Versatile Amp Suggestions

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drjenkins

drjenkins

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Okay, so my VHT CLX that's been my main amp for the last 7 years is in route to Canuckistan, I am now on the search for something to take its place. I'm basically looking for the clarity of the VHT with more saturation for heavier metal stuff, a good clean channel, and a crunch that can do a classic rock sound.

I've thought about just getting a 5150 III 50w for the brootz, and a Dr Z Maz18 for the clean to crunch stuff. Are there any others that you guys would suggest that I look at? I saw the PWE Event Horizon in the classifieds, but I have no chance of trying one out in person, and the clips that I've heard for ch2 don't sound heavy enough to me. I'd also like to keep the price under 2k, I know that's a tall order, but it's what I have to work with right now.
 
A Mesa Mark IV is pretty versatile in my book (don't ask I just don't like the Mark V at all). It has gorgeous clean tones a decent crunch and a very very defined lead/high gain channel. There are plenty of tone options to get you going towards what you might want. It is harder to hide behind the gain on this amp kind of like a VHT/Freyette but it is more saturated yet it still has some of that dry crunch going on. It is the one amp I will not get rid of even though it is modeled completely in my axe-fx II. There is just something fun about it and the weird way the tone stack, gain stages, power options, and graphic eq interact that will keep it around in my collection.
 
Rezamatix":11j9jf8i said:
Diezel.
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Hey Reza, any particular model I should check out? I've played a VH4 and a Herbert, and never got along with them for some reason. Love how they sound, with someone else playing them.
 
drjenkins":2gnrefsw said:
Rezamatix":2gnrefsw said:
Diezel.
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Hey Reza, any particular model I should check out? I've played a VH4 and a Herbert, and never got along with them for some reason. Love how they sound, with someone else playing them.
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then try the Einstein or Schmidt, they're a bit more forgiving......but in general Diezels are pretty straight up, they won't forgive mistakes much.
 
Joeytpg":p30oiawa said:
then try the Einstein or Schmidt, they're a bit more forgiving......but in general Diezels are pretty straight up, they won't forgive mistakes much.
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I would beg to differ, the Herbert is quite compressed/saturated compared to something like a VHT or a Mark IV and is very very forgiving whenever you have the gain up past 40%. The cleans are beautiful in that amp and the second channel is like 2 or 3 amps all on its own when paired with the mid cut and the +/- switch. The only issues that I have with mine is the immense bass/low mid response and the huge amount of power it has, it's nearly impossible to crank it past 2 on the master, otherwise it is an incredible amplifier. I would take the Mark IV over it as a "go to" amp though. They do very different things of course I would think of the Herbie as a wall of articulated sound while the Mark IV is a very direct cutting defined amplifier.
 
Thanks for the suggestions so far guys! Tried every Mesa I have been able to get my hands on over the past 12 years, no dice, just cant get along with them.

Here's what I've owned amp-wise already, just for reference : POD Pro, Engl Savage, Splawn Pro Mod, VHT CLX, VHT Deliverance 120, Fuchs Viper, Engl Powerball v1, Mesa DC-5, Eleven Rack, and a Dr.Z Maz 18 combo. I kept the CLX and the Powerball the longest of all of those.

I've played and not really gotten along with: Carvin Legacy, all the Diamond amps, Diezel VH4 and Herbert, most of the Rivera heads, Bad Cat Hot Cat 30, Mesa's, Bogners, CAE OD-100's most all revisions(love the cleans though), Fuchs Viper, Two Rock, Divided by 13, 65 amps, bunch of vintage and newer Marshalls. Damn, Ive played a butt load of amps.

The front runners right now that I want to try are: 5150 III, Powerball II, and the Engl Retro. Want more pronounced mids and a darker tone for the most part, with a good amount of saturation and articulation that's not overly muddy.
 
