Herbert mkii "tightness"

Omega1397

New member
Hey guys,

I've been digging my VH4. However, the one bad thing about it is it makes me wonder how that Diezel magic would sound with a more darker, less mid focused type of sound. In that regard, i've been seriously GAS'ing for a Herbert mkii.

My question is: I've been doing a lot of research and one consistent thing i've read is that the Herbert is "loose". The thing is, I love tighter, more percussive tones. However, I wasn't sure if the looseness issue was referring to the mkI or mkII. Does anyone know if the mkII is more tighter?
 
I had an MKI and I needed to hit the front with a TS9. It was not near tight enough for my taste on its own. Not sure about the MKII
 
MetalHeadMike":1sg9ssca said:
I had an MKI and I needed to hit the front with a TS9. It was not near tight enough for my taste on its own. Not sure about the MKII

Thanks for the input. I guess that leaves the possibility that the reviews of the Herbert being too loose could indeed have been about the mkii. Hopefully the mkii is more tighter. I like a more tighter percussive tone.
 
Don't get me wrong, the MKi is an amazing amp. I miss it often actually, but I tend to boost damn near everything. Just gets me the attack/tightness I'm after. I've had and still have a few amps that most guys feel no boost is required and that these amps are perfectly tight enough on their own, but for my tastes and style the boost is essential.

The only amp I've owned (Still own) that I can plug straight into and get the attack/and tightness I'm after is the Savage 120. I will throw out this though and say that most of the time I'm not playing at ear splitting volumes and that definitely effects things considerably in terms of how tight the amp feels/sounds. Most the amps I own (owned) would tighten up considerably once cranked up LOUD to the point that I could get pretty close to what I like straight in, but there's the whole hearing loss thing ;)

Some guys frown on having to put an OD pedal in front of a high dollar amp, but I like that option.
 
MetalHeadMike":2avxk3tf said:
Don't get me wrong, the MKi is an amazing amp. I miss it often actually, but I tend to boost damn near everything. Just gets me the attack/tightness I'm after. I've had and still have a few amps that most guys feel no boost is required and that these amps are perfectly tight enough on their own, but for my tastes and style the boost is essential.

The only amp I've owned (Still own) that I can plug straight into and get the attack/and tightness I'm after is the Savage 120. I will throw out this though and say that most of the time I'm not playing at ear splitting volumes and that definitely effects things considerably in terms of how tight the amp feels/sounds. Most the amps I own (owned) would tighten up considerably once cranked up LOUD to the point that I could get pretty close to what I like straight in, but there's the whole hearing loss thing ;)

Some guys frown on having to put an OD pedal in front of a high dollar amp, but I like that option.

Nah, I totally get you. I like using a TS808 in my VH4 for channel 3 to give it more bite because it's mids are very lush.
 
The Herbert is not a loose amp imhe... regardless of MKI or MKII.

I've got the MKII version now and used to own the MKI. The MKII is a bit tighter, but it is not a night and day difference. The MKII has larger OT/PT transformers... so yes there is a difference.

Comparatively speaking, the Herbert falls somewhere in the middle between say an Engl SE/Savage being the tightest.... to a Mesa MW Triple being the least tight. It's is not a Mesa Mark series by any stretch. But it is not like a Recto that really absolutely needs a boost pedal out front.

I do also like a nice ts808 boost with my VH4, but find it's really not needed with my Herbert MKII fwiw.
 
I will say that, as a new owner of a herbert, that I will agree. It's not really loose, but it isn't super tight either. I boost mine, but I boost all amps. If you have a tight sounding pickup and speaker/cab combo, it gets plenty tight. If your pickup or cab/speaker choices aren't super tight, it makes the amp's slight looseness more noticeable.
 
Bad.Seed":3pintsi3 said:
I will say that, as a new owner of a herbert, that I will agree. It's not really loose, but it isn't super tight either. I boost mine, but I boost all amps. If you have a tight sounding pickup and speaker/cab combo, it gets plenty tight. If your pickup or cab/speaker choices aren't super tight, it makes the amp's slight looseness more noticeable.

I agree. I had to boost mine to tighten it to where I liked it. I don't think its near as tight as some of my other amps. To be fair though I was not opening that amp on the volume. I'd love to give the Herbert another go someday.
 
I have Herbert MK1, and I would say it tight.

I think it can be slightly loose if you want it, just to make it more fun to play, but no way it's flabby uncontrollable etc, you can easily play Metallica-kind of low E chunky riffs on Herbert.

I don't use any boosters, tubescreamers, Herbert sounds good on its own, in fact, for my ears, it sounds so good, that any booster actually taking something out of tone, I really became overdrive/booster pedal hater after having Herbert.
 
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