# Looking For A New Amp



## seanmj (May 9, 2009)

Hey all,

I currently have a VHT UL... a 1x12 cab w/Celestion G12H, and a 4x10 cab with Jensens in it. I also bought a THD Bivalve last year... which I'm selling because it just doesn't work for what I want.

Since acquiring a custom strat.... I haven't really cared much for the amp setup I have. The VHT will do hi gain sounds really well... but I'm looking for those clean to mid breakup sounds.

I've tried a Fuchs ODS 50 and 100. Dr Z Z28, EZG 50, Maz 18, New Fenders, Old Fenders... nothing has really stood out.

While I dig the Fender cleans... when I try to run any sort of crunch pedal through it... it sounds too shrill.

I guess I'm looking for something that will do the Fender cleans... but can do a Marshall 800/plexi type thing.

I have a Wampler Plexi Drive... which sounds great through most amps... but none of those amps have a great clean sound. The amps with a great clean sound... don't seem to take that pedal too well.

Any suggestions? I'd actually like to try a Maz 38 or Route 66.... haven't found any to try.

I do like the EZG-50 quite a bit... but I don't think I have the right speaker cabs for it... it's a really bright and loud amp.... and my strat is quite bright to begin with.... AAAGHHH! 

Sean Meredith-Jones
http://www.seanmeredithjones.com


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I'm pretty sure the VHT will do those low gain sounds you want - you just have to set it up right.

Have you considered strat - tubescreamer - VHT clean channel?

Fender twin?

I know a place where that amp would sell pretty damn quick! I also happen to want it, but can't afford anything right now (especially since I only got my roadster a month ago haha)


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## seanmj (May 9, 2009)

I can get somewhat decent low gain sounds out of the VHT... but it doesn't do the Fender/Vox thing for cleans.

I have tried a twin... and yes I have a strat. The twin is nice on cleans... though I haven't had a chance to plug in any of my pedals through it to see if it does crunch well.

I did plug my Wampler Plexi Drive into a Deluxe... and I didn't care for it too much... a little shrill.

Two amps I would like to still try are the DR.Z Route 66, and the Maz 38... anyone have one they would let me try??? 

I'm also thinking of going back to see Gerri Doyle...he had this amazing 4x12 cab with what I believe were Jensen 60watt speakers... the punchiest things I have ever head.... though I took the Fuchs ODS with me to try with it... which was a demo.

The Fuchs is a nice amp... but way too much coin for what you get. The gain channel I really don't care for... I prefer just a basic Tube Screamer.

Sean Meredith-Jones
http://www.seanmeredithjones.com


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## Bevo (Nov 24, 2006)

What are you doing with the VHT?


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

donating it to me, I hope!


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## seanmj (May 9, 2009)

I'm keeping the VHT at the moment. It still has a lot of useful sounds and flexibility that other amps don't have.

I am selling the THD Bivalve though... 30 watts... and it will take any kind of preamp or power output tube as it is self biasing. KT88, KT66, 6l6, el34, 6v6... and I have the yellow jackets so you can run el84's too. 

It has a hotplate built into it, and I had an FX loop buffer installed in it. You can run one power output tube or two depending on the gig and how much power you need.

Sean Meredith-Jones
http://www.seanmeredithjones.com


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

So you're looking for a big loud clean sound that you can get a little hair on with a pedal or two? That sounds like a Twin or a Pro or a vintage Traynor. I just got a Traynor Mark 3 (YGL-3) for the second time in my life. It does exactly that. Anything from big bold, bass heavy cleans to treble filled twang. Up the volume knob and you can get a little hair. Add a pedal or two and you can do the blues really well.

If you've never had a vintage amp know that they need TLC more than new amps.


It is a huge and heavy amp -and probably has too much volume for me, but I love it.

Mine was 400 for the head.


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## Tarl (Feb 4, 2006)

The CAA OD series amps have the best 2 channel setup I've ever heard. Wonderful sparkling cleans and all the great distortion and overtones you will ever need. But then again I am biased......


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

I'd +1 the Twin RI or the Traynor YGL3. Both are stellar platforms for building tone with pedals. Each will give you sparkly, spanky cleans and they really take pedals well.


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

seanmj said:


> I can get somewhat decent low gain sounds out of the VHT... but it doesn't do the Fender/Vox thing for cleans.
> 
> I have tried a twin... and yes I have a strat. The twin is nice on cleans... though I haven't had a chance to plug in any of my pedals through it to see if it does crunch well.
> 
> ...


