TotallyRadGuitars
Well-known member
I don't usually share new amps but I'm pretty excited about this one. Someone traded this in - an absolutely mint condition '92 6100LE head and matching 6960LE cab, to a guitar center. I don't know what would possess someone to do something like that, but GC also listed it as a whole package so I paid a mere $35 to ship this entire head and cab to me in Florida (amp was in California). Of course, I try not to get my hopes up, GC has destroyed quite a few amps and guitars I've ordered, and since this is "vintage" gear I only have 3 days to return it.
Anyway I'm both pleased and surprised to say it actually arrived extremely well packed, inside of plastic, with all corners protected by thick foam - thankfully cab and head in separate boxes. Clearly someone cared about packing it right and I can't understate how much I appreciate that. Even better, it also included the original folder, certificate, and manual, which I definitely was not expecting since it wasn't pictured. The only thing technically missing is the footswitch, but maybe it's better that it wasn't included since it surely would've damaged/scratched something in transit. For now, I'll use it the same way I use my regular 6100LM, with an old Boss GT3 and midi cable for switching - added bonus, analog drive section and acoustic simulator, so I have it rigged up kind of like 4 channels - acoustic, clean, crunch, lead, with boost on the CTL switch. Considering a Boss GT3 costs less than a replacement footswitch, I'll be sticking to this solution for a while.
So how does it sound... well the clean channel is superb but I don't think that surprises anyone. Not much I can say about it that hasn't already been said. It's "Fender" style, EQ is before the gain stages, and it has a very useful bright switch that doesn't make it too shrill. The GT3's acoustic simulator sounds really great through this channel too, but I'm not the most well versed in acoustic music or sounds, just kind of a neat bonus. Close enough for a crowd, not that I'd ever play this amp out anywhere.
Channel 2 has 3 modes, and I still need to do a proper A/B but for some reason this amp's Channel 2 "B" mode (superlead) sounds way better to my ear than the same mode on my 6100LM. It has a bit more gain, a hair more scooped, and it just gives the impression of a little better clarity and punch. Some of that may be that I'm using the matching cab which has '92 G12T75's, and I'm used to the smoother/rolled off sound of my '86 G12T75's which are in the cab I usually use with the 6100LM. For those who don't know, early vented G12T75's are more akin to G12-65's and aren't all that related specs wise to later T75's, except in name, so they sound very different. I'm looking forward to doing some a/b tests between the two cabs as well. "A" mode sounds great too, less gain and a little softer in sound, less bite than B. I actually would love to be able to footswitch between A and B modes since they are both so useful, especially if they had separate gain/vol controls. "C" mode is the "JCM900" mode, super high gain sound but all tube, like an SL-X, and can get really saturated. It sounds good but pairs a little strangely with Channel 3...
Channel 3 is interesting, because it has less gain than Channel 2 Mode C, even with the gain boost turned on. The contour switch feels mostly un-usable, far too scooped and kills the punch. It is otherwise voiced pretty similarly to Channel 2, but with a noticeable amount more bass. The end result is that it's a little too... undefined? In the low end for high gain sounds, and I think Channel 2 B + boost, or Channel 2 C are better for high gain rhythm sounds. And I guess that's the point, the lead channel has that extra bass to thicken up single note lines, which it is really good for, but I can see why they LM mod became a factory enhancement in the later non-limited editions of this amp. My 6100LM dates from 1997 and has 5881's instead of EL34's, so a little different, but that amp's channel 3 is far better sounding to me, with tons of gain (I keep it around half) and super punchy in the low end. Of course, I'll be leaving this 6100LE factory, no mods here. Too pristine for that.
Forgive the crappy phone pics. Even the brass front and back panels are crystal clear, no smudging or finger prints, I try not to even touch the panels haha. I have a chrome chassis Dual Rec and a chrome front 2555X and both of those show a lot of spotting that will never come out as much as I try, so I'm going to make extra sure that this amp gets taken care of so it doesn't get tarnished.
Anyway I'm both pleased and surprised to say it actually arrived extremely well packed, inside of plastic, with all corners protected by thick foam - thankfully cab and head in separate boxes. Clearly someone cared about packing it right and I can't understate how much I appreciate that. Even better, it also included the original folder, certificate, and manual, which I definitely was not expecting since it wasn't pictured. The only thing technically missing is the footswitch, but maybe it's better that it wasn't included since it surely would've damaged/scratched something in transit. For now, I'll use it the same way I use my regular 6100LM, with an old Boss GT3 and midi cable for switching - added bonus, analog drive section and acoustic simulator, so I have it rigged up kind of like 4 channels - acoustic, clean, crunch, lead, with boost on the CTL switch. Considering a Boss GT3 costs less than a replacement footswitch, I'll be sticking to this solution for a while.
So how does it sound... well the clean channel is superb but I don't think that surprises anyone. Not much I can say about it that hasn't already been said. It's "Fender" style, EQ is before the gain stages, and it has a very useful bright switch that doesn't make it too shrill. The GT3's acoustic simulator sounds really great through this channel too, but I'm not the most well versed in acoustic music or sounds, just kind of a neat bonus. Close enough for a crowd, not that I'd ever play this amp out anywhere.
Channel 2 has 3 modes, and I still need to do a proper A/B but for some reason this amp's Channel 2 "B" mode (superlead) sounds way better to my ear than the same mode on my 6100LM. It has a bit more gain, a hair more scooped, and it just gives the impression of a little better clarity and punch. Some of that may be that I'm using the matching cab which has '92 G12T75's, and I'm used to the smoother/rolled off sound of my '86 G12T75's which are in the cab I usually use with the 6100LM. For those who don't know, early vented G12T75's are more akin to G12-65's and aren't all that related specs wise to later T75's, except in name, so they sound very different. I'm looking forward to doing some a/b tests between the two cabs as well. "A" mode sounds great too, less gain and a little softer in sound, less bite than B. I actually would love to be able to footswitch between A and B modes since they are both so useful, especially if they had separate gain/vol controls. "C" mode is the "JCM900" mode, super high gain sound but all tube, like an SL-X, and can get really saturated. It sounds good but pairs a little strangely with Channel 3...
Channel 3 is interesting, because it has less gain than Channel 2 Mode C, even with the gain boost turned on. The contour switch feels mostly un-usable, far too scooped and kills the punch. It is otherwise voiced pretty similarly to Channel 2, but with a noticeable amount more bass. The end result is that it's a little too... undefined? In the low end for high gain sounds, and I think Channel 2 B + boost, or Channel 2 C are better for high gain rhythm sounds. And I guess that's the point, the lead channel has that extra bass to thicken up single note lines, which it is really good for, but I can see why they LM mod became a factory enhancement in the later non-limited editions of this amp. My 6100LM dates from 1997 and has 5881's instead of EL34's, so a little different, but that amp's channel 3 is far better sounding to me, with tons of gain (I keep it around half) and super punchy in the low end. Of course, I'll be leaving this 6100LE factory, no mods here. Too pristine for that.
Forgive the crappy phone pics. Even the brass front and back panels are crystal clear, no smudging or finger prints, I try not to even touch the panels haha. I have a chrome chassis Dual Rec and a chrome front 2555X and both of those show a lot of spotting that will never come out as much as I try, so I'm going to make extra sure that this amp gets taken care of so it doesn't get tarnished.
