The "No other amp sounds good" feeling

[latinjem7vwh]

Anybody else feels like this? From what I tried in regards to current mass produciton amps (not including small production amp brands like Bogner), I must say that I am dissatisfied with quite a few models of amps that I had just expected more out of. More than anything, I am dissapointed with Mesa Boogie. I tried a Triple Rectifier (2003 model), and i was appauled with how it sounded. I sure hope it was just bad tubes (tried it out in Guitar Center, so it must have been abused somewhat) because if it wasn't just the tubes, then I am really dissapointed with where Mesa Boogie is going. I remember that I tried an older used Boogie (think it was a 94 or something) and that thing just grabs you by the balls when you play that thing. And Marshall, bleh. Doesn't have enough gain, though it would sound very nice with a good overdrive pedal a la Yngwie Malmsteen. Marshalls in my opinion just needs a LITTLE more gain. I haven't tried the Mode 4 (did i say that right?), but I'm assuming that it sounds good, but I'm pretty sure that it's a solid state amplifier, and solid state amps can't just compare to tube amps, tonewise. Fenders just aren't my style. Crates are not bad, but not good either. Their GFX series has very good chorus tones, that's what I use for my clean channel, for that James Hetfield clean tone. From what I tried, Peavey seems to satisfy me and then some in terms of distortion tone. With gobs of gain and that ram-your-balls-down-your-throat tone, I would say that Peavey is up there in terms of tone for aggresive music. I own a Peavey Ultra 120-watt head. That's all I'll ever need. The other guitarist in my band has the Peavey 5150 II. If a bunch of amp companies offered me an endorsement, I would take Peavey. Hands Down.

[LennyNero]

Originally Posted by latinjem7vwh

Anybody else feels like this? ... And Marshall, bleh. Doesn't have enough gain...

Well. that's Marshall... most Guitarists do not buy Marshall because of the (missing) high-gain sound

[anuj]

well, what do you currently play? what kinda of style are you looking for? what kinda versatility do you expect from an amp?

you have to get to know tube amps to get them to do what you want .. high gain isn't all that it's cracked up to be - very very few amp manufacturers can pull it off well (take the XXX - gobs of gain .. and low-end mud .. :sigh: .. ). the rectos are disgustingly capable amps, imo - but i doubt i'd get one - too ****ing loud to be useful (for me) in the poweramp sag realm of tone, although i know they've got some bizarre tweak control there too, hehe. try a mark IV or a stiletto.

the peavey jsx is a great amp - not quite a high-gain king either. not even the legacy is. or my carvin vm100. love this amp.

okay, it's late and i'm rambling ...

~A

[track7]

I can agree to some extent, I have the same passionate feeling about Boogies, as you do peavy's. Although I've never actually played a peavy hi-gain amp (played the classic 30 tube valves though very nice).

Boogies are very very sensitive, and recto's are no different. They are capable, very capable amps and can do a ton of stuff other than nasty ball crunching. But like all mesa's you only have to slightly and i mean a hair line move of the dial and you can completley change the tone. This is how i've always found their gear and thats really the way i like it.

Put it this way on my Nomad 45 the dials are set to sound a GREAT average general tone all pointing 12 o'clock. Now i only have to move any of the dials (tone dials i mean here) between 10 and 2 o'clock to cover a HUGE range of tones. This for me is a great thing although I can see how to a lot of people it might be a bit stupid especially until you realise whats going on with the tone.

Another thing is the gain, past 2 oclock it just gets so so so much gain that chords even power chord 2 notes are blurred. So you really have to be careful setting the pre-amp gain.

I think that they are really fiddly and sensative amps, to seom like me it suits them, and the messing is well worth it when you get to know it.

I've always felt that marshalls are the all time 1 trick pony, they have that marshall sound thats either ON or OFF. And I know its a matter of taste but the less said about their clean tone the better. And the fender clean is great but their OD isn't to my taste either.

Marshall seem to be not so instruments as much as literal amp and distortion boxes. Where's other manufactures make the amps far more responsive and aobut 50% of the tone is i nthe instrument of the amp as well as the guitar.

Mesa for me gets me all the tones I need, however for some its "that" sound which they dont like. Although on my nomad there are three of those classic sounds, the fender clean, the mark type channel 2, and the modern recto sounding channel 3.

I'm really interested in checking out some peavy stuff acutally. But to be honest I dont think anything could drag me away form my Nomad, not even another mesa until I can really try 'em all out properly. It gives me that great feeling your talking about where I've got all my bases covered.

All I really need is a big meaty extension cab, for my little beast.

David

[somata]

the recto's that i've played seem to be pretty tempermental, the triple rec that i always play though at my local store sounds pretty lifeless, but i just played one at guitar center in chicago 2 weeks ago, and that thing sang...so i think that they're so tweakable (tube or ss rectifier, etc.) that unless you really dive into it and try out the different combinations, you're at the mercy of how the store (or previous player) has set it up. incidentally, on the lead channel i had the gain and presence pretty well cranked, treble and mid cranked and bass on about 3-4 and it sounded really good as a high gain rhythm sound--lots of articulation and monster crunch.

of course, i have a rack that consists of mostly used gear, and it gives me the exact sound that i'm looking for, so i have the situation of going out and trying out tons of gear and then realizing that it doesn't sound as good as what i already have...g.a.s. and nothing to do about it!!!

