overrated gear :D

[jcj]

PRS, Axe-FX, boutique OD pedals (they'll never replicate a tube!!!)

Anything with EL84s. I can't stand them and don't know why anyone would use that tube rather than the far superior 6V6. IMHO of course.

You and I could never get along...I have an Axe Fx, a PRS 245 that sounds amazing, and just grabbed a Cornford Hellcat (EL 84's) that floored me

 

[Ventura]

Man, not sure what to say about this...besides that it is absofuckinlutely ridiculous. Herberts are exclaimed by many people to be the be all end all amp, just read the Diezel forum at any time! I bought one based on countless remarks just like that on this and other forums. I also played one before and thought it was cool. Wanted to spend some time with it to make up my own mind so I bought one. It did not live up to the hype, hence, it was overrated. It's fairly simple really.

I changed tubes countless times in it, finally settled on 4 EL34s and 2 6550s. Sounded good, not great. I even called another Diezel owner and friend of mine who posts here to ask him if I was missing something. My opinion is not based on some sort of conjecture, but actual research and experimentation by me. Owned the amp for 6 months.

Never have I ever said "it sucked" or that it was "bad." I wouldn't say that about the amp because it is not true. It just did not live up to its hype.

Specifically, the amp did not live up to the hype about the tightness of the low end. Before and after I bought the amp I went on the Diezel forum and people told me "not sure why you would need the low end any tighter than a Hernert. It is one of thightest amps out there." A surgically tight low end is paramount for me and the Herbert doesn't have it. I actually think a VH4 on Ch. 3 is tighter and is actually more my thing. I have an amp in my arsenal that totally dominated the Herbert in the tight low end department.

It is hilarious to me that when you offer an informed opinion about an amp in a thread where an opinion is specifically asked for that you are a hater, or, and this is my favorite, "maybe you didn't know what you were doing and had bad tubes." Um, nope. I know what I am doing just fine, thanks.

It also seems that more than a few people feel the same in this here thread. More haters and people who have no clue how to dial in an amp?

Screw that fanboi crap I love reading honest opinions that's what makes forums useful to read imo.

Exactly. As an owner of 4 LPC's, I am huge fan of LPs. The hate is strong in this thread for Gibson (and on RT as a whole) but you don't see me telling people, "Wow, that is a bold statement. You must not know what you are doing." It is totally fine that people think they are overrated. Doesn't bug me a bit even though I love them. I think people personalize some of this shit and that leads to emotional responses which can be fairly ridiculous.

Hate's a horrible word... So back @killertone, my original reply was to say "Whoa, something I don't often hear - people with gripes about the Herbert", hence the reason I wanted the whole story... There's a lot of loyalty with a lot of products, and this loyalty will create fanboism no matter what. Shit, the gear can be in the mail and the recipient is already spewing all over the fourms about how awesome it is, how it's a keeper, better than this, better than that - it's a forum, it's the internet and it's publically available to all. So it sure is interesting to read a "take" on the Herbert - that's all.

And yer damn straight, the VH4 is hella tighter than the Herbert.

PEACE!!
Mojo/V./Mo/Ventura

 

[thiswaythatway]

I was the first guy in Canada to own a Herbert in 2003. I sold a Wizard Metal to fund it. People have committed suicide for lesser crimes. Hows that for honest ?

No but seriously, the Herbert had cool clean and lead tones but for ANY type of rhythm, my friends and I found it abysmally bad. The mid cut was voiced so poorly that it gave the amp a very hollow, metallic grating tone that made it sound like it was being played in a tin garbage can.

HATER.

 

[RedB4Black]

I even called another Diezel owner and friend of mine who posts here to ask him if I was missing something.

Former owner

I remember when you bought that. I was like WTF?

I still love that amp though. I'd like to get another one someday.

I'll go out on a limb and say the Cameron Jose mod I had was a nice amp, but not woth the inflated price I paid - so it was probably the most overrated thing I feel I've owned. I thought JVM with a basic Mercury OT/choke mod was much better and I paid a fraction of the amount for it.

