Satisfied w/1 amp? Is it possible?

  • Thread starter Thread starter JerEvil
  • Start date Start date
D-Rock":1ocz9z8a said:
Once, I owned a myriad of amps all at the same time. Engl, Laney, Budda, KK2203, Recto, Pitbull, JVM, 6505, JSX, etc...a full wall of amps.
I realized what I liked and sounded my best through, because otherwise I was just constantly turning dials, speaker/cab swapping... essentially just muddling up my what my ears were hearing and second guessing myself tonewise.
I sold them all except for the JSX and JVM. I only play the JVM now. No regrets. More play time, less experimenting.
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Right there with you...after starting with Marshalls in '78, was lucky my first amps was a MV JMP, that I played up until the rack pre-amp craze. Then through dozens of high gainers (some great, some not so great for me)I ended back with Marshall. A JVM that I've had since they first came out. Gas has been pretty much over.

In fact the last two in my arsenal were a SigX and a JVM, I went with the JVM. Only reason I didn't keep the SigX was I was playing live constantly and wanted another JVM as a backup...sold the SigX to get that.

Pretty much been amp gas free for years. I would love to own another SigX again because it's such a good amp. But really other than Friedman BE or the new little PRS Tremonti amp...I'm good. I'm a Marshall guy.

I'll say this...the high gain selection is incredible these days. Some really nice product out there.
 
It depends. I spent 3 years solid and the better part of 5 years with a little Peavey Vypyr 30 as my only amp. Granted, once I started playing consistently and frequently again, I began The Quest anew. And while the Vypyr has many models, I used the Twin, the Recto, and the XXX nearly exclusively in a quasi-3 channel set up.

I always manage to come back to a Mesa Mark in some form or another. Been that way for 20 years. While it may be cheating or stretching the one amp idea, I think I could be quite satisfied with a less compressed Triaxis. A Quad could possibly work too.

I think it's certainly possible to be satisfied with one amp. Perhaps a bit boring at times, but still very doable.
 
mrhiwatt":3f8xp9dj said:
My mesa jp2c. Has stopped amp gas

Mrhiwatt
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Absolutely, Boogie's JP2C has all other amps in it!!! Going on almost two years and it does it all.
 
I'm completely happy with My Soldano Avenger....it's perfect for what I play. The only other amp I've considered is a KSR Artemis in Purple.
 
Jer for a guy like you who plays various styles in different types of bands its hard to go with "1 amp to rule them all". Makes sense you feel that way. For me i am a 2 amp guy. Something super modern, and something vintage, and that usually covers all the bases for me. Although ... the new 5153 EL34 50w has me intrigued ....LOL
 
My tendency to get complacency or malaise on a sound after a while will always prevent this lol
 
I have been down to one amp for a little while now. just have the EVH 2x12 combo and I have found that every time I play it I’m happy. The only reason I would get another amp now is if i start rehearsing/playing with someone/band again just so I don’t have to lug it back and forth...that’s the only reason, and he’ll, I would consider just getting a second one. I think I’m done with the whole head/finding the “right” Cab thing. Drives me nuts cuz I am never happy and it’s a constant chase.
 
I'm an old school Marshall guy, but for a few years I tried amp chasing. I've owned Soldano, Friedman, Cornford, Diezel, Engl, etc.

And I found something the same with all of them...no matter what they sounded like (and several of them were quite nice), I kept trying to dial them in like a Marshall. Finally had a genius thought...just stick with a Marshall, a JMP is all I've ever really needed. Almost all of the other amps have been sold.

Guitar hoarding on the other hand...incurable disease I'll go the grave with.
 
I agree. No one is satisfied with just one guitar. I need many and they are all tuned different
 
crwnedblasphemy":37lznpi1 said:
I have been down to one amp for a little while now. just have the EVH 2x12 combo and I have found that every time I play it I’m happy. The only reason I would get another amp now is if i start rehearsing/playing with someone/band again just so I don’t have to lug it back and forth...that’s the only reason, and he’ll, I would consider just getting a second one. I think I’m done with the whole head/finding the “right” Cab thing. Drives me nuts cuz I am never happy and it’s a constant chase.
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Right here... Exactly Rian! I am going to be selling off all my heads and cabs and grabbing an EVH combo myself.... buying a few guitars as we speak... just bought an EVH custom that will go nice with the combo...lol... and actually can’t wait to scale down on heads and cabs...just sick of the heads and cabs in a house playing on mouse fart volumes....
 
