Help me amp hunt?

[pipboy90]

Sounds like your best bet is save up and buy a used SLO-100 to try it out. If you don’t like it you can sell it down the road.

 

[braintheory]

Sounds like you should just get an SLO based on all the things you said. I get why they’re not for everyone, but sounds like it’s very much up your alley. If you’re budget was a bit higher I’d also highly recommend Wizard and Naylor

 

[thegame]

Tell me on the doll where the 5150 has hurt you ?

Simple, the ears

 

[the rossness]

^ This, or Headfirst Alta. Both are phenomenal amps

I've been listening to clips of the Headfirst and it sounds cool. It can do classic tones in spades but there's something way interesting about how the amp responds. Thanks for the recommendation. It wasn't on my radar and now is

A post 2011 Engl Savage (But before the MK2 version) will give you that stiffer/fast attack as will a Fireball 100. Similar'sh to Fryette, but more polished as opposed to raw/organic. The CLX100 like you said is just a monster, that was my favorite Fryette.

I've thought of ENGL amps, but in general, it's too compressed and polished. Of everything I've played, I liked channel 3 on the MK1 Invader 150 the most. I kind of like the lower gain side of the Blackmore, but every other part of it seems like waaaaaaaaay too much gain and not really the tones I'm after.

?

I get what your saying Tom in regards to the tone being better. I liked the OG 5150 & 6550s I've had for metal, but the quality of the tone is better on the SLO (100w or 30w). It's like Wizards, there is just a certain quality, natural/organic quality to the sound/tone/gain structure/ Many more examples, but I like using Wizard as an example because it seems to agitate some folks that Wizards get talked about so much.

As far as available gain, I don't know about the OG SLOs, but the BAD 100w I had and SLO30 I have now have stupid amounts of gain/saturation. I play the 30 with gain at 8-9 o'clock & lightly boosted and it's still plenty.

Talk about Wizard All you want. The guitarist in my fav band plays a MCII and I've only heard clips, but the Wizard MTL sounds great to my ears! Wizard is too pricy for me, but maybe one day.

Exactly. The '3D' thing is used often and it's hard to explain, but you just know when an amp SOUNDS better than another amp. That's my only point; they of course are more $$ but if I'm judging on tone alone, SLOs are hard to beat. I haven't played an XTC but I know lots of guys swear by them so I'll defer to that. But like you I've played/owned many versions of the 5150s and while they are good amps they don't measure up tonewise to an SLO, for what I like anyway.

Fryette Modded Marshall?? That's one I've never even heard of; or even seen for sale. Interesting....

If you have a Kemper, it's on the rig exchange as "Fryette 74 Marshall" Pete Turley is the author.

 

[* velcro-fly *]

Talk about Wizard All you want.

First rule of Wizard Club is we don't talk about Wizard Club.

My SLO30 is for sale at a solid price....

 

[Techdeth]

Prime example that we do in indeed all hear/perceive things differently. I Had both the SLO100 and SLO30 side by side for a bit and dumped the 100 within a week. I much prefer the 30. If you play the lead with gain above 9-10 o'clock, it starts getting stupid saturated. I would say it stays together until about noon, but still stupid saturated.

Above noon it's way too much. Boosted with gain at 8-10 o'clock is as articulate/clear as anything out there. With gain at 8-9 o'clock it's pretty dry and very tight with a boost, but still has meat/thickness too the tone, doesn't thin out.

The 30 will fall apart at high volumes, where the 100 doesn't sound good until you reach high volumes. Depends on what your using it for. Bedroom to small venue the 30 is one of the better sounding/feeling amps I own. Stadium levels, the 100 roars.

OP:

A Mark III would be worth exploring. A Mark III++ just popped up in the classifieds.

Don't know your budget, but a Gower modded Marshall, Wizard might float your boat. I've not played a Hellion, hope to have one soon, but that might be worth considering.

I totally agree we all hear amps differently. Very important statement. Theres a wizard MTL2 on reverb atm btw

 

[Techdeth]

First rule of Wizard Club is we don't talk about Wizard Club.

My SLO30 is for sale at a solid price....

Wizard Club is a secret