 

[rupe]

For stuff that I've owned and used I have to go with PRS. I simply don't get along with most of their guitars (although I have played a few that I thought were stellar). I also quickly lost my love for the Ecstacy 101B (not bad at all, just not great IMO) and the VHT Pitbull UL (cold and sterile IMO). I thought the Fish and Triaxis preamps were ok when I had them but they were nothing special...I was actually just as happy with my original MP-1.

I've never played one so I can't say with any certainty that its overrated, but I thought the CCV was simply "good" at best in Lugo's shootout. For all the hype around that amp, I thought there were several others in its category that significantly stood out over it (the Wizard MC and Friedman Marsha immediately come to mind). I'll reserve final judgement until I play one though.

 

[TheMagicEight]

PRS, Axe-FX, boutique OD pedals (they'll never replicate a tube!!!)

Anything with EL84s. I can't stand them and don't know why anyone would use that tube rather than the far superior 6V6. IMHO of course.

You and I could never get along...I have an Axe Fx, a PRS 245 that sounds amazing, and just grabbed a Cornford Hellcat (EL 84's) that floored me

There you have it! Everyone hears things differently.

 

[kasperjensen]

Gear is usually just as overrated as yourself.

Ouch.

 

[rocker]

Cornfords, leads were ok but thats it. Its good we don't like the same amps, if we did there wouldnt have been many builders out there.

 

[ericsabbath]

anything Cameron...

 

[ericsabbath]

Bare knuckle painkiller pickup. I really hated it.

Definitely this. I tried it in two different guitars and it made it sound unbearably awful. Not, "It doesn't sound $120 better." kind of awful, but a, "What the fuck is wrong with this pickup." kind of awful.

that's what you get for jumping in trend wagons instead of choosing the right pickup for what you're looking for
the painkiller is a very tight, dry sounding and extremely middy passive pickup
it's not like it's gonna make any guitar through any amp sound like whatever is in your head
I personally didn't like it for my style, but I love most of the other BKP models I tried
I'm using a BKP aftermath right now and it didn't work for me exactly cause it's a lot like the painkiller
I love how it sounds with other people, though, but doesn't feel right for my hands

the price argument is pointless, though
nothing is supposed to sound better just because it's more expensive
a Diezel VH4S doesn't sound "5x better than a 5150" or "$4000 better than a Mark III"
that's corksniffin' bullshit
the point is that I've never heard a $70 pickup that sounds anything like a painkiller, the same way you can't have the Diezel tone for $800
when somebody tells you something like "swap your duncan distortion for a painkiller!" it's not like the painkiller is an improved sh-6
it just have a similar EQ voicing, but it sounds nothing like a duncan distortion

I like BKPs better than most brands cause they do sound clearer (NOT BETTER) than other pickups in the equivalent ballparks
just like Duncans and Dimarzios have their own things, BKPs always have Tim's tone signature, despite of some models being Gibson or Duncan based, and I had enough pickups from BKP and from the big brands to recognize that without any biased opinion
if you like the extra compression of a Dimarzio X2N or Gibson 500t, go for it
don't waste your money with an open and more dry sounding BKP

 

[Deleted member 8761]

Anything in a NAD thread on this forum...

 

[Gainfreak]

Some of you guys need to get the Pricepoint out of your heads.
You can't call something overated just because it has a high pricetag and at the end of the day, this is all highly subjective.

If someone is willing to pay $4000 on an amp then so be it and you cannot blame the MFG for the asking price if people are willing to shell out the ca$h.

Some things to take into consideration...Mesa Boogie charges a boatload for there amps over seas. They have been doing it for years. Some of it has to do with shipping prices , import duties, build materials, cost of running a business, etc etc....so I ask you, Why shouldn't Peter Diezel Charge the same for his amps? (Just using Peter for a referance here since he has been mentioned!)

The last thing that I can say is that some of you guys take this shit way to personally. Who the hell cares if someone doesn't dig the same amp that you do? Seriously?
One mans overated amp is another mans Dream Rig. It's been that way for ages and will continue to be that way forever

Don't get me wrong, I used to do the same freaking thing, Lord knows you guys know this to be true, but Now I know that in the grand scheme of things, Who gives a crap!
All the best~

~R~

 

[Tawlks]

LTD guitars. I have never found one with good tonewood. seem like they are getting lighter and lighter and less toneful, and they are resorting to dumber artist endorsements for totally crapola guitars.

