High wattage guitar amps?

[raven46]

i was in a store in limerick a couple of days ago and i played a fender metalhead amp, not called metalhead for obvious reasons but the cab and head has metal all around the sides for protection
anyawy this is a serious amp with 500 watts of power i played a squire tele i never tought a squire could sound so good i wanted to go home and get the les paul, cost over 1000euro for the rig but the shop owner said he would take a 1000 straight, to be honest if a guitarist bought this amp he would never have to buy another amp again

 

[raven46]

sorry i just cheaked it out on harmony central it can deliver up to 550watts of power

SPECIFICATIONS

Fender Metalhead

550 Watts into 2 Ohms (a pair of MH-412 enclosures)
400 Watts into 4 Ohms (a single MH-412 enclosure)
All solid-state circuitry
Forced-Air fan cooling
Three-channel preamp voiced for the new millennium
BOOST knob allows footswitchable volume boost on any channel, effectively providing SIX channel performance
16 useful effects, including new GATE feature, which can be used for noise reduction or "stop-start" muting techniques
Professional speaker-emulated XLR Line Out with Level control & Ground Lift
Four-button footswitch is included
Weight: 50 lbs (22.7 Kg)
Height: 8.5"
Width: 29.25"
Depth: 11
MH-412SL & MH-412ST Enclosures

MH-412SL has a "slant" baffle
MH-412ST has a "straight" baffle and caster cups to allow stacking the Slant cab on top
Perforated Metal grille
Angled Nickel-plated Steel edge reinforcement
Premium 13-ply Birch construction
Four 12 inch, 100 Watt Celestion drivers
4 Ohms total impedance
Enclosure can handle 400 Watts RMS
Single 1/4" speaker input
Pop-out Casters are included
Weight: 106 lbs (48 Kg)
Height: 30"
Width: 30"
Depth: 15"
power
i would post a link to the site but i dont know how (how sad) anyway cheak it out....

 

[ermghoti]

i was in a store in limerick a couple of days ago and i played a fender metalhead amp... if a guitarist bought this amp he would never have to buy another amp again

500 watts is less than 50% louder than 100 watts, which is at least twice as loud as would ever be needed by a guitar player. I've heard Metalheads, and anybody who bought one would immediately need another amp, if they wanted to sound halfway decent. 30-50 watts will handle anything. I have never turned my Boogie MkII to 10, except as a joke. It will stay clean all the way to the firewall, if tubed properly. I usually play out with the master on 2-2 1/2, anything from classic rock to vintage thrash.

 

[metalhead28]

I have to agree. I tried the Fender Metalhead and more or less recoiled in disgust. Loud does not equal good....it is loud though, I'll give it that.

I'm actually offended that they named it after my HR handle....

 

[gcapel]

You need to plug into the same cab. The speaker efficiency is 1000000x more important than the amps wattage for volume.

I got the head not the combo sir.
Yep comparison in a 1960 4x12. Pound for pound champion. DSL blows.

I get your point but on the other side of the coin the circuit design and parts pick is also a huge factor in a guitar amp.

I want to test drive one of those Deizel amps. Sounded awesome on the new tool album.

 

[soundchaser59]

If you actually NEED a 750 watt amp to play your gigs, then you are doing something wrong...

Why do you think it's the amp that cant handle the sound? What about the speakers? Most of the 10 and 12 inch speakers out there are not capable of reproducing the low B frequency. Have you considered 15 and 18 inch speakers?? Are you using lite strings?

You are dealing with a whole chain of events here, from fingers to strings to speakers to ears and all the electronics in between, you shouldn't just hear something crappy and automatically decide that it's the amp that is farting in your face....

 

[soundchaser59]

Yeah the only amps that I've seen that are over 100 or 150 watts are solid state, like Randall makes a 200W SS amp.

But don't be surprised that you can't find anything over that wattage because its pretty much useless. If you're playing a venue where 100 watts isn't enough power for your guitar, then you should probably be micing it and sending it through the PA system anyways.
If you're looking at tube amps for guitar, 100 watts is ungodly loud. I mean like permanent hearing damage, can't play it inside the city limits or the neighbors will call the cops, blow your hair back kind of loud. Unnecessarily loud. Plus when you factor in the fact (like mentioned above) that a tube guitar amp sounds its best when its near its upper limits of power output, you really have to crank it to get the sound you're after. That's why so many of us play low-wattage tube amps that you can crank and not go deaf. Then if its not loud enough, mic it.

That's EXACTLY what I'm talking about. That's why good sound men have jobs! People doing this gig since before ScreamingHead69 was born have figured this same thing out a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away!

