What amp do you use?

[sydsbluesky]

Seems like a simple question, but I've been wondering about it for a while on this place.

With all the rewiring going on, it seems like an obvious place to look for that missing tone. I am, of course, making the huge assumption that people mod guitars for tone, as opposed to modding them because they're crazy! I know which it is for me!

I really only play three guitars. The LP with a p-90 in the place of bridge minibucker, the ESP with pup switch and a bass with a new pickup wired right to the jack. No fancy wiring anywhere in that.

I've actually given the bass a tone-ectomy!

It's also worth noting that I played the ESP for about a year (not uninterrupted) without the bridge pickup even connected. This spans two different sets of pickups, even.



Don't get me wrong, here... I might do binary tree for the next one.

[lpf3]

That, of course depends on who you ask.
Some would say that there are Fender Twin Reverbs and the there are well, amps.

With all the rewiring going on, it seems like an obvious place to look for that missing tone.

Yeah, I first came around here lookin' for a way to make my Tele sound like a Strat. ;D

Then I bought a Strat. ;D

-lpf3

[sydsbluesky]

Oh, right...

I know I talk about them enough (because they're amazing, duh?) But I play through a 100 watt Marshall AVT hybrid and a five watt Blackstar HT-5. Both tend to go through four 12 inch celestions housed in a crate box.... crate box? Funny.

[ashcatlt]

I am crazy.

I rewire my guitars to get more options out of them. It's mostly for recording purposes. I've got 4 electric 6 strings. but with standard switching on them I only get 11 different tones. That just ain't enough for me.

So also with amplifiers. I would never be happy with any sane number of amps. I want to have piles of amps and cabs and have "unlimited" options to plug different heads into different speakers, without worrying about power or impedance numbers. I don't have that kind of space.

So I have something like 50 amps and 30 some cabinets in 4 rack spaces. Behringer V-Amp Pro and Bass V-Amp Pro.

[sydsbluesky]

May 23, 2010 16:17:28 GMT -5 ashcatlt said:

I am crazy.

Strong opening. Always helps! ;D

I think you probably have one of the most versatile rigs on the forum.

If you could add any one thing to the rig what would it be, and for what purpose would it be added?

[newey]

Right now, the main amp is my Fender Frontman 25R. I spent $140, but they're lately on sale for $99 at MF and elsewhere. For around the house, and even for small gigs, I don't think you can beat it at the price.

The stock speaker sucks, I replaced it with a Jensen Mod, which helped a bunch. But the amp nails that Fender clean, and has a decent spring reverb. The gain channel is good for adding a bit of bite, up to about "2-3", after that it's useless. The last 25% of the power is unusable. But it can still get pretty loud and stay clean.

My only real gripes are that it doesn't have an effects loop or a speaker out jack, and the footswitch only controls the gain channel, not the reverb. But hey, it's a hundred bones, whaddya want?

In addition to that, I have an Electro-Harmonix .22 Caliber 22-watt stompbox amp, run into a Peavey 2X10" cab. This is used with the pedalboard, mostly.

I also have a Traynor 40-watt SS bass amp, 1X10", which does double duty for the bass as well as for the "stompbox"!

There is definitely another amp in my future, I'm looking to make the jump to a tube head to run into the Peavey cab.

[sydsbluesky]

Actually, if any of you remember that video I posted of the band thing here a while back with the dancing panda and whatnot, it'll be worth my time to mention that the melody guitar track was recorded on that exact model Fender amp with my LP.

I was very impressed, to a point. Far beyond the 100 bones point, I'll say.


I also picked up an HDMI cable yesterday, so now I'm running dual monitors from my laptop. As I do my normal Sunday activity (online gaming... har har) I have GN2 sitting off to the left on a TV all by itself waiting for my attention.

That with an auto-refresher and the recent posts page up... I'm in the big time, now.

Just fought a lich, by the way... If any of you have ever played DnD you'll appreciate that.

Yes. I'm a nerd.

[ashcatlt]

May 23, 2010 19:05:16 GMT -5 sydsbluesky said:

If you could add any one thing to the rig what would it be, and for what purpose would it be added?

Well, I'm generally pretty happy with what I've got. I can plug this thing into my studio monitors, a pair of decent headphones, a decent 2.1 computer speaker system, your living room stereo, or a PA at a club and they will sound somewhere between good and great.

At least as important: I can record 6 or 8 guitar tracks and dail in exactly the right character for each one - from way too lean to death metal distortion and just about everywhere in between.

The one thing I'm missing right now is a working volume pedal. Most of my guitars lack volume pots, so volume swells are impossible for me. I built a passive pedal into a Crybaby shell a while back, but it won't turn the pot all the way from silent to unity. I should probably just go buy one, but...see above... I've gotten my hands on an IC based VCA and my next project is to try to get it to do what I need.

