Most Dissappointing Piece of Gear You've Ever Bought?

[MatrixClaw]

Bogner Uberschall Rev. Blue - Sounded great with a boost but absolutely hated that amp without it.

Bogner XTC 101b - There were some ok tones it in but overall it was really harsh on most channels to the point where I had an extremely hard time dialing it out.

Soldano SLO - Good amp, but I expected MUCH more for the pricetag. Is honestly rather have a Hotrod or Avenger.

Orange RV100 MKII - The original was badass. The new one was kinda meh.

Ampeg SVT line - Every bass player I know oogles over these things and the Mesas next to them kicked the shit out of them

Diezel VH4 - Would be cool... If it was $2000 cheaper. Sounds great on recordings, hate it for the price whenever I've tried it. Don't get the hype.

VHT Ultralead - For years I'd gassed over this amp, thinking it'd be the perfect match for me, I've owned 2 since then and they're good but lack the "awesome" I thought it'd have.

Engl Powerball - Fizzy mess. Do not like.

FJA modded Racktifier - Aside from the 3 ch triple, the worst Recto I've ever heard.

3 Ch Triple Recto - I'd honestly rather play through a Line 6 Spider.

Mesa Mark IV - Lead channel is great, the rest I could do without.

 

[some dude]

What is your reason for not liking Big Muffs? I was thinking this was a good choice for a nice fuzz pedal and planned on getting one some day. What setup did you use it with?

I just don't like them. Not my sound. Most of them sounded too scooped and the ones with good mids generally sounded boxy. I've tried them through various British and American voiced amps with no luck.

Oddly, the one amp I did like it with was a Dual Rectifier. I did it mostly as a joke but the two gain sources stacked instead of fighting each other and produced this square wave chunk that was more articulate and had better definition than I thought it would've.

Still, I don't really have a use for that sound so the pedal sits on my shelf unused.

 

[Gnarkill3k6]

Mesa V-Twin pedal. Come on Mesa... clipping diodes!?

 

[xiwiwix]

Peavey XXX

The distortion was: Sterile, lifeless, dull, flat, farty. It sounded like a dying tube JCM 900 4100 with a Peavey Rage 158 forced in to its anus. I owned, two new, and I have to hand it to Peavey with their consistency because both sounded the same way.

 

[Ye Black Knight]

Not so long ago, behind a tavern of ill repute, a one-eyed hag sold me a plectrum for mine string'eth-six banshee.

This mysterious wanderer told your humble knight that the pick held mystic powers to ensnare ye musical muse and force her to my nefarious bidding, as it had been fashioned from a demon's talon! 'Twas a crimson object, with a powerful stench that recalled Hell's lowest, most odious pit!

This fearsome shard even sported a leash with which to wrap around mine finger, to prevent'eth this pick from leaping away whist it unleash'd it's ferocious Metallic attack!

Later, within mine lair, this plectrum dissolve'thd upon ye first strike of a chord!

Brought this pick to a luthier did I, who explain'd to me that what I had purchased was a piece of feminine hygiene product that had absorb'd a wench's menstruation, then been discarded and dried to a crisp!

This post now concludeth!

 

[PeteLaramee]

Not so long ago, behind a tavern of ill repute, a one-eyed hag sold me a plectrum for mine string'eth-six banshee.

This mysterious wanderer told your humble knight that the pick held mystic powers to ensnare ye musical muse and force her to my nefarious musical, as it had been fashioned from a demon's talon! 'Twas a crimson object, with a powerful stench that recalled Hell's lowest, most odious pit!

This fearsome shard even sported a leash with which to wrap around mine finger, to prevent'eth this pick from leaping away whist it unleash'd mine ferocious Metallic attack!

Later, within mine lair, this plectrum dissolve'thd upon ye first strike of a chord!

Brought this pick to a luthier did I, who explain'd to me that what I had purchased was a piece of feminine hygiene product that had absorb'd a wench's menstruation, then been discarded and dried to a crisp!

This post now concludeth!

Awesome post.

