Guitar Amps

[ochoill]

Thought there was an amps thread here before but I couldn't spot it - maybe just mixed in with the Music Gear general thread.

I've an option to pick up a reasonably decent amp soon but rather than overwhelm myself with usual Internet options, reviews, and endless info, I said I'd ask ye.

What are you all using nowadays and in what capacity?  What are you looking at picking up yourself, or what have you seen around that looks interesting?  Ideally guitar Amps but I don't particularly give a shit and like hearing about bass rigs too.  All good info.

Home use or live use, interested in it all, but for my own looking it is live and jamspace recording.  Anyway, amps thread, let me know what ye are at.

[ochoill]

Just to get it rolling:

Current setup is a Laney 15W tube head and a Trace Elliot Elf SS Bass head (at about 120W) both into separate 8 ohm Harley Benton V212s.  I like the setup, and can split my signal fairly well for a good live and jamming sound but the Laney isn't really holding it's weight for me, and I want to try streamline things a bit.

Was eyeing up the Marshall 2555X Jubilee and the few videos I've seen it seems good but wondering how well it would suit me for a few styles.  Usual fare pops up too, Orange heads and the like, I know any sort of standard will fare me well which was why I was leaning Marshall anyway, it seems fairly high gain and the can out options are decent.  Anyone use one of these here?

[warhead]

I've a Framus Cobra, Peavey 6505+, Marshall JCM 900 50w and a Framus Cobra 4x12 cab sitting in my living room.
Plus a Hartke 4x10 bass cab I'm using instead of a chair at the bar and some kind of a solid state Ampeg bass amp head that is somewhere where we're leaving our shoes.
I'm using fuck all in the last 7-8 years.

[Rosco]

My current setup for live and rehearsal is EVH 5150 stealth into two 4x12 cabs.
Best amp for metal I've ever used.

I recently got a boss katana gen3 100watt head for home use. It's class. It can do anything especially if you connect to app and access additional EQ and effects and gate.

[ldj]

Currently using an Orange Rocker 32, plenty loud and works great as a pedal platform.

Have been looking at the 20w JCM 800's Marshall have been making though, would be mostly using the low input as a sort of edge of breakup 'clean' platform but would need to look into how much headroom it has.

[Drought]

For Fraught I'm currently running two 5150iii 50w heads with a TC Mimiq to get a thicker tone since we've become a one guitar band. IMO those heads are hard to beat. However I've recently been thinking about adding an Engl Powerball to the mix. Has anyone any experience with them and how they compare to the 5150iii?

At home I'm lucky enough to have a few different heads (Mesa Dual Rec, Marshall SC20, Matamp Gt2 and a Fryette Deliverance) that I run through a Two Notes Captor X for demoing and just messing about.

[Drought]

Currently using an Orange Rocker 32, plenty loud and works great as a pedal platform.

Have been looking at the 20w JCM 800's Marshall have been making though, would be mostly using the low input as a sort of edge of breakup 'clean' platform but would need to look into how much headroom it has.

I've got one of the SC20 heads and it's a fantastic head. They really got it right with those - it does the full 800 tone/vibe but at much more manageable volumes. I've not used the low input much, but I recorded the intro to "Sublimated Misanthropy" off our last album with the Marshall on the low input. I think I might have used a moose battlehammer on it as well. They have plenty of headroom and volume for their size.

[Mr Barlow]

Probably a bit different than most you. I have Victory V40 Deluxe combo. It's not a high gain thing. I like a lot of Americana, Alt.Country and classic rock as well as all the metal stuff. So amp is more geared towards that end of things. I tend to run it relatively clean and get my dirt from pedals. It's a glorious sounding thing. 42 watts, or 7 in low power mode. Single channel 1x12 combo.

[Bürggermeister]

Haven't gigged in years but still have my amps: a Fryette Deliverance 60, Ampeg VH140C combo and an Engl Ironball 20, gigged with all of them. I have them routing into a DeLilse amp switch, which I route either to a Palmer DI or a Palmer attenuator, which outputs to the two speakers in the Ampeg cab. The Ampeg is solid state and sounds amazing at any volume. The Engl is a little fucking beast which you can run at domestic volumes but the Fryette really, really needs the attenuator in a gaff. I've been leaning more and more to using the DI for recording, recently, it's lovely to be able to crank the shit out of a valve amp and still record silently.

