Amps that you just didn't like......and why

[Ancient Alien]

Since GAS seems to be the norm around these parts, lets get a civil discussion about amps you bought, traded, acquired etc that just didn't do it for you, and why.
The other thread about constant GAS made me think.

Here goes my list:
Diezel Herbert:
I think it was a great amp, but overall, it had a very sterile sound to it. It just didn't breath properly if thats a good description.
It was a great amp, just not for me.

Diezel VH4S:
A little better in the stiffness department, but once again, the core tone of the amp left me a little uninspired.

Framus Cobra:
Just not my cup of tea. A bit too buzzy and it couldn't be dialed out.
The cleans sucked, and were lifeless to me. And the crunch was kind of solid state sounding.

CAA OD100SE+:
Probably the best clean channel I have ever heard to this day. Mid gains were rally nice and marshallesque.
But the high gain was just not there. It had a real buzzy type of sound that once again couldn't be dialed out even after a few mods and speaker changes.
I'd love to get maybe a PT100 and see if the circuit was designed a little different.

CAA OD50:
Same as above

Peavey 5150 block letter:
Just not my can of bees
No good cleans to be found, and the high gain was a buzzy mess. I have heard great recordings with them, but just not for me.
Mid gain crunch was just not there at all. Better suited for death metal I guess.

Engl Powerball:
Just don't like the sterile sound that Engl offers.

Engl SE E670 EL34:
Same as above, but it was a way better heavy amp. Cleans were passable, but the low and mid gains were lifeless and dull.
High gain was nice, but not worth the price of admission.

Rivera Knucklehead KR100 and K Tre Reverb:
Great cleans, low and mid gain. The high gain was shrill and muddy no matter what speakers or guitar I used.
Did sound great when I used them for high gain with pedals slamming them. But there was something funky going on that also could not be dialed out.

Soldano SLO stock and SLO w all factory mods:
Good sounding amp when cranked to paint peeling volumes. Kind of useless at low volumes.
Great amp for that 80's/90's thing, but overall a big disappointment for the money.
Many amps kill this at half the price for that kind of tone.

Bogner 101B:
Excellent amp for the clean, low and mid gains, but always had a muddy tone. The high gain just farted in my general direction.
Another good amp for pedals to get the high gain out of, but it just didn't do it for me.

Bogner Ubershall:
Total turd right from the get go. I was expecting to be blown away by it's high gain sounds, but it just didn't deliver the clarity and tightness I wanted from it.

Marshall JCM900 SLX:
It was OK at high volumes, but like the SLO, it needed volume to produce the goods.

Marshall Jubilee 100w:
Great amp, but a little limited in it's tones. The good thing is that I bought it when they were not that popular and sold it when they were sought after, so I made a killing on a half stack.

Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier(old model
I just do not dig the recto sound. Very muddy and too loose sounding for my taste. Once again, I've heard amazing recordings with them, but I'd have to bet that there was some serious studio magic done with them.

Mesa Boogie Mark 2C+:
Great amp overall. Pretty versatile, but limited in it's tones.
For leads, it was like playing a violin. But there is something about the amp(and most Mark series) that literally gives me a headache after playing through them.
I still have a Mark 3 red Ltd Edition and only keep it for it's collectors value. But I can easily dial in the same exact tones as the Mark 2C+.

I'm sure I will think of a bunch more that I've owned, but it's a start and I'm tired


Post up your experiences with amps that just didn't do it for you.
And maybe Brad and Mailman should not post in this thread

 

[glpg80]

every person will have their own deceptive opinion to what sounds good to their ears.

i have learned not to bother describing tones over the internet. what i like and why, is independent of someone elses opinion. you just have to play the stuff before you buy it at all costs and simply ignore heresay, rumors, opinions, hype, and be happy with what you find that delivers the goods.

i also dont feel like typing all of mine out to be honest. it makes my head hurt just thinking about it.

