[microdmitry]

I think the novelty is wearing off a bit. Great sounding amp, lots of features, but my TOL100's channel 4 still has no equal for the stuff I play, and I stay there all the time. Coincidentally, my AxeFx order has just come through, so the Tourmaster will probably be in the classifieds in a week or so. I'm kinda sad to see it go, but once my wife finds out how much I paid for AxeFx, I'll have no choice.

 

[Big Job]

I would like (nay, expect) a full review of the AxeFx once its arrived. Hopefully, if possible, with some sound files too? I dont really know anything about the amps you mention, but isn' the TOL100 a soldano?

Chris

 

[microdmitry]

No, TOL 100 is most definitely not a Soldano. :lol: It's a 4-channel amp designed by Bruce Egnater back in the 90's. You got it mixed up with SLO100.

 

[Big Job]

My bad!

Chris

 

[Carlo]

yeah, I played through one a couple of times. Lots of usable sounds but nothing stands out...they were all kinda mediocre. I would definitely rather have an AxeFx (lucky guy!)

 

[microdmitry]

If it sounds anywhere close to this, I think I'll be a happy customer. Arriving on June 10:

http://guitarlogic.org/axefxclips/vai_loveofgod.mp3

 

[microdmitry]

Or like this, too: http://guitarlogic.org/axefxclips/AxeFX_firstclip-Master.wav

 

[waylay00]

Yeah, I was extremely disappointed with the Tourmaster...mediocre tones at best. Lacked punch too. I guess that's to be expected with a Chinese-built amp.

 

[microdmitry]

I don't know what you guys are talking about. Mine has all the punch you'd ever want. CH4 is not as compressed as I'd like, though, TOL100 bests it there for leads, whereas Tourmaster CH4 works better for rhythm.

And how does country of origin affect the tone? I thought it was the circuitry that shapes it, not who glued the head shell together (PCBs are mostly stuffed and assembled automatically these days).

 

[microdmitry]

Does this lack punch?

 

[elcid]

Yeah, I was extremely disappointed with the Tourmaster...mediocre tones at best. Lacked punch too. I guess that's to be expected with a Chinese-built amp.

That's too bad that he's having amps made in China too. I guess the allure of paying people a dollar and change an hour is worth more than having skilled people build equipment.

 

[microdmitry]

He has those too, if you don't mind paying more:

http://www.egnater.com/amps.html#mod50

Trouble is, most people very much do mind paying more. :lol:

 

[rastachild]

maybe he tried a dud out, mine is extremely punchy and is a naturally warm sounding amp, which is a nice contrast to my marshall and laney. i finally got to crank it in practice and it sounds immense. cleans can be shimmery or warm and the gain can be scooped or thick or bark with that midrange british amps are known for. i actually like channel 3 better for leads as it sounds naturally thicker to my ears. this amp has plenty of gain, but i actually prefer the way it sounds with a tubescreamer on minimal gain to smooth it out even further and add a little more juice. i'll post a vid up eventually, but i can't imagine not being able to find your tone through this amp with all of the tone shaping options available.

 

[microdmitry]

Hmm, I haven't tried that. Will try when I get home. Tube screamer should compress things some, which I like. Care to share your settings?

 

[waylay00]

maybe he tried a dud out

Maybe I did play a dud. It was at Guitar Center, so that's a definite possibility. But then again, the Youtube video microdmitry posted is very similar to what it sounded like. And to me, that doesn't sound too good (sound shrill and anemic). Granted, it's a Youtube video, but it sounds weak, IMO. The second audio clip sounded better, but it still lacks some of that "punch" (I'm looking for other words, but there really aren't any).

And how does country of origin affect the tone? I thought it was the circuitry that shapes it, not who glued the head shell together (PCBs are mostly stuffed and assembled automatically these days).

???

It makes all the difference in the world. When you're paying some guy (or kid) in a sweatshop $1 an hour in China, he's not going to put as much care into the product. Forget that, just look at Indonesian Ibanezes versus Japanese or American ones. You can't tell me that they are of just as high quality.

I'll be optimistic though and assume that the one I played had something wrong. I'll have to try it again to re-evaluate. I really want to like this amp.

 

[microdmitry]

It makes all the difference in the world.

No it doesn't. The same robot assembles the PCBs using the same components and the same schematic. I'm typing this from a Chinese made Mac Book Pro, and the quality is just fine. This is not to say I prefer the jobs to be over there and not here, this is to say there's plenty of quality stuff coming out of China these days.

 

[elcid]

China makes tons of quality stuff, when they arent poisoning kids with the crap they use to make toys or poisoning tooth paste and other exports, but hey at least we can save a few bucks.

 

[microdmitry]

It's not like US manufacturers never poisoned anyone. :lol: Ever heard of Monsanto?

Besides, where do you think the components from which your "US made" amp is built come from?

 

[waylay00]

Besides, where do you think the components from which your "US made" amp is built come from?

USA and Great Britain

Heyboer Transformer = USA
Mullard EL34s = UK
JJ 12AX7s = Canada/Slovak Rep.
Sprague Caps, etc.. = USA
Headshell = USA

Granted, that's not all the parts, but I guarantee you most, if not all, of the components in my amp do not come from some third world country.

 

[microdmitry]

Copper wire and core in your Heyboer tranny probably come from China. Unless you have NOS Mullards, they're made in Russia (by folks who don't give a damn, either). Metallized mylar/polypropylene film in your non-electrolytic Sprague caps probably comes from China as well. Get rid of it now, man, it's built out of ideologically impure components.