Is there a better amp for Fusion Style Leads and tone than what I have?

[HowieJams]

I would use a zen drive and a classic fender amp if you work the in-between tones and roll your volume knob a lot

If you need separate clean, drive, and lead sounds I would use a mark series of some type

I do not think marshall sounds work well for fusion, personally

The Marks are getting a lot of recommendations

 

[griff10672]

gotta check out some 3534 videos

Mr.Mansfield has a few ...... his vids are the reason I ended up buying one

 

[HowieJams]

Mesa JP-2C. You can get smooth. glassy, compressed sustaining lead tones in channel 2 or 3; you can get full, rich, pristine or edge of breakup jazz / fusion cleans in channel 1.

I'm running a Fractal VP4 in 4CM; and usually only have a compressor or envelop filter in front; typically use chorus / modulation and delay in the loop. It's "my everything but classic/hard / psychedelic rock" amp which are my Marshalls.

That said, I normally use my Fender Super Twin with my D'Angelico Style B when I want cleans but the JP-2C is more conveniently located here, so I use it more than the Fender.

Mesa is coming up a lot, need to check them all out. Interestingly, I was checking out the JP-2C yesterday

 

[HowieJams]

what famous player’s fusion tone are you after?

many different cats and ways to skin them.

No one in particular, just looking for smooth sustaining lead tone

 

[HowieJams]

I don’t think they’re against it as much as they're after simplicity. I wish it was as easy as plug and play…

simplicity and less clutter

 

[HowieJams]

Mr.Mansfiled has a few ...... his vids are the reason I ended up buying one

That sounds great

 

[DanTravis62]

The Marks are getting a lot of recommendations

Yep if I was playing that type of music, something like a JP2C, HRG reissue, or even a 5:25/5:35/5:90 would be on my radar - Honestly I think they all will do great liquid lead tones, it's more a matter of what features you need besides the tone

For example, if I was needing a lot of live versatility plus the big power section? the Jp2C is really hard to beat

If I just need The Sound©? The HRG reissue

If I wanted some variation of that but smaller? Can't go wrong with any of them. Even the little 5:25 is a great sounding amp.

 

[Greazygeo]

Why would you need a special amp to play fusion? I use my Wizard, old plexi, Triple Rectifier, Fender Deluxe. Any of them work fine. Tracked a bunch of my fusion stuff with the Wizard and a LP Special.
Lots of fusion guys used solid state amps. Holdsworth used Lab Series, Yamahas all kinds of stuff. Dimeola used s Marshall half stack and a LP…Stern used ss Yamaha or Fender Twins. Take what you have and dial it in for what you are trying to get.

 

[harddriver]

Sounds good, my new Soldano 1x12 cabinet gives me the option of a 100w amp

Howie the Mark VII has lower wattage modes and I guess the amp is rated at 90 watt for full Class A/B but looks like it has 45 and 25 watt modes so that alone give you tones of flexibility for the wattages and volumes if you like less watts sometimes. Basically the MKVII has almost every benchmark Mesa in there including a Mark IIC+ mode. Whenever I think liquid leads tone Mesa Boogie MKIIC+ and Mark IV's come to mind.

Multi-Watt and Simul-Class power​

The Mark VII lets you alter the amount (wattage) and type (configuration) of power each channel will be coupled with, giving you unprecedented control over the character and personality of your amp. Lowering the wattage of the Mark VII decreases its headroom, making it easier to push it into overdrive. This guitar amplifier head is also wired so that it's capable of operating in both a Class A triode configuration and/or a Class AB pentode configuration, depending on which wattage you select. You can use two power tubes to operate the Mark VII in Class A triode mode at 25 watts, or you can use two tubes running in Class AB pentode mode at 45 watts. The best part, however, is that you can use four tubes running in both Class A and Class AB modes simultaneously at 90 watts, giving you the best of both worlds.

 

[espquade]

I don’t think they’re against it as much as they're after simplicity. I wish it was as easy as plug and play…

Fair point , but for me having an amp with a boost in front is 1000 times more simple then say an Axe FX or the like which drives me insane with everything it has loaded into it.

 

[HowieJams]

I will say I am always amazed when I hear somebody so against using a boost and it usually starts off with a comment how a 3000 dollar plus amp shouldn't need a boost ..etc..etc..

I look at it from another angle ... So my amp is almost perfect but I wish I could just get the low end to track a bit tighter or I just want a bit more sustain at lower volume etc.. So a easy solution is adding in most cases a 150 dollar or less boost of some kind .. Hell even the tried and true Boss SD 1 will do wonders for many high gain amps that are almost perfect but need just that little bit extra.

I don't care if I have to add a boost to make the amp perfect and
Guys who can't wrap their head around this always amaze me and they ususally say their amp has plenty of gain and at that point I realize they are not using a boost correctly as in many applications it really has nothing to do with needing more gain as its more about the feel and response that a boost will give you.

OK, I decided to meet in the middle and try my Boss SD-1 running on battery power, no extra power supply needed so no clutter.
If I used my TS808 mini which I like as it is true bypass I would need to run a power supply.

Well, you all were right, the SD-1 just added that liquid sustain and makes everything so much easier to play.

I tried it tonight with my SLO-30 and my Victory MKX, it was almost magical.

 

[HowieJams]

Fair point , but for me having an amp with a boost in front is 1000 times more simple then say an Axe FX or the like which drives me insane with everything it has loaded into it.

you were right, broke out my SD-1 and it was great

 

[griff10672]

OK, I decided to meet in the middle and try my Boss SD-1 running on battery power, no extra power supply needed so no clutter.
If I used my TS808 mini which I like as it is true bypass I would need to run a power supply.

Well, you all were right, the SD-1 just added that liquid sustain and makes everything so much easier to play.

I tried it tonight with my SLO-30 and my Victory MKX, it was almost magical.

you have to try a Klon style pedal ..... if you like the Sd-1 in front .... you'd love a Klon

 

[Mike Oxhuge]

you have to try a Klon style pedal ..... if you like the Sd-1 in front .... you'd love a Klon

Get Griff's Klon and Zen drive then you got it covered. His pedals are top notch and priced very fair.

 

[harddriver]

you have to try a Klon style pedal ..... if you like the Sd-1 in front .... you'd love a Klon

Yeah he'd probably like a Klon. I had a VFE Merman Klon and it was really smooth so Howie would probably dig a Klon pedal alot.

 

[HowieJams]

Does it run on 9v?

 

[harddriver]

you were right, broke out my SD-1 and it was great

There is a reason most of our favorite tones were boosted with some type of distortion or overdrive pedal.

 

[HowieJams]

There is a reason most of our favorite tones were boosted with some type of distortion or overdrive pedal.

I know, even mine, I was just trying to reduce clutter.
Using a 9v battery solves that.
I keep the Dispatch master on top of my amp and the SD-1 on the floor with no power supply to hook up.

 

[harddriver]

 

[griff10672]

Does it run on 9v?

I build one that does .... I have a few versions ... but the basic one has a 9 volt spot