Live Tone: Gross generalizations and over-simplifications

[Alanfc]

My most patient comrades-

I'm looking for really gross generalizations here. I'm not sure I even know what I'm talking about :

in shopping for a Live amp I've been drawn away from the
EL-34 -ish sounds and have become more interested by the
6L6 -type sounds. Talking about medium to hi-gain sounds.

To my ears, whats setting these two types apart, is EL-34 types are punchy and sort of boxy-sounding/tight, and the 6L6 types wide open and big bottom/brighter hi's.

But Live, in a heavy rock 3-piece with Bass and drum, which will "cut " through better? Is it all in the Mids ?

I hear the Soldano, Engl, XXX, etc.. and I hear shiny notes within chords and the voice of the Gods. Then I hear the Rivera, Marshall, VHT-50/CL, etc.. and I hear punchy tight and downright bossy/authoritative. I love both. I know clips are subject to players' techniques and Mic technique/recording technique. I picture these two types of amps live, and wonder , if I tweak the mids on a 6L6-type, can I get the growly punch I hear (I think) from an EL-34 type? I'm worried about the stellar 3d sound I hear from the Soldano/XXX/Engl being too wide and unfocused. (?)

I have done searches with key word "cut" and Live and have gotten a hint but not much detail.

can anyone help with some broad strokes here- cutting through Live, whats the number one thing in your book?

thanks

 

[foo]

Buy a Boogie - live happily ever after!

Check out the Mesa website - I believe that some of their models allow you to change from EL34s to 6V6s to 6L6s - which pretty much sloves your probelm, cos you can chop and change as much as you like.

Ain't life great!!!!

 

[juststartingout]

Marshall (TSL or DSL) or Mesa (Double or Tri rect only). I have both and actually perfer the Marshall TSL. With the Mesa you can change tubes, 6l6 or 34's. You should also look at a BBE sonic maximiser to go with either. It will basically give you higher gain and control over the contour between the highs and lows. After playing for 30 some years, it's the one box that actaully impresses me and the one I won't do without.

The one thing that I have heard from several sources but cannot verify myself, is that the lower end Mesa stuff is junk. Only go with the tri or double rect amps.

As I state time and time again, the only way you can really tell, is to go to a shop and play the stuff. That gives you more input than you can ever get here.

 

[Alanfc]

thanks guys- I know soon I'll get some hands-on experience with all these. It'll hit me pretty quick I'm sure

 

[distortedrumble]

and find a place where you can turn it up too...that screwed me up a few times looking for something and not turning it up cause the store people get tired of hearing everyone do that...at low volumes the Blue voodoo sucks but when turned up it sounds pretty decent

 

[GONZO-X]

if you're leaning towards the mesa camp...

and don't necessarily want to go with the rectifiers, which is the most common sound now, in the mesa field...

consider the mark IV

it's a great amp, channel switching, isn't way high gain, but has an excellently voiced mid-high gain channel, and is pretty small (very portable) available in head or combo setups....

you can get them used pretty cheap (compared to new) and i've had a mark2b since '81, and it's never let me down with heavy hours on it.....

 

[k1enneth]

live sound

If you want to hear it live, I think you've got to see bands in your area that play live Or start going to blues jams in your area that you could play thru other folks amps. I mean reading review of other people hype peaks my interest too, then I go out to a jam and play thru some guys Cyber Twin or Jazz Chorus and make my own evaluations. Especially with your own guitar.
I went to Guitar Center a few times, but all you'll ever hear is kid shredding on out of tune guitars. But the best sound I heard was when I played my guitar thru a Fender Vibrolux Reverb reissue...I knew that it gelled with my axe. It cut thru the whole group and club, but didn't get loud.

 

[Alanfc]

Re: live sound

If you want to hear it live, I think you've got to see bands in your area that play live Or start going to blues jams in your area that you could play thru other folks amps. I mean reading review of other people hype peaks my interest too, then I go out to a jam and play thru some guys Cyber Twin or Jazz Chorus and make my own evaluations. Especially with your own guitar.
I went to Guitar Center a few times, but all you'll ever hear is kid shredding on out of tune guitars. But the best sound I heard was when I played my guitar thru a Fender Vibrolux Reverb reissue...I knew that it gelled with my axe. It cut thru the whole group and club, but didn't get loud.

this is a good point/thanks