You only asked for one thing. The other thing I could kind of use is some conveniently portable (relatively) flat and clean amp/speaker package. Like even a single powered PA speaker, a decent keyboard amp, or something.

The studio monitors are bulky, not particularly road-worthy, and require a seperate amplifier. I've got a couple of 2.1 systems from Altec Lansing which sound surprisingly good (and loud) for what I paid, but that's still three seperate pieces and I don't think they'll survive being bumped around too much. I've only got so many sets of headphones. If I want to play for more than 3 people, or (much more important) get real live resonant string feedback...

Trouble with this is that I don't want to have to store and eventually move the darn thing.

[ashcatlt]

btw - I remember the video but not the specific sound you're talking about. Also, what game are you playing?

[JohnH]

Ive got a few amp options (but never enough)

No1 is definitely the Marshall DSL combo, which is 40W all valve. I put a better Celestion speaker into it, and use it together with my extra 1x12 cab about which I have posted round here. It works well on acoustic too with the Piezo tweeters switched on.

I also have a Marshall 4x12 valvestate cab from about 1991, which is good for recording. Plus I have a Crate PowerBlock, which drives either of the cabs, or both. I also sometimes use it as fully clean power amp through a wedge for fold-back or small PA duties.

I’ve got half our PA system at home, comprising a Behringer 15” powered PA speaker, and c1980 english 12 channel mixer which I have renovated. They are also good with modellers and acoustic.

For rehearsals, I’m usually travelling by train, so I take one guitar and a Zoom G2 modeller and go through the studio PA. It is adequate, but it is so much better through the Marshall amp.

John

[sydsbluesky]

Ash

The song was nothing fantastic, anyway... just happened to be our Pillows cover, and they ran the contest. Which was decided ENTIRELY by youtube views and not quality of videos... some people just ran refreshers and IP switchers all day and ha like 20K views of them playing along to MP3s and got into the final 20 with it.

We had one of the five best vids up... and we actually changed the song a whole hell of a lot, which no one else did... I'm bitter. I wanted that trip to Japan.

Also, I'm playing Neverwinter Nights. It's a DnD based game. We have a hard time getting the group together for DnD these days, so I hang with a few of my Pencil and Paper pals online. It's... well, it's exactly to 3.0 rules with the character building... and it's way old and free. Good game... but, yeah...

And no volume pedal?!?! Holy crap. I can't live without my volume pedal. Even at home! What happens if you have to answer the phone while you're jamming?!

John

Mmm.. DSL.. Do you run anything in front as a boost? I remember my first experience with good amp overdrive was one of those with a boss OD-2 in front... ooohh baby... What a sound! One of the locals (like.. 200 meters from here haha) had one. That kid can shred...

But yeah, nothing beats a 4x12. If I remember correctly, those were pretty nice cabs. My friend had one before he moved to Hawaii after high school.. or I THINK that's what it was.

I feel your pain running through a PA... that's never quite as much fun as a good Marshall... Then again, what in life is?

[JohnH]

May 24, 2010 13:13:40 GMT -5 sydsbluesky said:

John

Mmm.. DSL.. Do you run anything in front as a boost? I remember my first experience with good amp overdrive was one of those with a boss OD-2 in front... ooohh baby... What a sound! One of the locals (like.. 200 meters from here haha) had one. That kid can shred...

The amp has a good crunch of its own, but it also works well with pedals. Currently, that spot is taken by my latest home made one (design in effects schematics), which pushes the clean channel.

J

[sydsbluesky]

Was hoping for more input on this.

That sounds like a nice setup, John. I have a little bit of power tube envy.

[chuck]

my favorite amp is my old Peavey VTM60 into two VTM cabs loaded with the original Celestion G12K85s.
i run straight into the amp , no crappy pedals to get in the way .

i use my home made non tone sucking power attenuator to dial down volume levels when i want to push the Tung Sol 5881s over the edge.

my 2nd favorite amp would either be my old Jackson JG2 or Laney GH100TI

[Teleblooz]

I'm pretty much down to 2 amps. Depending on the tone I'm going for, either my Blues Junior or my rewired Bogen combo. Both have very usable master volume controls - thankfully - so I can use them around the house without annoying the wife-unit. I have a Crate V33H half-stack that's basically gathering dust until my next band project gets started up.

Never could get Neverwinter Nights to work, so I went the Baldur's Gate route instead.

[JFrankParnell]

My guitar amp is my bass amp. Although I've been playing guitar a bit longer than bass, I'm known as a bass player in my circles. Then I got a Vox Tonelab LE which got me so rev'd up, I got a new strat to go with it. And then, I find this place with all the mods and fun stuff. I'm rebranding myself as a guitar player now

So, I'm playing thru my '73 Bassman 100 1/2 stack. The cab is the 4x12 'pyramid', I call it the vortex. All 4 speakers aimed in towards the middle. Kinda like the planet killing laser on the death star. This thing has been roaring like a beast since I was in high school, 1987.

