Thick Hi Gain Amp Under $2k???

[WizardSouth-JP]

For under $2k could get any of these on the used market and be happy:

Bogner Uberschall (Regular version or even Twin Jet)
ENGL Fireball 100 or Powerball 2
Bogner Shiva EL34 or 20th (not a fan of 6L6's in the Shiva.)
Splawn Nitro KT88

 

[splatter]

You say articulation and defination aren't a concern but I think if you get something that doesn't have defination you will regret it . Any way , I owned a shiva and i hated it had a fizz i couldn't dial out and "thick" its not . the Splawn QR is a killer amp but thick isn't how I would describe it ( I've owned 4) .All mesa amps that I have ever played fart out on the bottom end unless you mod them . I have owned 5 of them and they were all that way . The splawn nitro is probably closer to what you are looking for it is a thick sounding amp . You might also want to consider a friedman modded marshall you can find a used one for under 2k . Last and probably the best suggestion for what it sounds like you are looking for is a diezel einstein . I owned one and have regretted selling it every day since . It can cover all kinds of ground ,you may have to put a little cash with the 2k your wife is giving you but it is worth it . Also FWIW if you buy an amp you have never played buy it use so you can get your money back out of it if you don't like it.
BTW sounds like your wife is a keeper

 

[jkkkjkhk]

You say articulation and defination aren't a concern but I think if you get something that doesn't have defination you will regret it . Any way , I owned a shiva and i hated it had a fizz i couldn't dial out and "thick" its not . the Splawn QR is a killer amp but thick isn't how I would describe it ( I've owned 4) .All mesa amps that I have ever played fart out on the bottom end unless you mod them . I have owned 5 of them and they were all that way . The splawn nitro is probably closer to what you are looking for it is a thick sounding amp . You might also want to consider a friedman modded marshall you can find a used one for under 2k . Last and probably the best suggestion for what it sounds like you are looking for is a diezel einstein . I owned one and have regretted selling it every day since . It can cover all kinds of ground ,you may have to put a little cash with the 2k your wife is giving you but it is worth it . Also FWIW if you buy an amp you have never played buy it use so you can get your money back out of it if you don't like it.
BTW sounds like your wife is a keeper

I don't mean to say articulation and definition aren't important, just that an amp that excels at it isn't what I'm going for. I want an amp that's super thick and articulate vs being thin and articulate. Also, yeah she's pretty cool.

BTW UberschallEL34, For under $2K I can get any of those on the NEW market!!

 

[Anonymous]

Also, would love to be able to take credit for that video, but that ain't me... I DO know who it is, though, and we both sort of orbit the same sounds... We've both had much of the same gear through the years.

OH SHIT!

sorry dawg!!!

 

[5150clone]

Real talk!!! Can't go wrong here.

Get another 6505+ and then get a nice guitar as well for $2000. for something different run the Peavey thru a greenack 4x12...they sound killer thru greenbacks. For the money the Peavey's can't be beat and are better than alot of high dollar stuff.

 

[WizardSouth-JP]

tough to beat bang for buck with Peavey 6505+ or 6534+

 

[jkkkjkhk]

tough to beat bang for buck with Peavey 6505+ or 6534+

They're awesome amps, even better for the price but at least at the moment don't think I want to go back to those. If anything it'd be a 5153 or a regular 6505, don't want the +. I'd only use the rhythm channel boosted so for my use that'd waste an entire channel and not give me a clean. If only there was a version with a true clean channel and the 5150 rhythm channel as the lead.

 

[Anonymous]

i use my 5150 just like that.

you have to mod it though, which, isn't too much of a big deal to get the lead channel functioning properly.

 

[jkkkjkhk]

i use my 5150 just like that.

you have to mod it though, which, isn't too much of a big deal to get the lead channel functioning properly.

Mod it how? Like make the lead channel darker, thicker and smoother like the rhythm channel, and make the rhythm channel a true clean? That'd be an amp I'd be interested in.

 

[D-Rock]

The 6505 lead channel is thinner than the rhythm channel. But it gets thicker with proper volume. I also have a pretty high resonance setting since I only use the lead channel. So no issues on my end.

 

[shane159]

My vote would be for the Nitro, or like others have said get a 5150/6505 and send it to Jerry at FJA Mods. I had an Uber for about two months and although it was a killer amp, it did nothing that the 5150 could not do. My 5150 has been modded by FJA, Bias,Clarity, and choke. I have a Nitro on the way now, and just spent two days with a KT88 loaded one and it was one of the thickest amps I have ever played.

 

[rocknrolla]

I actually got to play a guys Uber back to back with my Nitro at my last gig. They are voiced similar but the Nitro is tighter and less scoopy.

 

[Anonymous]

i use my 5150 just like that.

you have to mod it though, which, isn't too much of a big deal to get the lead channel functioning properly.

Mod it how? Like make the lead channel darker, thicker and smoother like the rhythm channel, and make the rhythm channel a true clean? That'd be an amp I'd be interested in.

yes!

you can find these mods easily on the net.

c26 will tighten up the bass in the rhy channel
c15 will improve the feel of the amp as will r22

 

[jkkkjkhk]

i use my 5150 just like that.

you have to mod it though, which, isn't too much of a big deal to get the lead channel functioning properly.

Mod it how? Like make the lead channel darker, thicker and smoother like the rhythm channel, and make the rhythm channel a true clean? That'd be an amp I'd be interested in.

yes!

you can find these mods easily on the net.

c26 will tighten up the bass in the rhy channel
c15 will improve the feel of the amp as will r22

Sweet, I'll have to check that out.

 

[maddnotez]

Rev 2. Uber is incredibly Beastly and sounds good in any high gain application.

 

[rwarner]

Diezel Einstein or D moll would be worth checking out. Between Einsteins the 3 modes on the clean channel and the lead channel it can cover most of the bands tones you mentioned.

I 2nd the Einstein (used for around $2k or below even). That combined with Jens Kruse's (L.A. amp tech) killer Einstein Mod (I got it done) where you get 3 independent gain pots for the 3 ch1 modes to adjust Volume+Gain to eachother, footswitchable ch1 modes + the DeKompression mod which opens up this amp so much that you think someone just took a very thick blanket off your cab.

 

[jkkkjkhk]

Little bump. Looking around at some mods for either a 5150 or dual rec. I can find many mods for them but specifically the 5150 is what I'm looking for. Just to make sure I'm understanding, is it possible to mod the lead channel to the rhythm specs, and then mod the rhythm to a true clean? Or is that basically a custom amp? I don't need near the gain of the lead channel so I'd be fine if I lost a bit doing something like this.

 

[Bob Savage]

Uberschall... Uberschall...Uberschall.

 

[jkkkjkhk]

Uberschall... Uberschall...Uberschall.

Definitely checking it out, but in the mean time I'm looking at others as well.
A friend is letting me borrow his for a few days so hopefully it'll help my search a bit.