Found My Perfect Rig - Part 2

[HowieJams]

Here we go again....

I will say, if this rig survives the 45 day return period it is my keeper.

What is this rig you ask????

Guitars are not part of the equation, any Les Paul, Strat or Tele can work, Les Paul Traditional Pro is my 1st choice as it gives me the option of Humbucker or Single Coil.

Amplifiers - This is the main part of the rig
I have went through hundreds of amps and I decided I want to just plug my guitar straight in to the amp with the only pedals being a delay in the loop.

What amps made the cut?

Jet City JCA22H head through a Egnater Tweaker 15 Cabinet loaded with a Celestion G12H30.
This is a 2 channel amp, it gets anything from gritty cleans to high gain hair metal type stuff, think George Lynch type of gain.

Egnater Tweaker 40 head through another Egnater Tweaker 15 Cabinet, or two if needed for louder gigs.
This 2 channel amp does anything from jazzy cleans to hard rock and hair metal.

Here is where I had to make a decision.,
Both amps have enough gain that I do not need a pedal or pedalboard, I have all of them for sale on Ebay, but I play mostly lead guitar and my Ibanez TS808 just makes each amp even better.

I decided to keep 5 pedals.....

1- Earthquaker Devices Dispatch Master Reverb/Delay - this goes in the loop of my Tweaker 40

2- Visual Sound V2H2O Delay/Chorus - this goes in the loop of the Jet City

3- Startouch ST1 A/B pedal - this goes in front of my amps so I can run a dual rig amp if I want. The Jet City is not great for cleans and the Tweaker is not as high gain as the Jet City, this allows me to have both at the same time.

4- Ibanez TS808 - This pedal just makes both amps sing, it adds sustain and harmonics. It allows the Tweaker 40 to do the higher gain I need for lead, it makes the Jet City optional so I do not need to bring two amps.

5- Dunlop Cry Baby Wah - This resides in my closet, but I never know when I might want to use it.

So to sum it up:

Home rig - any guitar - ts808 - startouch st1 - Tweaker & JCA22H amps with delays in the loops

Jams & Gigs - Gibson Les Paul Trad Pro - ts808 - Tweaker 40 with Dispatch Master in the loop

Both amps are decent at bedroom levels which is important to me.
I have come to realize a 2 channel amp is necessary for my playing style, I often go from clean to gain in the same song.

What did not survive the cut???

Fulltone OCD - great pedal, but I have those tones in each amp
MXR M78 - great pedal, but each amp gets these tones.
SKB Footnote Powered Pedalboard - no need for a powered pedalboard for only 3 pedals

 

[glassjaw7]

 

[MARK1970]

What other amps did you try? Whatever works for you is all that matters. I spent about two years trying as many amps as I could. I was fortunate as I live between Tone Merchants and Wild West guitars. I finally decided on a CAA OD100.

 

[HowieJams]

I went through so many....

Here is a partial summary...

It has taken me a while to get to this point.

First I had Channel switchers before I knew what I was doing or even knew about distortion pedals.

I started with a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and realized the gain channel sucked.
This was about 4-5 years ago.

Then I went through my higher end 2 channel amps...

Marshall JVM205C, Budda SD18, Budda SD45, Engl Screamer 50, Peavey Triple XXX, etc....

I did not like the Marshall or Peavey, the Engl was cool, lot of features, but was short on tone, the Buddas had great tone, but were too loud for home use.

This all happened in the last 2-3 years

Next I moved to Single channel amps using pedals as a boost...

Egnater Tweaker 15, Vox Night Train, Orange Tiny Terror, Fender Blues Jr, etc...
This was in the last 1-2 years
I realized that changing from cleans to gain was not so easy with this type of set-up so....

I switched to single channel non-master volume amps with pedals for gain.
This was in the last year.

My favorite was the Fender Pro Junior, but I also had Marshall Class 5 and a Vox AC4TV.

I would run them through a TS808, OCD, MXR M78 and by stacking these pedals it was a very simple rig that sounded great.
However, I just wanted to plug straight in without a boost.

That led me back to channel switchers in the last several months....
I had a H&K Tubemeister 18 combo, it was a really nice amp, but the gain left me short, it was a bit fizzy.