What's funny is that I often play thru the "Bassman100" model in the ToneLab into my Bassman100 But the model is based more on the 4x10 combo. I also really love the JTM45 and Plexi models. The cab is a little colored to really get a good Mesa crunch/chug sound going, but it suffices.

And, when I'm trying to be a little quieter, I play through my Pignose Hog30 and solid state Gibson 1x12 simultaneously (with Tonelab). The two really compliment each other, the Hog30 gives a nice fat meat while the gibson has more clarity.

[sjsrocks]

Here is what I use Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue & Marshall Valvestate 8280. The Fender is LOUD for a 40w amp. It can overdrive easy with the right tubes in her. The Amp Doctor 6L6GC-STR short bottle's overdrive it great. Svetlana 6L6GC are clean at high volume. The best tube is Tung-Sol 6L6GC. Great for the Blues. You get the best of both worlds with Tung-Sol. Tung-Sol 5881 is great for Rock-N-Roll.
The Marshall is 80w and has a good clean channel witch surprised me. But I use the Blues Deluxe more. If it's a big place like an out side gig at the Ranch, I use both.

[newey]

sjsrocks-

Both sweet amps, you've got the Fender world as well as the Marshall world covered . . .

But more importantly, I don't think you've been properly welcomed. So:

Hello and Welcome!

[sjsrocks]

Thanks for the welcome newey. I think I'm going to enjoy this sight.

[chuck]

the Tung-Sol 5881's are quite awesome when pushed hard arent they ?

i love 'em in my old Peavey VTM , and am thinking about putting a set in my Marshall 9100 power amp.

[thetragichero]

picked up a used marshall dsl100 and 8412 cab for 600$ about a month ago
replaced the preamp tubes first with tung-sol reissue, then i wised up and and it's now full of NOS tubes from the 50s and 60s
i use the classic crunch channel for 'cleans' (gain at about 9 o'clock) and the ultra gain channel for 'crunch' (gain at 12 o'clock), with a digitech hardwire tube overdrive (gain at zero) as a boost for leads
i like this amp a lot.... if i had some more dough i would probably have it just for distortion and an AB pedal to a vox/fender for clean but... times is tough!
xoxo


--chris

[chuck]

Hey Chris , what didnt you like about the new Tung-sol 12AX7s ?

[thetragichero]

it's not so much that i didn't like them as the NOS tubes just seemed to give me more options for tonal shaping/gain shaping
plus they were made to higher standards than the newer tubes, so they should last longer
that being said, the tung-sols seem to be the best of the current production tubes, and i have them as a backup
(there's a huge thread on the marshall forum about NOS tubes)
xoxo


--chris

[chuck]

thanks for the heads up Chris

[morecowbell]

Blackstar HT5 head into an Epiphone Valve Jr. 1X12 cab.
Awesome setup for a home player like me. Thinking about adding another Epi cab to spread out the sound.
Great powertube distortion at low volume.
Very flexible too, from American to British vibe.
Loud as well, if desired.
Never had the vol. past 5 and even then was worried about the neighbors (in unattached house next door) complaining.
Imagine you could gig with it if needed, though I haven't had a chance to confirm that.
Gotta love all these low-wattage heads and amps they keep coming out with.
Makes it a good time to be a stay-at-home rocker.

[chuck]

5 watts is more than enough for home rockin ...

i love em too

[ttsc]

For acoustic I use a 1998 SWR California Blonde. And sometimes a fender frontman 25r with a Ragin Cajin speaker on the clean channel. To me the frontman 25r sounds better than the acoustsonic jr. I sold the jr many years ago when I purchased the SWR.

For my Strats and tele I use a 5e3 with no effects. I had a Carvin V16 and used a TS808 modded but the 5e3 has way better tone, tube overdrive, and sustain. I don't even miss the reverb. The Carvin had too much midrange for me. The 5e3 is a great amp for the blues. It has moderate volume and scooped mids with a lot of bottom. The only pedal I use rarely is a modded BYOC wah and a tuner.

[ijustwannastrat]

I switch between my Fender Twin Amp, and a Hughes and Kettner Blue 60.

That Fender Twin gets amazing cleans, and slight OD, but I am still looking for a good Distortion pedal. I have a DIY Big Muff Pi that gets a pretty raunchy fuzz, but I need that heavy OD, mild distortion range.

So if anybody knows a great pedal for that range of grit, throw me a link. 'Tis the season, after all

[ashcatlt]

Rat.

[ijustwannastrat]

Nov 23, 2010 21:51:06 GMT -5 ashcatlt said:

Rat.

What version? They seem to have about a hundred out there, and everyone seems to love "this one", but never "that one"....