And I disagree about GIBSON.
I have had quite a few Gibson guitars that I actually hated very much. I sold them very quickly after buying them, only buying them due to too much hype and stupid people's reviews (BFG, for example, chambered Studio's). hate their chambered stuff.
I have had several Gibsons that were absolutely amazing, and sometimes I think they get a bad rap for their pickup choices not matching a persons style. For instance, i recently got a Les Paul Custom. with the stock 498t, it sounded weird. but now, with a Motor City pickup in there, it is hands down my go to guitar, and the cream of my crop right now. I'm using it constantly, live, recording, everywhere, and it gets the sound I have always heard in my head, pretty close anyways.
I wanted it for years, finally got it, was slightly disappointed, but now I love it.

my PRS guitars, not so much. I debate with myself selling them all the time, and just did one of them.

That's what I think about Ibanez, just feel like balsa wood to me.

I can't speak for the newer ones but I own a LTD Mh400 from 2004 and it's a really good guitar, it has good tonewoods, and the neck and wings resonate well together, it does lack sustain however.

It seems like you own a lot of high end guitars, to someone like me who can't afford anything like the gear collection some people on here have, my £500 LTD is great. And I - HONESTLY prefer it to any Gibson I've played.

 

[The Hoff]

I can say that the most overrated piece of gear I have actually owned is hands down the Diezel Herbert. Not saying it is a bad piece of gear because it's not, but definitely overrated.

Big claim, mate... I'd be interested to hear the full story on this one

V.

No joke. Maybe you bought one used and the tubes were going out or something else was wrong with it? I can see saying-"not my kind of thing" but not, "the most overrated piece of gear I have actually owned."

Man, not sure what to say about this...besides that it is absofuckinlutely ridiculous. Herberts are exclaimed by many people to be the be all end all amp, just read the Diezel forum at any time! I bought one based on countless remarks just like that on this and other forums. I also played one before and thought it was cool. Wanted to spend some time with it to make up my own mind so I bought one. It did not live up to the hype, hence, it was overrated. It's fairly simple really.

I changed tubes countless times in it, finally settled on 4 EL34s and 2 6550s. Sounded good, not great. I even called another Diezel owner and friend of mine who posts here to ask him if I was missing something. My opinion is not based on some sort of conjecture, but actual research and experimentation by me. Owned the amp for 6 months.

Never have I ever said "it sucked" or that it was "bad." I wouldn't say that about the amp because it is not true. It just did not live up to its hype.

Specifically, the amp did not live up to the hype about the tightness of the low end. Before and after I bought the amp I went on the Diezel forum and people told me "not sure why you would need the low end any tighter than a Hernert. It is one of thightest amps out there." A surgically tight low end is paramount for me and the Herbert doesn't have it. I actually think a VH4 on Ch. 3 is tighter and is actually more my thing. I have an amp in my arsenal that totally dominated the Herbert in the tight low end department.

It is hilarious to me that when you offer an informed opinion about an amp in a thread where an opinion is specifically asked for that you are a hater, or, and this is my favorite, "maybe you didn't know what you were doing and had bad tubes." Um, nope. I know what I am doing just fine, thanks.

It also seems that more than a few people feel the same in this here thread. More haters and people who have no clue how to dial in an amp?

I still get positive emails fairly consistently about the Herbert video that I made. It has gotten close to 6,000 views and I think it has actually sold some Herberts. Would a hater do that?

Didn't mean anything personal. Should have formed my statement as a question. More like, "how much time and consideration did you give it, did you check the bias/tubes?" Now that I know you definitely put sufficient time into it-I understand where you are coming from. Again-nothing personal. Just personally enjoy Diezels (including the Herbert). Although purchasing new is simply insane.

I never claimed that you said it sucked or anything. Didn't believe you were in the wrong in any way.

