still more amp questions

[RaceU4her]

I have always found it interesting that people don't want to boost their amps with a pedal for whatever reason, but are totally fine spending $600 on "magical" amp mods that are a lot of times $30 worth of parts.

and that $30 could have gotten them a pedal that most likely would have given them similar tones without modding and spending a ton of cash

 

[Smash]

I used to try to be purist also. But if you play metal, you need to boost. Or get a modded amp. Monomyth was the only amp i wouldn't boost that i ever had. It sounded good, but my Soldano avenger with a TS and zuul in front is my sound. If you boost one of the Boutique amps, it is going to train your ear to what sounds good.

 

[WGAF]

What about test driving a Bogner 20th Anniv. Shiva w/reverb?

Plenty of gain on tap & when you turn the treble & presence way up it can cut like a mutha if you need it to.

 

[napalmdeath]

No I don't use a boost.I feel like for what I pay for an amp it should get the tone I want unboosted

thats just kind of silly in my opinion man and probably the one thing that is holding you back. guys of all genres have been boosting their expensive amps with $50 boosts since the dawn of distortion. ill guarantee if you boosted the engl with a ts9 or sd1 it wouldnt be sounding sterile.

I understand why people don't want use boosts/ODs in front of expensive amps but I couldn't get the response I like for metal tones without one. I've had guys basically call me an idiot for using an OD to boost my Wizard and say I'm ruining the tone, but boosted it's the sound/feel I've always wanted. The only amp I've ever owned that I preferred unboosted for metal tones is the Savage 120 (Engl FB100 close 2nd). The other 30 or so amps I've owned have absolutely needed an OD smacking the front for me to be happy.

Boosted is where it's at, period.

 

[braintheory]

No I don't use a boost.I feel like for what I pay for an amp it should get the tone I want unboosted

thats just kind of silly in my opinion man and probably the one thing that is holding you back. guys of all genres have been boosting their expensive amps with $50 boosts since the dawn of distortion. ill guarantee if you boosted the engl with a ts9 or sd1 it wouldnt be sounding sterile.

I agree. I think of it like the amp being a piece of meat and the boost is like sauce for it, so complaining about an amp needing a boost is like complaining about buying meat not coming with sauce. Some can benefit from it like a JCM800/JMP, IIC+, while some like the Monomyth's and Cameron's or many Engl's tend to be better without one. That particular Engl model (Invader II) though is just a sterile/processed sounding amp that no boost will fix

 

[WGAF]

No I don't use a boost.I feel like for what I pay for an amp it should get the tone I want unboosted

thats just kind of silly in my opinion man and probably the one thing that is holding you back. guys of all genres have been boosting their expensive amps with $50 boosts since the dawn of distortion. ill guarantee if you boosted the engl with a ts9 or sd1 it wouldnt be sounding sterile.

I understand why people don't want use boosts/ODs in front of expensive amps but I couldn't get the response I like for metal tones without one. I've had guys basically call me an idiot for using an OD to boost my Wizard and say I'm ruining the tone, but boosted it's the sound/feel I've always wanted. The only amp I've ever owned that I preferred unboosted for metal tones is the Savage 120 (Engl FB100 close 2nd). The other 30 or so amps I've owned have absolutely needed an OD smacking the front for me to be happy.

Boosted is where it's at, period.

I 100% agree with this too.

 

[splatter]

I don’t play metal so I don’t need extreme distortion .
I see boost as another way to inject noise into the mix . Also say I’m playing my VH4 through the 4x12 and my boost dies at a gig . My $5500 rig ( that’s new prices ) No longer sounds like I want it to because of a $50 pedal .
Just my way of thinking

 

[skullfxr]

I don’t play metal so I don’t need extreme distortion .
I see boost as another way to inject noise into the mix . Also say I’m playing my VH4 through the 4x12 and my boost dies at a gig . My $5500 rig ( that’s new prices ) No longer sounds like I want it to because of a $50 pedal .
Just my way of thinking

OK, then just keep buying and returning amps I guess, your time, your money and your frustration.

