus 120. The xxx and 5150 are good too, a really cool amp is the little 40 watt xxx, the crunch channel. I also have a Wiggy, which is a little strange
Now I have developed a Lee Jackson problem, having purchased a Metaltronix 1000, Ampeg VL502, a Crate Stealth 50 combo and an actual Lee Jackson XLS500 and XLA500 head and a Lee Jackson Cab I am starting to run out of room
hahahahahaaa!!!
The XLS and the VL are great!!! everyone should try one of the VL502s, they are dirt cheap have a reverb and a built in attenuator...what more could you want!!!

[Cowboy49]

Howdy there, it's been ages since I started this thread (as Mr Orange)!

Anyway, my current amp setup is:

VHT Deliverance 60. The thing is a monster. Killer tone, very responsive. I went looking for an amp, ditched the option of buying the D60 for the hefty price tag, went on testing and testing amps after amps... and came back a few weeks later and bought it.

Early '70s Fender Twin Reverb Amp . An impulse buy, found this one for a good price. The tone is the sweetest clean tone ever. It's also very responsive to your gitboxes, it's easy to adjust pickup height with this one. I highly recommend picking up a SF Fender combo, they can still be acquired at reasonable prices – but not very long!

[freakout]

I use a later 70's silver face fender twin reverb myself. Throw on an ibanez ts-9 tubescreamer and your in the tone zone.