tube amps

A

audioforgery

New member
Does anyone have a tube amp they are truly pleased with (enough to forego using outboard overdrive or distortion units)? And, how does the Marshall valvestate stack up? My rig now consists of a Fender Princton (which has one of the best panning chorus effects I've heard) and a Zoom console (because the Fender overdrive doesn't do it for me).
 
Buy a Mesa Boogie Mk IV!

Live happily ever after.

Marshall amps do one thing EXTREMELY well. Boogies do everything extremely well.

foo

[This message has been edited by foo (edited 09-22-1999).]
 
I'm just wondering out loud what a POD through a clean rack amp would sound like...
 
Just commenting out loud that a POD sounds equally awesome thru an amp as well as by itself. When you run a POD thru an amp, you turn off the mysterious A.I.R. amp simulation technology thingeemajigger, so basically it becomes an effects unit that makes your amp sound like many amps; a Boogie, Marshall, Roland, Fender, the list goes on and on. Just awesome, especially without an amp! I recently got the POD and now I feel like I can sell most of my rack gear! For 3 bills, you can't go wrong!
P.S. POD is also excellent for bass guitar. Hmmm, make that ALL of my rack amps, processors, etc. up for sale!!

[This message has been edited by Brad (edited 09-23-1999).]
 
I use a Peavy Rockmaster tube preamp through a Crate 200 Watt solid state poweramp and I wouldn't recommend either of them to anyone.
 
I use a Roland GP100, and it sounds great. It has a tube emulator, but not too long ago I bought an ADA MP1 (Tube PreAmp). It is very noisy by itself, but when it is ran through the effect S/R of the Roland, the combination will blow your socks off. With this set up, I am able to run direct or through cabs.
 
Judging by all the responses, I'm becoming aware of how much I have to learn about all the new equipment. There seems to be two schools of thought: those with amps of great tone, and those who prefer great emulation. Foo, I agree with your nod about the Mesa/Boogie Mark IV, but I almost passed-out when I saw how much they go for new. Is anyone familiar with the Zoom GFX707 - AND, is the Line 6 POD so great that I should run out and buy it on top of having the Zoom?
 
Dude if you want cool ovedriven tones without stomp boxes then I recommend either a Peavey 5150 or a Crate Blue Voodoo. Each delivers some of the most crunchiest sounds around. The best way to find out what you like is to go and try some amps out at your local guitar retailer and see what you like.

Good luck

Paul
 
I got the chance to try out a bundle of amps at a store once (it was early morning and there was nobody there, kind of nice, the just let me go)

I found that the Peavy DeltaBlues 210 had the best amp distortion sound. Full and rich, yet with distiguishable tones. I'd buy it if I didn't have 25 other things on the list.
 
Well, I went to a local music store and tried out the POD. I was impressed. I feel it sounded better than my GP-100. It has plenty of warmth and body to it. I am now tempted to getting a POD or a Flextone.
 
I really miss my 50W Fender Bassman head from 1963. Got it with cabinet and two somewhat blown 12" speakers for $125! As they say in the music biz; I ate it! But that's after I put brand new 12" Altec Lansing full range guitar speakers into the cabinet and a friend (my bass player) wired a line out jack from the first stage into the chassis for recording purposes. Fortunately I managed to keep the Altec speakers and the cabinet. You can still get the wiring diagrams for these amps and replace any components you need to (they're all really common and easily avalable) which is why they still exist.
 
I just got a POD a few days ago. I used a squire guitar (made in Korea, only one pickup setting works without hum) and a real little old gorilla $50 amp. I couldn't stop playing. My guitar couldn't believe itself and now has very high self esteem, and the gorilla almost had a heart attack and even lent me ten bucks.
 
I'd like to know if any of you have had any experience with the Lexicon Signiture 284. I bought one and must say that although it is not a very verstile amp (so I use Lexicon guitar FX and pedal), it is one of the best guitar amps I've ever heard in a recording situation. And although it does have a passive loaded speaker simulator one it (which sounds damn good for an simulator), I still bought the optional 2x10" cabinet custom made by Mojo for Lexicon. I am not a guitarist myself, but a recording engineer/Co-Owner with my brother in our publicly opened home project recording studio and the drummer in our band. My brother and I love the 284 so much that he uses it for a live amp at local clubs (it is only 3 watts and puts out over 100db) with his ACOUSTIC guitar and we mic it if we need more.
 
My Fender Princeton actually asked for a cigarette after I hooked up the Zoom GFX. Now it just kicks back and works as a PA - no muss, no fuss. The best part is, the tone doesn't change as the volume level is turned up or down.

ALSO, according to Fender, the tone of solid state amps is also affected by operating temperature, so its best to let your SS amp warm up. As Johnny Carson best said it, "Wow - I DID NOT know that."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top