Talk to Me About ENGL

[FourT6and2]

One of the few high-gain amp brands I've never tried. Tell me what you know.

I prefer amps with fewer knobs/switches/channels. Maybe that's why I've stayed away. But their current Artist Edition models seem more approachable. And this doesn't sound half bad.

I see an older version of this amp exists (with green lights/switch instead of blue)? Any major differences?

Then there's the Fireball E635, Powerball E645II, and Savage MK II?

 

[tjnx]

Played the savage several times at gc, got a real unique killer tone on it once but forgot wtf I did to get there. Not that is bad but I haven't been able to replicate it since. Other people always seem to dial it in better when I walk in so maybe I need to rtfm.

Lots of knobs and switches but I usually find both myself or others land on similar settings, so there's either untapped potential with all the configuration or its not really needed. Maybe a simpler layout could suffice

All in all I like it and its on my around 3k amps worth getting list.

 

[MadAsAHatter]

I have a Morse 100 & Inferno and really like them.

I've heard very few bad things about the Artist Edition and it's on my list if I ever decided to get another ENGL. My understanding is you can trace the AE back to the Savage. ENGL created the Blackmore signature as a stripped down Savage. From there they Tweaked the Blackmore to create the Artist Edition.

ENGL's in general have this specific type of compression. Some are more compressed than others, but they all have it. It's hard to describe tonally, but it's nothing bad or anything. It's just one of those things that you'll either like or not. To me it gives a focused aggression. Personally I like for tight, precise rhythm playing.

 

[FourT6and2]

To me it gives a focused aggression. Personally I like for tight, precise rhythm playing.

Yeah that's what I've always heard in Engl clips.

Any experience with the Fireball 100? I think it's mostly down to those two. The Fireball or the Artist Edition.

 

[the4thlast1]

I’ve tried most of them. I liked the Fireball 100, Artist, SE and the original Savage. Did not like the Powerball and Invader 1 and 2.

 

[Techdeth]

I’ve tried most of them. I liked the Fireball 100, Artist, SE and the original Savage. Did not like the Powerball and Invader 1 and 2.

I agree. But my Powerball is not bad

 

[D-Rock]

I had a FB100 but sold it. It had good low end and attack but overall I found the tone to be flat sounding and I did not like the mid voicing at all. The best feature was it's built in noise gate IMO.

 

[MadAsAHatter]

Yeah that's what I've always heard in Engl clips.

Any experience with the Fireball 100? I think it's mostly down to those two. The Fireball or the Artist Edition.

No direct experience with a Fireball 100, just listening to clips. Did get a chance to play an AE a while back. Based on that and comparison clips I'd probably pick the AE over the Fireball.

I already have the 2 ENGLs I liked the most though. If I were to be looking at getting another I'd likely be choosing between the AE and Retro Tube. But those are kind of on opposite ends of the ENGL spectrum.

 

[Redneckstomp]

I had SE founders edition and tried Fireball and Artist Edition. I prefer AE and FB to SE just for high gain. They are more raw and organic than SE fe. What I didn't like about ENGL(especially SE fe)is their tone shaping options. Most of them are just crappy buttons. I thought most of them are useless. When I engaged the depth boost or mega lo punch, amp becomes too bassy/muddy. When I off that button, sounds thin. It was hard to dial for what I like. I prefer knobs as tone shaping option. So, I can dial my amp out more precisely whatever cabs or speakers I use. I assume you are a Marshall guy from your amps clips. Then AE will be good choice. But, you won't satisfy with ENGL. I think your amps sounds better than ENGL. But, ENGL's cabs are very nice. I like their cabs more than amps lol

 

[Dave L]

The Blackmore is a nice amp, I can say that much, and if the Artist was tweaked from there for Doug Aldrich it probably is nice too. Lots of the other Engl stuff sounds a bit off for me, but then again I´m more of an 80s rock guy and not in it for the chugs.

 

[NinjaRaf]

I think Euge's video does a good job at showing the differences here.



I have experience with a few Engls. I've owned a couple of Fireball 100s, Fireball 25, and my other guitar player owns a Powerball 2. I spent a short time with a friends Savage. To my ears, Engl has 2 types of high gain tones, one based around the Fireball (Ironball, Powerball), and one based around the Savage (Artist Edition, Blackmore). Then the SE heads I don't really have experience with, but from videos it seems like they combine tones from both sides.

The Savage based amps to me seem more Marshally. More of that kind of mid range. Not that they sound like Marshalls lol. While the Fireball based amps have a more 5150-ish kinda of gain to them.

The Savage is RAZOR sharp. I would have liked to spend more time with it, but the time I did spend, it was lacking low end for me. Maybe how he had it dialed in, he doesn't like a lot of low end in his tone.

The Fireball is very open and aggressive and huge sounding. The Powerball takes that and compresses it a bit more, making it feel tighter. The Powerball 2 has been my favorite Engl I've played. And I've spent a lot of time with it. You can hear these differences in Euge's video.

