In you opinions, what amp brands will leave a mark...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Joeytpg
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Shark Diver":3gbi85ut said:
Nothing will probably ever compare to the big 2. As guitar keeps declining in popular music and the advance of digital tone machines keeps getting better, the chance for any one amp to dominate stages across the world seems nonexistent.
You mean the big 3, don't you? Fender, Marshall and Boogie are the monsters here...
 
RockStarNick":i66z2yyf said:
There was a similar thread on RT back in the day. Someone asked "When will someone come up with a completely NEW amplifier design?" Referring to the big 3: Fender, Marshall, and Vox. We discussed, and most people agreed that no matter how good the amp, at the core of MOST boutique designs, is a Fender (EQ before gain), Marshall (EQ after the gain stages), or Vox (Class A EL34 type). Sometimes, designs are hybrids of these two. When you think about it, there's 3 elements: Gain stages, EQ, and Power Amp. Until someone comes up with something new, besides this, that actually SOUNDS good, I'm not sure if they're going to "leave a mark".

Egnater makes great stuff, no doubt. They were wise enough to take a look at the amp market, and see the big gaping hole in the middle. NO ONE was making boutique-sounding, affordable amps that were right around the $1K mark. And no one was making boutique lunchbox amps at the $500 mark. And no one else had a partnership with GC. They struck at the right place, right time, right product, right price. A complete winning combination. People were tired of Fender Hot Rod deluxes. People were tired of Marshall Valvestates. People were tired of Line 6. And people couldn't afford Boogies or other boutique-y stuff. In comes Egnater, and they were the "other option" that people had been hoping for!

Again, great amps. I'm planning on buying a Tweaker. I've owned a Renegade and a Rebel. But I think their popularity is based on filling a hole in the market with good sounding, cleverly priced products - and not necessarily "game changing" designs.


Very good post Nick, I agree 100% on the Egnater strategy. They're not reinventing the wheel here that's for sure, but al the things they've loaded their amps with (variable wattage, bright switches, tube mix, hot switches, good quality digital reverb, footswitchable loops etc) all at a VERY competitive price,FANTASTIC sound and build quality that matches higher end stuff, they're definitely on the right direction.
 
With the way technology is today, I really can't see a single brand becoming the next "thing." I feel the same way about bands really. With the internet, you just have so much information and choices. Small builders are able to sell their items globally online and therefore just about everyone has everything available to them.

I see what you're saying about orange though. I've noticed that a bit too.
 
glassjaw7":hkryhngr said:
Shark Diver":hkryhngr said:
Nothing will probably ever compare to the big 2. As guitar keeps declining in popular music and the advance of digital tone machines keeps getting better, the chance for any one amp to dominate stages across the world seems nonexistent.
You mean the big 3, don't you? Fender, Marshall and Boogie are the monsters here...


Nah. Boogie is big, but not Marshall/Fender big. Sort of like Gibson and Fender guitars are big. Then you have Gretch, Rickenbacker, Prs, etc.

Believe me I respect Boogies. My first amp was a Fender Princeton from a pawn shop. Then all I had for 20 years were Boogies. I have played through tons of Fenders and Marshalls, but never owned one. Never owned a Fender guitar. One Gibson for roughly 4 months (though I wish I would have kept it). Someone's head at TGP just exploded. :lol: :LOL: :lol: :LOL: :lol: :LOL:
 
When I fist started reading this thread my gut reaction was: Egnater.

However, to someone else's point - there is no big 'uprising' or swell in Rock or Metal where entire genres or Top Ten'rs are getting behind Egnater. As mentioned, that is the big make-or-break difference.

AxeFx could be the next rising force with young musicians - especially if Fractal started to make stripped down versions with a built in power amp. A combo basically. Something that could be picked up easily to go jam with friends. Similarly, Line 6 definitely has the brand recognition, distribution, on-line presence, etc to be the next big thing. Take a look at the Flextone, Vetta, Pod, Pod Farm, DT50 (or whatever it is called), in addition to their standard pedals. And as much as I despise Spiders, a lot of kids have them as their first br00talz amp because they can get 'Insane' tones without the insane cost.

Lastly, to someone else's point, the younger generation is more accepting of the digital sounding, multi-tracked, over produced music that they listen to today and the tube crunch and sag that a lot of us like - is slowly becoming a thing of the past. :doh:

(in a way I hope I'm wrong - but that is how I see it)
 
BrokenFusion":2uuttylx said:
Joeytpg":2uuttylx said:
then Mesa took Marshall stuff and heading towards another direction became the IT brand for a while.

Mesa was created by tweaking Fenders, not Marshalls.

I don't think your going to see any big name brands dominate anymore. There are so many small builders out there that can beat the big guys at their own game.

This.

We don't have a market like we used to in which you pretty much bought a Fender, Marshall, Laney or Mesa (or whatever was out there at whatever time) and mod it if you're not completely happy. Nowadays there's so much choice, plus companies dedicated to modding existing circuits that are aclaimed by many (loads on here) to be making the best amps out there.

However.... this is coming from a forum nerd who has actually heard of these brands whereas 95% of the guitarists my age who are splashing out £££££ on a new amp have never heard of Fortin, Cameron, CAA, Egnater, etc, giving more money to companies like Marshall who IMO aren't nearly as deserving. (Not that the JVM, DSL and VM aren't great amps).
 
When Line6 first came out, they got everything right - except for the tones. By the time the Bogner partnership tube powered amps came around, I think enough people already had a bad taste in their mouth from Line6's initial offerings. I'm not aware of how good or bad these spider valve amps are selling, but from my point of view, it's too little too late.

Whereas Fractal Audio, being a new name on the scene, with great sounding modelling, might have to opportunity to drop a BOMB of a game changer (as said in a previous post, built in power, combo, etc). That is, IF they get it right the first time.

Similar to the way that record companies don't let artists develop over time anymore - they give them one shot, and if they don't make bank, they drop them. I think the same kinda holds true for new music companies. Consumers don't want to be bothered with a company that's working out the kinks. They want a brand new product that's going to kick butt immediately.
 
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