What's the best high gain amp you've played?

[Atropos_Project]

Uberschall TJ

 

[jharpersj]

My fav and still in the stable, Carol Ann Triptik !

 

[IntenseJim]

VH4
Uberschall

I've played a couple SLO-100s over the years, but I've never been able to get "high-gain" out of one. Granted, I wasn't able to really crank them up loud. And maybe I just didn't know how to set the knobs???? But they always struck me as more of a mid-gain type of amp. I've heard them on records, boosted, though.

Some amps that I think I would like that I've never been able to find and play:

Ultralead
Peters
Mako

Maybe you were on the crunch channel? SLO lead channel being midgain is like Jenna Jameson or Nikki Benz doing only softcore porn.

 

[TrueTone500]

I must have a Bogner XTC 20th Anniversary. Oh yes... I must have this amp.

 

[FourT6and2]

VH4
Uberschall

I've played a couple SLO-100s over the years, but I've never been able to get "high-gain" out of one. Granted, I wasn't able to really crank them up loud. And maybe I just didn't know how to set the knobs???? But they always struck me as more of a mid-gain type of amp. I've heard them on records, boosted, though.

Some amps that I think I would like that I've never been able to find and play:

Ultralead
Peters
Mako

Maybe you were on the crunch channel? SLO lead channel being midgain is like Jenna Jameson or Nikki Benz doing only softcore porn.

Maybe? I thought they only had two channels, clean and crunch?

 

[chunktone]

For what I play, and the features that I need, it'd have to be the Diezel Herbert.

 

[IntenseJim]

VH4
Uberschall

I've played a couple SLO-100s over the years, but I've never been able to get "high-gain" out of one. Granted, I wasn't able to really crank them up loud. And maybe I just didn't know how to set the knobs???? But they always struck me as more of a mid-gain type of amp. I've heard them on records, boosted, though.

Some amps that I think I would like that I've never been able to find and play:

Ultralead
Peters
Mako

Maybe you were on the crunch channel? SLO lead channel being midgain is like Jenna Jameson or Nikki Benz doing only softcore porn.

Maybe? I thought they only had two channels, clean and crunch?

Clean/crunch and overdrive.

 

[Zachman]

MKIII Coliseum Simul-Class since '86.

Clearly I can't pick just one, because I have different favorites for various colors and textures:

 

[se7en]

VH4
Uberschall

I've played a couple SLO-100s over the years, but I've never been able to get "high-gain" out of one. Granted, I wasn't able to really crank them up loud. And maybe I just didn't know how to set the knobs???? But they always struck me as more of a mid-gain type of amp. I've heard them on records, boosted, though.

Some amps that I think I would like that I've never been able to find and play:

Ultralead
Peters
Mako

Maybe you were on the crunch channel? SLO lead channel being midgain is like Jenna Jameson or Nikki Benz doing only softcore porn.

Maybe? I thought they only had two channels, clean and crunch?

clean/crunch is the first channel. there's also a lead channel with plenty of gain.

 

[Ventura]

Spent the last couple weeks with my TwinJet [Purple Mod].

I f*ckin' LOVE this amp

 

[glpg80]

I want to make an amendment - James Lugo's Bogner Uberschall. I did not want to stop playing that thing. Eventually I will own one

 

[FourT6and2]

VH4
Uberschall

I've played a couple SLO-100s over the years, but I've never been able to get "high-gain" out of one. Granted, I wasn't able to really crank them up loud. And maybe I just didn't know how to set the knobs???? But they always struck me as more of a mid-gain type of amp. I've heard them on records, boosted, though.

Some amps that I think I would like that I've never been able to find and play:

Ultralead
Peters
Mako

Maybe you were on the crunch channel? SLO lead channel being midgain is like Jenna Jameson or Nikki Benz doing only softcore porn.

Maybe? I thought they only had two channels, clean and crunch?

clean/crunch is the first channel. there's also a lead channel with plenty of gain.

How do you switch over to the lead channel? Does the Normal/Bright switch affect both channels? And the clean/crunch switch is only for the first channel? None of the SLOs I've ever played had footswitches plugged into them.

 

[IntenseJim]

How do you switch over to the lead channel? Does the Normal/Bright switch affect both channels? And the clean/crunch switch is only for the first channel? None of the SLOs I've ever played had footswitches plugged into them.

That explains it.

You need the footswitch to change to the OVERDRIVE channel.
Bright switch only affects the clean/crunch NORMAL channel. (see closeup photo above)
Clean to crunch is done manually by a one of the small or mini toggle switches affecting only the 'first' NORMAL channel.

The bottom left mini toggle on my amp (no label next to it) is the optional SCOOP switch which cuts the mids ~ 400 Hz and affects only the NORMAL channel. I rarely use it.

 

[FourT6and2]

How do you switch over to the lead channel? Does the Normal/Bright switch affect both channels? And the clean/crunch switch is only for the first channel? None of the SLOs I've ever played had footswitches plugged into them.

That explains it.

You need the footswitch to change to the OVERDRIVE channel.
Bright switch only affects the clean/crunch NORMAL channel. (see closeup photo above)
Clean to crunch is done manually by a one of the small or mini toggle switches affecting only the 'first' NORMAL channel.

The bottom left mini toggle on my amp (no label next to it) is the optional SCOOP switch which cuts the mids ~ 400 Hz and affects only the NORMAL channel. I rarely use it.

I blame the stores I tried 'em out in. The guys there had no clue how to operate the amp and told me that toggle switch—normal/crunch—was the channel switch for clean/overdrive. I've been looking at clips of the Avenger and Hot Rod Avenger as well. Seems like they could be a good alternative. I have no desire to drop $4k on an amp. Hell, my VH4 wasn't even that expensive. Any experience with those?

 

[Mudder]

I think the best high gain amp I've played is probably the Mesa MkIV. I had one and sold it because I needed money. I've had a variety of others since, but I recently picked up a Mesa Studio Preamp and it reminded me how good the MkIV was. The studio is killer too, but not nearly as versatile, and a bit more finicky.

 

[VC4Ever]

How do you switch over to the lead channel? Does the Normal/Bright switch affect both channels? And the clean/crunch switch is only for the first channel? None of the SLOs I've ever played had footswitches plugged into them.

That explains it.

You need the footswitch to change to the OVERDRIVE channel.
Bright switch only affects the clean/crunch NORMAL channel. (see closeup photo above)
Clean to crunch is done manually by a one of the small or mini toggle switches affecting only the 'first' NORMAL channel.

The bottom left mini toggle on my amp (no label next to it) is the optional SCOOP switch which cuts the mids ~ 400 Hz and affects only the NORMAL channel. I rarely use it.

The SLO default channel is the OD. You need the footswitch to get to the clean/crunch channel.

 

[AmpliFIRE]

One of the original MC CCV's

 

[Little B]

Like many others this is a hard choice to make.I loved my vh4 and einy but I really like the thickness of my Herbert..call it personal preference, but even then I somehow managed to find my way back to my Mesa Red Stripe Coil for all things high gain.

 

[mchn13]

Mesa markIII red stripe. I dont play chugga any more, but i miss that amp..

 

[Schaf]

Mesa markIII red stripe. I dont play chugga any more, but i miss that amp..

That amp can do a lot more than chugga. I thought the clean channel was the highlight of the amp.