Favourite High Gain Head for Lead Tones

Of the amp’s I’ve owned, my favorite lead tone is probably the Deliverance 60 with a bit of a boost, gain set towards the “fat” side enough that it’s more saturated and thick. Run through a huge 2x12 I have loaded with old white label G12T’s believe it or not. No loop but even with the gain running high I’ve found the Boss DM-2W up front works when you set it right and dial it in just enough.

For a lead tone with more effects requiring a loop it’s a toss up between my old 5150 combo run through a cab with G12K85’s or the JP2C I have now through the mesa standard cab.
 
Also I’ve been surprised at how good it can sound and feel hitting the front end of a deluxe reverb hard even chaining two different OD’s or clean boosting an OD. Gotta choose the speaker wisely though.
 
Ch.2 of my Suhr PT100, boosted with a Keeley/Lynch "Mr.Scary" OD, through a Friedman 4x12 with V30s and Greenbacks.
 
glpg80 said:
I’m a big fan of mid to late 90’s Bogner Ecstasy 101B’s with the custom Mercury Magnetics transformers stock. Best lead amp I’ve ever played and the blue channel is certainly Marshall inspired. It takes pedals really well also.
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I had a Bogner Ecstasy with pacific transformers and and the blue channel was the best sounding lead I've ever heard come out of any amp. I've never heard one with Mercury iron but sure that was fire as well.
 
SLO for me but I’ve never played an Ecstasy.

I wonder what model Mercury transformers are the old Ecstasy ones? Mercury wouldn’t waste a great design they’d just call it something else.
 
Bardagh said:
Also I’ve been surprised at how good it can sound and feel hitting the front end of a deluxe reverb hard even chaining two different OD’s or clean boosting an OD. Gotta choose the speaker wisely though.
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I put an Eminence Swamp Thang in mine. Holy hell that speaker is LOUD
 
Devin said:
Fender Prosonic


Fuckin thing has so much gain and compression available that everything feels easy as fuck to play. Addicting
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These are total sleepers and I’m surprised the metal player crowd doesn’t mention them more often. They’re gained out man lol
 
glpg80 said:
These are total sleepers and I’m surprised the metal player crowd doesn’t mention them more often. They’re gained out man lol
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Definitely; one of my favorite amps ever to be honest. I had a Prosonic head for years that I eventually sold like a dumbass. They've pretty much doubled in price since then :(
 
Devin said:
Definitely; one of my favorite amps ever to be honest. I had a Prosonic head for years that I eventually sold like a dumbass. They've pretty much doubled in price since then :(
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I think the major problem is that people dial them in wrong. The majority of the videos I’ve seen online sound like total ass. I heard ONE good video of one ages ago and it blew my mind. Reminded me of the old Marshall mode 4’s but with tubes.
 
Bardagh said:
Of the amp’s I’ve owned, my favorite lead tone is probably the Deliverance 60 with a bit of a boost, gain set towards the “fat” side enough that it’s more saturated and thick. Run through a huge 2x12 I have loaded with old white label G12T’s believe it or not. No loop but even with the gain running high I’ve found the Boss DM-2W up front works when you set it right and dial it in just enough.

For a lead tone with more effects requiring a loop it’s a toss up between my old 5150 combo run through a cab with G12K85’s or the JP2C I have now through the mesa standard cab.
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Always wanted to try the Deliverance and JPC2
 
I've got a Mark V, but looks like the common theme of Mark series, SLO, and XTC here. Haven't been able to try the Soldano or Bogner but definitely sounds like I need to!
 
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