# Help me decide on a new Amp.



## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

OK, here's the deal. I have been living in an appartment for a while, 6 years with the wife actually, so last year i decided to sell my JCM 2000 head and cab. it had been sitting there accumulating dust anyway. that sucker needs to be played LOUD to sound good, at low volume, it sucks. 

NOW' we just bought a house, and i want a new amp basicaly, but my musical style as changed somewhat. my first amp was a cheap marshall, those 30 watt transistor ones in the early 80's then BAM..2xJCM800 50watt heads with 4 cabs, MAN that was THE best set-up i ever had, then some JCM 900, crap, and the JCM 2000. 

In those days, until recently, i only was intertested in playing Heavy Metal, Maiden, Metalica, priest, etc etc. but now, even if i still play that stuff, i like to play the blues a lot, and cleaner riffs.

SO' i want to buy an amp that can give me METALICA when i get the Kramer of the LP, but that will give me a GOOD clean blues sound when i pick-up the Strat. 

SO, since i've not been in the market for a LONG time for an amp, what's new and what's good..


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## Guest (Oct 10, 2007)

al3d said:


> SO' i want to buy an amp that can give me METALICA when i get the Kramer of the LP, but that will give me a GOOD clean blues sound when i pick-up the Strat.


Check out a Mesa Mark IV. Or a TriAxis with a 2:90 stereo preamp. $$ but worth every penny and very, very versatile. Not to mention a favourite amp of Kirk H.'s.


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

Give us a budget, this could be fun LOL. 

But yeah, like mentioned, Metallica = Mesa... Trivium = Mesa... Dream Theater = Mesa... Godsmack = Mesa... I think you see the pattern :tongue: 

Laney GH50L (or VH100R... same as GH50L but has a clean channel and some fancy fx loops) is another great choice... insanely versatile amp too. Metal, rock, blues, whatever you wanna' play it can do it! 

If your budget is lower, check out solid state Randalls. More specifically the ones from the 80's (RG100ES!)... very well made and sound fantastic. Even the newer ones can sound great if you throw in a 10 band EQ to shape it out and a noise gate to keep shit tight. They've got a TON of bass though (I never have it past 12 o' clock).


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

I'de like to keep it under 2000$, and i'm looking at a combo possibly, a 2x12. i can't find any website with Mesa prices...weird


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

al3d said:


> I'de like to keep it under 2000$, and i'm looking at a combo possibly, a 2x12. i can't find any website with Mesa prices...weird


As far as I know you've gotta' ask a dealer, you can't buy Mesa's online (unless you go on eBay or something along those lines). 

2x12 combo... Peavey JSX, Peavey 6505, B-52 AT-212 and Genz Benz El Diablo are all great choices IMO!


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## Guest (Oct 10, 2007)

al3d said:


> I'de like to keep it under 2000$, and i'm looking at a combo possibly, a 2x12. i can't find any website with Mesa prices...weird


MkIV's are generally custom ordered so don't usually find them online and new. They're all over place used though: check eBay and Craigslist. Keep your eyes open, a used Mark IV with SimuClass and the 5 band EQ can be had for under $2k no problem. I see one roll by on the Toronto CL page every couple of months. I think you'd be a very happy camper with a MkIV.


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## ne1roc (Mar 4, 2006)

Don't rule out a Carvin Legacy! Its well below your budget and I consider it the perfect amp. Its not a true metal amp but put a good pedal in front, and you've
got metal. The clean channel is very Fender like.

The Carvin V3 is pretty sweet too and it definitely takes you to metal territory, but still offers everything in between.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

what can you guys tell me about the Mesa Boogie Nomad 100?...any good?


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

I just saw a Mark IV on Vancouver Craigslist for ?$1400?.


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## TimH (Feb 4, 2006)

al3d said:


> what can you guys tell me about the Mesa Boogie Nomad 100?...any good?


I sold Boogie for 5 years. I was never a fan of the Nomad series. I don't think they have the tight bottom end that you're looking for. I agree that a Mark IV is a great choice...I'd also look into the Rectoverb if I were you. That amp has some amazing cleans, takes to pedals well enough and has the Recto OD in spade which, given the bands you listed, might actually be a better fit for you. Also, the rectoverb sounds great at all volumes and is MUCH cheaper than the Mark IV.


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## Guest (Oct 10, 2007)

TimH said:


> I sold Boogie for 5 years. I was never a fan of the Nomad series. I don't think they have the tight bottom end that you're looking for. I agree that a Mark IV is a great choice...I'd also look into the Rectoverb if I were you. That amp has some amazing cleans, takes to pedals well enough and has the Recto OD in spade which, given the bands you listed, might actually be a better fit for you. Also, the rectoverb sounds great at all volumes and is MUCH cheaper than the Mark IV.