Could I be happy with just 1 amp? Probably, and it would be a Suhr PT-100.

Is that what I use? No, currently using a Metropoulos Metroplex for crunch/lead, and a Carr Rambler for cleans. And if I could justify it I would get a Suhr SE-100 for high gain/lead channel.

Ultimate Amp for me would be a 4 channel mix:
Clean - Carr Rambler
Medium Crunch - Elmwood Modena M90, channel 1 with boost engaged
Crunch - Metropolous Metroplex '66/MOD with Mode Engaged
Lead - Suhr SE-100

Chuck
 
I've been gigging with the same Bogner XTC 101B since the late 90s. I have and had other amps that I really dig as well, but I've developed my ear and playing style somewhat around the XTC, so it's home for me. Like others have said, no matter what other amp I play through, I usually end up dialing it in to sound like the tones I'm used to anyway, so I tend to not venture too far off the path. :)
 
I find that what I'm after when considering new gear is filling a different utility. With guns, the bases to cover are primary sidearm, rifle, shotgun, daily carry compact/subcompact, and small game gun. With amps, I see the bases as primary amp head with cab/cabs, portable combo amp, compact FOH solution, and direct recording solution. Certain products have overlap between those bases, and of course your don't need all of those bases covered to perform or record, but these are the boxes I think about checking off with each addition.
 
I can't find my "one to rule them all" amp. It seems like I mostly need two main sounds, although not at the same time, so I'm a 2 amp kind of guy.
 
Ive gone through a good share of amps, probably not as much as some because I’ve also gone through my share of modelers.

Right now I have a KSR Artemis II, Herbert, Uberschall and Bogner Shiva 20th. I don’t think I could ever part with my Uber, I’ve had it too long and love it. The Herbert was my dream amp and love that. The KSR is so unique and sounds so damn good, hard to let it go. But honestly the Shiva gets all my playing time, it has the sound I’ve had in my head for years and just lucky I got in on a trade and had never looked at it before, ever. Not even on my radar at all and it’s so fucking awesome.

That makes me curious what else am I missing, damn you Rig-Talk, damn you...
 
Agree with it's worse with guitars than amps. I'm two for two on striking out on GC used guitar purchases so getting a little dismayed. With amps I want a Fender clean but also love pre blackface Fender overdrive...So the right Fender combo. My meat and potatoes sound is firmly rooted in Marshall 1959 or 70's 2203. Metal tones, 2203 boosted or Mesa Mark. I don't like recto's for recording but they are fun in the room so want one for that. All the high end offerings for metal tones available now all blend together for me so it's a pass. I thought the crunch setting on the Peavey Invective's clean channel sounded pretty great but most modern high gain amps can't do medium gain crunch worth a damn.

I've just got to, if I think it would be fun and isn't exactly covered by what I have, I'll get it (within budgetary reason of course). Guitars or amps. Shit, don't forget bass's and bass amps and acoustics and cabinets etc. It's why I'm glad I'm not into guns. I couldn't possibly afford that too...and I still want to get a vintage car!...lol

Jer...Something I found funny in your Namm vid and others I've seen over the years is high gain head makers always touting that FINALLY....we have a good clean channel! I've been hearing that for ever. Yet still they all sound the same. Functional and somewhat sterile. And of course 3% of players will use it. If a clean channel can't rock out a little when you crank it up I find it also lacks a lot of what makes a great clean when you run it clean.
 
There may be amps out there that can cover a lot of bases.

I think most of us here have answered Jer's question with a No :lol: :LOL:

I'd say for me I need a 'marshally' amp and a 'boogie-ish' amp and that's what I got now and doubt I will change this up much.



I also have a modeling amp and a little blackheart 1w killer ant but they don't get much air time.
 
I would be fine with just my Rhodes Colossus (I was for a while), but I don't have to be and it's more fun to have more than one amp.

I actually prefer having less things and really could be completely fine with say 3 guitars and 2 amps. I'm not the kind of guy that has 4 amps and plays 1. I play them all, I might play 3 guitars and 3 amps in one session. If I notice I have an amp or guitar that's been sitting unplayed I list it for sale.
 
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