But some kids have to learn on their own the hard of hearing way.....

Man, we are telling you, if you are playing a venue where you think you NEED 750 watts, then stick with 200 watts and hire a soundman. A place that big should have their own sound man and PA anyway....

 

[ggunn]

That's EXACTLY what I'm talking about. That's why good sound men have jobs! People doing this gig since before ScreamingHead69 was born have figured this same thing out a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away!

But some kids have to learn on their own the hard of hearing way.....

Man, we are telling you, if you are playing a venue where you think you NEED 750 watts, then stick with 200 watts and hire a soundman. A place that big should have their own sound man and PA anyway....

There's also the consideration that guitar amps are very directional, so if you're projecting a bazillion watts into the crowd from the stage and you're not in the PA, you're killing the folks right in front of your amp while the people off to the side still can't hear you over the bass and drums.

 

[ScreamingHead69]

People doing this gig since before ScreamingHead69 was born....

First off, that's that's kinda dick dude, no need to break balls.


Now since a million people have responded since I last checked this...12 hours ago and I seem to have drummed up some controversy, I'm going to try and explain as many things as I can from memory.

My guitar player ISN'T LOKING FOR A 700 WATT AMP, we were just wondering why the higher wattages are hard to come by.

I think someone mantioned somthing about his Peavy being solid state when in actuality it's a 120 watt tube amp. It used to sound great, then really took a hard dive, had the tubes changed (by a pro Peavey technician who did the biasing and everything) and it's slowly sounding worse and worse, dying of old age.

If you asked why we need all that power, we're a metal band, a loud metal band. While no, you don't need 1,000 watts to sound good, 1,000 watts are cool! This is somthing we're never going to agree on. I appreciate everyone concern for my hearing, my neighbors hearing, my bandmates hearing and my speakers, but we take percautions so it's all good.

On speaker size: yes, I do need bigger speakers (I'm playing through a 4x10 right now) and a new cab is on it's way, but my amps limiter is really jumpy and goes insane anytime I hit my B string, so really my entire rig needs an overhaul for optimal sound quality.

I hope that answers the questions everyone has been asking. I also want to say thank you to everyone who's offered up their professional knowlage and for putting up with this one young metal head's bullshit. Our way may not be the best way, but damn it we have a great time doing it!

 

[gtrman_66]

If he wants loud, see if he can find one of these

I have one that I use when I play outdoor gigs on festival stages etc. and I guarantee it can generate enough volume plugged into a 4x12 to melt your eye sockets. It was made as a PA head, but it's really just a great 135w tube amp with 4 channels.It's a lot like a Dual Showman at the power stage. You just need to run outboard overdrive/distortion since it is a really clean amp by itself.

 

[ermghoti]

If you asked why we need all that power, we're a metal band, a loud metal band.

Not to be a dick, but that's just wrong. Again, the same MkII (60w) I play today was in my thrash band, and a hardcore band. The thrash band used to get occasional noise complaints...

...from other bands in our rehearsal complex.

The hardcore band was louder.

I played in a large lecture hall (don't ask) on friday PA for vox only, the other guitar player has a Twin (100w), and both of us ran through 1960 cabs. We buried the drummer, and had to turn down.

I can see 500+ watts for bass, you need the headroom to get clean lows, especially with a low B. There is no way you can't get 100w more than loud enough for guitar, though. That is the answer as to why there are few guitar amps over 100w, it is never necessary.

You probably need to turn down so everybody can hear each other. Surprisingly easy mistake to make. Take care as to how the amp is aimed, guitars are very directional.

 

[ggunn]

I think someone mantioned somthing about his Peavy being solid state when in actuality it's a 120 watt tube amp. It used to sound great, then really took a hard dive, had the tubes changed (by a pro Peavey technician who did the biasing and everything) and it's slowly sounding worse and worse, dying of old age.

If you asked why we need all that power, we're a metal band, a loud metal band. While no, you don't need 1,000 watts to sound good, 1,000 watts are cool! This is somthing we're never going to agree on. I appreciate everyone concern for my hearing, my neighbors hearing, my bandmates hearing and my speakers, but we take percautions so it's all good.

Amps rarely die of old age; and they can almost always be rejuvenated. It might be worth it to find the component that is going south and replace it. Output tranny, maybe?

As to the loudness thing, you can be real loud and not have to rely on stage volume to do it. I worked the stage for a Metallica show some years ago, and when we opened the semi to load in, it was crammed with Marshall cabs and heads. 27 Marshal 4X12s, but 24 of them were mockups and so were most of the heads. Each of the three instrumentalists had a 3X3 stack of cabs behind him, but only the center one was real, and both guitarists ran 50 watt heads. The PA did the heavy lifting.

