[jjvacc]

The title pretty much sums it up. So heres the deal:

I am completely redoing my rig...new guitar, amp, and effects. Right now I play a Gibson SG Special (I'm keeping all my old gear, btw), Crate solid state 65 watt, alesis guitar FX that I don't really use. I play pretty much only metal or things that relate to that form of music (dark metallic sounding clean riffs). For other stuff I just use my acoustic. So, I want an amp that will give me terror-driven distortion, but a good clean sound for church and the clean riffs that I play. I am also thinking about getting a Line 6 POD (maybe the floor pod model, I'm not sure yet.) I want something around 30-50 watts, just for when I need the sound. I am thinking of buying a Jackson, or possibly a Schecter, guitar.

I don't know alot about amps, so try and be patient with my questions :-).

P.S. I don't care if it's tube or soild, as long as it sounds good and is a decent amp.

Thank you,
chester

[Ax]

i would suggest tube, to me they sound better... but some folks can't tell.. what's your price range? that's a big question.,.. are you going to be gigging with it?... combo or stack?

[thomaspg70]

What is your price range chester? I would suggst a peavey ultra. You can get one for about 300-400 on Ebay.

[What5647]

if i was you i'd be looking for a 5150 II or a peavey rockmaster. but as i'm not you, you may have other ideas. but for me when i think "metal guitar sounds" i think "peavey 5150 II."

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by What5647

if i was you i'd be looking for a 5150 II or a peavey rockmaster. but as i'm not you, you may have other ideas. but for me when i think "metal guitar sounds" i think "peavey 5150 II."

The Rockmaster may work, as I believe it's part of the Ultra/XXX family of amps. The 5150 family, from what I understand, have tons of gain, but don't clean up that well. I don't know how good it would be for purposes other than metal.

[What5647]

my bad, i didn't see the clean req.
go with a rockmaster.
steve, the rockmaster is actually more like a 5150 with a dedicated clean channel. (and one that's supposed to be pretty good, from what i'm told.) so if it's related to the ultra/xxx series then the 5150 is as well.

[Rainer.]

Here's a "watch for" list you can use...

Peavey:
Triple XXX
5150/6505
Ultra
Triumph
ValveKing (a little lower quality than the others)

Carvin:
MTS
Legacy

Fender:
ProSonic
SuperSonic (I don't know much about this one, it's a new model, might be hard to find used)

Yamaha:
T50C
T100C

Marshall:
TSL 601/602
DSL 401

Mesa/Boogie:
Mark IV
Studio .22
.50 Caliber
F-50/F-100
Many more...

Trace Elliot:
Speed Twin

Probably lots more.

[Ax]

add B-52, it has those cleans you are asking for...

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by What5647

my bad, i didn't see the clean req.
go with a rockmaster.
steve, the rockmaster is actually more like a 5150 with a dedicated clean channel. (and one that's supposed to be pretty good, from what i'm told.) so if it's related to the ultra/xxx series then the 5150 is as well.

Hmm...I'd always figured that since the second drive channel on the Rock Master was called the "Ultra" channel that it was essentially the pre-amp from the Peavey Ultra from the same era.

[Rainer.]

All the Peavey Ultras/Triple XXXs/Triumphs have the highest gain channel named "Ultra".

[jjvacc]

So I am seeing Peaveys and Yamaha's mentioned alot...how do these brands compare to a brand like Marshall?

I am a working kid, so my price range varies. I don't really want to spend more then I have to, but I want a decent amp. No more then 500 would be nice, but it's not set in stone.

-chester

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by Rainer.

All the Peavey Ultras/Triple XXXs/Triumphs have the highest gain channel named "Ultra".

right. I figured this "ultra-gain" thing was an amp family relationship.

Originally Posted by jjvacc

So I am seeing Peaveys and Yamaha's mentioned alot...how do these brands compare to a brand like Marshall?

I am a working kid, so my price range varies. I don't really want to spend more then I have to, but I want a decent amp. No more then 500 would be nice, but it's not set in stone.

Marshall is a staple in the rock industry because it's good, and its classic. Rainer's Yamaha is a Soldano design. Soldano was a big name in metal and rock in the 1980s and still retains alot of name recognition today. Peavey is really coming into their own with alot of young post-hardcore fans that want the Marshall JCM900 or Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier sound but can't shell out the cash. I remember seeing a few Peavey Ultra Plus heads a few years ago when I'd go to local shows.

[Ax]

same with the B-52's...

[Rainer.]

So I am seeing Peaveys and Yamaha's mentioned alot...how do these brands compare to a brand like Marshall?

Peaveys and the Yamaha T50/100s in particular tend to have a more Mesa-esque tone rather than a Marshall tone.

Marshall and Mesa are rather expensive, but Peavey, Yamaha, B-52, and other "value" amps are priced for quality, and not so much for name recognition.

[Milisha]

I have also seen Engl amps on eBay for great prices. They're as brutal as the Peavey 5150 (now known as the 6505) for distortion, but clean up much better. The Peavey high-gain amps aren't renowned for having a great clean. The Engl's are German made, so are of good quality.

Marshall and Mesa's are very expensive, as you're paying for a brand name. In my mind Mesa's are a little more brutal then the Marshall's for distortion. They have a little bit of a flabby bass though. It depends on the sound you like. My personal taste is I like the Soldano and Engl amps more.

Another brand to look out for: Fallen Angel. I haven't heard one of these, but I've read good things about them, and they're fairly cheap.


A Line 6 Spider is another option: it covers a lot of territory, and does a good job for the price you're paying. They sound quite okay unless you put them side-by-side to a tube amp, like one of those above.