Underappreciated Amp Thread

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skullfxr

skullfxr

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Some things get a lot of attention, some don't.

I would like to hear about some amps that do not get a lot of attention that kick ass.

I am going to start with the original Rivera Knucklehead K100. If you boost it on channel one you can get a hell of a lot of gain, a lot of punch, especially with the focus knob dialed in right. Also channel two gets some REALLY nice cleans. Maybe I will post a clip later.

Let's go!
 
swamptrashstompboxes":37xu8lu1 said:
Some things get a lot of attention, some don't.

I would like to hear about some amps that do not get a lot of attention that kick ass.

I am going to start with the original Rivera Knucklehead K100. If you boost it on channel one you can get a hell of a lot of gain, a lot of punch, especially with the focus knob dialed in right. Also channel two gets some REALLY nice cleans. Maybe I will post a clip later.

Let's go!
Click to expand...
Since you mentioned Rivera, I'll add the TBR series rackmount amps do not get much attention. They are the heart of one of the best and most underrated tones out there, Saigon Kick's Lizard tone. That was the TBR SL(SuperLead) model, think of JCM 800 gain plus a little more. Plus an amazing clean, FX loop and the power sections are stereo..the TBR 1s had 60w per side, 2s 120-160w per side, depending on which tubes you wanted to run. It has the ability to run EL34s or 6550s, maybe more combos. Hell, find a 2 and just run it as a power amp and you basically have the Hammer power section...The models include the TBR, TBR M and TBR SL. The SL had the most gain. GC has a few on their used site.
I used to own a TBR1SL and with a little boost in front it was a killer rig.
 
Marshall 8100 Valvestate and Ampeg VH140c. Both vicious metal amps that easily hang with the big boys.
 
The K55 was my main amp for years and years. It´s a pretty simple design but it is executed very well with just the right features. Seems like everyone was scrambling to do the JCM800 and Twin combination in the mid 90s, and Rivera was right there at the top of the heap.

I would like to mention another mid 90s favorite, the Egnater/Rocktron TOL100. Not brewtal enough for the metal crowd, so you rarely see it mentioned these days, but man does it sound good. I suppose that also goes for the TOL50, which if memory serves is similar but doesn´t have the lead channel.

Cornford went under a bit too soon to gain much traction with their lower-priced line, but the Roadhouse amps are pretty cool.
 
I've owned 3 Boogie Mark 3's. I paid less than $500.00 for each one, that's why I bought them. They all were Simul-class with GEQ's. The things are super fucking quiet (zero hiss) and have all the gain needed without a boost, great clean, and three channels. If you know how to turn the bass pot off and dial in the GEQ, heaven awaits.

Way way way underrated amp in every way possible.
 
Definitely. I am looking to pick up a mkiii one of these days when the right deal lines up. I have a.22 cal w/graphic EQ as well as a bunch of other mesas.
 
I am going to add the Mesa subway blues in. Good reverb great tone, can get loud as hell AND it has an effects loop. I paid around $350 for mine.
 
Definitely on the AOR. So much tone so little attention.
 
Peavey XXX II. Ripping midrange and a ton of low end. Huge sounding amp with huge balls. A little squishy on the low end though, so I went with KT-77’s and clean boost it and it’s a killing machine.
There’s some pretty wicked tones in the Hughes & Kettner Switchblade. The Ultra channel clean boosted is pretty badass.
I definitely want to try out a Mark III and a Laney AOR in the future.
 
+1 on the XXX. Very under rated and has some gnarly "no pedals required" tones. :rock:

Other underated amps:
Orange CR-120 and CR-60 Pro (stupidly good for SS amps)
Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister and Tri-Amp series
 
I prefer the JSX to the original XXX but yeah they are great. IIRC the XXX II is a JSX varient, right?
 
I really like my Krank REV+ heavy hitter for sure. I think it will replace my 5150.

You really have to dial it in carefully though.
 
swamptrashstompboxes":2o0ir67w said:
I prefer the JSX to the original XXX but yeah they are great. IIRC the XXX II is a JSX varient, right?
Click to expand...

The JSX and XXX look similar, but they really sound nothing alike. The JSX is more refined sounding, and has far less bottom end and gain.
 
5150 III 50 watt. It is by no means under appreciated, but I think some take it for granted because they’re so common and so cheap (used). My 5150 III 50 has sent packing an Engl Fireball, Engl Retro Tube, Randall Thrasher, H&K Switchblade, and PRS MT-15. Side by side I also think it beat out a Framus Cobra, Uber Rev Blue, and the 5150 Stealth. Blue channel clean boosted is hard to fuck with.
 
Pentatonic":1t0mv0ng said:
swamptrashstompboxes":1t0mv0ng said:
I prefer the JSX to the original XXX but yeah they are great. IIRC the XXX II is a JSX varient, right?
Click to expand...

The JSX and XXX look similar, but they really sound nothing alike. The JSX is more refined sounding, and has far less bottom end and gain.
Click to expand...
Do you mean the XXX or XXX II? Aren’t the JSX and XXX II very similar?
 
As the story goes, the XXX was supposed to be a signature amp for George Lynch, but before it was released the deal fell through between George and Hartley Peavey. The original version (with the mudflap check) shipped with 6L6's and was stupidly brutal sounding. You could swap in EL-34's, but very few people went that route. The second and third channels had very different voicings, with the third channel (Ultra) having a very scooped nu-metal thing going.

The second version of the XXX omitted the mudflap check (which was a stupid idea from the beginning). It shipped with EL34's and was vastly tamed down. The second channel sounded quite similar to the third (Ultra) channel. The Ultra channel just had more gain.

Yes, I owned both. ;)

IMHO, no comparison. They were both brutal, but version one was an absolute fire breather with a wider array of voicings.
 
Beyond Black":tmhmjfvk said:
Pentatonic":tmhmjfvk said:
swamptrashstompboxes":tmhmjfvk said:
I prefer the JSX to the original XXX but yeah they are great. IIRC the XXX II is a JSX varient, right?
Click to expand...

The JSX and XXX look similar, but they really sound nothing alike. The JSX is more refined sounding, and has far less bottom end and gain.
Click to expand...
Do you mean the XXX or XXX II? Aren’t the JSX and XXX II very similar?
Click to expand...


Both.....but XXX to a greater extent. Between the two the XXX II is more like the JSX.
 
A lot of Fender Silverface amps
Peavey Supreme 160
Peavey Classic 30
Peavey 1x15 Delta Blues
JCM900 SLX
 
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