As a former Rect-O-Verb owner I agree somewhat. It and the Trem-O-Verb are Boogie's two best Rectumfriers. Cleans are beautiful, high gains are punishing. I thought the mid-gain sounds from the R-Verb were passable but not great -- too much fizz. It wasn't not a touch sensitive amp, it was a dial-in-a-sound amp and play that sound at all volumes amp. It was, however, much easier to use than any MkIV I've every plugged in to. The dials weren't nearly as touchy as the MkIV. If you breath on the dials on a MkIV the sound changes dramatically. But the entire gamut of sounds it runs are very, very good.


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## ssdeluxe (Mar 29, 2007)

omg ! you gotta buy my clark hampton :wave: exactly the machine your looking for!!, this is hand wired custom by the best in the biz.....if you havn't tried some of these fine builders, now is the time to give them a go, I don't believe in "bootique" really, however, there are a few "real deal" builders out there, clark being one.. 

I still have this for sale @ tgp (hope I am not in violation here) , but here is the link anyway.

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?p=3027941#post3027941


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

ssdeluxe said:


> omg ! you gotta buy my clark hampton :wave: exactly the machine your looking for!!, this is hand wired custom by the best in the biz.....if you havn't tried some of these fine builders, now is the time to give them a go, I don't believe in "bootique" really, however, there are a few "real deal" builders out there, clark being one..
> 
> I still have this for sale @ tgp (hope I am not in violation here) , but here is the link anyway.
> 
> http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?p=3027941#post3027941


post the picts here, link does'nt work


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

ssdeluxe said:


> hope I am not in violation here


I hope not too  

Hah. 

Here's the pics he posted: 

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i285/ssdeluxe/amps for sale/75ce_3.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i285/ssdeluxe/amps for sale/76ed_12.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i285/ssdeluxe/amps for sale/766c_3.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i285/ssdeluxe/amps for sale/752a_3.jpg


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

ssdeluxe said:


> omg ! you gotta buy my clark hampton :wave: exactly the machine your looking for!!, this is hand wired custom by the best in the biz.....if you havn't tried some of these fine builders, now is the time to give them a go, I don't believe in "bootique" really, however, there are a few "real deal" builders out there, clark being one..
> 
> I still have this for sale @ tgp (hope I am not in violation here) , but here is the link anyway.
> 
> http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?p=3027941#post3027941


hum, not ready to spit out 1400$ on a nameless amp realy. for 1400$ i can get a JCM 800 marshall with cab. and it looks...hum, red..hehehe


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## ssdeluxe (Mar 29, 2007)

violation said:


> I hope not too
> 
> Hah.
> 
> ...


he...he..! lol 
thank you kindly Violation !
:thanks5qx::food-smiley-015:

only need money, this amp can do exactly what you ask, its designed to be a small wattage plexi, ask faracaster about this amp!
@ anyrate, good luck, you can do superbly with the money your looking to spend, I would aim better than mesa/boogie, but to each his own!
best of luck


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## ssdeluxe (Mar 29, 2007)

nameless!! clark is one of the finest....but, clearly not something your into
only trying to help, no need to throw it back @ me...

you would only need to hear this amp to realise its got no competition in any recent marshall....but hey....to each their own.




al3d said:


> hum, not ready to spit out 1400$ on a nameless amp realy. for 1400$ i can get a JCM 800 marshall with cab. and it looks...hum, red..hehehe


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## Guest (Oct 10, 2007)

ssdeluxe said:


> I would aim better than mesa/boogie, but to each his own!


Note I restrained myself from my usual pimping of Koch amps. I definitely think they're a step up from the Boogie gear. And that Clark is a seriously nice amp for a great price. I think you'd need a pedal or two to really reach the Rectumfrier-type metal sounds you seek. Definitely it will kick a JCM800 around the block and back again.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

i found a Fender Deluxe 1965, i could get for around 1100$ or a Fender silverface for about 750$ from 1976,, will investigate more..


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

has anyone said traynor YCV50/YCS50?


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## 4STYX (Mar 25, 2007)

Check out the new Top Hat Emplexidor MKII!


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## Harvest (Oct 6, 2007)

al3d said:


> i found a Fender Deluxe 1965, i could get for around 1100$ or a Fender silverface for about 750$ from 1976,, will investigate more..


Forget about Metallica with those  However, you'd probably forget all about them cause you'd be lovin' the blues tone so much.


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