Valve amp + SS Stompbox = Sh*t tone?

[SuperJemBoy]

Hey folks,
If you were to have a valve amp (eg. Laney LC30 or Marshall DSL401) and you put a stompbox such as a Keeley Metal Zone or similar in front of it wouldn't it ruin the tone? I'm thinkin about buying a valve amp but the amps I've tried havent had heavy enough distortion for me and I was wondering if this is the answer?

Thanks!
Joe

[Platypus]

A lot of people (Zakk Wylde, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, Jeff Hanneman, Kerry King just to mention a few) use tube amps with solid state overdrives in front to push the preamp tubes a little extra.

[SuperJemBoy]

Yea but that's for boosting distortion. What about if I was using a Metal Zone at low volumes on the clean channel and only the metal zone?

Joe

[The_Grindfiend]

If you go with a high-quality box like the Keeley, I'd say you'd be OK.

[Algiman]

Depends what you are trying to achieve. If you want to use a high powered valve amp at low volumes it will never sound it's best, even clean. What is it you want to do?

[vai n maiden]

i think that if the box is just augmenting the sound of the amp instead of replacing it then it doesnt really matter.... plus, at the end of the day if it sounds good, use it..... I've tried a keeley MT-2 through a small valve amp and it sounded KILLER btw

[Drew]

Never played the Keeley modded metal zone, but back when i used to use a stock one, i plugged it into a small fender tube combo once, and was floored how much more depth it took on (compared to a small marshall combo). 6L6-powered combos might be worth looking into...

-D

[Gresh]

I use a tonebone through either a mesa or rivera to give me that plexi voicing that I'm missing. It sounds very nice through the clean and it also gives me some thump when run through a distorted channel as well. It's a tube based pedal but there's no reason you can't use something different...like the others said, if it sounds good who cares what it is?

[Rudy]

Check out a Keeley Java Boost if you want to hear the tubes doing the work. This thing absolutley Rocks!

[SuperJemBoy]

Thank you all, I think I'm gonna have to try out some small valve combos today (going to all the guitar shops in Edinburgh) coupled with metal zones or similar. I'm really just looking for really heavy distortion but with tone. The POD seems to be lacking something but I can't put my finger on what it is. Could it be valves? (methinks so)

Thanks again!

Joe

[power freak]

Originally Posted by Rudy

Check out a Keeley Java Boost if you want to hear the tubes doing the work. This thing absolutley Rocks!

Any teble booster does the trick.

But he seems to be looking for some really down and dirty tones. In that case a Soldano would do it In reality a distortion pedal and valve amp would do it. (but the right combonation is vital. )

[RSVampire]

If your lookin for a blues boost can't beat Keely's Tube Screamers and Time Machine (loooooove that pedal)

[Dylan7620]

i use a stock metal zone with my mesa blue angel (clean amp) and it sounds friggin awesome. the pedal gives me MORE than enough gain while i'll overdrive the amp a little too get one of the best dirty tones ive ever heard out of any amp period.