The FB25 is cool, similar in some ways to the 100, but you aren't getting the same low end response. And it pushes more mids.

I've also played an Invader and Thunder, but I don't remember them too well, so can't really comment. I still regularly play the FB25 and PB2 that my other guitar player owns. They're both great amps.

 

[NinjaRaf]

I had a FB100 but sold it. It had good low end and attack but overall I found the tone to be flat sounding and I did not like the mid voicing at all. The best feature was it's built in noise gate IMO.

I felt similarly about the FB. Kinda flat midrange, too open in the low end.

 

[anomaly]

They suck. That is all.

 

[rsm]

I had an Engl rack rig for over 10 years, lots of modern tones from clean to more distortion than I needed, smooth and compressed.

I sold the preamp, but I still have the power amp since it's been discontinued: Engl E850/100 - dual 100W, 6L6GC power:

I have an Engl Artist Edition E651 100W, which is one of my favorite amps for 70s hard rock, thrash and death metal; great cleans too; owned it for a few years now, it's not going anywhere:

 

[MetalHeadMike]

They're cool for what they are for sure, a modern, processed sounding amp. Not very natural, warm sounding but fairly synthetic sound. The feel is also not great compared to other amps, they are very stiff feeling. I didn't care for the AE much, think I flipped it in less than a month. The post 2011 Savage 120 with upgraded iron was my fav. Stiff as a motherfucker to play but sounded pretty cool. FB100 was my second fav. I think of revisiting one from time to time but those paper thin boards with they're weird layout scare me...LOL

 

[JerEvil]

I have the Engl E530, Smolski Sig and Savage MKII.

The Smolski is my favorite Engl ever. It’s basically a modded Powerball II with a revoiced mids section and gain structure. The Crunch mode is actually really good. The Savage MKII I have the least play time with but it’s also fantastic.

I need to get vids of these

 

[jabps]

One of the few high-gain amp brands I've never tried. Tell me what you know.

I prefer amps with fewer knobs/switches/channels. Maybe that's why I've stayed away. But their current Artist Edition models seem more approachable. And this doesn't sound half bad.

I see an older version of this amp exists (with green lights/switch instead of blue)? Any major differences?

Then there's the Fireball E635, Powerball E645II, and Savage MK II?

Owned several and to be brief, their high gain machines. Some dig it, some don't. Most have usable to great cleans and the high gain tones are up there with the tops in the game. Obviously the feel, the tonality, attack etc.. of the amps is subjective. Now some have issue with their build quality, I can't comment on that because I never had issue with the one's I owned. I've had the PB and the PBII - they get a little one dimensional after playing for awhile.

The Artist though was different, for me it had some inherent Marshall quality to it that other Engls do not. I also had it at the same time as the Mezzabara Trinity, it dusted the Trinity for me. Very straight forward Engl in contrast to my JVM's when it comes to the front panel. Which I liked and was going for. My only dislike was I needed just a slight boost to get it where I liked for leads and I prefer to get all the gain out of the amp. Lastly not a fan of their switching, IMO you need their dedicated switcher to get the most out of their amps. Just my opinion though.

Still one of the amps I've owned that I wish I had kept. I actually sold it to get an EVH 50W Stealth and unfortunately I've just never bonded with that amp after about 30 mins of play. I felt at home on the Artist the moment I dialed it in.

 

[jabps]

I have the Engl E530, Smolski Sig and Savage MKII.

The Smolski is my favorite Engl ever. It’s basically a modded Powerball II with a revoiced mids section and gain structure. The Crunch mode is actually really good. The Savage MKII I have the least play time with but it’s also fantastic.

I need to get vids of these

Yes you do.

 

[Apex1Rg7X]

I've owned the Savage MKII, FB100, Inferno, AE 100 w/KT77's and currently own the FB25 w/KT77's. As many have said, they are great amps for the money and all can do a solid clean up to massive high gain sound. I would say the AE was my favorite of the bunch, it definitely felt the most organic and raw.

 

[Mike Oxhuge]

I've had the Blackmore and the Artist. Both are in the "Marshally" camp with the Artist even more so. Before I got the Mark VII they were my favorite channel switchers. Neither sounded processed to me except maybe a touch at bedroom volume. They like to be loud and have 4 foot switchable gain modes that operated the way I had them set was pristine clean, slightly dirty SRV style bluesy dirt, stock JCM 800 and moded 800 in hi mode. Dual foot switchable master volumes, mid voicing switch which changes the mids quite a bit. You want the latest version which includes a very transparent built in gate for Hi lead mode only. The Artist does one of the best 800/hot rod Plexi tones out there, its like a brighter BE100. If metal is your goal I slightly preferred the Blackmore for that. The Artist Hi lead is very Jose like in tone and feel. I owned both for a combined 7 years and zero issues with them.