Your Advice on my 'Amplifier' Situation...

  • Thread starter Thread starter ibanez4life SZ!
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ibanez4life SZ!

ibanez4life SZ!

Well-known member
Hey guys!

I could use a little gear advice if you're willing to lend an ear for a few minutes :thumbsup:

School and life have picked up over the last two years, and given this lack of time, I have been band-less since :thumbsdown: During this period, I've been through a lot of amps...everything seems to not cut it. I just finished putting together an AWESOME multi-amp rig, and I am still underwhelmed by it.

I finally sat down today and TRUTHFULLY evaluated my gear...I LOVE my guitars, and I'm very happy with my playing up to this point, but my unhappiness in the amplifier realm seems to stem from my situation itself. Since I'm only playing at home, I can't get enough volume behind the amps to get the goods. We can all admit that a 100W tube amp through a 4x12 just doesn't sound right until you wind it up. Thinking back, I was running a single amp for the longest time when playing with the band (we played LOUD), and I LOVED my tones....simple, but killer!

So, what is one to do? Keeping this mondo rig is really more depressing than fun right now....I go to play on it, and I end up being more frustrated than anything. I need a setup that I can enjoy at home.

What are you 'at home' guys running?

Even though I just sold it, I'm thinking of going back to the Axe FX......get a power amp, and rock! That unit did pretty darn good at low volumes...no doubt about that. I could probably even go tube on the power amp, since it turns down so well, then I'd have the ability to turn up aswell when I need it.

Thanks for reading...I'm really looking forward to your responses!

Eric
 
I don´t really care about my bedroom tones... for that application I´ve been using an old Zoom tabletop modeler through a 30W Torque PA combo for years and years. I save the big rig for recording, rehearsing and playing out... and I just don´t see much point in spending money on something better just for when I´m practicing or jamming to an album at home.
 
I'm gonna throw in another vote for the AxeFx.

I finally had a chance to play around with one a week or so ago and I was really impressed with the tones and flexibility, and there is just no possible way that you can get your 100 watt amps really working at their optimum in an apartment. Maybe when you're able to get back into playing live, a dual-amp setup will be feasible, but for apartment jamming, 200 watts of tube doesn't do anyone any favors.
 
If you can swing it, the Axe Fx and a VHT 2/50/2. The best low volume rig I've ever tried.

If not, I'm a big line 6 fan for that application, as well.

Grab a Flextone II, or if you want a GREAT practice tool, the Spiderjam.
 
jcj":2u4zbg05 said:
If you can swing it, the Axe Fx and a VHT 2/50/2. The best low volume rig I've ever tried.

If not, I'm a big line 6 fan for that application, as well.

Grab a Flextone II, or if you want a GREAT practice tool, the Spiderjam.
Click to expand...
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
 
I'd say the Axe-FX for a strictly practice purpose is great, nothing wrong with that. But do you really want to pay that much for a 'practice' amp? I would just buy a POD and run it straight into your DAW and download some cab simulators or something.
 
every amp in your sig should be fine for low volume playing.

i've tried the little practice amp route a couple deferent times, and they're still not as good as the big boys, even at low volume.

maybe a cab with less effecient speakers or a hot plate?


i'm not a fan of the axe. maybe go cheap and do a pod bean, or the iphone thingy?
 
In all honesty, when I have to practice at low volumes I just run a distortion pedal straight into my DAW. Boss DS-1 or Digitech Metal Master. Sounds like dump off the bat, but HP/LP, touch of EQ, add some parallel reverb/effects (like a W/D/W rig) and you've got a low volume concert hall metal tone to rock out with. Very budget as well.
 
Yea, looking at your amps, I don't know if you need that much power in a home setting.
Axe FX if $ is no object, but also take a look at a low watt amp. My Randall rm20 allows me to keep my Salvation module tone at family levels. I've had the Tiny Terror before, that amp is a litlle beast for Rock. Plenty of other low wattage choices
 
Just get Guitar Rig,Amplitude or Pod Farm and a decent set of monitors for your computer.Great for bedroom jamming.
 
my bedroom volume is sometimes close to my live volumes, so I don't nearly have that issue (anyone who has been at my place can attest to this),
but I do want a different rig for quieter volumes...

I got an Axe-FX in December, and was very happy I was able to play at lower volume through my ADAM monitors without having to have my VHT cranked all the time with the Axe. However, I had several days of only the Axe and my VHT and was able to crank it, and it did sound very good cranked as well!

But I am still thinking of just getting some other small rig for my living room that won't scare my dogs away, and probably get it modified to be angry enough for me to use as a practice amp.

I think you having those amps that need to be cranked, you either need to get a Rivera Rockcrusher attenuator, or perhaps a Silent Sister iso-cab out to some monitors...
or you need to just deal with the fact that those amps need to be cranked, and you should get something else for home use that still sounds ok enough to be satisfied.
 