 

[Aristocat]

Peavey XXX

The distortion was: Sterile, lifeless, dull, flat, farty. It sounded like a dying tube JCM 900 4100 with a Peavey Rage 158 forced in to its anus. I owned, two new, and I have to hand it to Peavey with their consistency because both sounded the same way.

He don't play no Peavey XXX.

 

[snowdog]

Bogner Uberschall Rev. Blue - Sounded great with a boost but absolutely hated that amp without it.

Bogner XTC 101b - There were some ok tones it in but overall it was really harsh on most channels to the point where I had an extremely hard time dialing it out.

Soldano SLO - Good amp, but I expected MUCH more for the pricetag. Is honestly rather have a Hotrod or Avenger.

Orange RV100 MKII - The original was badass. The new one was kinda meh.

Ampeg SVT line - Every bass player I know oogles over these things and the Mesas next to them kicked the shit out of them

Diezel VH4 - Would be cool... If it was $2000 cheaper. Sounds great on recordings, hate it for the price whenever I've tried it. Don't get the hype.

VHT Ultralead - For years I'd gassed over this amp, thinking it'd be the perfect match for me, I've owned 2 since then and they're good but lack the "awesome" I thought it'd have.

Engl Powerball - Fizzy mess. Do not like.

FJA modded Racktifier - Aside from the 3 ch triple, the worst Recto I've ever heard.

3 Ch Triple Recto - I'd honestly rather play through a Line 6 Spider.

Mesa Mark IV - Lead channel is great, the rest I could do without.

So, I would be curious as to what you do like ? Marshall's maybe, since they're about the only thing missing from your list ?

 

[MatrixClaw]

So, I would be curious as to what you do like ? Marshall's maybe, since they're about the only thing missing from your list ?

I suppose one gets picky after owning over 100 different amp models, many multiple times.


From the brands that are on the list of disappointment, I quite enjoyed:

Bogner Duende / Shiva
Soldano Hot Rod Avenger / Avenger / Hot Rod 50+
Orange RV100 MKI / RV50 MKII (surprising that the MKII 50w was better than the original, but the 100w was worse )
Ampeg VH-140C / SS-150 (all their bass amps are meh for the price )
Diezel Herbert / Einstein 50
VHT Deliverance / Sig:X / 50CL (the second UL I had was actually pretty great, but I didn't feel like it brought much more to the table than the cheaper VHTs did)
Engl Savage
Mesa Mark III / Mark V / 2 Channel Dual Recto

It's not like all the amps I listed I completely hated (though, there were a few), just that they failed in comparison to other amps I've owned/tried that were similar.

 

[modulo]

Mine's are:

Bugera 6260 amp- broke down after 8 months and took 2 months to repair.
Line6 PocketPod
Behringer V-amp PRO
Rocktron PowerAmp Velocity120 -- overheat
Zoom g9 2tt multi effect
Seymour Duncan Dimebucker
that's it for now....



Pascal

 

[Michi]

Mine's are:

Bugera 6260 amp- broke down after 8 months and took 2 months to repair.

I had me a Bugera 1990. Lasted about 2 weeks before it broke. Took only about 2 weeks to get it repaired though. Can't say that it was the most disappointing piece of gear I've ever bought though. I kinda anticipated it'll go bonkers quite quickly which it did = didn't disappoint me .

 

[koury73]

1. H&K Switchblade-just complete crap for the price, no better than a line 6
2. Morely Bad Horsie Wah-this pedal really sucks, it suck amp tone, just not good at all. And it broke after 2 months. I didn't realize how bad it was until I got another Wah.
3. Marshall JCM 900 4100 High Gain
4. Randall Warhead
5. USA Jackson King V-Had it custom ordered, came in a complete mess, jacked up frets, horrible routing job on the floyd, poor paint, and even crappier tone from that guitar. Not what I expected after waiting months and several thousand dollars on a US custom. This was pre-Fender, and I have never seen another Jackson as jacked up as this guitar was.

 

[steve_k]

Bogner Uberschall Rev. Blue - Sounded great with a boost but absolutely hated that amp without it.

Bogner XTC 101b - There were some ok tones it in but overall it was really harsh on most channels to the point where I had an extremely hard time dialing it out.