Hi Sean, 

I have a great old Route 66 if you're ever in the Ottawa area. 

The Route is pretty similar to an old JTM 45, but a bit fatter in the mids and with more bottom and less noise. Less bright and crunchy than a plexi style Marshall. It feels like an old amp, but without the noise and reliability issues of some of the older amps. The older ones (like mine) have a looser feel due to less filtering and you'll occasionally hear a bit of ghost noting when you play it really loud. Apparently Dr.Z was trying to replicate Paul Kossoff's Marshall tone on Fire and Water. Have a listen to it and you'll understand what I'm trying to describe. The newer ones (since 2002?) don't do that, and they're a bit tighter and more modern sounding. I much prefer the old ones.

I think its just a bit better with humbucker and P90 guitars.

The Route sounds great through a Zbest, but its pretty loud. I mostly use a Celestion Gold (still pretty loud) or a Celestion G1265 (less volume).

I have also had a Maz 38, excellent amp. Its a bit brighter and has more of that Vox chime. Volume was similar to the Route, but it cut a bit better through a mix. It has more power supply filtering, and you won't see any ghost notes. It also has a lot more control over tone shaping, the cut control is really useful. I prefer the Non Reverb models, they have a bit more punch and gain. 

Works really well with Humbuckers and single coils.

The best speaker for the Maz is the Celestion Gold IMO.


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## seanmj (May 9, 2009)

mrmatt1972 said:


> So you're looking for a big loud clean sound that you can get a little hair on with a pedal or two? That sounds like a Twin or a Pro or a vintage Traynor. I just got a Traynor Mark 3 (YGL-3) for the second time in my life. It does exactly that. Anything from big bold, bass heavy cleans to treble filled twang. Up the volume knob and you can get a little hair. Add a pedal or two and you can do the blues really well.
> 
> If you've never had a vintage amp know that they need TLC more than new amps.
> 
> ...


I've never tried a traynor... though I hear that the old ones are some of the best amps to have modded. There was a traynor head with the Fuchs mod floating around on the gear page that was really tempting.

If I'm in L&M in the near future... I'll bring my axe with me and try one out.

Sean Meredith-Jones
http://www.seanmeredithjones.com


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## seanmj (May 9, 2009)

Tarl said:


> The CAA OD series amps have the best 2 channel setup I've ever heard. Wonderful sparkling cleans and all the great distortion and overtones you will ever need. But then again I am biased......


Never tried the CAA stuff.... are they similar to the Fuchs ODS? Many favorable reviews on them for sure.

My take on the Fuchs (which is really a dumble derivative) was just that it was a lot of money for what it did. There are some seriously good D-style pedals out there these days... so if I wanted that sound I might add one to my chain and use a real good one channel clean amp.

Sean Meredith-Jones
http://www.seanmeredithjones.com


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## seanmj (May 9, 2009)

zdogma said:


> Hi Sean,
> 
> I have a great old Route 66 if you're ever in the Ottawa area.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the feedback Zdogma. If you were local.... I'd so be there. I hardly ever get out that way unfortunately. 

I'm a huge fan of all the Z stuff I've tried... though I haven't found the one that does everything I want.

The Route 66 amp might be my ticket... but I really have to try one first. I've listened to as many clips as I can.... some I have really liked... others not so much.

I had a friend who bought one... and I heard him play through it full throttle with a tele.... and it sounded goooooooooddddd. He did get rid of it a few weeks later because the ghost note issue really bothered him.

Me personally... when he demonstrated the ghost note phenomenon, it didn't really bother me when I heard it. I'd still have to plug my strat into one to hear it for sure. Unfortunately... I'm rarely in the Ottawa area....

The maz is reportedly the most versatile Z amp... and I did like the maz 18 quite a bit. I would love to try the 66 and the 38 side by side though. Are you ever in the Toronto/gta area?

L&M sold their maz 38 that I was hoping to try... and I haven't seen a 66 in there in a really long time.... if anyone in the Toronto area has one... let me know. I'd be happy to bring anything I have for you to try as well... and I'll bring a couple of lattes...

Sean Meredith-Jones
http://www.seanmeredithjones.com


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

I get to Toronto now and again for work, but I don't usually have gear with me...

I find the Maz 38 is slightly fatter sounding than the 18, a bit less bright, but overall pretty similar.

They have both a Route 66 and a Maz 38 in stock at Lauzon's here in Ottawa.


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## jmb2 (May 18, 2009)

Big loud clean? Some 'hair' on the notes? Work well with pedals?

