What is your "go-to" hi-gain amp??

[the rossness]

VHT CL100 w/ EQ. I like the cleans and it takes pedals well.

 

[GtarLover]

There are plenty of excellent high gain amps to be had these days.
It depends on your willingness to spend for some...and your needs channels, loops, midi, switching, etc.
These are the ones I own or have owned (no longer own the VH4)
Diezel - Herbert, VH4, Hagen are all AMAZING...Herbert 3 channels, VH4 and Hagen 4 channels, midi, loops, and more
Bogner - 20th XTC...very versatile, 3 channels, lot's of switches and options
Soldano SLO - MANY classic ROCK tones lie within, 3 options (clean, crunch, lead) in 2 channels

For 1/2 the price:
Mesa Mark V is most versatile, 3 channels with dedicated EQ on each (Great amp for reasonable price)
Splawn QuickRod...late models w/4 button footswitches, from great "Hot Rodded Marshall tones" into metal tones, excellent cleans too
If you are willing to go with preamps, these can be a bit spendy but:
Bogner Fish...3 channels, classic AIC sounds
Soldano X99...midi, programmable, motorized knobs, obviously very versatile with all "THE" Soldano tones

 

[Zachman]

Mesa/Boogie MKIII Coliseum Simul-Class
Cameron Atomica
Marshall SLP Cameron mod

 

[ProgFree]

This

For rock and metal...VH4
For metal and rock...Herbert

Plus: For rock and metal and rock Diezel Hagen

 

[Ancient Alien]

Well since it is the only amp I currently own: VHT Ultralead.

But as others have stated it does all gain ranges pretty well.

You will not get "Fender" cleans. But you won't get that from anything but a Fender.

I think the VHT cleans are really good for an amp that can also do completely brutal tones.

Otherwise you will need two amps in an ABY or like someone else mentioned, get a brutal high gain amp that you like and utilize the loop or throw some pedals up front and do some tap dancing.

Or have Steve mod your UL to do so
I did, and I couldn't be happier. Plus he added some more saturation to the gain, yet retained the clarity.

 

[tubortski]

Wish I would of know about the VH4 years ago for this very reason (cleans). Well, that, and it slays.

 

[Sworn Virgin]

PWE Event Horizon 2

 

[rsm]

Engl E530 + Engl E850/100 + 2 * Engl E212VHB

Clean is amazing. pristine, not sterile.

IMO

 

[vchizzle]

PRS Archon. Awesome cleans.

 

[anomaly]

Mesa Mark III

 

[daveziemba]

Fortin Modded XTC 101a
Need to do a vid -
Has a Shitload of gain!

 

[petejt]

My Mesa/Boogie MarkIV is my "go-to" high gain guitar amplifier. It has a clean channel called "Rhythm 1". It's pretty clear sounding, like crystal. I don't use any effects on it apart from some reverb, which comes from the reverb tank built into the amp.

However lately the clean channel in my amp seems really weak, in terms of volume. It's like it's almost dead, unless I turn its gain right up and then I can hear it. But then it's distorting too much for my liking. I do like (in fact I love) 'dirty cleans' but I get that from my Marshall JCM 800.

It's odd because the Rhythm 2 and especially the Lead channels are perfectly fine. Heaps of volume there.

Anyone reckon it needs a new preamp valve in V1? I hope not...

 

[lester]

For me it's either my Cornford MK 50H II or my Marshall 1959SLP-12,000 series with a Gower Custom mod.

 

[JerEvil]

Fryette Sig: X or Splawn Quick Rod post 2012 with improved clean