I then grabbed another Tweaker 15 on impulse and I loved the tone.
I added the JCA22H and figured I would run a dual amp set-up using the Tweaker 15 for cleans and mild gain and the JCA22H for hard rock to hair metal.

Then I figured, get a Tweaker 40, this will make it a 4 channel dual amp rig, even better.

So, I put all of my pedals up for sale, but then I ran the TS808 in front of both amps and there it was, it made both amps better, but it also allowed me to use the Tweaker 40 to cover all of my needs by itself.

You asked for it, this was my journey.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

I tried an OD100 yesterday... I wasn`t that blown away! Thought it was a tad too smooth on the 1st channel and the amp was bass heavy overall. Gain boost worked well. We all have diff ears. Right now my winner is my JCM800 combo with tweaked values. KILLS! I would say it easily beat that OD100 with a ZW-44 in front of it ..

 

[MARK1970]

I tried an OD100 yesterday... I wasn`t that blown away! Thought it was a tad too smooth on the 1st channel and the amp was bass heavy overall. Gain boost worked well. We all have diff ears. Right now my winner is my JCM800 combo with tweaked values. KILLS! I would say it easily beat that OD100 with a ZW-44 in front of it ..

The OD100 I had purchased back in 2006. I fell in love with the cleans and the lead tone. I currently have a PT100. It is actually the same amp. My amp has been converted about 4 times.

 

[Shark Diver]

Is it weird that I would never use ANY of the amps you have listed? Ever...

I thought the exact same thing.

 

[se7en]

Is it weird that I would never use ANY of the amps you have listed? Ever...

I thought the exact same thing.

 

[tripstan]

Is it weird that I would never use ANY of the amps you have listed? Ever...

Nope +1

 

[mesa50w]

Is it weird that I would never use ANY of the amps you have listed? Ever...

same here.... well I did get a Jetcity one time in on trade...thought it was hank of crap pretty much gave it away just to get it out of "the" room

 

[HowieJams]

WTF.

I have 1 kid in college and another going soon. $$$ are at a premium.

Needless to say my AMGs, Porsches, Z06s, and Vipers have been replaced by Mustangs.

Just like the tone of the Stangs exhaust, these lower priced amps still sound good.

Then again I am a lowly Medical Professional trying to make intelligent conversation with the highbrows on this forum.

 

[splatter]

WTF.

I have 1 kid in college and another going soon. $$$ are at a premium.

Needless to say my AMGs, Porsches, Z06s, and Vipers have been replaced by Mustangs.

Just like the tone of the Stangs exhaust, these lower priced amps still sound good.

Then again I am a lowly Medical Professional trying to make intelligent conversation with the highbrows on this forum.

We aren't highbrows we are gear snobs.

 

[jcj]

WTF.

I have 1 kid in college and another going soon. $$$ are at a premium.

Needless to say my AMGs, Porsches, Z06s, and Vipers have been replaced by Mustangs.

Just like the tone of the Stangs exhaust, these lower priced amps still sound good.

Then again I am a lowly Medical Professional trying to make intelligent conversation with the highbrows on this forum.

I don't think anyone was tring to insult you; most of us have been through tons of stuff, trying to find what works for us, as individuals.

If you found gear that makes you happy, and works for your applications, I'd say congratulations.

 

[tripstan]

Didn't your interweb subscription come with big boy pants?

Every now and then I forget to put mine on before I lurk in the Off Topic forum.

 

[splatter]

keeping with the topic .
My perfect rig is
My les paul Axcess with darkburst in the neck and BK rebel yell in the bridge ( IMHO the guitar and pups are a HUGE part of the equation)
My modded 76 JMP (I did the friedman BE ,HBE mod on it with a few small changes ,also add a loop)
My marshall 2x12 with a M75 and an H75 in it .
TC electronics nova delay
ISP decimator noise gate
Morley alligator volume pedal (in the loop)

