Amp trade

dnl88 · 01-22-2006, 02:17 PM

Well I've had my screamer 50 valve head for a few months now and It doesnt seem to be convenient for my sort of tone (much to much highs, not much warm sound even through a celestion vintage 30) so I'm thinking of trading it for an ac30 head, which would be better for classic rock and worship. Has anyone got this amp and got any advice. What does it really sound like, how much gain can you get without a od pedal...

Hopeful · 01-22-2006, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dnl88

Well I've had my screamer 50 valve head for a few months now and It doesnt seem to be convenient for my sort of tone (much to much highs, not much warm sound even through a celestion vintage 30) so I'm thinking of trading it for an ac30 head, which would be better for classic rock and worship. Has anyone got this amp and got any advice. What does it really sound like, how much gain can you get without a od pedal...

Sounds like you're going through a learning stage.

Sometimes, the solution may be as simple as an EQ pedal.

ApparentlyNothing · 01-22-2006, 08:34 PM

AC30's don't exactly have what most consider "warm" tone. I mean, they do have great tube tone, but I think what's characteristic about their tone is their clarity and the highs. On my AC30 combo, I have the high cut around 3 o'clock and it's still really clear sounding. Check out the recordings I have of my band on our myspace (click the link in my sig entitled "Wembly Shadwell"). All the electric guitar is a Gibson Les Paul through my AC30. As for how much drive it has, it has enough for me, but I use an Ibanez TS9DX overdrive for when I need more. I usually set up my drive from the amp to be kinda a mid-level amount of drive and then use the overdrive when I need any more. But I think if I wanted to, I could get about the same amount just from the amp, except maybe not quite as thick.

dnl88 · 01-23-2006, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApparentlyNothing

AC30's don't exactly have what most consider "warm" tone. I mean, they do have great tube tone, but I think what's characteristic about their tone is their clarity and the highs. On my AC30 combo, I have the high cut around 3 o'clock and it's still really clear sounding. Check out the recordings I have of my band on our myspace (click the link in my sig entitled "Wembly Shadwell"). All the electric guitar is a Gibson Les Paul through my AC30. As for how much drive it has, it has enough for me, but I use an Ibanez TS9DX overdrive for when I need more. I usually set up my drive from the amp to be kinda a mid-level amount of drive and then use the overdrive when I need any more. But I think if I wanted to, I could get about the same amount just from the amp, except maybe not quite as thick.

Its not really the amount of highs that annoys me, but rather the harshness of the distortion. I would rather have an amp with a smoother one but less than an amp with tons of harsh distortion I don't need. I'll try out the AC30 on wednesday to see if I like it. The sound of your ac30 sounds pretty cool. Theres lots of highs but it doesnt hurt you ears as the engl screamer can do.

Ryan Freeland · 01-23-2006, 05:42 AM

On the clean channel, have you tried turning the drive really low and volume high? Are you looking for that slight crunch?

dnl88 · 01-23-2006, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Building429_Boy

On the clean channel, have you tried turning the drive really low and volume high? Are you looking for that slight crunch?

nope I'm looking for that class A type creamy overdrive.

**thesteve** · 01-23-2006, 10:19 AM

hmm...i know this sound obvious, but have you tried rolling off some of the treble on the amp EQ and/or rolling off the tone knob on your guitar? I know with my Squier, the highs can be really piercing unless I roll the tone off to smooth it out.

dnl88 · 01-23-2006, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thesteve

hmm...i know this sound obvious, but have you tried rolling off some of the treble on the amp EQ and/or rolling off the tone knob on your guitar? I know with my Squier, the highs can be really piercing unless I roll the tone off to smooth it out.

Yeah I've tried that. I've rolled the treble off almost completely. I'll be able to find out if its a problem with my guitar on wednesday if the ac30 sounds just as harsh with my guitar. In the end I still prefer english type distortion to american style.

RipVanWinkle · 01-23-2006, 12:04 PM

What guitar do you have now?

dnl88 · 01-23-2006, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RipVanWinkle

What guitar do you have now?

a pacifica 112 (savin up for an LP).

**thesteve** · 01-23-2006, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dnl88

Yeah I've tried that. I've rolled the treble off almost completely. I'll be able to find out if its a problem with my guitar on wednesday if the ac30 sounds just as harsh with my guitar. In the end I still prefer english type distortion to american style.

I thought Engl was a German company...

dnl88 · 01-23-2006, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thesteve

I thought Engl was a German company...

yes but I don't know if you can say german type distortion (well its pretty brutal then

) If the ac30 is smoother then that would be good. If not I'll have to suppose its my guitar, but I strugled actually getting much highs on my old amp with this guitar. Can anyone post a sample of an ac30 if you've got one (with quite a bit of drive)?

**thesteve** · 01-23-2006, 12:43 PM

i'm curious if there's any artists out there that you would say get the "smooth" sound you're sooking for. Smooth can mean alot of different things to different people, so I'm trying to get a gauge of what you're looking for exactly.

RipVanWinkle · 01-23-2006, 01:42 PM

Have you had your guitar set-up?

have you tried adjusting p'up heights?

nick2282 · 01-23-2006, 05:10 PM

your guitar could be reason you dont like the sound of your amp. I was having trouble finding a tone i liked with my f-30, but then i upgraded my pickups and it sounds amazing.