Don't like 'em, but I need a grab and go hard rock combo

[thiswaythatway]

Budda SD18 combo. Nothing sounds better for hard rock and is under 40 lbs. IMO

The Mesa Electra Dyne was also one of my favorite sounding 1x12 combos. But at 90 lbs ...not so much.

Pussy! It's only 85lbs. Seriously though, turning that amp on 4 or 5 and literally it shakes walls! I don't know why this amp is soo dam loud.

One little trick is get a combo you like and place next to it a Mesa 1x12 Thiele with the EVM. Don't put your combo ontop of the Thiele, NEXT to it. Makes for one huge sounding rig. I've tried the Electra Dyne against amps that cost 3 times it's cost and it's won, for me.

 

[tallcoolone]

Why not a 50w EVH head with a 1x12?

I have a Mark V head and a Thiele 1x12 cab. I need something That takes up very little room in transport and on stage AND I can carry in one hand with my guitar and clip on tuner in the other for several blocks.

 

[tallcoolone]

Since you know you like the Mark V, why not grab a 1x12 combo?

Weight--the MV combo weighs close to a hundred pounds if not more. See above.

 

[tallcoolone]

Budda SuperDrive 30 1x12

On the list--I worry that folks say they are 'dark' amps and that it wouldn't have enough gain/sustain for modern rock. Need to play one to make sure it isn't like some of the other el84 amps I've played that seem to sound much better in the store than they do at volume.

 

[tallcoolone]

If you can find the VHT Fifty/Twelve (not the 45) - GREAT sounding 1x12". I miss mine, which I reviewed below. Can go from Voxish cleans to Fair Warning.

I hear these are heavy--close to 60lbs...? Enough gain for modern rock?

 

[tallcoolone]

JCM800 1x12 combo, upgrade speaker to g12-65 if it doesn't have one already, SD-1 and volume knob for cleans. You know it will sound good when you get the volume up with the drummer. Do you mic the speaker or does it have to keep up with the drummer in the room? an 800 will def. keep up.

Weight and I need modern rock without pedals. I need this rig for small club/city gigs where there might be no FOH AND I'll be walking a ways and only want one trip to the car.

 

[tallcoolone]

Engl Thunder 50
Bogner Metropolis
Reverend Kingsnake

Never played any of these. Heard good things about the Reverend but reliability and build quality apparently is an issue? I've played a reg Shiva and a Goldfinger and neither had enough gain or sustain IMO for modern rock--is the Metro that much heavier AND around 40lbs? Never played an Engl at all and to be honest, don't know where I would...

 

[tallcoolone]

Most all of the 1x12 Mesa MK's sound great.
The Recto 1x12's sound really good as well.
The 100 watters are every bit as loud as the heads.

To me the only Mark series combo that sounded any good was the Mark IV widebody. I've had III and loaded IIC+'s in the small combo and never liked them, even with the EVL speaker.

It's heavy and it needs a good OD pedal, but the Mesa Electra Dyne is the best sounding combo to my ears. It sounds big and fat while other combos just sound small. I played one next to a Mark V combo and to my ears the Electra Dyne killed it, all IMHO. And again, it just needs a good OD pedal.

Too heavy and not enough gain

 

[Mudder]

Engl Thunder 50
Bogner Metropolis
Reverend Kingsnake

Never played any of these. Heard good things about the Reverend but reliability and build quality apparently is an issue? I've played a reg Shiva and a Goldfinger and neither had enough gain or sustain IMO for modern rock--is the Metro that much heavier AND around 40lbs? Never played an Engl at all and to be honest, don't know where I would...

Mmmm, I think it can swing it, if you didn't the other Bogners were enough then maybe not. When I think modern rock gain I'm thinking modded Marshall, not 5150.

 

[tallcoolone]

Engl Thunder 50
Bogner Metropolis
Reverend Kingsnake

Never played any of these. Heard good things about the Reverend but reliability and build quality apparently is an issue? I've played a reg Shiva and a Goldfinger and neither had enough gain or sustain IMO for modern rock--is the Metro that much heavier AND around 40lbs? Never played an Engl at all and to be honest, don't know where I would...

Mmmm, I think it can swing it, if you didn't the other Bogners were enough then maybe not. When I think modern rock gain I'm thinking modded Marshall, not 5150.

I've never played a Bogner I really like to be honest so I'm wary of them. I know many think of the Shiva as a high gain amp but IMO it lacked sustain.

 

[tallcoolone]

You already have awesome amps
Why not just get a 1x12 or 2x12 cab?

(2) 40 lb pieces is very easy to haul

If you must, you may still be able to find some of those Jet City combos at stupid low prices

Yeah I won't do the Jet City thing, can't get past the "budget" rep. Hear they are pretty cheaply made. Guess I'm a snob LOL.