Soldano SLO - Good amp, but I expected MUCH more for the pricetag. Is honestly rather have a Hotrod or Avenger.

Orange RV100 MKII - The original was badass. The new one was kinda meh.

Ampeg SVT line - Every bass player I know oogles over these things and the Mesas next to them kicked the shit out of them

Diezel VH4 - Would be cool... If it was $2000 cheaper. Sounds great on recordings, hate it for the price whenever I've tried it. Don't get the hype.

VHT Ultralead - For years I'd gassed over this amp, thinking it'd be the perfect match for me, I've owned 2 since then and they're good but lack the "awesome" I thought it'd have.

Engl Powerball - Fizzy mess. Do not like.

FJA modded Racktifier - Aside from the 3 ch triple, the worst Recto I've ever heard.

3 Ch Triple Recto - I'd honestly rather play through a Line 6 Spider.

Mesa Mark IV - Lead channel is great, the rest I could do without.

Dammit.... With a shit list like that, what did you settle on?

 

[TheMagicEight]

Bogner Uberschall Rev. Blue - Sounded great with a boost but absolutely hated that amp without it.

Bogner XTC 101b - There were some ok tones it in but overall it was really harsh on most channels to the point where I had an extremely hard time dialing it out.

Soldano SLO - Good amp, but I expected MUCH more for the pricetag. Is honestly rather have a Hotrod or Avenger.

Orange RV100 MKII - The original was badass. The new one was kinda meh.

Ampeg SVT line - Every bass player I know oogles over these things and the Mesas next to them kicked the shit out of them

Diezel VH4 - Would be cool... If it was $2000 cheaper. Sounds great on recordings, hate it for the price whenever I've tried it. Don't get the hype.

VHT Ultralead - For years I'd gassed over this amp, thinking it'd be the perfect match for me, I've owned 2 since then and they're good but lack the "awesome" I thought it'd have.

Engl Powerball - Fizzy mess. Do not like.

FJA modded Racktifier - Aside from the 3 ch triple, the worst Recto I've ever heard.

3 Ch Triple Recto - I'd honestly rather play through a Line 6 Spider.

Mesa Mark IV - Lead channel is great, the rest I could do without.

Dammit.... With a shit list like that, what did you settle on?

+1!

 

[steve_k]

anything Splawn

If you can't sound good with Splawn, perhaps you should look into drum lessons...

That didn't take long.

I just scored two brand new Splawn's.......head shells. Scott makes some killer replacement shells, fast delivery and reasonably priced. Needed a couple for some Marshall's - one 87 and one 59 series.

 

[thegame]

Trojan Ultra Thins. Despite the advertising, it certainly does not feel like wearing nothing at all.

 

[steve_k]

Trojan Ultra Thins. Despite the advertising, it certainly does not feel like wearing nothing at all.

Yeah, I tried those one's made from sheep skin. She went "baaaaaaa" when she finished.....

 

[Anonymous]

Absolutely loved the first Mesa Tremoverbs but never bought one. Fast forward 10 years or so and bought a Roadster, couldn't get rid of it quick enough! Thought maybe the Roadking would do it, nope

Played my son's friend early Tremoverb, awesome! What happened MESA? How could you screw up such a great sounding amp????

 

[Anonymous]

anything Splawn

If you can't sound good with Splawn, perhaps you should look into drum lessons...

That didn't take long.

I just scored two brand new Splawn's.......head shells. Scott makes some killer replacement shells, fast delivery and reasonably priced. Needed a couple for some Marshall's - one 87 and one 59 series.

I agree!! The headshells kick ass !! Just don't put a splawn chassis/ amp in it..

 

[jcj]

anything Splawn

If you can't sound good with Splawn, perhaps you should look into drum lessons...

That didn't take long.

I just scored two brand new Splawn's.......head shells. Scott makes some killer replacement shells, fast delivery and reasonably priced. Needed a couple for some Marshall's - one 87 and one 59 series.

I agree!! The headshells kick ass !! Just don't put a splawn chassis/ amp in it..

Just go take up the drums....ok?