some of the amps I have owned (can't remember all )
Marshall Plexi - rocks but to loud
Marshall 900 duel reverb - no like tone
Marshall 6100 versital but not impressed with tone
Mesa nomad = versital but not impressed with tone
mesa F50 - not bad but sounds kinda stale
mesa F30 - same as f50
mesa lonestar - killer amp after doing a bias mod . and adjusting the bias to where it should be
Fender supersonic = nice tone but broke down 2nd day I had it
Fender hot rod deluxe - no like tone
line 6 - haha,POS
egnater rebel - fizz in distorsion
CAA od50 = really dissapointing harsh sounding to bright ,fizz
Marshall haze 40- good amp for the money
EVH5150III 50 watt - nice amp for the $
Marshall YJM100 - great amp great tone .
Marshall 79 JMP modded by dave friedman - killer amp
thats all I can remember at the moment . Not that you ask but there it is anyway

IMHO the only amps listed above that come any where close to my JMP is the Friedman,and the YJM and my JMP still wins

 

[splatter]

WTF.

I have 1 kid in college and another going soon. $$$ are at a premium.

Needless to say my AMGs, Porsches, Z06s, and Vipers have been replaced by Mustangs.

Just like the tone of the Stangs exhaust, these lower priced amps still sound good.

Then again I am a lowly Medical Professional trying to make intelligent conversation with the highbrows on this forum.

Don't be offended , most people here are kinda cruel . Also sarcasm doesn't always translate well on the web . Always remember just because some one has alot of great gear doesn't mean he can play worth sh@t .
A quick tip , buy it used try it if you don't like it you can get your money back . New gear is a bad idea when you sell it your gonna lose .
BTW most of the gear I tried was along time ago and these days I'm so broke I can't pay attention .

 

[jcj]

WTF.

I have 1 kid in college and another going soon. $$$ are at a premium.

Needless to say my AMGs, Porsches, Z06s, and Vipers have been replaced by Mustangs.

Just like the tone of the Stangs exhaust, these lower priced amps still sound good.

Then again I am a lowly Medical Professional trying to make intelligent conversation with the highbrows on this forum.

Don't be offended , most people here are kinda cruel . Also sarcasm doesn't always translate well on the web . Always remember just because some one has alot of great gear doesn't mean he can play worth sh@t .
A quick tip , buy it used try it if you don't like it you can get your money back . New gear is a bad idea when you sell it your gonna lose .
BTW most of the gear I tried was along time ago and these days I'm so broke I can't pay attention .

I couldn't disagree more, I'd say most people here are incredibly kind; I've seen people step up time and again to help with a good cause.

 

[tripstan]

WTF.

I have 1 kid in college and another going soon. $$$ are at a premium.

Needless to say my AMGs, Porsches, Z06s, and Vipers have been replaced by Mustangs.

Just like the tone of the Stangs exhaust, these lower priced amps still sound good.

Then again I am a lowly Medical Professional trying to make intelligent conversation with the highbrows on this forum.

Don't be offended , most people here are kinda cruel . Also sarcasm doesn't always translate well on the web . Always remember just because some one has alot of great gear doesn't mean he can play worth sh@t .
A quick tip , buy it used try it if you don't like it you can get your money back . New gear is a bad idea when you sell it your gonna lose .
BTW most of the gear I tried was along time ago and these days I'm so broke I can't pay attention .

I couldn't disagree more, I'd say most people here are incredibly kind; I've seen people step up time and again to help with a good cause.

I agree most are kind but there's a lost of sarcasm here.

 

[jcj]

I'll give you the shitload of sarcasm

 

[jlbaxe]

I started out with a peavey Bandit 65 and Ibby RG550 when I was 16, kinda real low end. A old drunk guy I knew asked to play my guitar. I handed it to him and he twisted the knobs then RIPPED on some ZZ top and blues. Found out he won awards for blues playing and even played for/with Aretha Franklin. Story or point is he sounded F'n AMAZING though my crappy set up.

If you are happy and have fun that is all that matters.

When I first came here in '08 I had a bunch of crap except for some ADA stuff, MP1, Eq,MP2 etc, Carvin Quad X and Mesa Mk III. The rest was stuff like digitec 04 floor pedal a bunch of $30-$50 pedals, ART SGE2000 etc. I have spent 7 years buying and selling until I have found what I have and like.

Wish I could be happy with a tweaker and 1x12 then I could free up 25,000 in gear

You have a nice collection of guitars