Priority -Axe or Amp?

  • Thread starter Thread starter cellardweller
  • Start date Start date
cellardweller

cellardweller

New member
I have three shitty guitars, and two shitty amps.
I've been beating my head against this wall for a year...

Ibanez RG5??
Epiphone SG
Kramer (even if I remembered the model, not worth mentioning really)

Ampeg VT120 (sometimes runs my peavey 4/12, sounds like ass)
Crate ? 2/12 (recorded it once)

Which would be more important for recording purposes?
New amp? New axe?

Mostly metal-ish stuff.
 
Metal stuff.......definately the amp. Get the meat and crunch you want. The high distortion levels will make what guitar you use not quite as critcal. The SG would be my choice (if it'll stay in tune) JMHO
 
snipeguy said:
Metal stuff.......definately the amp. Get the meat and crunch you want. The high distortion levels will make what guitar you use not quite as critcal. The SG would be my choice (if it'll stay in tune) JMHO
Click to expand...
That's the only edge that the Ibanez has, is the locking nut/bridge tuners. I've been resigned to tuning/re-tuning/tuning again for a while now, it almost doesn't bother me, but the other issue with the SG is playability. The action is extremely high towards the bottom of the neck. I've taken it in, but they didn't improve this at all... I've given up on the local "guitar techs".

Any recomendations on an amp? I've been looking at the Tech 21 amps, but just came to the realization that they are solid state... :confused:
Mesa may be out of my price range for... well, my natural life! :o
 
  • Like
Reactions: apl
cellardweller said:
....... but the other issue with the SG is playability. The action is extremely high towards the bottom of the neck. I've taken it in, but they didn't improve this at all...
Mesa may be out of my price range for... well, my natural life! :o
Click to expand...
Yeah, SG's are pretty finnicky. It's that long thin Mahogany neck. I remember my old burgundy Standard would go out of tune if someone opened the door to the club I was playing in. Great sound when it was in tune though. Sounds like your truss rod needs to be tightened about a half a turn. I would just do it myself. It's no big deal. I do my own all the time. Just loosen the strings and do a little bit each time until it feels good. You'll have to re-do your intonation and reset your action as well. An analog tuner is a great tool for this. Please excuse me if you know all this stuff already but I'm just writing down everything that comes to mind. Oh, and yes, I was going to reccomend a Boogie but I guess you're as well off as me. I couldn't finance a cheeseburger right now. I'd look for a used one. The Fender tweed re-issues are cheap and around. They dirty up real nice. A buddy of mine gigs with a Junior Champ, SG Custom, Analog Delay and some kind of distortion and I'm always amazed at the sound he gets. Best of luck
 
i dont know crate isnt so bad....maybe not very powerfull.....sell the guitars and get a decent standard...or if you like simi hollow bodys get an ibanez artcore..........sell the amps and get a decent amp and distortion/tube drive emulator petal.......................................................

just my thoughts
 
apl, I've seen you recommend the Bolt kit many times and never really thought to much about it. Well I went over to a friends this weekend and he pulled out this amazing guitar, yep a Carvin Bolt that he'd put together during the week. Worth every penny and a whole lot more.
Oh yeah the answer to the original question, amp v.s axe I'm thinking in your case amp. See if you can work with one of your guitars, maybe change out the tuners or pickups on one of them? Then get the best amp you can afford.
 
Last edited:
cellardweller said:
Any recomendations on an amp? I've been looking at the Tech 21 amps, but just came to the realization that they are solid state... :confused:
Mesa may be out of my price range for... well, my natural life! :o
Click to expand...
Why the heck to people always say "solid state" like it's a bad thing. You just said it yourself...it took you a while to come to the realization that it was solid state. It wasn't like people were complaining about it having the same types of crappy sound as other solid state (cough cough *crate* cough) amps.
 
you can always play the guitar without an amp, but you can't play an amp without the guitar, get the guitar. :p
 
Muddy Waters said if he had to use somebody elses guitar or amp he would use their guitar. He said that the amp is where you tone is. Or something like that.
 
Another vote for the amplification side of the equation. Aside from buying a full blown amp, a Mesa Boogie V-Twin preamp pedal will definitely get you in the ballpark. They have been discontinued by Mesa, but you can definitely find used models or possibly some NOS still at dealers.