 

[tom_h]

Wow... quite a list there! So what amps do you like?!

I can't really think of an amp that has just turned me off completely. I can usually find something cool about most amps I've played... except for some of the really shitty low-end/beginner/solid state/modeling type amps.

Although I would say I'm not a big fan of the Mesa "Dual Rectifier" series.

 

[Motorpud]

Wow... quite a list there! So what amps do you like?!

That's the first thing I thought, maybe it would be easier to just make a list of amps that you like I haven't that bad of luck with any amps really, I can find something useful in nearly all of them. I did make the mistake of taking a Krankenstein in a trade a couple years back. That thing was just a useless turd on the high gain side but believe it or not it had great cleans.

 

[Ancient Alien]

Wow... quite a list there! So what amps do you like?!

I can't really think of an amp that has just turned me off completely. I can usually find something cool about most amps I've played... except for some of the really shitty low-end/beginner/solid state/modeling type amps.

Although I would say I'm not a big fan of the Mesa "Dual Rectifier" series.

I agree with you. Only one or two of those amps I didn't find something I liked about them. And there are way too many to list that I am sorry I sold.
As for what I do like and have kept through the years, I like all my Fryette(VHT) amps, Fuchs ODS and TDS, Marshalls JVM, JCM800, Plexi, Fender Twin and 75, a few Mesa's, THD Flexi, and more.
All amps have a place.
This thread is not intended to be an amp bash. Just what didn't work for YOU.
There is some real shit out there, but these are good amps that I just didn't like for me.

 

[glassjaw7]

We did one of these earlier this year, but here it goes anyway...

Marshall TSL-I don't even want to explain

Elmwood M90-couldn't dial the harshness out of the sound, uninspiring through several different cabs/speakers, just not for me

Cornford MK50-not sure about this one. I was very bored playing through this one for some reason. Maybe it's because the salesman at the shop told me this amp was "life-changing" and would make me forget about Diezel and Bogner, my current favorites. Maybe I was expecting too much? It certainly wasn't life changing, nor did it even have a positive affect on my day. I'd like to try another one now that my expectations are much lower.

6505 heads-I like the combos and I've heard great sounds from some modded ones and even stock, but every time I play one it just makes me wish I was playing my rectifier.

XXX-pretty much the same as above.


Engl Powerball-pretty cool for jamming solo, but I don't like how I had to set it to cut through with a band.


And just for the hell of it, here are my favorites:
Diezel VH4-extremely responsive to my playing. Made me forget I was playing guitar in a shop for an hour or two. I was lost in the riff factory in my mind!

XTC 101B-I've played several newer ones with the higher-gain lead channel, but the best amp I've ever played period was a '94 that was beat to shit. Just an amazingly juicy and responsive amp with tons of mojo and inspiration! Loved everything about that one, and it was one of the older ones with the extra options on the rear panel that supposedly don't sound as good. Go figure...

Friedman modded recto-I love this thing more every time I plug in! I'm so happy with Dave's work. This is the best sounding rectifier bar none! The way it should have been from the start. Kills the two channels that I've played.

Mark IV-A workhorse of an amp. I could probably get by with only this amp and a boogie traditional/Stiletto cab. Good clean, good crunch with the help of a boost, and perfect lead channel.

Orange Rockerverb 50-wasn't overly crazy about it the first time I played, but I gave it a second go and loved it! Very unique, yet familiar tone. Looks cool as hell too. Just a fun amp to play.

 

[TheMagicEight]

Diezel Einstein 1x12 Combo: The amp had lots of potential, but with the 112 open back design, and the only speaker a V30, this thing had no depth to it with mid to high gain settings. Would definitely buy again, but not the combo.

Marshall JCM900 Dual Reverb 4100: Diode clipping sucked pretty hard on channel 2. Channel 1 was better, but defeated the purpose of getting this amp over a JCM800.

