well...I got the Alesis amp in today and had a chance to quick play thru it.
First off... it worked!! no problems, crackles, damage or anything. That was nice.
Let me also say, I just fiddled with it for a short while. I was planning on taking it to a jam (actually a rehersal for a band I just joined), but passed, because in the short 45 minutes I had to play thru it before I left, I was not comfortable enough to just plug in and go. This is NOT a normal amp with just a volume, and a couple of tone controls. Basically it APPEARS to be all presets, while adjustable, in which you have to choose from to play thru. There was such a wide variety, and I wanted a couple of solid sounds tonight at rehersal, but found it a bit too confusing to figure it out without delving into the manual to understand it fully. Sure, I got it up and going ok, but I wanted to create some presets FIRST, then take it out for the gig.
Additionally, the other amps I have to compare to are:
*Ampeg V4 full stack (waaaay loud, if you know what I mean, but killer sound for a full stack)
*Twin Reverb (again...waaaay loud, but in a nice clean way...eh??)
*Bassman with 2 x 12 cab( an old fav for guitar, but don't use it that much like the twin, because I like more variety nowadays.
*Vox pathfinder... not bad...
*Marshall 20 watt valvestate.... my current jamming amp...it's ok, but the V4 is the real deal (I think it kicks better than an old JCM800 if you ask me)
*pignose... it was cheap...eh??
So.. compared to my cheapie Marshall, the Alesis seems to kick butt. At twice the wattage (60 watts) and a 12" VS a 10" in the Marshall, you notice that difference too. But they are both about the same size....kinda dinky and easy to carry.
some of the presets are noisy, especially the REALLY high gain stuff, but it appears you can tweak that stuff down a tad.
the clean sounds are VERY nice.
the high gain sounds are Ok...
BUT!! for a great supprise, the Alesis allows for the abilty to run it as a left channel in a stereo setup. Just connect another amp, set the volumes similar, and you get a stereo setup.... for chorus and stuff like that.
Doing this with my mini Marshall, the sound jumped up SEVERAL levels and was very nice. With a thicker sound from the Alesis, and a nice clean sound from the solid state Marshall, the two combined to make a nice thick full sound. I liked it a lot. I will be using TWO AMPS for sure, rather than just the one. Not for the stereo, but for the much fuller sound. Just thicker, meatier...all around.
Now..as far as reliabilty... the box had "made in China" in bold letters, and for $200 you get about what you expect. I wouldn't expect constant gigging to go well in the durabilty department for the amp, but I am going to leave it at a church, and figure it should be just fine there. My little Marshall is a bit on the cheap side too, appearance wize...
Overall, at this point I am VERY pleased, as at 200 bananas, this was a great choice. I am glad I picked it up over some of the solid state Fenders, which I almost got. I am looking for a wide variety of sounds, not a one trick pony, and this amp seems like it will fit my bill. Not an amp for everybody, as witnessed, many seem to think it is a piece of junk. Well, compared to my older Fenders and my V4 stack, it is. But for a cheapie little amp, which I will use on a regular basis at my church at least twice a week, it looks like the right choice for this instance.
wish me luck I don't break it or blow it up!!!
off..to play with the presets, and completely figure this thing out....
