Please recommend a new high gain amp for me

[amp maniac]

Sold off my last amp a while ago and want something new. I had a lot of different amps from different brands over the years but my taste has also changed a lot so I feel I only know now what I want. One thing I never had was some sort of (modded) Marshall.

The amp should be very articulate and punchy even at low volumes. At least two channels, clean and lead. Should be able to do 80s shred to modern metal tones. If it can do chewy, organic crunch tones its a plus. Some sort of tightness and what people describe as "difficult to play" is also good as I want the amp to show my mistakes because it makes me play better. Buying used is fine to me.

What comes to mind?

 

[glpg80]

Honestly? A Peavey 5150.

You’ll get great recommendations but that’s the first amp that comes to mind.

A new Bogner XTC Pandora would fit the bill great.

 

[ZEN Amps]

Your budget will radically affect the responses here, what's your ballpark?

Also 50 or 100W, do you need a loop and do you have an output tube preference?

 

[amp maniac]

Never tried a Peavey 5150, but had an Ecstasy in the past. The Pandora sure sounds great!
Would prefer to keep it at 3k used or new, but I guess I´d spend more if it really wowed me. No preference on 50 or 100 watts, loop or output tubes.

 

[8len8]

Try an EVH Iconic. High gain amp that’s really fun to play. Has a solid state front end, but it’s just like having a built in OD pedal.

 

[M@tt C]

Splawn Quickrod would fit the bill.

 

[Racerxrated]

A Marshall 2555x is two channels, has a decent loop and you can mix/match any 2 pairs of octal power tubes. Used around 1700; new 2400. Good clean channel and the lead channel has enough gain for classic/80s rock; boost it and you can get metal heavy. Gary Holt uses Jubilees(boosted) in his live rig.

 

[DrewJD82]

I’d normally suggest a 5150 or a variant, but those are one of the most forgiving amps I’ve ever played through, especially with a boost in the front. Hahah that’s exactly why I love ‘em so much, legato all day long and if ya miss a note with your picking hand, that’s ok, if your action’s low enough the note will ring through just from the fretting hand.

I’d probably be looking into actual modded Marshalls, I’ve been geeking out on Gower modded Marshalls a lot lately. I’m not going to post a Reza clip in here because it’ll turn into a Reza thread, so here’s Dan’s channel- https://youtube.com/@DanGower

 

[RaceU4her]

I never understood the “I want an unforgiving amp to make my playing better” idea My 6505+ despite sounding plenty good does not react well at all to my playing for whatever reason and feels “unforgiving”, instead of having fun riffing out I’m fighting with the amp trying to alter my playing to make it respond right, is that making me a “better” player or am I just changing my playing trying to fit with the amp? Whatever it is that amp is not much fun for me to play and hence dosent get played much, to me having an amp that is fun and inspiring is gonna make you a better player than an amp you’re gonna struggle with. If I really wanted to practice I’d probably get an acoustic with big strings

 

[stewboy]

Look at Morris amps…his Perplexed, Sirrom , XSIII will fit the bill

 

[Greazygeo]

There is no amp that will do all that.

 

[Dan Gleesak]

Marshall JVM

 

[PDC]

There is no amp that will do all that.

Based on the OP’s description, I honestly think a Fully Loaded QR comes close. He wants a dedicated clean channel and the QR has that. Admittedly, its not the most lush or gorgeous shimmering clean out there, but it is workable - surprisingly so with a touch of reverb and chorus on the neck pickup.

OP is leaning towards the Marshall flavor and the QR does that in spades.

As far as gain, the QR’s 3-gear layout covers everything from cranked JMP in 1st gear to JCM800 on steroids in 2nd gear to more of everything in 3rd Gear.

OP likes a bit of stiffness and fight and the QR is known for that - tons of articulation and string separation.

Get it fully loaded and you can drop her down to 50 watts, the Drop B+ switch lets you have more or less sag, and the Old/New Mid/Cut switches really address the ‘weird mids’ observation that some have identified in the QR. Those voicing switches also allow the amp to play nice with a wider variety of speakers than earlier variants - which could be really finicky about speakers. And the QR has always been known to take a wide variety of boosts really well.

I know the QR isn’t for everyone - but it sure seems to check the boxes that the OP included in his list.

 

[Geo]

The EVH amps cover most of the bases. The 50w is my favorite so far.

 

[Frehley12]

Check out Landry. LS100G3, LS50G3, Lexi. I have a Lexi. Killer hot rod Marshall tone. Simple to dial in, great loop. I think there is a used LS100G3 on TGP atm.

 

[glpg80]

I never understood the “I want an unforgiving amp to make my playing better” idea My 6505+ despite sounding plenty good does not react well at all to my playing for whatever reason and feels “unforgiving”, instead of having fun riffing out I’m fighting with the amp trying to alter my playing to make it respond right, is that making me a “better” player or am I just changing my playing trying to fit with the amp? Whatever it is that amp is not much fun for me to play and hence dosent get played much, to me having an amp that is fun and inspiring is gonna make you a better player than an amp you’re gonna struggle with. If I really wanted to practice I’d probably get an acoustic with big strings

He said unforgiving and wanting the ability to do rock and metal tones both - it doesn’t get more iconic than the peavey 5150 based on his descriptions. That’s the first amp that came to mind. Mines unforgiving too - it’s what I love about the amp but I also agree that mine doesn’t get much play time because it’s god damn loud and only sounds non-grainy at band volumes which is a personal preference.

 

[rsm]

Marshall JVM, DSL, JCM 2000?

Engl Invader II?

 

[LPMojoGL]

Wizard Modern Classic
SLO 100
Several Friedman amps
EVH amps
Lots more

 

[blackie13]

Get 2 amps...just one will be cpmpromise...
Yoy cannot have awesone modded marshall tones and awesome modern high gain...

I would rather have that 2 amps that do one thing flawlessly rather than 1 that is mediocre at everything...

Wanna keep it cheap?
Ceriatone chuppacabra - modded marshall
Peavey 6505 - modern high gain

Do you have a cab???

 

[8len8]

FYI, most Marshalls will be “forgiving” in the feel. Soldano and Peavey/EVH will be less forgiving in feel.