I'd get the Legacy 100 head and cab for true Vai-esque tone. You might want to get a nice used JCM900 (http://youtube.com/watch?v=7BFzZoa2vq0), or a newer model Marshall.
Remember that if you get a higher wttage amp, you will have to crank it up more to get power-amp saturation. Vai gets his tone (aside from using many effects) by cranking up his Legacies (or Marshall JCM800's/900's in the old days to get that smooth power-amp distortion.
I've personally come to the conclusion that to look for any one type of tone you should look at what that artist uses and start there....without the same gear you're already at a compromise.....so if you want Vai-esque a Legacy would be the amp to start with, then add the appropriate effects and oh yeah...about 20,000 hours of dedicated practice to develop the technique that creates the "real" Vai tones....
I personally love my Mesa Roadster though...very flexible 4 channel amp from Fender like cleans to crushing distortion and everything in between. Awesome amp!
Check out Diezel amps. Also I'd say a Mesa Boogie Triple Rec is a good choice (from personal experience). My Mesa half stack ran around £2500 though so you might want to let mummy and daddy know whats coming. :wink:
i love my new Engl screamer 50 more than any amp i've ever tried(marshall stacks and mesa F30 included, i also had a mesa quad rack preamp which was very good but too long ago and hard to compare..), i havn't tried a Legacy. (though i'd love to)
you don't think a engl can be smooth? I agree that maybe they are not a great suggestion for Vai tone but my engl is almost as smooth as my soldano. I should meantion that the engl also can be cold and agressive if I do desire. Hell it can do most anything I want it to do.
Vai uses a Carvin Legacy100w all tube / valve head, to get a similar sound you will have to go for tube / valve amp as well because solid state amps will not have the same distortion characteristics ( they sound aweful ) his amps also use Celestion Vintage 30 speakers which obviously have a sound of there own, Laney do some really resonably priced tube / valveamps and i've got one which i modded, out of the box they sound better than most but with some better quality valves and speakers can sound truly amazing! Vox AC30 are legendary valve amps as well and are better quality but are more expensive obviously. You can retro fit Celestion Vintage 30s 12" spekaers to any amp which will get you somewhere close to his sound and will blow away any solid state ( transistor ) amp. You will not need as much as 50 watts though valve amps have more balls than transistor amps and overdrive to higher than the stated wattage and give you that lovely sound that you are looking for, good luck
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