VIDEO: HBE / BE / VH4 / Orange / Dual Rec

[James Lugo]

Everyone has been asking about another high gain amp shootout and I think we can do one in December or after the new year for sure. I've been talking to Dave Friedman, Rob @ Tone Merchants, Reinhold Bogner, Luxxtone etc... Everyone is on board. A bunch of guys really wants to get a Fortin and Cameron and really do this right, I'd love to see a Splawn too.

Anyway this is a little whistle wetter. These are some of my amps and we tracked them today for this. We played basically the same thing on every amp. The settings on the pic of the amps are not the settings we used. I just dialed them in on the fly. I hope you guys enjoy! PLAY LOUD!!!

'71 Marshall Super Tremolo Friedman Kitchen Sink with Depth and Power Drive added
'07 Diezel VH4
'09 Orange Rockerverb 50
90's Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier 'Racto'

 

[dstroud]

wow man, that Marshall really does it for me - either mode, but probably BE more so. Thanks James for doing that - I keep thinking of taking my 1959 to Dave, this clip just got me 1 step closer!

 

[James Lugo]

wow man, that Marshall really does it for me - either mode, but probably BE more so. Thanks James for doing that - I keep thinking of taking my 1959 to Dave, this clip just got me 1 step closer!

Dude I almost called you, we did this so last minute. I just watched the video, the first riff of 'We Die Young' with the HBE is ridiculous. I keep listening to it and laughing. Quadrupled and played to perfection that would sound like the record. I just keep listening to it over and over.

 

[liamlw]

that marshall sounds tits

 

[King Guitar]

The Friedman amp had the tone in that shootout.

 

[Tvd]

That was a sick clip, thanks mr lugo!

Thank god or whoever it is up or down there that cantrell never picked up a vh4

 

[jmgman69]

Hey James,what were the EQ settings on the Orange?

 

[PaulyPanacea]

Again James...you da man!! Those Friedmans SMOKE!!!! Still loving the VH4 too!!

 

[johnnyjellybean]

Man! I wished I lived down there! I'd love to have the PlexiPlus there!

 

[Mudder]

The HBE Marshall was money, but I tell ya, the Orange was really good too. Maybe a bit more spongy than the others (chewy?). I liked them both.

 

[loudgtr]

The HBE Marshall was money, but I tell ya, the Orange was really good too. Maybe a bit more spongy than the others (chewy?). I liked them both.

Yeah the Orange was sounding like that. I have played one before and it did have that chewy/spongy character. I did dig it. It was pretty cool.
I have to say they all sounded great and had their own things going on. The Friedman had the sweet Marshall crunch nicely overdriven. A buddy of mine has a VH4 and now I know why he says he just stays in channel 3 all the time. That was heavy and aggressive in a great way. I got to say I’ve been having Dual Rectifier gas and this vid hasn’t helped at all. What power tubes in there James? EL34 or 6l6’s? Thanks.

A couple of Fortins, some Splawns and Bogners etc. I would love to check that out for sure. Thanks for the vid James

 

[James Lugo]

Hey James,what were the EQ settings on the Orange?

I don't know I was in front of protools listening and I was telling my buddy what to turn, so I just did it by ear, no visual. I know the gain and the treble took a few to dial in. The amp reacts to the treble knob quite a bit and doesn't sound right till the treble is at certain point.

 

[James Lugo]

I got to say I’ve been having Dual Rectifier gas and this vid hasn’t helped at all. What power tubes in there James? EL34 or 6l6’s? Thanks.

I had John at Boogie in Hollywood work on it, I think it's standard 6l6s.

 

[loudgtr]

I got to say I’ve been having Dual Rectifier gas and this vid hasn’t helped at all. What power tubes in there James? EL34 or 6l6’s? Thanks.

I had John at Boogie in Hollywood work on it, I think it's standard 6l6s.

Thanks man. When you say "worked on it" does that mean a mod or two or just regular service? Thanks again.

I'd be happy with any one of those amps. The VH4 had a nice sweet kind of heavy aggression to it if you kow what I mean, but the Racktifier just fits the tone I want lately.

 

[tonmazz]

That HBE tone is the cat's ass!! That's the mode I play most with my 79 JMP KS and it works for so many styles, classic and modern with a few adjustments of either guitar or gain setting. Love it!! Keep it comin James.

Looking forward to the Fortin, I still haven't heard a clip that did justice to the reviews you hear and I trust the guys reviewing it most of the time saying it is a killer mod so can't wait for that to be done right.

Orange sounded great too.

 

[jmgman69]

Man,in those clips the VH4 just destroys in the chug department ,but again,it's different

 

[fuzzyguitars]

James

thanks for doing that.

they all sounded great.

having those amps really covers ALOT of heavy guitar sounds.

The HBE gets that saturated super modded marshall sound to a tee.

The BE sounds like the best 50 watt plexi cranked to hell.

The VH4 sounded super tight, and is a easily recognizable sound for modern rock.

The Orange has sludge written all over it. Also has sounds a very recognizable sound that is all over those newer alternative rock stations.


but for me the winner was the racktifier. I have been listening to heavier music these days and this had the perfect blend of low end grunt with enough clarity and slice for those ripping massive rhythm tones.

how much of the mix between the t75 and v30?

what blend of mics? 2 or three? pr22, beyer, and what else?

thanks!

 

[jmgman69]

Hey James,I'll bring the Rockerverb 100 if needed

 

[Mailman1971]

Clips sound great.....but for the riffs your playing the Marshalls owned.
I would still take the VH4 over those amps though.....but thats just me.

Great stuff James!!

 

[jcj]

I think we might be able to get a CCV on board