This is the situation--2 people plus our gear in a small car. Tough parking, maybe 4-5 blocks away, then up stairs to the club. Club is PACKED--no place to "store" my gear and then we have to set up, play and get off stage quickly. Need light, powerful, compact, and capable of doing White Zombie tunes without any pedals.

 

[tallcoolone]

The hell with high gain combos, they'll never sound as good as head + cab, unless maybe you find a Mesa with an EVM speaker, and then it'll get pretty heavy

I say something like a 5150 III 50 watt head and 1x12 cab, 35 lbs each, you'll have to make one more trip from the back of your car to the stage, big deal. Then the amp will still be useable if you get to use a bigger cab.

I have 6 cabs and 4 great amp heads that I will use anytime making one more trip from the back of my car is not a big deal, trust me!

 

[tallcoolone]

Electra Dyne

Like the amp but it is a complete boat anchor and requires a boost pedal to do modern gain.

 

[tallcoolone]

the new Friedman Small box comes in a combo version. We just finished the combo version and Ritchie Sambora is trying the first one. Its surprisingly lite

Uh, oh--this may be on the list. But not until Dave sends my JMP back LOL! Can this combo do both low AND high gain tones AND clean up well with the guitar volume knob? How heavy?

 

[tallcoolone]

Roland Cube 80XL.

http://www.rolandus.com/products/details/1122/specs/

Does this sound a hell of a lot better than it looks?

 

[tallcoolone]

Right now the Mesa Rectoverb 25 and the Budda Superdrive are looking the best for my situation I think. I think I am going to stumble into a Mesa Subway Rocket this weekend so that might work as well...

 

[Shiny_Surface]

Does this sound a hell of a lot better than it looks?

35 pounds, 80 watts. I love my tube stuff but I don't think my little Micro-cube sounds that bad for what it is.

I assume this model is just scaled up with more features/power. A boost into the Marshall stack model sounds pretty good to me actually.

Drunk people at club won't care, if you can stand it.

Just wanted to offer an alternative to what I assumed was going to be suggested.

 

[tallcoolone]

Does this sound a hell of a lot better than it looks?

35 pounds, 80 watts. I love my tube stuff but I don't think my little Micro-cube sounds that bad for what it is.

I assume this model is just scaled up with more features/power. A boost into the Marshall stack model sounds pretty good to me actually.

Drunk people at club won't care, if you can stand it.

Just wanted to offer an alternative to what I assumed was going to be suggested.

Yeah I hear ya--heard good things about the Roland Cube stuff. I've just spent so much money on "booteeky" amps over the years that I think to be honest I limited myself. Played a cheap H&K combo jamming with some guys the other week and I swear when I heard the sound coming out, that you are right NO ONE in a club would have an issue with, I thought to myself this isn't any fun. Does it make sense, nope, but now I apparently need top of the line gear in order to enjoy rocking out. Sad, actually. But true...

 

[Anonymous]

The hell with high gain combos, they'll never sound as good as head + cab, unless maybe you find a Mesa with an EVM speaker, and then it'll get pretty heavy

I say something like a 5150 III 50 watt head and 1x12 cab, 35 lbs each, you'll have to make one more trip from the back of your car to the stage, big deal. Then the amp will still be useable if you get to use a bigger cab.

I have 6 cabs and 4 great amp heads that I will use anytime making one more trip from the back of my car is not a big deal, trust me!

I still think getting a good 1x12 >> high gain combo
I've never come across one that sounded as good as its head counterpart
The cab construction (usually being open back) has a lot to do with it
Fender combos? Now you're talking

 

[tallcoolone]

The hell with high gain combos, they'll never sound as good as head + cab, unless maybe you find a Mesa with an EVM speaker, and then it'll get pretty heavy

I say something like a 5150 III 50 watt head and 1x12 cab, 35 lbs each, you'll have to make one more trip from the back of your car to the stage, big deal. Then the amp will still be useable if you get to use a bigger cab.

I have 6 cabs and 4 great amp heads that I will use anytime making one more trip from the back of my car is not a big deal, trust me!

I still think getting a good 1x12 >> high gain combo
I've never come across one that sounded as good as its head counterpart
The cab construction (usually being open back) has a lot to do with it
Fender combos? Now you're talking

I agree 100% which is why in the thread title I say "don't like 'em". Combos as a rule are heavy, awkward, harder on tubes, more difficult to swap tubes/speakers and/or repair, hacve vibration issues and flat out don't sound as good as their head cab counterparts. Just a PITA at this little city gig and I want a solution in the stable for when we play there again. And the solution will NEVER replace the Thiele cab when logistically I can bring an "A" rig!