Beyond Black
Well-known member
Send him a PM, and he might tell ya.the4thlast1":32c74r0i said:
stanz
Banned
Member
fek
Well-known member
I have had a 3534 for a month or so now. Plenty of volume and bigness for me but I have only played it in my music room along to a PA at pretty loud volumes. I boost the gain channels most of the time and keep the blue gain between noon and 3:00 and the red at 9:00. Very similar to the way I would run a 5153.
fek
Well-known member
I like to use boosts to slightly change the flavor for certain tones. I keep a Koko on the board at all times and then rotate 5 or 6 others on and off from time to time. The JHS Bonsai has been a staple since I picked it up as well but I am always rotating between 3 different options on there as well. The on board boost is cool too.
LPMojoGL
Well-known member
I would would prob do that trade. My Wizard MC25 sent the Helios down the road....I got the 3534 because it’s really different than the Wizard. You’ve got a Wizard. Value wise it’s prob close to on par given used Helios 50 prices. The Wizard and 3534 compliment each other whereas for me it was Helios vs MC25 if that makes sense?
Makes perfect sense.
I had a Wizard. I miss it. Kinda regret that one.
I'm selling the Helios because I grabbed that Vogel JMP50.
Plexi vs Helios, they're more similar than not.
While the Helios has many different sounds and many more features, I'm liking the classic vibe of the Vogel, plus the possibility of modding it into something just for me.
Now, that 3534 would be quite a bit different than the Plexi, and might be worth having both.
Speeddemon
Well-known member
I'm interested in how the 3534 would compare to the new small Soldano SLO30. Soldano has less options, but I wonder which can do the late 80's hotrodded thing better.
napalmdeath
Well-known member
I have quite the interest in the 3534. Seems perfect, as I've been gravitating towards a smaller footprint, and have yet to find what I'm looking for. The 3534 clips and videos I've checked out have some exceptional tones.
panhead
Well-known member
A used 101b would be a wiser choice for myself.
J
Junk Yard Dog
Well-known member
I'm always curious about this amp and whether or not it can keep up in a band setting.
Chris6870
Well-known member
I thought it was ok but not amazing. For $2k thought it should be quieter.
LPMojoGL
Well-known member
I usually prefer bigger amps, but some smaller ones have done it for me in a band setting.
Retro King 18 1x12 was great in a 3 piece blues/classic rock band.
3 Monkeys Grease Monkey is hands down my fav el84 amp, and was too loud for a 4 piece. Lovely amp.
I've had a lot of modern low watters, and they all suffered the same issues. They had to be turned up louder than home volumes to open up, and/or they ran out of headroom when cranked with a loud band.
Examples being Friedman PT, EVH, Orange Terrors, Mesa Rectoverb 25, Soldano HR25, Engl Ironball...
It seems the simpler the circuit, the better it hangs with a band, for low watters.
One exception being the Fargen Olde 800 MkII, 25 watter using EL34s. It sounded big, and held together in the 60s/70s modes.
I'm hoping the 3534 will do all right at home.
I'll let you know after Saturday.
napalmdeath
Well-known member
My experience as well. The best I've had was a Mini Jubilee, and the Mark V25. The Jube worked well at lower volumes but ran out of gas past 10:00. The Mark V sounded awesome, but it too ran out of gas, and this one reminded me why I hate EL84's. Great thrash metal machine though, and sounded superb through the (2) stacked Mesa MC90 1x12 Thieles I had.
I can't dig the EVH's, as much as I try. As great as the blue channel is on the 50 watt, I find it uninspiring. Red is unusable for me.
311boogieman
Well-known member
Dream Realized?
Oh do share.
Oh do share.
fek
Well-known member
I am interested as well. Interested enough to trade my 3534 for a SLO30. I like the Bogner but don't love it yet.
acidvoodoo
Well-known member
This? its my only complaint with the 3534. The red channel has a louder than normal (or compared to my other amps) hiss that drives me nuts. I ended up ordering a noise gate, just waiting to receive it.
Speeddemon
Well-known member
It seems we may both enjoy and chasing roughly similar tones in smaller packages; as I was also following your Randall Thrasher 50 endavours.
Owning an Ironball, a Mark V:25 myself as well as the EVH 50W 6L6, the Red channel bothered me too, but since blue was so great, I did some tube rolling to make red useable again.
Two 5751's (V3 and V4 IIRC) and a nice NOS RFT ECC83 in V1 did the trick. Previously red was already insane gain from say 10 'o clock Gain onwards, now it's still o.k. up to 1:30. And this makes all the difference in the first quarter of the gain range, being able to coax some more hard rock tones from it.
I love the blue channel as well and my only gripe with the Red channel is that sort of 'plasticy' honky mid-range, that you cannot seem to dial out.
I still keep my eyes open for something with 3 channels (or 2 channels + boost), max 50/60W, big glass, big iron, but under 35lbs and 24" wide, hence my 3534 and SLO30 interest. I've let the Thrasher/Satan 50 idea go, since I get the overall impression I would find it a bit light in the low-end. I don't need Recto-rumble, but I still want to have that Jon Schaeffer/Andy Sneap-type of tight, but big low-mid punch in the room.
Heck, if my Savage 60 had footswitchable boost, fx-loop and the cleans of a Mesa Mark series, the search would be over as well.
I'll give our German friend some props that if it could retain that dynamic openness under high gain like a Dino it would be king.
Wizard of Ozz
Well-known member
Anybody compare and contrast the 3534 to the 5153 Stealth 50W????
Markedman
Well-known member
LPMojoGL
Well-known member
I played a Mini Jub once, and was digging it. But for the $, a 2204 would beat it every time. As much as I try, can't get into the Mesa Mark amps. The 5:25 was all over the place, on the verge of greatness, but never quite getting there. Same with the Rectoverb 25. The exception being, for the marks, 2c++. That thing was badass. I'd buy it in a heartbeat if the owner would sell.
The EVH lunchbox amps are ok. None of the EVH amps, or any version of the 5150s, make me happy.
Speaking of those Mesas, and totally off subject, what is the general consensus on the older vertical Mesa 2x12, metal grill with EVMs? I have an opportunity to grab one, and seeing as how the guy trading his 3534 for my Helios, also wants my Bogner OS2x12, I might be needing a good 2x12 as soon as tomorrow.