[Rosco]

For Fraught I'm currently running two 5150iii 50w heads with a TC Mimiq to get a thicker tone since we've become a one guitar band. IMO those heads are hard to beat. However I've recently been thinking about adding an Engl Powerball to the mix. Has anyone any experience with them and how they compare to the 5150iii?

At home I'm lucky enough to have a few different heads (Mesa Dual Rec, Marshall SC20, Matamp Gt2 and a Fryette Deliverance) that I run through a Two Notes Captor X for demoing and just messing about.

I had a Engl powerball 2 for a few years. They have lovely heavy distortion tone.
The engl 25watt fireball kt77 gets good reviews.

I got an orange dark terror recently for fly in gigs and it sounds great. Loads of gain. Needs an EQ pedal in front of it.

[ochoill]

Good auld input and plenty to look up across these few posts lads, cheers.

My current setup for live and rehearsal is EVH 5150 stealth into two 4x12 cabs.
Best amp for metal I've ever used.

Was talking amps on Friday to someone and this was recommended too.  This and the Engl Fireball 100 both mentioned and I'm sort of drawn to both, they sound great looking online.

For Fraught I'm currently running two 5150iii 50w heads with a TC Mimiq to get a thicker tone since we've become a one guitar band. IMO those heads are hard to beat.

EVH again yeah?  I might actually have access to one of these to try out, must have a look and see.

[londonleatherboy]

Laney Dual Top 60w head into a 2x12 HB cab with v30s..recently bought an ampero 1 to run in the FX loop of the Laney tor when using that and as an amp modeler when running through the audio interface..its the business..have dumped all my pedals up to the attic..can't be arsed anymore with them...Also have a Gallien Krueger 250 ML 100w that I take out as a treat a few times a year because I used to be obsessed with that Somewhere In Time chorus sound..Bedroom player that jams with buddies  one day will get the finger out and play live

[Shardknife]

I've been using a 5150 for years now. Also have a 6505 mini head that I bring around when we're tight for space or if I'm feeling lazy. Both could probably do with a re-tube or service as have gotten a bit noisier in the last while. I just find them so easy to dial in and have it sound good, there's more gain than I need on tap. If anything the problem is they are a bit safe sounding as everyone is used to hearing them so the tone is good but a bit standard.
I've also been toying with using a helix and a pedal power amp as a super portable rig/backup. I've tried it a bit in rehearsal and it is crazy versatile for the size but if I'm not being mic'd or going direct I might struggle getting up over the drummer.
I've had a Laney GH50 in the past but it's broken and needs to be looked at, it was a great sounding basic enough head but loud as fuck. I'd love to get it back working but it's not a big priority. I never really got to try it much with pedals as I hadn't much of a clue what I was doing when I was gigging that amp.
Also have an engl pre/marshall poweramp tube rack rig (no way I'm lifting that bollocks around again!). The tube poweramp sounds great but it weighs too much and is more amp than I need. It's a stereo thing but for what I want it for I can use a mooer baby bomb instead! 

[ochoill]

I've also been toying with using a helix and a pedal power amp as a super portable rig/backup. I've tried it a bit in rehearsal and it is crazy versatile for the size but if I'm not being mic'd or going direct I might struggle getting up over the drummer.

Helix is so much sport.  Tempted to pick the small one up down the line for lightweight gigging, very handy.  Have you tried it into the TC bass head but with a Guitar and guitar cab by any chance?  For volume's sake anyway it would likely be grand

[Shardknife]

I've also been toying with using a helix and a pedal power amp as a super portable rig/backup. I've tried it a bit in rehearsal and it is crazy versatile for the size but if I'm not being mic'd or going direct I might struggle getting up over the drummer.

Helix is so much sport.  Tempted to pick the small one up down the line for lightweight gigging, very handy.  Have you tried it into the TC bass head but with a Guitar and guitar cab by any chance?  For volume's sake anyway it would likely be grand

I did try the Helix with my bass head when I got it but can't remember exactly much about it other than it was fine. Would be better if my bass amp had an fx loop so I could bypass the preamp but it's pretty clean and neutral anyway. I'm sure the bass head into a guitar cab would work for a gig no problem.