CD...If you're in my neck of the woods, NW NJ, I'd be glad to show you how to set up your guitar...no charge.


Open offer to all local guitar folks...I think :o
 
sile2001 said:
Why the heck to people always say "solid state" like it's a bad thing. You just said it yourself...it took you a while to come to the realization that it was solid state. It wasn't like people were complaining about it having the same types of crappy sound as other solid state (cough cough *crate* cough) amps.
Click to expand...
Eww... touchy :D !
Can I take that as an endorsement for Tech 21?
You gotta understand, if I spend $500 on an amp... that's it. My wife would divorce me if a year down the road I was second-guessing that decision...
Unfortunately, no one sells these locally, and to be honest I don't think I've ever heard what a "good" amp is supposed to sound like :o :eek: Sad as it may be, I'm kinda at the mercy of others opinions, and the vast majority of folks around here swear that tubes are it...

BTW I bought the Crate as a "favor" to a friend. He was supposed to buy it back, but of course didn't... same with the epi SG...

Wanna buy a crate... anyone?
 
snipeguy said:
Yeah, SG's are pretty finnicky. It's that long thin Mahogany neck. I remember my old burgundy Standard would go out of tune if someone opened the door to the club I was playing in. Great sound when it was in tune though. Sounds like your truss rod needs to be tightened about a half a turn. I would just do it myself. It's no big deal. I do my own all the time. Just loosen the strings and do a little bit each time until it feels good. You'll have to re-do your intonation and reset your action as well. An analog tuner is a great tool for this. Please excuse me if you know all this stuff already but I'm just writing down everything that comes to mind. Oh, and yes, I was going to reccomend a Boogie but I guess you're as well off as me. I couldn't finance a cheeseburger right now. I'd look for a used one. The Fender tweed re-issues are cheap and around. They dirty up real nice. A buddy of mine gigs with a Junior Champ, SG Custom, Analog Delay and some kind of distortion and I'm always amazed at the sound he gets. Best of luck
Click to expand...
Definitely no excuse necessary! I'm always pretty reluctant to do such things myself, but if it is as easy as you say, I guess I can't go wrong. Any improvement would probably make a big difference.

By tighten (truss-rod), does this follow the "righty-tighty" rule of thumb?

heh... finance a cheeseburger, I'm doing installments on a small order of fries...
The upside to this being I have time to look around.
 
If you've got a guitar that tunes and plays ok, I'd say amp as well.
 
i'd say; you'll end up wanting more anyway, divorce now and save some time!

LOL

but ehm, i might get shot for this. but i woudl say POD or V-amp. Your budget is tight eand you wnana play metal. POD does that pretty well, does not care what you plug into it...

Tube amps are nicer, but you'll nee dmore stuff, tubes are picky about guitars and , well, you'll like it so much you'll want MORE!!!

with POD, you'll be satisfied but not enough to get the GAS... I'm being dead serious my friend., GEt cash or get the POD ....
 
guhlenn said:
but i woudl say POD or V-amp. Your budget is tight eand you wnana play metal. POD does that pretty well, does not care what you plug into it...
Click to expand...

I thought about saying that, too. I recorded the raunchy guitar version of Eutychus with a $59 Digitech RP50 Modeler, and I think my Line 6 Spider II 15 ($159) does a respectable metal tone in its Mesa mode.
 
sell your 3 shitty guitars and your 2 shitty amps (your quote) and get a decent used guitar and a decent used amp ... and you will be better off!
 
AlfredB said:
sell your 3 shitty guitars and your 2 shitty amps (your quote) and get a decent used guitar and a decent used amp ... and you will be better off!
Click to expand...


:D


Thats the best choice if you are willing too.
 
cellardweller said:
You gotta understand, if I spend $500 on an amp... that's it. My wife would divorce me if a year down the road I was second-guessing that decision...
Click to expand...

Then spend a $1000 on a boogie and be done with it. It's definately a lifetime purchase. My wife is the same way. She understands that buying twice sucks so you better do it right the first time. That's why she insisted I got the Dual Recti.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top