Thinking about buying an amp... have a question for you

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TheKeith

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Just a quick question to any amp freaks here...

I don't want to get anything cheap... but I can't afford most 4x12 half stacks either.

Not for shows, really, but something with much more kick than this peice of s*** practice amp I have sitting here collecting dust. It just doesn't handle my heavy, serious tone.

My style is heavy/extreme metal and metal core such stuff... you get the idea. I don't need anything that would specialize in clean sounds.

Anyone know of any ideal amp I should consider investing in?
 
We're having good results with a Blues Jr. and a Weber MASS 50watt attenuator. You can get nice overdriven tones without having the neighbors freak out.
 
hmm...well in that range...idk, haha line 6 has spiders in that range...u'll be looking at most solid state stuff for that range...i've always liked line 6's insane/metal settings..that sound harder and stuff.
 
I don't remember which spider model you have to step up into to get the celestion speakers, but you should try and do so. Your chugga chugga riffs will thanks you.
 
I've seen Blues Juniors go for $290 on Craigslist...
Thats in there if you can get Heavy Metal out of it?

you know a lot of people slamm and flame Crate, but thsoe frkn V series tuber's have a really nice tone and you can get that "squeel bent string" out of 'em.
And their fairly cheap. unfortunately Crate has covered themselves with too much shit.

definately check out the Blues Jr. before you buy, I've played about 8 in the stores now and I swear 4 or 5 had build defects.
I think the Blues Jr made its name on the US version or something, maybe get a used form that era.

my best advice is Don't listen to anything I say....:rolleyes:

$300 Blues Jr US made
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230160519058
 
TheKeith said:
Well I got my eye on the Spider III 75 combo amp right now. I'll look into that.

Thanks
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Yeah their good..trust me..they get the job done, and i think that is the celestion model. Line 6s are awesome for solos and stuff...and the metal/insane amp models are modeled after a mesa boogie dual rectifier.
 
thread monster recommends the blues junior or saving up a bit more cash so you will have more options. that is all
 
I don't have many suggestions for an amp under $300 that will shread...if you get a spider get the celestions or suffer, the only Line 6's worth a shoot are upper price range mho....if you want my suggestion (probably not haha) I'd check out the VOX line....although I have only played the older ac30 some of the newer stuff is way good...now Fender is a favorite, but a blues jr. is not a metal amp...the 4X12 combo would be nice, but outta price range...if you could double your money you could get out of the practice amp level.
 
I have a spider 2x12 (not sure the model, a few years old though) which I loved when I bought it. I have come to hate it. I can't quite describe why, except to say that the guitar sounds in my mixes sound about as authentic as the piano sounds emanating from my roland rd-100. Now I wish I had one solid tone instead of 100 synthetic-sounding tones. I'll be trading up this year sometime (probably to a fender or Vox). That's just me, though, YMMV.
 
being realistic, there's really nothing in that price range that's much of an upgrade for metal--the blues jr with a hot plate/weber mass attenuator could get you kinda there with a pedal or two, but it's more of a blues flavored overdrive than a metal one (hence the name "blues jr'). if you're dying to burn the cash, look for a used blues jr and get a hot plate or weber mass attenuator.

the epiphone valve junior combo or the head/cabinet combination could be a good thing too. that's actually a good bit closer to that metal chugga than the fender.

however, my advice is to save up for a 5150 combo. those things are a metalhead's delight.


cheers,
wade
 
Of course, "used" is your way into the upper level with the least budget.

Seems Marshall pops in my mind for HM.

Even the solid states sound pretty damn good per a lot of posts, and I agree....

IMO, the Marshalls get there real quick and easy...they have a OD thats familiar to the ears.
Fenders, seem to require much more work and volume to get the OD, and when it does its just different. More Bluesy, warm, thick....

Marshalls just have that edge, in my meaningless opinion, on OverDrive. the chorus and verb is sweet too.


So maybe thats the answer!! You need a Marshall & a Fender ...and a Modeller.........:eek:
 
the guys price range is up to like 300, and people are dishing out like peavey 5150's and vox Ac30s(which is a great amp, but by far not a metal amp by any means). for a range up to that a line 6 is good.
 
COOLCAT said:
So maybe thats the answer!! You need a Marshall & a Fender ...and a Modeller.........:eek:
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actually, that's not so far fetched. i bought a carvin v3 a while back and i love it. but i still use my tonelab with the clean channel...and it ROCKS! that gives me tonal options i wouldn't have otherwise and the v3 really warms up the sound of the tonelab.
 
JPXTom said:
the guys price range is up to like 300, and people are dishing out like peavey 5150's and vox Ac30s(which is a great amp, but by far not a metal amp by any means). for a range up to that a line 6 is good.
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true.
back to reality. damn...its always back to reality.

So we're not getting much in Tube amps at $300.

Epi, Fender small ones.

Used maybe a $400-500 for $300.

So then the Soilid State and Modelers open up more options.
Line 6 is for sure the most common modeler, thats what they do.

Then all the rest have models of modelers.:D

Another idea is to flip a quarter.:p
 
While th Blues Jr. is a great amp, its not going to give him any of the metal tones without putting something in front of it.

I would probably recomend a Peavey Valve King combo, as it is essentially a 3 channel amp w/ killer clean, nice OD and an over the top crunch setting. They seem to be a good value for a tube amp.
 
JPXTom said:
the guys price range is up to like 300, and people are dishing out like peavey 5150's and vox Ac30s(which is a great amp, but by far not a metal amp by any means). for a range up to that a line 6 is good.
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well, the 5150 isn't THAT much more above his range. i mean, you either want the sound or you want to burn money and have something now. my suggestion is to save more. how hard is that?

really, there's no such thing as "price range"--there's only "how much cash i have right now and i want to buy something". it's easy, hold onto your cash, defer gratification, and you can get something that will REALLY get you there.

as for an ac30 not being good for metal.....lots of folks have used an ac30 for exactly that. jc120's too.


cheers,
wade
 
mrface2112 said:
well, the 5150 isn't THAT much more above his range. i mean, you either want the sound or you want to burn money and have something now. my suggestion is to save more. how hard is that?

really, there's no such thing as "price range"--there's only "how much cash i have right now and i want to buy something". it's easy, hold onto your cash, defer gratification, and you can get something that will REALLY get you there.

as for an ac30 not being good for metal.....lots of folks have used an ac30 for exactly that. jc120's too.


cheers,
wade
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Theres also..the factor of hey..i dont wanna drop ___ amount of money on an amplifier, if im just chilling around playing guitar. hah. And Im talking about using just an ac30, without pedals in front of it...anything can sound like w/e with x-number of pedals in front of it...but if u want something in that price range that delivers without the need of pedals...i say again, go with a modeling amp like a line 6 whos metal distortion is awesome, and whos amps are in a 100-300 dollar range of someone who doesnt wanna drop a ton of cash on an amp.
 
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