Mesa 3-channel Rectifiers: Bells and whistles a-plenty, but few truly usable tones. The Rectifier does what it does, and is not a one trick pony, but it didn't work for me with any single coil guitar I've ever had, nor did it have a nice just-past-breakup sound.

Other than that, I've had Mesa, Engl, Bogner, Marshall, and Peavey gear that I've liked very much! And to be clear, I liked the Einstein quite a bit, just not in that format / package.

 

[Code001]

Nothing noteworthy. Mostly SS stuff. Probably the biggest shocker was a Carvin Legacy, but it was tucked in some back corner at GC. Who knows how often it was abused before I got to try it, so I kinda refrain from giving an honest opinion on it. I wouldn't be surprised if it were broken when I tried it.

 

[zuel69]

every person will have their own deceptive opinion to what sounds good to their ears.

i have learned not to bother describing tones over the internet. what i like and why, is independent of someone elses opinion. you just have to play the stuff before you buy it at all costs and simply ignore heresay, rumors, opinions, hype, and be happy with what you find that delivers the goods.

i also dont feel like typing all of mine out to be honest. it makes my head hurt just thinking about it.

 

[johnnyjellybean]

We did one of these earlier this year, but here it goes anyway...

Marshall TSL-I don't even want to explain

Elmwood M90-couldn't dial the harshness out of the sound, uninspiring through several different cabs/speakers, just not for me

Cornford MK50-not sure about this one. I was very bored playing through this one for some reason. Maybe it's because the salesman at the shop told me this amp was "life-changing" and would make me forget about Diezel and Bogner, my current favorites. Maybe I was expecting too much? It certainly wasn't life changing, nor did it even have a positive affect on my day. I'd like to try another one now that my expectations are much lower.

6505 heads-I like the combos and I've heard great sounds from some modded ones and even stock, but every time I play one it just makes me wish I was playing my rectifier.

XXX-pretty much the same as above.


Engl Powerball-pretty cool for jamming solo, but I don't like how I had to set it to cut through with a band.


And just for the hell of it, here are my favorites:
Diezel VH4-extremely responsive to my playing. Made me forget I was playing guitar in a shop for an hour or two. I was lost in the riff factory in my mind!

XTC 101B-I've played several newer ones with the higher-gain lead channel, but the best amp I've ever played period was a '94 that was beat to shit. Just an amazingly juicy and responsive amp with tons of mojo and inspiration! Loved everything about that one, and it was one of the older ones with the extra options on the rear panel that supposedly don't sound as good. Go figure...

Friedman modded recto-I love this thing more every time I plug in! I'm so happy with Dave's work. This is the best sounding rectifier bar none! The way it should have been from the start. Kills the two channels that I've played.

Mark IV-A workhorse of an amp. I could probably get by with only this amp and a boogie traditional/Stiletto cab. Good clean, good crunch with the help of a boost, and perfect lead channel.

Orange Rockerverb 50-wasn't overly crazy about it the first time I played, but I gave it a second go and loved it! Very unique, yet familiar tone. Looks cool as hell too. Just a fun amp to play.

No offense but playing amps for an hour or two in a Music store doesn't really give you an accurate picture of what each amp is capable of. Until you've spent a little more time with them.... ie: at least a week or two, I have a hard time attaching any validity to your opinion.

 

[Vrad]

The only amp I can say I outright disliked was the Laney GH100TI. It was harsh and stiff as hell. Sounded like a bad fuzz pedal. I've heard some people say that it's a great-sounding amp, so maybe there was something wrong with this one, or I needed to spend more time with it to get used to it or something. I dunno.

Other than that, I can get a useable sound out of just about anything.

Some amps I was kinda like 'meh... not worth it' after trying:
Diezel Herbert: Had no personality. Sounded good, but generic as hell

Mesa Mark series: Mark III and Mark IV. They sounded fine, but the highs were too glassy and they had no teeth. Plus all the push pull switches and junk just got in the way. I guess I'm just a Marshall guy.