Dr Z Rt 66, EZG-50, Galaxie are all good ... but suggest the Remedy ahead of those - works nice with 112, 212, 412 or various 10 configurations as well. Plenny of volume and will go from clean to mean. :smile:

cheers always, eh

Joel


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## seanmj (May 9, 2009)

jmb2 said:


> Big loud clean? Some 'hair' on the notes? Work well with pedals?
> 
> Dr Z Rt 66, EZG-50, Galaxie are all good ... but suggest the Remedy ahead of those - works nice with 112, 212, 412 or various 10 configurations as well. Plenny of volume and will go from clean to mean. :smile:
> 
> ...


I've heard great things about this head (remedy). Do you know where I could try one in the gta? L&M aren't stalking very many z amps anymore.

Sean Meredith-Jones
http://www.seanmeredithjones.com


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## Gizmo (Aug 7, 2008)

How about a Fender Supersonic. Sparkly Vibrolux cleans, Bassman grit and a high gain channel.
I just happen to have a head for sale ;-)


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## seanmj (May 9, 2009)

Gizmo said:


> How about a Fender Supersonic. Sparkly Vibrolux cleans, Bassman grit and a high gain channel.
> I just happen to have a head for sale ;-)


mmmm.... vewee intowesting. How much? 

Sean Meredith-Jones
http://www.seanmeredithjones.com


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## Gizmo (Aug 7, 2008)

Hi Sean, just PM'd you.


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## Tarl (Feb 4, 2006)

seanmj said:


> Never tried the CAA stuff.... are they similar to the Fuchs ODS? Many favorable reviews on them for sure.
> 
> My take on the Fuchs (which is really a dumble derivative) was just that it was a lot of money for what it did. There are some seriously good D-style pedals out there these days... so if I wanted that sound I might add one to my chain and use a real good one channel clean amp.
> 
> ...


Here are links to a couple of short videos showing the tones available on the CAA OD 100 jst by switching channels. I believe this is the guitar straight into the amp without any pedals. I run mine in 50 watt mode but it sounds about the same. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMiLXsYgdJM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzptA7wjKLw


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## jmb2 (May 18, 2009)

seanmj said:


> I've heard great things about this head (remedy). Do you know where I could try one in the gta? L&M aren't stalking very many z amps anymore.
> 
> Sean Meredith-Jones
> http://www.seanmeredithjones.com


Not sure about L&M inventory ... I'm in Mississauga area and have Remedy and some other Z amps and cabs as well. Drop me a *pm* :smile:


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## seanmj (May 9, 2009)

Hi all,

Resurrecting another old thread. After a lot of searching... and many more amp trials... I bought an amp.

I did manage to try a Route 66. First of all... that is one loud amp. To get any kind of breakup, the amp has to be pretty freakin loud for that to happen. I suppose I could of tried it with an airbrake... but the tone of this amp wasn't what I thought it would be. It is a dark amp....very dark. When I tried to up the high end... I wasn't liking what I was hearing. It's forte are big fat dark sounds. For me, that's limiting, and I would only use that in certain situations. I also didn't care for how it took my crunch pedals.... even through a variety of cabinets.

I also tried a Carr Mercury. Really great clean with a hint of breakup.... partly due to the speaker they put in it though. Bit of a one trick pony. It can't do loud and clean. It'll get pretty loud though... you can't get the grit out.

So after all that, I bought a (drum roll) Valvetrain Trenton. Hand wired, 16 watts or 6, plus two voice selections with the "Raw" switch. When the raw switch is off, it's a black face... everything you would think a blackface should be. When the Raw switch is on, it gets into tweed territory... a lot more sizzle/grit, slight upper mid boost.

It takes pedals very well... the speaker in it is also very versatile. Plus I can run a speaker out from the back into another cab if I want. The best part... I paid just over $1000. Many of the amps I tried were 3x that.... but this really gave me what I'm looking for at the moment. It'll be a nice compliment to the VHT.

Sean Meredith-Jones
Welcome to SeanMeredithJones.com


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

Tarl said:


> The CAA OD series amps have the best 2 channel setup I've ever heard. Wonderful sparkling cleans and all the great distortion and overtones you will ever need. But then again I am biased......


I had the OD 50 Classic and would agree...another option would be the Bogner Shiva which is to me, a Fender and Marshall in a box....

Edit: oops, saw your update. Sounds like you found your amp....I agree on the Route 66, great amp but LOUD


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