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valve amps


Finbar
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Right... where to start...

My intial thoughts were something fairly low powered comparatively speaking. Someone mentioned the VBA400, for instance - I used to have one of these. I could not for the life of me make it grind filthily because it was just too bloody loud! I couldn't get it loud enough to overdrive without it being impractical. So I was thinking of anything between 100-200Wish. I'm aware that they're pretty much just nominal values though.

[quote name='Monz']A GT200 with 83's in it has got to be the ultimate dirty sound for my money... but then I am biased :)[/quote]
This joke never gets old :rolleyes:

[quote name='alexclaber']You are still running two rigs aren't you, one clean, one dirty?[/quote]
Currently, yes. May change this aspect of things, may not. I'm not entirely sure yet. If I go with a cranked guitar amp, I fear it might not have enough 'rumble' to fill things out a little bit on its own though.




Really want to try a few things out to get more of a feel for it all though. Pretty much all of these options are horrendously expensive, so it's worth holding out for something I know is good :lol:

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[quote name='Finbar' post='621877' date='Oct 9 2009, 06:09 PM']Currently, yes. May change this aspect of things, may not. I'm not entirely sure yet. If I go with a cranked guitar amp, I fear it might not have enough 'rumble' to fill things out a little bit on its own though.[/quote]

I bet it will - we've all suffered enough pain at the hands of guitarists to know that guitar amps can go disappointingly low. I'd look for a 100W Marshall and 2x12" guitar cab. Another trick to get you more consistent power valve overdrive at different SPLs is to EQ in more lows on the guitar amp at quiet venues and less lows at loud venues (which will respectively eat up headroom or give you headroom back). And on your clean rig do the opposite (preferably with a ~100-150Hz EQ knob, not a normal 40-80Hz bass knob).

Alex

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[quote name='Finbar' post='621877' date='Oct 9 2009, 06:09 PM']Right... where to start...Really want to try a few things out to get more of a feel for it all though. Pretty much all of these options are horrendously expensive, so it's worth holding out for something I know is good :)[/quote]

Beg, borrow or steal some guitar rigs.

Alex

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[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Marshall-JCM800-Superlead-MK2-100-watt-Valve-amp-head_W0QQitemZ270466911477QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL?hash=item3ef9158cf5&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Marshall-JCM800-Supe...id=p3286.c0.m14[/url]

or see hatori on here. he has a superbass. he's a good dude.

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[quote name='nash' post='621976' date='Oct 9 2009, 08:13 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Marshall-JCM800-Superlead-MK2-100-watt-Valve-amp-head_W0QQitemZ270466911477QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL?hash=item3ef9158cf5&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Marshall-JCM800-Supe...id=p3286.c0.m14[/url]

or see hatori on here. he has a superbass. he's a good dude.[/quote]
Was looking at those just now actually.

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I'm almost there now to be honest, but with different settings entirely! I have an active bass (treble boost, low cut) then on the amp a low mid boost, a bass cut and a treble boost going on, with my Ampeg preamp. It's not QUITE grindy enough though. It is closer when I've got my Cream Pie running into it, but still sounds a little... sterile?

Oh, and a pick. Yes. Most important part of it!

Edited by Finbar
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[quote name='Finbar' post='621211' date='Oct 9 2009, 12:34 AM']Looking to buy a new head in the near future. Money is (virtually) no object. I will save for the right thing.

Basically I'm running an Ampeg SVP preamp into a poweramp right now, and I have the drive control maxed out, but it still isn't driving enough for me. I want an absolutely filthy sounding amp, that still sounds like I have control over it, not like I'm fighting against how noisy it is. The solid state power amp feels like its telling me to wind back a bit, whereas the valve amp I used to have felt like it was always encouraging me to push it more and more. So I'm definitely after a valve head. But I don't want something which only sounds good when you're running it at mega volume. Has to be able to do the same kind of sound at lower volumes too, for rehearsals and gigs where I need a lower onstage volume. So I was thinking of maybe a lower wattage head? I don't need or want 400 clean watts.
Any help mega appreciated! :)[/quote]


Having heard one of these at the recent Mott concert, I was mighty impressed by the sheer drive of this gear. Reading between the lines, it seems to have circuitry that maintains the gritty overdrive sound even when turned down to low volumes. Maybe a trip down the A1(m) might prove interesting. I'm sure they can oblige if money is no object.

[url="http://www.blackstaramps.co.uk/products/seriesone/index.html"]http://www.blackstaramps.co.uk/products/seriesone/index.html[/url]

Balcro.

Edited by Balcro
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the series one stuff is terrible. why would anyone make a 200 watt valve guitar amp?

also do you me mott as in mott the hoople?

when i saw them he was using an SVT 2 clean as a whistle and he use the blackstar 30 watters for his baritone

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[quote name='Balcro' post='622109' date='Oct 9 2009, 10:49 PM']Having heard one of these at the recent Mott concert, I was mighty impressed by the sheer drive of this gear. Reading between the lines, it seems to have circuitry that maintains the gritty overdrive sound even when turned down to low volumes. Maybe a trip down the A1(m) might prove interesting. I'm sure they can oblige if money is no object.

[url="http://www.blackstaramps.co.uk/products/seriesone/index.html"]http://www.blackstaramps.co.uk/products/seriesone/index.html[/url]

Balcro.[/quote]

Do they do them for bass? Too many knobs and channels on that, although no idea why someone would want a 200w guitar head.

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Sunn :) Now thats something i'd like to own.

One of my favourite bands, Cave-In, use a P Bass/Grabber (I think, im not too hot on Gibson basses) with a Sunn:

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c73UEu-NF_Q&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c73UEu-NF_Q...feature=related[/url]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNPYU36bB28"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNPYU36bB28[/url]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=280KmSDIx7I&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=280KmSDIx7I...feature=related[/url]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rbyvAx1mzY&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rbyvAx1mzY...feature=related[/url]

Not sure if they still do, (not sure if they are still together!) Some Marshall Bass amps on those live UK vids.

Basically, I want to play in a dirty heavy rock band with hardcore influences...lots of bass runs and cranked tubes. Guitaist would not be allowed any of this ESP stuff...

Edited by Musicman20
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