Mesa Triple Recto: You'd think this would be the biggest baddest recto of them all, but the Single Recto sitting next to it sounded SOOOOO much better...

Mesa Roadking: I simply couldn't audition that amp in the time I had. I would need a good week or two to understand the controls. What little time I did spend with it was uninspiring...

 

[jet66]

ENGL Blackmore. Way too tight/stiff and bright. It sounded good, but felt terrible, to me. I liked hearing other people play through it, but did not mesh with playing it myself.

 

[Motorpud]

Mesa Boogie Mark 2C+:
Pretty versatile, but limited in it's tones.

 

[loudgtr]

We did one of these earlier this year, but here it goes anyway...

Marshall TSL-I don't even want to explain

Elmwood M90-couldn't dial the harshness out of the sound, uninspiring through several different cabs/speakers, just not for me

Cornford MK50-not sure about this one. I was very bored playing through this one for some reason. Maybe it's because the salesman at the shop told me this amp was "life-changing" and would make me forget about Diezel and Bogner, my current favorites. Maybe I was expecting too much? It certainly wasn't life changing, nor did it even have a positive affect on my day. I'd like to try another one now that my expectations are much lower.

6505 heads-I like the combos and I've heard great sounds from some modded ones and even stock, but every time I play one it just makes me wish I was playing my rectifier.

XXX-pretty much the same as above.


Engl Powerball-pretty cool for jamming solo, but I don't like how I had to set it to cut through with a band.


And just for the hell of it, here are my favorites:
Diezel VH4-extremely responsive to my playing. Made me forget I was playing guitar in a shop for an hour or two. I was lost in the riff factory in my mind!

XTC 101B-I've played several newer ones with the higher-gain lead channel, but the best amp I've ever played period was a '94 that was beat to shit. Just an amazingly juicy and responsive amp with tons of mojo and inspiration! Loved everything about that one, and it was one of the older ones with the extra options on the rear panel that supposedly don't sound as good. Go figure...

Friedman modded recto-I love this thing more every time I plug in! I'm so happy with Dave's work. This is the best sounding rectifier bar none! The way it should have been from the start. Kills the two channels that I've played.

Mark IV-A workhorse of an amp. I could probably get by with only this amp and a boogie traditional/Stiletto cab. Good clean, good crunch with the help of a boost, and perfect lead channel.

Orange Rockerverb 50-wasn't overly crazy about it the first time I played, but I gave it a second go and loved it! Very unique, yet familiar tone. Looks cool as hell too. Just a fun amp to play.

No offense but playing amps for an hour or two in a Music store doesn't really give you an accurate picture of what each amp is capable of. Until you've spent a little more time with them.... ie: at least a week or two, I have a hard time attaching any validity to your opinion.

Ut oh. I made a comment like this and people went nuts. I wonder if you will get the same treatment.

Regarding the original topic, I have liked every amp I have played. I always find something pleasing in them. I tried a few amps in GC that I thought were horrible, but I am limited to using their guitars, speakers etc. so I really don't consider them in my first comment.

You're right...

anyways, regarding the original topic +1 with what Dave said. Wish I could have more time with all of the amps I'm curious about

 

[marvcus]

I'm becoming more convinced that the speakers you match with the amp are just as crucial as the amp itself. The wrong speaker can kill it, while the right speaker can save it.

That said, to me most channel switchers seem to have one good channel and one not-so-good one.

 

[rottingcorpse]

ISP THETA.

please note that i like solid states as well as tube heads. i thought this amp would be the future of solid state amps for metalheads since the isp sub was so bad ass.

worst sounding gain channel i have ever heard. i tweeked that amp for months. even sent it home with a bro who could get a good sound out of anything....no joy. the only way to get a useable tone out of it was to use the clean channel and bang it with a distortion box.

i would like to say that the built in decimator was great, but the only way it would have helped the amp was if the decimator could be cranked up high enough to mute the amp completely.

i really wanted to like it, really i did. i wanted that head since it's inception. i could have sent it back, but i kept saying "it must be me, no amp could sound this bad." it was the worst thing i ever bought, and i once bought a taco off a cart in tiajuana (still cant get the taste of dog outta my mouth).