 

[rocker]

Some of you guys need to get the Pricepoint out of your heads.
You can't call something overated just because it has a high pricetag and at the end of the day, this is all highly subjective.

If someone is willing to pay $4000 on an amp then so be it and you cannot blame the MFG for the asking price if people are willing to shell out the ca$h.

Some things to take into consideration...Mesa Boogie charges a boatload for there amps over seas. They have been doing it for years. Some of it has to do with shipping prices , import duties, build materials, cost of running a business, etc etc....so I ask you, Why shouldn't Peter Diezel Charge the same for his amps? (Just using Peter for a referance here since he has been mentioned!)

The last thing that I can say is that some of you guys take this shit way to personally. Who the hell cares if someone doesn't dig the same amp that you do? Seriously?
One mans overated amp is another mans Dream Rig. It's been that way for ages and will continue to be that way forever

Don't get me wrong, I used to do the same freaking thing, Lord knows you guys know this to be true, but Now I know that in the grand scheme of things, Who gives a crap!
All the best~

~R~

Well said

 

[Tawlks]

boutique OD pedals (they'll never replicate a tube!!!)

You'd be surprised, you can actually get a very tube like sound and feel from a stompbox, but I agree, it won't come from anything advertised as being "boutique"

This. get an SD-1 or a Bad Monkey for £35 and mod it. :S

 

[mortega76]

Bare knuckle painkiller pickup. I really hated it.

What did you hate about the Painkiller? Have you heard the Aftermath? supposedly it cleans up some of the "quirks" that the PK had...

 

[ericsabbath]

Bare knuckle painkiller pickup. I really hated it.

What did you hate about the Painkiller? Have you heard the Aftermath? supposedly it cleans up some of the "quirks" that the PK had...

the aftermath sounds a bit less bright and less "hairy" in the upper mids (probably cause it has a thicker 43 awg and "vintage" coated enamel wire, instead of 44 awg poilysol), but it still has the same picking response and raw midrange overload of the painkiller

I wish it was a bit smoother and more compressed, but the point was actually being the driest pickup in the contemporary line
I'd never recommend it to someone who hated the painkiller
it's my favorite from the heavy clips on the website, but it just doesn't match my playing style

I'm going back to the holy diver, which was my first BKP and my biggest sale regret

 

[Ethn Hayabusa]

Tom Anderson/Grosh or anybody else making a bolt on neck guitar that's basically a hot-rodded Fender that sells for 2-3 times what a G&L or USA Fender do and sound and play no better. Granted the Fender may need a setup but after a good setup will easily play as well.

Disagree with you there. I felt that way for a long time and thought how many Strat and Tele copies does the industry need. Then, I bought an Anderson. Now, there are three. Now, I am sold. I wouldn't pay up for the high priced quilt tops and that, but as far as quality control, detail and playability, Fender has a lot of catching up to do. Me, I would rather have one awesome feeling and playing $2500 Anderson, than a half dozen mediocre guitars. But, that's just my opinion.

Steve

Same here. I have a Fender Strat, and it's nothing like my Anderson. I was nervous about dropping so much money on one guitar, but I have hardly played anything else since I got it.

 

[Gsxrbusa]

Bare knuckle painkiller pickup. I really hated it.

What did you hate about the Painkiller? Have you heard the Aftermath? supposedly it cleans up some of the "quirks" that the PK had...

I think the problem is that I have always been an EMG 81, 89, 0r 85 type of guy. I tried the Painkiller at the recommendation of a friend. He said it is the closest passive pickup to an 81. I tried it. Seemed way hot if I remember right but dull to me. Didn't have the bite I wanted in a certain frequency. I honestly have forget most of the specifics about what I didn't like about it. I really wanted to like it too in order to get off of the active bottle.

I usually dial my rigs to suit one guitar in particular(my main player) and make minor adjustments according to what EMG equipped guitar I am playing. I would like to try other BK products but honestly I am content with EMG.

My same friend said my rig sounds fantastic and he hates EMG's after using them in the past. He goes thru pickups like water. He revisited the EMG 81 and liked it but that really does not mean shit.


I am sure there are plenty of other pickups that would suit my needs but I am lazy.