[track7]

Somata thats exactly the thing i'm talkijng about,

Trying out a mesa in a store for 30 mins is no way a representation of what it can do. You need to read the manuals, and really fiddle with it for a many hours. Unfortunatley this isn't always possible in music stores. However I'd go out on a limb to say that if you know that the gear you're trying should be able to sound the way you hear it on records etc esp with high end amps like mesa upwards then its just a matter of time and tweaking. But I can see how it would turn someone off if they were i nthe store and the guy beofre them made some really "choice" adjustments to the many many options they have.

I to go out now trying out lots of gear and nothing gets me happier than coming back home to my amp. I get big GAS over pedals though man i'm a bit of a boutique pedal snob and proud of it

David

[guitarkatana]

Originally Posted by track7

I get big GAS over pedals though man i'm a bit of a boutique pedal snob and proud of it

I'm the opposite, I hate pedals. Any kind of pedal, even if it sounds good to my ear. The only pedals I can stand seeing are midi control and channel switcher pedals, but even those get on my nerves. I just like to pick up guitar, walk over to amp, connect guitar to amp with cable, and be happy.

[mike777]

Originally Posted by LennyNero

Well. that's Marshall... most Guitarists do not buy Marshall because of the (missing) high-gain sound

Heh?

Mike 777 Haug

[Drew]

Well, my TSL (grated, with a gain-ier set of JJ's in the preamp) isn't super-duper-ultra-deathmetal saturated, but even at low volumes it's got more than enough gain for just dicking around in my bedroom, and for recording, I've found that the range between 3-6 on the gain knob is really the sweet spot- anything above that just sounds oversaturated. You'd be suprised how little gain a "heavy" sound needs- there's things out there with more gain than Marshall typically goes for, but at the same time there's a reason that so many guitarists have been using them as the fundamental part of their live rig for years and years and years.

As far as rectifiers go... You gotta remember that, as numerous people have stated here, they're ridiculously sensitive heads. Slight tweaks can have major effects... Now, keeping in mind both that and the fact that every punk nu-metal listening 15 year old walks into guiar center and immediately plugs a PRS into the thing, cranks the gain, treble, and bass, and scoops out all the mids. Should it be any suprise that if you plug your guitar into the thing and hit power, the first sound that hits your ears is probably going to be less-than-appealing? It's popular to slag off on these things as being mere one-trick ponies, but I happen to love some of the lead tones i was able to dial up on the modern mode of channel three, and that's totally dry, no reverb, much less delay or anything. I'm considering dropping my TSL for a Dual.

As far as Peavey goes, I've always felt their Ultra and XXX heads are about the best Dual Rectifiers you can get for the price- I'm really suprised you didn't like the Triple more. Did you turn the thing up at all? It doesn't need to be super-loud to come to life, but if you push the poweramp even the tiniest bit, the result will be noticeable.

-D

[Mr Orange]

Like Drew said, I think you need to remember that with those big 100w amps you need to give them a bit more "juice", turn them up a bit. My Rivera R100-212 sounds fine at master at 2-3, but starts to sing when dialed around 4-5... but that's absolutely in the earplug zone when it comes to volume!!!
I haven't had the guts to crank it, though. I still wish to live a bit longer on this planet.

[bammbamm]

I'm noticing a trend... In the 1t post Latin says he's unimpressed with the recto, but thinks the Crate and Peavey stuff sounds good.
Just goes to show, there is no accounting for taste.
Everyone has their own preferences.

Bamm

[Drew]

hahaha, nice, bammbamm.

Mr orange- think 100's bad? Try the 150w he's talking about. Sure, wide open it's only marginally louder, but it'll begin to saturate at a significantly higher volume than the 100 watt dual...

-D

PS- oh, "at the end of the day, play whatever makes you happy." Nearly forgot to add that.

[Mr Orange]

Originally Posted by Drew

Mr orange- think 100's bad? Try the 150w he's talking about.

I dare not. I am a mere mortal!

[power freak]

Originally Posted by Drew

Well, my TSL (grated, with a gain-ier set of JJ's in the preamp) , I've found that the range between 3-6 on the gain knob is really the sweet spot- anything above that just sounds oversaturated.

I agree totaly with that. I leave the gain at about 2-4 and get some really great sounds. (I have got a DSL though). THe only High gain amps I like are ENGLs and Soldanos, all Mesa's I have tried have been 'dead' I was in one shop half a day trying an F series and a Rectifier and both were missing something.

[revsharp777]

Originally Posted by bammbamm

Just goes to show, there is no accounting for taste.
Everyone has their own preferences.
Bamm

<My BS flag just popped up>
What a ridiculous pairing of statements. First, you slam the guy for what he likes, but then you say he can like what he wants to like.
Is this world according to Bammbamm?
True, everyone has their own preferences. What's wrong with that? Just because he likes something different than you, that doesn't mean he doesn't have taste. Another man's junk is a another man's treasure.
<end of rant>

Personally, I feel like Latin does.

There are very few amps in the $1000+ category that get me excited. Most of the stuff on the market is just overpriced, re-hashed crap. Most people look at their favorite guitarist & think, "Oooo, they play Mesa & Marshalls, so I gotta buy one of those!" Well, in that case, the endorser did his job.

In the last 10 years, quality has risen tremendously in the "affordable" amp market. Nowadays, you don't have to give up your first born child to get a great sounding amp. I'm not going to buy an overpriced Mesa or Marshall, when I can get the SAME sound from a lower-priced head, modeling amp, or rack preamp. If I'm going to blow 5 times the cash, I better get 5 times the options! The sound is what matters, not the name that's on the box.