 

[Meathead]

I've played amps that definitely weren't for me, and I've seen guys play with what I thought was bad tone...but who am I to say?

I'm sure there's someone in the audience thinking that I have bad tone every night.

 

[glassjaw7]

We did one of these earlier this year, but here it goes anyway...

Marshall TSL-I don't even want to explain

Elmwood M90-couldn't dial the harshness out of the sound, uninspiring through several different cabs/speakers, just not for me

Cornford MK50-not sure about this one. I was very bored playing through this one for some reason. Maybe it's because the salesman at the shop told me this amp was "life-changing" and would make me forget about Diezel and Bogner, my current favorites. Maybe I was expecting too much? It certainly wasn't life changing, nor did it even have a positive affect on my day. I'd like to try another one now that my expectations are much lower.

6505 heads-I like the combos and I've heard great sounds from some modded ones and even stock, but every time I play one it just makes me wish I was playing my rectifier.

XXX-pretty much the same as above.


Engl Powerball-pretty cool for jamming solo, but I don't like how I had to set it to cut through with a band.


And just for the hell of it, here are my favorites:
Diezel VH4-extremely responsive to my playing. Made me forget I was playing guitar in a shop for an hour or two. I was lost in the riff factory in my mind!

XTC 101B-I've played several newer ones with the higher-gain lead channel, but the best amp I've ever played period was a '94 that was beat to shit. Just an amazingly juicy and responsive amp with tons of mojo and inspiration! Loved everything about that one, and it was one of the older ones with the extra options on the rear panel that supposedly don't sound as good. Go figure...

Friedman modded recto-I love this thing more every time I plug in! I'm so happy with Dave's work. This is the best sounding rectifier bar none! The way it should have been from the start. Kills the two channels that I've played.

Mark IV-A workhorse of an amp. I could probably get by with only this amp and a boogie traditional/Stiletto cab. Good clean, good crunch with the help of a boost, and perfect lead channel.

Orange Rockerverb 50-wasn't overly crazy about it the first time I played, but I gave it a second go and loved it! Very unique, yet familiar tone. Looks cool as hell too. Just a fun amp to play.

No offense but playing amps for an hour or two in a Music store doesn't really give you an accurate picture of what each amp is capable of. Until you've spent a little more time with them.... ie: at least a week or two, I have a hard time attaching any validity to your opinion.

You son of a bitch!!!! JK

The only amps from my list that I haven't used in a band setting or on multiple occasions at home are the Elmwood, Cornford, Diezel. The Elmwood just isn't for me. I don't need more time with the amp to know that I don't like the feel or tone of it. I've never been impressed with many clips either. Just not for me.

I pointed out in my description that I didn't love the Cornford, but maybe had too high of expectations, and I also stated that I'd like to try one again.

Yeah I only played the Diezel once, but I LOVED it. That isn't going to change. Same with the Orange.

And all of the other's I've used extensively with and without bands in multiple genres, so I think you can take what I wrote with a bit of validity.

 

[155]

wow thats a list alright.... for me vht 100cl...too unforgiving for my slop, next mesa roadster...too much bass that wont go away and dont like the eq

 

[glassjaw7]

Also wanted to throw this in; the point of this topic was to name amps that we have tried and did not like, and to name the reasons why. I wasn't writing a final end all review to advise others of whether or not they should buy these amps. These are the reasons that I didn't like them when I played them.

I agree that a lot of time in live and studio settings should be spent with an amp to fully know its capabilites and limitations, but you don't need credentials or a record deal to know what you like.