Alright, before I add my 2 cents, can I ask why your handle is Ibanez for life but you're obviously a complete PRS fanboi?? :confused:

Outside of this, I am NOT onboard with the AxeFX [yet]. But that's because I'm a loud player and love loud tones out of real ass rigs. HOWEVER, if I were to be forced into a lower volume situation, I would - WITHOUT A DOUBT - go with the AxeFX. Sure, it's a lot of coin, but doooooooood, look at all that coin you've got sitting there with these heavy hittin' rigs not being played to their potential?? Sure, sure...attenuators, distortion pedals, governors on fine Italian 400hp sports cars (facepalm), you can go that route, but you've still got a handful of amps, NOT delivering in the ways YOU have enjoyed before. So, sell 'em. Go for an AxeFX, get a decent rig with a poweramp and a 2x12, and hey, also go DI into your DAW (if you're into that) and wind out 2000 tones in no time. Done. Wanna gig?? the Fryette 2/50/2 is more than adequate to gig with a nice 2x12. So there you have it - not my preferred choice but I'm not in your shoes. If I was?? I'd have me an Ultra in NO time with the Fryette poweramp and a decent sounding 2x12 - done, period, finito, the end.

Hope this helps :thumbsup:

If in doubt - always remember this motto.... "What will allow me to play more, and screw around less??"

Peace,
V.
 
I picked up a bogner duende 15 for home use and just playing around the house etc and love it. It is very versatile, with two channels that cover everything from clean to hot rodded marshall like tones plus has reverb and tremolo and u can combine the channels also. I also have a marshall 1974x 18watt that I modded with a master and added gain etc that does the plexi thing perfectly and can go up to 2203 tones but at low volumes, the marshall is actually loud enough for playing with drums etc if needed. Both of these are great
 
joepete77":el6t867o said:
I picked up a bogner duende 15 for home use and just playing around the house etc and love it. It is very versatile, with two channels that cover everything from clean to hot rodded marshall like tones plus has reverb and tremolo and u can combine the channels also. I also have a marshall 1974x 18watt that I modded with a master and added gain etc that does the plexi thing perfectly and can go up to 2203 tones but at low volumes, the marshall is actually loud enough for playing with drums etc if needed. Both of these are great
Click to expand...

Duende's a sweetass amp. But then again, it's only one amp. The Axe is limitless, really. And this coming from a cat who's not on board with the whole Axe scene... Just sayin'.

V.
 
I've been struggling with this same issue. I have tons of gear and love the tone flexibility that I have, but really, I'm wondering if I wasn't happier back in the day when if I wanted to play I picked up "my" guitar (or my backup--bottom line, I only had 2) and plugged into "my" rig. ONE RIG! none of this, "what amp should I play today, what guitar has what pickups in it, what cab has what speakers, etc. I had an 8-space rack rig (Furman, tuner, JMP-1, EQ, BBE, Replifex, Hush, EL84 20/20) and ONE 4 x 12 (G12T-75's on top, V30's on bottom) and a MIDI pedal. Had some different patches for different sounds, but that was my rig. My one rig. I played way more and tweaked/dialed way less. The question on the table now is, if I want to get back to "one rig" which amp is the keeper?

VH4?
Herbert?
TriAmp MK II?
Quick Rod?
Nitro?
JVM?
Vintage Modern?

Which cabs to keep?

The rack and switching is fairly static so that's easy, but going back to one rig... That's a scary proposition...
 
Go back to the Axe, grab a PODHD or Flextone II or III, or get a Friedman/Jet City JCA20
 
Another vote for the Axe-Fx, but I would still try to keep your favorite amp if you can.

I haven't been a band in a few years now either, but most of my amps work for me a low volumes. The only one that really needs to be cranked a bit is my Marshall 2553 and even I can get by with that at low volumes. Sure if the economy was good, I would probably trim down some of my amps, but for now I am very happy with what I have.

Looking forward to trying my friend's Axe-Fx Ultra though...
 
One more for the Axe. My buddy picked one up 2 weeks ago low volume tone sounded great
 
racerevlon":1b93ejti said:
I've been struggling with this same issue. I have tons of gear and love the tone flexibility that I have, but really, I'm wondering if I wasn't happier back in the day when if I wanted to play I picked up "my" guitar (or my backup--bottom line, I only had 2) and plugged into "my" rig. ONE RIG! none of this, "what amp should I play today, what guitar has what pickups in it, what cab has what speakers, etc. I had an 8-space rack rig (Furman, tuner, JMP-1, EQ, BBE, Replifex, Hush, EL84 20/20) and ONE 4 x 12 (G12T-75's on top, V30's on bottom) and a MIDI pedal. Had some different patches for different sounds, but that was my rig. My one rig. I played way more and tweaked/dialed way less. The question on the table now is, if I want to get back to "one rig" which amp is the keeper?

VH4?
Herbert?
TriAmp MK II?
Quick Rod?
Nitro?
JVM?
Vintage Modern?

Which cabs to keep?

The rack and switching is fairly static so that's easy, but going back to one rig... That's a scary proposition...
Click to expand...

I'm gonna come clean with everyone here and say what my head and heart knows... If I spent as much time on my guitar playing as I did on RT, I'd be gas'ing less and playing more. That's really it - that's all. This forum is like a shooting den for junkies, we're just all hooked on gear. Seriously, I should, would and CAN be quite content with any ONE of my amps. It's just the fact I've obviously got too much time, and too much money to blow on things that are supposed to make me happy - or a better player - or a better sounding player - when in all reality, if I'd just stick with ONE set up and get to know it for 5 or 6 years and then some, I'd be slaying it.

Just saying, there are hundreds of cats out there, maybe even thousands, with 1 ax, and 1 rig, and they could put most of us here, probably 99.8% of us, to complete shame with their style, tone, and ability. And they've never once thought about 'the sonic differences between speaker wire gauge' or 'is this cable quieter than that cable' or the like...

Peace,
V.
 
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