Sig:X? I've never played one but want to. I read good things about it. My suggestion would have been a VH4, but they are pricey and have a unique feel that sounds like just isn't to your taste.
 
cardinal":3gck37kf said:
Sig:X? I've never played one but want to. I read good things about it. My suggestion would have been a VH4, but they are pricey and have a unique feel that sounds like just isn't to your taste.
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Haven't gotten to play one of those either, I'm definitely interested in trying one though. And you hit the nail on the head with the Diezel. Great build quality and they sound awesome live and recorded, just not in my hands...
 
drjenkins":1nadq1nl said:
The front runners right now that I want to try are: 5150 III, Powerball II, and the Engl Retro. Want more pronounced mids and a darker tone for the most part, with a good amount of saturation and articulation that's not overly muddy.
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Have you considered an Engl Invader? They are very heavy and complex in the mids, slightly darker because of the mids emphasis, have a great deal of articulation while remaining saturated and afford a lot of versatility because of the "hi/lo gain" option. I had one for a few months and seriously enjoyed it. The clean was very hi-fi, channel two could do light crunch all the way to JCM 800 with the hi-gain engaged, channel 3 and 4 handled the metal heavy lifting. Fantastic amplifier and the midi switching allows you to create presets, mixing and matching all of the options that the amp has to offer.
 
ras1988":3gyet73w said:
drjenkins":3gyet73w said:
The front runners right now that I want to try are: 5150 III, Powerball II, and the Engl Retro. Want more pronounced mids and a darker tone for the most part, with a good amount of saturation and articulation that's not overly muddy.
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Have you considered an Engl Invader? They are very heavy and complex in the mids, slightly darker because of the mids emphasis, have a great deal of articulation while remaining saturated and afford a lot of versatility because of the "hi/lo gain" option. I had one for a few months and seriously enjoyed it. The clean was very hi-fi, channel two could do light crunch all the way to JCM 800 with the hi-gain engaged, channel 3 and 4 handled the metal heavy lifting. Fantastic amplifier and the midi switching allows you to create presets, mixing and matching all of the options that the amp has to offer.
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I've looked at those, they just never seem to come up used when I'm looking for one. The new price is just out of my range right now.
 
A modded Marshall by Friedman is hard to beat. Especially if you can find one w/ a clean channel. Turn that saturation switch w/ the fat switch and it's going to get ugly. I like my Quick Rod for alot of what you described. I don't know man, you listed lots of stuff haha. Orange? Staying in your price range the Diezel Einstein might work for you too.
 
Mesa Mark V, Marshall JVM410, Diezel VH4, PT100.

I would recommend my favorite amp (Surreal AKA but the only thing it doesn't excel at in my opinion is modern high gain sounds, although it does do them). Seriously worth checking out regardless.
 
Randall RM100 head $400 used

Jaded Faith Superclean (one on MTS classifieds for $210)
Jaded Faith EV Trilogy for all three 5150 amps $350 new is your only option for that one
Maybe a modified Xtacy for the crunch tones, blue channel with saturation off is killer $275-$400 used

About $1500 all in. I think there are a couple of RM100s in the classifieds right now with stock modules that can be sent in for modifications. If you go through a lot of amps these are great because you as selling, and shipping a small module instead of a big amp to change your sound. I also have Salvation mods doing a custom module for me that has all three modes of the Diezel Einstein channel 1 in one module!!!
 
I would take a Sig X over any mentioned in this thread for what you asked...
 
I know where your comming from - Tried many of the amps you didnt gel with and didnt gel with them either - also had a VHT as my mainstay for 9 years.

Id suggest the Deizel Einstein, an engl SE (if you can get one in budget) and possibly look at the Custom Audio PT amps - its not the same as the OD and personally I think its more where your comming from. Those suggestions are based on my likeing of those amps, and our similarity with the amps you have had and the ones you didnt gel with.
 
I'm in a similar situation but coming from the VHT GP3 which I still have but part of me wants to move from racks. I did have a go on a VHT 50CL which I liked and after a brief go it does seem to have a bit more saturation. I'm also wanting to have a go on the EVH.

Never had any experience with it but have you thought about Titan amps which I believe are meant to be similarly voiced like VHT's but with more saturation.
 
Since the VHT stuck with you for so long, what about a Pittbull UL? They go for reasonable prices on the used market.
 
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