 

[Zed10R]

First off, that's that's kinda dick dude, no need to break balls.


Now since a million people have responded since I last checked this...12 hours ago and I seem to have drummed up some controversy, I'm going to try and explain as many things as I can from memory.

My guitar player ISN'T LOKING FOR A 700 WATT AMP, we were just wondering why the higher wattages are hard to come by.

I think someone mantioned somthing about his Peavy being solid state when in actuality it's a 120 watt tube amp. It used to sound great, then really took a hard dive, had the tubes changed (by a pro Peavey technician who did the biasing and everything) and it's slowly sounding worse and worse, dying of old age.

If you asked why we need all that power, we're a metal band, a loud metal band. While no, you don't need 1,000 watts to sound good, 1,000 watts are cool! This is somthing we're never going to agree on. I appreciate everyone concern for my hearing, my neighbors hearing, my bandmates hearing and my speakers, but we take percautions so it's all good.

On speaker size: yes, I do need bigger speakers (I'm playing through a 4x10 right now) and a new cab is on it's way, but my amps limiter is really jumpy and goes insane anytime I hit my B string, so really my entire rig needs an overhaul for optimal sound quality.

I hope that answers the questions everyone has been asking. I also want to say thank you to everyone who's offered up their professional knowlage and for putting up with this one young metal head's bullshit. Our way may not be the best way, but damn it we have a great time doing it!

1) It's hard to find guitar amps much over 100 watts because it is pointless to have a guitar amp with much more than 100 watts, even for the knarliest metal...of which I am a big fan . It has been proven by experience and physics that in order to get twice as loud as 100 watts you'd need TEN TIMES the wattage. Or in other words, it's QUALITY...not quantity. And trust me dude....if the guitars are drowning out the kick drum...and 100 watts will EASILY drown out the kick drum....then you might as well just be flailing about poinlessly while wanking off 'cause no kick = no metal. It is FAR better to persue a balanced tonal spectrum than just crank it and wank it. I'll tell ya a secret....use the kick drum as a "mixing" guide. Make sure that you can always hear it clearly....if not...turn DOWN.

2) I use ONE 4x10 cab with a 1200 watt power amp, and a nice 5 string bass. As a metal bassit for nearly 20 years, I know that it is best to (once again) acheive a balanced tonal spectrum ranther than just bump up the lows and crank the volume. My 4x10 handles the extended lows of my TWO STEPS DE-TUNED 5 string with active Bartolini's with ease. It's about balance of tone.

3) Loud does not equate good.

Good luck!!

 

[ScreamingHead69]

Yes, louder is not necesarilly better, but to my ears (and I'm talking about bass amps here, NOT GUITAR AMPS WHICH EVERYONE STILL SEEMS TO THINK I'M ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR, just thought I should point that out) higher wattage amps just seem to sound better. Even if the volume is only around 3 (which still gives up plenty of kick drum) it still sounds fuller then 100 watts at 5. But that's just my opinion.

Zed, what amp are you using?

 

[ggunn]

Yes, louder is not necesarilly better, but to my ears (and I'm talking about bass amps here, NOT GUITAR AMPS WHICH EVERYONE STILL SEEMS TO THINK I'M ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR...

Perhaps it's because you said at the beginning of this thread:

My guitar player's amp is dying, and want's somthing with a ton of power, but can't find any heads over 200 watts, maybe 250. The only explination I could think of is that it takes mre power to make bass sound really good, but I pretty much made that up. Does anyone know the reall reason you can't really find a higher wattage guitar amp?

 

[faderbug]

anyone remember that scene in back to the future where michael j. fox stands in front of a HUGE speaker cab and the sound pressure just physicaly blows him away!
now that's a megawatt amp!!!!

 

[metalj]

the other thing to consider is most guys that play a 1/2 stack have the damn thing set up so the cab is basically pointed at the back of their legs. All the tone and sound is going right by you. Especially in a small practice room.

get a small amp, and tilt it back(even a bass amp). Or set your 1/2 stack at least 6 feet from you so you can actually hear yourself. I bet you wont be as loud.

 

[SBax]

Thank God there are still some kids that wanna kick some major ass by pluggin in and crankin it up.

 

[faderbug]

Thank God there are still some kids that wanna kick some major ass by pluggin in and crankin it up.

and are stone deaf before they're 30.

 

[travelin travis]

and are stone deaf before they're 30.

Hey, it was fun though wasn't it?