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3K views 18 replies 6 participants last post by  pera_a777 
#1 · (Edited)
Hallo to all..
I know i bored to you guys through more than enough topics about this or that amp, wattage, blah blah..
As I have already said, i have rg7620 and Boss gx700..so, i needed an amp..
So, i wnt to the store yesterday..(although i thought that my tight budget wont aloud me to buy anything decent..i thought maybe just to try a few amps..)
So, i came with the intention to try out the line 6 spider II..since i have red so many good stuff about line 6 on the net, and never had cahnce to try it out..
So, i plugged my guitar in 1x12, 75w spider..it was funny, when it was turned on, it looked like a christmas tree, since all the bulbs on it have lightened..i must admit that it looks very naive, somehow made in china!:) And, so on..i started to try out the models..cleans are fine, although i have never been too harsh when clean its about clean sound, as long it remains clean..add some chorus, a bit reverb, right pu position, maybe a bit tone rolled of, and it can suund pretty nice..
But, the distorted tones were not convincing at all..I remember that green crunch channel was somehow the most naturally sounding..it needed just a bit more geai to be really noce..the green metal i sbetter than red one..massive..but,again, somehow hollow..
And so, i was listening to all of that, for about 2 hours, and started to wonder..Since i am owning my boss gx-700 for 3-4 years alredy, maybe my ear has lost its refference..since i am used to boss..so that i am not used to amp-like made distortion..since line 6 models are highly accepted..but still, i didnt like it..at all..really, i am not some tube snob..neither have the tubes, neither play through them at any ocassion, but i simply didnt like this..yeah, maybe it needs a lot of tweaking..but i am very very sceptical at getting something somethinmg REALY massive from it..
And so, i packed my guitar in the case and wanted to go out..
But, thankfully, i remembered that the salesman have told me that they have some randall with the similar price in the offer too..
So, although the salesman was a bit like -the line 6 is for sure the best you can have in that price range..blah blah..like, he wont bother with other amps...-
Still, i wanted to try it just for a sec..
I plugged the guitar, turned the distortion channel on..added gain, scooped the mids..and WOW..! The sound my ears wanted to hear so badly..real, healthy, massive distortion..no plastic in it, only meat..really nice beefy meat..!i coudlnt stop playing for half an hour..the sound was there..and my 7 string has finally became alive! That was the dist i was looking for..
So, i bought it..!
BTW, the model is Randall RX75R..!
I decided to sell my Boss..(i need some cash, and i dont need it for dist any more..)..
But, i will need some -cheap- unit when i sell it..
I was thingink about using Zoom 9002 in the send return chain..? Since, as i remember, it has decent ,or the price, ambience and chorus effects..delay..reverbs..What do You guys think about that..? does it has a good bypass..?

Also, would You recommand me some pedal to use with the amps dist for solos..? maybe some compression, sustainer pedal..to use it maybe before the amp for solos..or something like that...? Or maybe a tubescreamer..i am not sure what does it do..? i Have plenty of gain..but i could use something that will give more fluid, and more sustainy tone..? If possible..?
My budget is highly limited now..actually, i dont have it..but i dont care..i am finnaly happy with my sound..!
 
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#2 ·
Well getting a Tubescreamer with a solid state is pretty pointless. Why? There are no TUBES. Using the Tubescreamer with a tube amp is where it really shines, not with a solid state amp.

Glad to hear you like your new amp though, but for the money, I would have looked at getting a tube amp, or at least put that money towards one. 90% of artists you hear out there use tube amps. In my opinion, you can't match the sound of true tube saturation.

But if you are happy with you sound, I guess that's all that matters. As far as sustain goes, I would look into a compressor.
 
#3 ·
Thanx for the rep..and for the info about tubescreamers..their purpose is so obvious in their name, and i still was missing it..thanx for the explanation..!
So, a compressor..? Any particular..? Although, here in Serbia, choice is pretty much narrowed..
BTW, considering the price, for the money invested in it, i couldnt buy a tube amp no way, at least here, and even the price i paid for it was hardly reachable..for me..so...i am still open for some ideas about smoothening the tone for the solos, maybe..? although, it will sound better when i attach some effect unit in the loop, i guess..
 
#10 · (Edited)
Yeah, first off, don't believe the bit about Tubescreamers. It's a pedal, and doesn't care WHAT'S in front of it. Best thing I can say is TRY it, yourself, and see if it works. What you'll most likely want to do is set the gain all the way down, on the pedal, and raise the level control. What you are doing is increasing the signal strength to the amp, thus increasing sustain. Can also be done with an EQ pedal, since essentially what you are doing in that case is creating a clean boost. You can try raising the gain on the pedal. Sometimes it works, sometimes it makes it sound like ass. Either way, some pedals work well in front of a certain amp, and some don't. Sometimes, it's how the amp takes to pedals, but to say that a Tubescreamer in front of a solid state amp is pointless? Well, that's just bull.

By the way, I use a Boss DS-1 in front of my solid State head, to achieve the same thing, merely because I already owned it. I MAY try a Tubescreamer, since it has more mids.
 
#12 ·
but to say that a Tubescreamer in front of a solid state amp is pointless? Well, that's just bull.
All right, I take that back. It's not completely pointless, but certainly isn't going to give you anywhere close the same effect that it would have in front of a tube amp. You're not going to hear what you paid for, thus making it a somewhat "pointless" buy. These things are designed to push the power amp section of tube amps.

If all you want to do is boost your signal, just get a signal booster pedal.

This is all my opinion. Take it for what it's worth.
 
#14 ·
Thanx for the input..i will see to try something out..although, maybe i even don't need the pre pedal..i will see after some time..it takes some time for me to get used to a real sound, instead of processed dist..although it was boss..
I guess that adding some ambience effects, such as slight delay, and reverb, when i do the leads, will increase the smootheness..
BTW, anyone here uses Randall..? I would really like to hear experiences of the other users..?
 
#16 ·
..And that's basically what he wants to do. Plus, that's basically what I'M doing with my DS-1. Either one will work for that purpose, on either tube OR solid state. I know, I've done it, time and again. When you use one, you aren't pushing the power section, you are pushing the preamp section with it. If you want the power amp tubes driven more, the best thing to use is a power soak, but that's not driving the power section, actually. It's just aiding in controlling the volume created by cranking out the amp, in an effort to drive the power section. I understand what you are saying, and your intentions are good, but it is simply a bit misguided, in my opinion.
 
#18 ·
I would go with the Tubescreamer/ds1 type pedal, and I'll tell you why: Alot of times when you use a compressor pedal, you can really raise the noise floor, when you stop playing for a moment or so, and depending on what compressor you are using, they can get a bit touchy. Additionally, you MAY want to give the Digitech Bad Monkey a try. I've heard some good things about them, and they seem to have a loyal following, plus they are easy on the checkbook.
 
#19 ·
I have been checking that Bad Monkey pedal..really nice input on it everywhere..although mostly as a booster for a valve amps, but ii think that i will try it out..i suppose that i will be able to find digitech pedal here..
One more question..maybe stupid, but i am really new to stom box type stuff..so, tell me, is there any delay pedal, beside Line 6, for which i know for, that can mor ethan one setting..something like more than one preset..?cause i hate thinking about tweaking the delay rate for each song..and i cannot afford more pedals..
 
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