Need a new amp! - Page 3

ThunderForge · March 14th, 2008

OK, I am frustrated as all heck. My amp sounds like arse at any volume above 3 or 4. I've tried everything and it boils down to cheap speakers in a cheap particle board 2x12 cab (Ibanez TBX150R). I never had this problem with my line6. I only got rid of it because I wanted an amp with no built in effects or modeling. I like to use pedals. So here's the question. I want the best possible 2x12 combo or half stack for $1000k or less. I just want to have good tone and be able to keep up with a drummer and the rest of the band. Any help would be awesome!

BTW: I play mostly metal with very heavy distortion. So I only really care about the quality of the clean channel.

Noodler · #31 April 7th, 2008

Doug, I'd love to hear such a clip. From you or Kirk. Don't worry, I won't judge your playing if you tell me not to. I can listen to it completely as an amp sample, if you want. Does it have as much character as this:

Guitar amps by Hughes&Kettner - Products

So far as I can tell, the Hotrod doesn't seem as mellow or rocky as this one, or the even the Blues Jnr. I understand you'd be biased (no pun intended). The store I usually go to promotes the HotRod full on, but no one seems to want to demo these things for you. Maybe they're afraid of using up the tubes? Still, you'd think if they wanted to sell one that they'd let you see how good it sounded. One guy did demo it for me one day (and got told off by his boss for doing so), but that's when I gained the impression it was a bit plain.

So yeah, if you can get a cool sound out of it, please share!

Wonder how Thunderforge is going.

ThunderForge · #32 April 9th, 2008

Been so busy lately, I haven't had the time to check in. No luck on getting an amp yet. I'm having a hard time making my decision. Plus I may be taking a job out of state, so I may have to wait till after I relocate.

ThunderForge · #33 April 9th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by doug russell

I'm going to sound a bit bias, but I have a Fender Hotrod Deluxe. It has enough power to gig at any level, the tone is awesome and it really moves the air around. I push my fatstrat through a Zoom 9.2tt through it, and I woud'nt use anything else.

Is it a 2x12" combo? I just looked at the hotrod deville 2x12" for $799. Opinions?

ljt336 · #34 April 9th, 2008

Thunderforge, check out the Orange Tiny Terror, it rips and its class a and about $700 it will run 2 8 ohm quads and is switchable between 7 and 15 watts(class a very loud). I bought one and made my own cab out of an old TV set.loadeded it with a 8ohm 90w celestion black shadow from a mesa mkiv. it was easy and sound incredible on its own and looks super retro also. really simple, one channel, minimal controls, screamin pro tones for a pittance.
away we go!
check it on youtube dude. every players needs one o these

doug russell · #35 April 10th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThunderForge

Is it a 2x12" combo? I just looked at the hotrod deville 2x12" for $799. Opinions?

The Hotrod Deluxe is a single. I would have had the Hotrod Deville but it's really heavy. Hoever it's an awesome amp.

Noodler · #36 April 10th, 2008

YouTube - Orange Tiny Terror Combo at Frankfurt Musikmesse 2008

^^^
Tiny Terror combo. One of the coolest things I have ever heard! Awesome!! Talks a bit at start of clip, but worth waiting till he plays (Best bend ever or what! I first picked up a guitar to make sounds like that).

And an answer to the next question: Can the Tiny Terror Play metal? YouTube - Orange Tiny Terror Metal
Not my first choice for metal but still great for rock and blues. For the modern metal high-gain metal thing, I wonder if you really need tubes. I get killer metal tones out of my Pocket Pod. It's only if you want that nice bluesy breakup like shown above that I reckon you need tubes for.

If I played modern metal (eg detuned/ dropped D) exclusively, (and was on a budget) I wouldn't rule out Line 6. I reckon they do that really well, and cheap. Or that other one we talked about earlier by Bugera. They seem cheap but great for metal too. I likes.

doug russell · #37 April 10th, 2008

ok I reckon this is a good demo of the hotrod deluxe. I hope you enjoy it.
YouTube - Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Electric Guitar Amp Demo

Noodler · #38 April 11th, 2008

Thanks for the link. I've seen it before. Looked for lots of videos and samples to try and be impressed. Good for having a look at equipment that channel on youtube.

I'm confused about a few things.

Firstly, is his guitar out of tune on that video?
To me as an amp it doesn't make me smile and go "Wow" like the Orange one did. It seems about the same sound quality as my old solid state Fender Princeton, but 3x the price! If you love it and you're happy that's the main thing. I wonder if people (generally speaking) think, "Well, it's Fender and it's a tube amp, it must be good." I mean, it'd be great for resale, which is a selling point. The standards are high here, we're talking about A$1500.

This one seems to be in a whole better class (and more expensive tho'). I'd want this quality for $1,500, but it's over $3,000.
YouTube - Fender Super Sonic Electric Guitar Combo Amplifier Demo

I'd love to see a video or hear you with yours though Doug. Of that series (Pro Jnr, Blues Jnr, HotRod and Deville), the Blues Jnr Tweed is my favourite, but I'm still going for that H & K one, because it seems to go from Fender to Marshall! Heeeeell man, even got a twang switch!

SlickCat · #39 April 26th, 2008

The Supersonic is $1300.00 new.
Buy Fender Super-Sonic 112 Guitar Combo Amp online at Musician's Friend

Noodler · #40 April 27th, 2008

Alas, in Australia they go for $3000.

It works like that here, we pay lots more for all amps. eg Princeton Recording from Bananas is $1000US (say $1100 Australian), but retails here for $2500 Australian.

For $1500 Australian I'd own one, but thanks for trying for me. It was a nice gesture. Some people import and buy the tranny to go from 110V to 240V, but there's warranty, import duty, etc. It'd work out the same anyway.

Thunderforge, the Fenders are not for metal. You said you were a metal-head, right? You want something high-gain, so you can do your squealies and tapping and stuff. Seriously, unless you play with mild overdrive, I'd be looking at solid state. Cheaper, no maintenance:

The Tube vs Solid State Amp debate is slowly but surely coming to an end! - Tube vs Solid State Amps - Epinions.com

For super clean and ultra high gain, you can't hear valves. The value in valves is that they sound smooth when you start to overdrive them, like blues players do, or even like in classic rock. For modern drop D chugging do you really need to buy something you have to maintain? Are you going to notice subtle soft clipping with your Boss MT-2 raising the fires of hell? I think not!

SlickCat · #41 April 27th, 2008

Have you tried Ceriatone amps...handmade classics.
CeriaTone.Com - DIY Guitar Tube Amp

Noodler · #42 April 28th, 2008

If that was for me, that's tempting!

Might be above my level though. Need to run at 240V AC 50Hz (Oz), but that would be designed for 110V (US). Still it'll be worth an enquiry to see if I can make my own 112 Bassman.

parrotheada1a · #43 May 4th, 2008

For something a bit different... How about the same amp I have? It's a Hughes & Kettner Edition tube 20. I paid 650 for it, through MF, and they are about 100 bucks more at mom & pops if you can find a dealer. It's got 20W of incredible tone that you don't need to play at arena volume, although it's definitely capable of doing just that. It's got 2 channels on it, clean & lead. It takes pedals really well, and I've managed to turn myself into a pedalwhore. The clean channel is mostly what I use, it's like having a non master volume amp. The lead channel another story entirely. It's got a gain knob, plus a master volume that really cranks out the sound. Do I love it?

Here's a pic, click the thumb to see it fullsized.