Your Dream Amp

[Leotis]

Problem is what are you going to do when you finally get the range of tones you want/need and you end up playing the same licks as always?

Make myself a sandwich and then practice with a renewed fervor.... and a full stomach.

 

[Heritage Softail]

Blackface/MKIIC/Marshall

 

['63-Strat]

Problem is what are you going to do when you finally get the range of tones you want/need and you end up playing the same licks as always?

Enjoy them as never before?

Steve

In some cases, sure. Though I'm always *trying* to expand the whole playing side too. Just seems that usually what happens is people get bored and it's on to the next bout of GAS from what I've seen

 

[LickliterAmps]

This is my dream amp! The Lickliter XD120! Total versatility of tone- clean /crunch to mildly overdriven to all out modern metal!

 

[ams2ek]

Nuff said.

Chris

Yes

 

[Shark Diver]

Clean: Fender Blackface or Roland JC120

Crunch: Dimed Hiwatt DR103 or Friedman Dirty Shirley

Lead SLO or Mark CII+

 

[cardinal]

I'll play:

1. 1959 (that counts as just one "channel," right?)
2. Early VH4 channel 3
3. Rev G Dual Recto Orange

 

[kloppsta]

after going through many amps (Marshall, Mesa, Diezel, Peavey, Orange, ENGL and more) i have truly found my DREAM amp...and here it is!

 

[Red_Label]

after going through many amps (Marshall, Mesa, Diezel, Peavey, Orange, ENGL and more) i have truly found my DREAM amp...and here it is!

Just curious...do you gig that rig? I ask because in my experience the guys who mostly play at home seem to prefer modelers, while guys who can turn it up (ie... at a gig) still predominantly prefer tube amps

 

[kloppsta]

Just curious...do you gig that rig? I ask because in my experience the guys who mostly play at home seem to prefer modelers, while guys who can turn it up (ie... at a gig) still predominantly prefer tube amps

yip, i gig this rig. i keep it very simple. i dont even run the axe fx direct to the PA or anything. Its totally mono into a 4x12 cab. the axe fx and matrix power amp pretty much "replicate" a normal "head + cab" rig. i just like the flexibility of having multiple presets at my feet with the stomp of a button. i could have kept my tube amp and racked all my pedals but that would have actually cost me more than this setup, wouldnt have been as flexible and would have been harder to carry around and set up at gigs.

i understand the whole "cranked tube amp" thing....ive been there MANY times before. But honestly, the axe fx 2 with fw 7 or now even 8 matched with the gt1000fx is AS good as ANY of my tube amps cranked up loud and ive owned a few over the years!

i found the biggest hurdle for myself was "getting over" the fact what i was playing thru had not tubes in it. my mind wanted it to sound bad, or at least not as good as tubes, the simple fact is that it doesnt. it sounds as good and in many cases better! i have a whole arsenal of awesome amps at my fingertips that i would never have been able to buy individually and own all at once. so yeah, this is my DREAM amp/rig.

oh and just so you know, i am not a axe fx fan boi or anything. they dont pay me. i am not endorsed by them. im just telling you how it is for me, this is the second axe fx 2 i have owned. i got one last year but ran it thru the power amp section of my diezel vh4 and didnt bond with it. i sold it to fund an overseas trip but then decided to give it another chance this year using the matrix power amp and im very happy with the results. ive sold my diezel and most of my pedals. this is it for me, for a while!

 

[EyesOfTheSouth]

Clean - Stock JCM800 with guitar volume rolled down
Crunch - Stock JCM800 with guitar volume rolled up
Lead - Stock JCM800 boosted with stock Boss SD-1

 

[The Hoff]

Matchless DC-30 clean, Friedman Naked Crunch, VH4 Channel 3 Lead.

 

[petejt]

You have three channels aaaand go:

I'd rather have a single-channel amp, but it'd be a completely stereo amp head- two separate preamps, two separate poweramps, and not the size of a diplodocus with a thousand controls.

 

[DRC]

If I could get my XTC 101B modded so the parallel effects loop is as beautiful as my Groove Tubes Soul-O-75, if the Green (clean) Channel was modded to be the Blue Channel in Plexi Mode, leave the Blue Channel stock for solos and mod the Red Channel to sound just like Wizard Modern Classic lead channel and the same transformers, now that would be the perfect amp. Wouldn't even need a clean channel as I have other amps that do that just fine.

I came across this thread because I'm thinking of selling my 101B after playing a Wizard Modern Classic and a Friedman Dirty Shirley. G*ddamn if only I had unlimited funds and soundguys were always more than happy to give you 4 mics for 4 cabs!!!! Actually make that 5 cabs because I can only imagine blending my RxES with the DS would sound just as amazing as it does when I blend it with my 101B in Plexi mode.

I have to say that after hearing the Wizard MC, I know that is the punchy rhythm sound I've been looking for when I play the palm mute heavy riffs in certain songs, but the Friedman Dirty Shirley (plugged into the low input with the gain around 3 or 4) is the sound that I've been searching for for those big chord that need thick dirt, but still have total clarity and note definition. I wish I would have never played either of these amps because I am now absolutely f*cking tortured.

I was wondering if the plexi mode on the 6L6 loaded 20th XTC would give me something pretty close to what the DS has? I know I'm still not going to get the diode clipping, Jubilee thing that the Modern Classic does but I've gotten a pretty good chunky rhythm with the Red Channel gain at about 8:30 with the boost on. Still, it isn't the same.

Guess the answer is, there is no perfect amp that does everything, but perfect amps that do one thing really well. The transformers and tube choices are all different for different reasons.

 

[Jdguitar]

My Randall MTS covers everything I need in an amp. The modders are doing some amazing work to the modules these days.

 

[Ventura]

Just curious...do you gig that rig? I ask because in my experience the guys who mostly play at home seem to prefer modelers, while guys who can turn it up (ie... at a gig) still predominantly prefer tube amps

Interesting. I find more cats who play out and gig are going the A2 route over tube/cab/pedalboard/rack rig. More consistent from gig to gig, direct to FOH, trouble free. Where I find old-school gear coming in strong is - surprise surprise - recording (once again). The A2 is still a force to be reckoned with in the studio, but I'm seeing more and more cats lugging their oldschool tube based stuff back into the barracks for recording.

This will see-saw back and forth for months and years to come I am sure.

 

[duodecim]

Henric Hermansson (Fenderish?) clean channel and for channel 2 warm hot-rodded Marshall crunch (from Deep Purple to 80's thrash metal), for channel 3 something between a Mesa/VH4 channel 3 for a punchy but organic metal sound.

Two master volumes, and something to experiment with low/high mids on the third channel. Not overly saturated, some air in the tone.

Must be able to afford it.

 

[Passepartout]

I think that if I had to pick from any amp it would be one of two..

- BatCat Hot Cat 30R
- Jackson Ampworks Britain 4.0

Both are ridiculous amps with a warm tone that jives with any guitar.

 

[colimofsmoke]

Single channel Rhodes with the highest gain lead channel on the Artemis and a tube/spring reverb. in a switchable 50/100w.

 

[LukeCurd]

Right now a 100 watt hi gain plexi is on my wish list.