Gonna sell an amp, help me decide?

[UpInSmoke]

I'm not in a band as much as I'd like to be but if I were, it'd be Down-like at it's heaviest and more likely punk or 90's grunge/rock. I will be keeping a JEL-50 regardless. There's obvious overlap.

I've played the BE and Slax back to back and can't get them quite the same but close enough. Dave says he'd sell the Slax and keep the JEL and BE of the three. The JEL-50 and Slax do basically all the BE can + stuff it can't quite. The JEL does killer JCM and plexi tones. I had a 'sat' switch added to push it further. The Slax, I have loved it a lot more than most seem to have but I acknowledge that even though it has the gain for modern metal, it wouldn't be my first choice.

The EVH is incredibly mean. While also a Marshall sound, it's a pretty different delivery from the Friedmans of course. The chugs and heavy thuds are intensely good and it's more versatile than I give it credit for at times. It'll go for less (still enough for now) but is way more common and affordable to replace if I ever want to.

I also have the Slax and EVH matching cabs. Will send the cab out with whichever one goes if one of the two.

I'd like to hear some input but a vote helps if nothing else. So far, where I leaned to selling the EVH for a long time, I'm actually considering the Slax most right now. It's not a common amp and has that cool factor but the BE can do most of it, it's worth more than the EVH and to be a metal amp, it's not very tight, all that good with boost pedals or just any cab from my experience.

 

[Techdeth]

Sell BE

 

[PDC]

It sounds like the only thing the Slax does that nothing else in the stable does is that 'almost too much' gain thing that needs tightening. It does have the 'cool / rare' factor that might help push the sale and at a higher price point. With a JEL, a BE, and the Stealth, I think you will have all your bases covered.

 

[angelspade]

Honestly from your description it sounds like the 5150IIIS and the JEL pretty much cover all the tones that you favor. The primary purpose of the Slax is the really heavy stuff, and it seems like you prefer the Stealth for that angle. Either the BE or Slax should go. The Slax is a bit rare, but they don't trade particularly well. I've seen them sit for 6 months at good prices.

 

[bennyslo]

I would sell the Butterslax or BE. Keep the JEL and EVH Stealth

 

[VonBonfire]

Sell all of them and get something else.

 

[Holy-diver]

Sell BE

This

 

[angelspade]

This

Yeah...The Friedman BE seems to be an amp that many people like when they first get their hands on it...But ultimately seem to end up feeling that it's polished, polite and produced sounding. Like there's just not enough Marshall in there.

 

[BABMusic]

I wonder what it is about the Butterslax that makes so many people sell it. They are somewhat rare, but they don't have a great resale value -- like the SS100.

 

[DanTravis62]

Sell the BE

 

[angelspade]

I wonder what it is about the Butterslax that makes so many people sell it. They are somewhat rare, but they don't have a great resale value -- like the SS100.

I played one recently...Pretty cool amp. That said, the clean channel cannot get clean...The middle channel seems to lack aggression and character and the 3rd channel has tons of gain, but it's "messy" and has so much hair that it feels a bit "out of control" that was my initial impression.

 

[Rackman]

Seems like 3 3-channel stage amps. the Butterslax is IMO the worst - the "clean" channel is not. It's a medium gain channel. I also felt channel 3 wasn't really useful. The BE-100 Deluxe is useful on all three channels and is an industry standard for a reason.

 

[rsm]

Yes.

 

[Techdeth]

I wonder what it is about the Butterslax that makes so many people sell it. They are somewhat rare, but they don't have a great resale value -- like the SS100.

I like butterslax

 

[harddriver]

Sell the amp you get the least amount of satisfaction playing.

 

[Techdeth]

Sell the amp you get the least amount of satisfaction playing.

I’m such a weirdo I love all high gain tube amps amps . Love ne a blue voodoo even . Wish I could keep them all . But that’s not feedeable for me . But your right . Sounds like BE is that amp for him

 

[UpInSmoke]

I wonder what it is about the Butterslax that makes so many people sell it. They are somewhat rare, but they don't have a great resale value -- like the SS100.

I always wondered that too. I think it's a seriously great amp. The only reason this comes up for me is because I have the others.

Dave has settings for the BE that can get it in the ballpark but it's still different. Besides some girth and gain on the 3rd channel of the Slax, channels 2 being more similar, the differences are mostly in the first channels. The Butterslax channel 1 is thicc and can get a seriously incredible hard rock tone. The BE's doesn't get as fat (even with the fat switch on) or go as far. The differences between them starts to melt away when played against like an EVH or Rockerverb. That's not to say the differences don't matter or they deserve to go over the EVH.

Anyone who voted EVH, I'd love to hear why! Even with the Friedman's being similar, I think they're both extremely cool amps. The BE with lots of tone control and the Slax, cool and that oughta be legendary first channel.

 

[BABMusic]

I played one recently...Pretty cool amp. That said, the clean channel cannot get clean...The middle channel seems to lack aggression and character and the 3rd channel has tons of gain, but it's "messy" and has so much hair that it feels a bit "out of control" that was my initial impression.

Did you go to Dave's shop?

 

[angelspade]

Did you go to Dave's shop?

No...Never Have. I've chatted with save a few time (really nice guy)...But never been to his shop. The Jose is the amp that Dave has built that is most interesting to me.

 

[Exo-metal]

Sell me a Diezel Herbert mk3