What are your thoughts on the Diezel VH4?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Simon Dorn
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Tight, dry, articulate and compressed. Can sound huge though. Very unique feel under the fingers.

I only learned this recently, but apparently Peter Diezel started out (in the 80s?) by modifying Marshalls and adding parts of the VHT/Fryette Pitbull circuit to them. He refined his sound from there. So it’s easy to see where the influence comes from.
 
Dark, dry, compressed, compressed, compressed, sterile... and not as much gain as you think it would have.

Sounded best to me with an EQ in the loop and a boost in the front.
 
I've had a '98 blueface and an '07 Silverface.

both had a very strange feel that took getting used to. Very stiff. The '98 was super dark and flat unless you had it roaring, when it sounded pretty magnificent but kinda hard to use. The '07 was brighter and more aggressive but was very compressed and squished.

I wanted to like them. Maybe the newest ones have found the right balance?
 
I’ve only got my plugin and X to go by, but I don’t see why not. You’re going to be boosting anyway, right?
 
cardinal said:
I've had a '98 blueface and an '07 Silverface.

both had a very strange feel that took getting used to. Very stiff. The '98 was super dark and flat unless you had it roaring, when it sounded pretty magnificent but kinda hard to use. The '07 was brighter and more aggressive but was very compressed and squished.

I wanted to like them. Maybe the newest ones have found the right balance?
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The newest is certainly the best of the lot in my opinion, particularly at moderate volumes. Chan 2 and 4 are greatly improved.
 
I have a VH4 that’s a couple of years old, so one of the new ones. Much brighter than I’d expected - you can get channel 2 into more Marshally territory than I’d have thought possible. Great clean channel and Channel 3 is ‘that’ sound. Still has that zero bounce / flat response feel, but it does sound very good. Probably the most unique sounding / feeling of the amps I own - whether that’s the sound / feel you want though depends on the player!
 
Jimty said:
I have a VH4 that’s a couple of years old, so one of the new ones. Much brighter than I’d expected - you can get channel 2 into more Marshally territory than I’d have thought possible. Great clean channel and Channel 3 is ‘that’ sound. Still has that zero bounce / flat response feel, but it does sound very good. Probably the most unique sounding / feeling of the amps I own - whether that’s the sound / feel you want though depends on the player!
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Agree...It's a very polarizing amp, people trend to absolutely love or hate it. But nothing sounds quite like it.
 
JackBootedThug said:
I prefer the herbert…..
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Many players do...It's a far more "familiar" sounding and feeling amp compared to the VH4. It also has the best clean channel of any high gainer that I have played. If metal is your thing, I would lean Herbert compared to the VH4. It can be brutal dialed the right way and the mid-cut (while fairly useless live) is downright sinister in the room.
 
Don’t get me wrong.. I had a vh4 and my custom pre is Wayne’s tweaked version of its channel 3… I just love the Herbert more…. Nice cleans and crunch…..van Halen and the brootalz… killer amp….
 
pipboy90 said:
Tight, dry, articulate and compressed. Can sound huge though. Very unique feel under the fingers.

I only learned this recently, but apparently Peter Diezel started out (in the 80s?) by modifying Marshalls and adding parts of the VHT/Fryette Pitbull circuit to them. He refined his sound from there. So it’s easy to see where the influence comes from.
Click to expand...
Never heard of the Fryette/Pitbull influences before. But it might make sense.
DanTravis62 said:
Love em. They only work for certain things, but if that sound works for you, it works for you.
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Sounds good.
RaceU4her said:
Never played one, but not my thing from what I’ve heard.
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Fair enough.
Metlupass2 said:
Love mine with a JHS Bonsai
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Interesting, thanks. I guess i'm gonna boost it too.
cardinal said:
I've had a '98 blueface and an '07 Silverface.

both had a very strange feel that took getting used to. Very stiff. The '98 was super dark and flat unless you had it roaring, when it sounded pretty magnificent but kinda hard to use. The '07 was brighter and more aggressive but was very compressed and squished.

I wanted to like them. Maybe the newest ones have found the right balance?
Click to expand...
I wanted to like them too. I just give it another try.
Wizard of Ozz said:
Dark, dry, compressed, compressed, compressed, sterile... and not as much gain as you think it would have.

Sounded best to me with an EQ in the loop and a boost in the front.
Click to expand...
I get it.
angelspade said:
If you haven't owned the latest update of the VH4, you may be surprised. It is considerably different than previous versions.
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What would be the latest Version? Last one i had was from 2022, i think. After, or with the Herbert MK3 i recognised changes across the whole Diezel Palette.
JustinCorrigible said:
I’ve only got my plugin and X to go by, but I don’t see why not. You’re going to be boosting anyway, right?
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Yes, i think so.
Jimty said:
I have a VH4 that’s a couple of years old, so one of the new ones. Much brighter than I’d expected - you can get channel 2 into more Marshally territory than I’d have thought possible. Great clean channel and Channel 3 is ‘that’ sound. Still has that zero bounce / flat response feel, but it does sound very good. Probably the most unique sounding / feeling of the amps I own - whether that’s the sound / feel you want though depends on the player!
Click to expand...
Thanks.
JackBootedThug said:
I prefer the herbert…..
Click to expand...
Which Version?
 
angelspade said:
Many players do...It's a far more "familiar" sounding and feeling amp compared to the VH4. It also has the best clean channel of any high gainer that I have played. If metal is your thing, I would lean Herbert compared to the VH4. It can be brutal dialed the right way and the mid-cut (while fairly useless live) is downright sinister in the room.
Click to expand...
The Cleans are very nice.
 
Simon Dorn said:
Never heard of the Fryette/Pitbull influences before. But it might make sense.

Sounds good.

Fair enough.

Interesting, thanks. I guess i'm gonna boost it too.

I wanted to like them too. I just give it another try.

I get it.

What would be the latest Version? Last one i had was from 2022, i think. After, or with the Herbert MK3 i recognised changes across the whole Diezel Palette.

Yes, i think so.

Thanks.

Which Version?
Click to expand...
Any versus the vh4… it has the European thing happening but still kinda…. Organic maybe? 🤔
 
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