I find that illogical, but that's your opinion. Most of us here do whatever we need to get the tone we need.

Ironically the one amp that I own and have never boosted was and don't feel the need to is my Engl. They have their own voicing going on. Love it or hate it. I like it because of the fact that so far off from my other stuff, it compliments it well.

 

[skullfxr]

What about a Fryette Sig:X? I have not played mine in ages, but it ticks your boxes and doesn't need a boost. Tight and dry, but a little fussy with speaker selection.

 

[RaceU4her]

I don’t play metal so I don’t need extreme distortion .
I see boost as another way to inject noise into the mix . Also say I’m playing my VH4 through the 4x12 and my boost dies at a gig . My $5500 rig ( that’s new prices ) No longer sounds like I want it to because of a $50 pedal .
Just my way of thinking

SRV and Gilmour never seemed to worry about noise or their boosts breaking while going into their expensive Dumbles they do rehouse TS9's and other famous boosts and charge tons of money for them, maybe try the $500 version so you can feel better about it and tell us how much you paid and sound good for the audience

 

[japetus]

I don’t play metal so I don’t need extreme distortion .
I see boost as another way to inject noise into the mix . Also say I’m playing my VH4 through the 4x12 and my boost dies at a gig . My $5500 rig ( that’s new prices ) No longer sounds like I want it to because of a $50 pedal .
Just my way of thinking

If you have a $5000 rig, and could use a $50 pedal to get where you want to be, how about just carrying a backup in your bag? When I gig I have a backup for almost everything...but anyway, if you are truly against boosting for whatever reason it's your call.

 

[Smash]

I think some of you are being a little harsh. If he isn't playing metal, there are plenty of amps that sound good without a boost. And if he wants to keep up the amp search, there is nothing wrong with it. I went on my amp flipping spree for a long time and loved every minute of it. It helped me to realize what it was that i wanted. And almost all of those high gain high end amps sound great without a boost for dad rock. Plus, if you want to play without a gate, not boosting is definitely the way. I would never play that way, but doesn't mean he can't find his sound.

 

[japetus]

I think some of you are being a little harsh. If he isn't playing metal, there are plenty of amps that sound good without a boost. And if he wants to keep up the amp search, there is nothing wrong with it. I went on my amp flipping spree for a long time and loved every minute of it. It helped me to realize what it was that i wanted. And almost all of those high gain high end amps sound great without a boost for dad rock. Plus, if you want to play without a gate, not boosting is definitely the way. I would never play that way, but doesn't mean he can't find his sound.

It's not a big deal and everyone has their preferences, it just seems shortsighted to me to completely dismiss something that one has never even tried on principal alone, when it could be just the thing that you were always looking for. Makes more sense to me then losing money flipping amps constantly. Also I have never used a gate in my life, and use boosts, and don't play metal.

 

[Smash]

Whether it is shortsighted is a matter of opinion. It was in my case because once i started using a boost, my ear and sound really developed. And i understand not needing a gate if you don't play metal. When you are playing leads or even just letting chords ring out, the gate has to be perfect not to impede on your sound. It's the tight start/stop rhythms that the gate really spoils us on.

 

[splatter]

I think some of you are being a little harsh. If he isn't playing metal, there are plenty of amps that sound good without a boost. And if he wants to keep up the amp search, there is nothing wrong with it. I went on my amp flipping spree for a long time and loved every minute of it. It helped me to realize what it was that i wanted. And almost all of those high gain high end amps sound great without a boost for dad rock. Plus, if you want to play without a gate, not boosting is definitely the way. I would never play that way, but doesn't mean he can't find his sound.

It's not a big deal and everyone has their preferences, it just seems shortsighted to me to completely dismiss something that one has never even tried on principal alone, when it could be just the thing that you were always looking for. Makes more sense to me then losing money flipping amps constantly. Also I have never used a gate in my life, and use boosts, and don't play metal.

I didn't say I never tried it . I did and it just doesn't work for me.