Time For A New Amp? I think so...

feylya

Right, I just sold a kidney so I need something to spend the money on. I have a maximum of 600 eurobucks and I want a few things from this amp:

Preferably all tube
1-50 watts
1x12 or 2x12 with wheels attached
Footswitchable channels with footswitch included or budgeted for
Obviously, decent clean tones but also good crunch and lead tones (think Metallica's current live tone )
External Cab jack
Parallel effects loop
And it absolutely must have individual channel EQ's.

See, not a hard thing to find at all. Here are some of the amps I've been looking at

Ashdown FA40/60 Fallen Angel
Laney LC-30 II
Laney VC30-212
Marshall DSL401
Peavey Classic 30
Peavey Valve King
Randall RG-50 TC

Karl Hungus

I'd be very eager to try out one of the Ashdown Fallen Angels myself. The 60W 2x12 is fairly reasonably priced aswell, although I'd probably go for a head & cab combo. Pity they didn't have any in Music Maker while you were there.

feylya

Aye. I must take another stroll down one of these days and have a decent look at them. Was very very disappointed with what I saw, I must say.

It wasn't me!

The Laneys look good. Can't argue with Akerfeldt's tone anyway! Also, the Fallen Angels got a good going over here a while back methinks. Seemed to be good news all around. The DSL I've heard to be a tad dodgy to be honest.

feylya

Yeah, I've been thinking that alright. Trying to sort out what to do at the moment.

It wasn't me!

Was playing a JCM800 reissue today. There's m'baby whenever I get the money anyway.

Ravelleman

The peavey classic has great cleans so its an excellent platform for pedals. Of the amps you mentioned I'd go for it and get a nice distortion pedal.

On another note, I'm about to buy a new amp. Currently I've got my sights on an ENGL Thunder combo. They sound so good!

feylya

That's just it. I don't want pedals. I'll probably still use my ME-50 while I have it but I'd prefer to have everything through the amp.

jcoote

i'd be seriously disappointed if u didn't get the randall fey...the ashdown looks worthwhile too but i personally don't like the 2 laneys(played them in different studios and the od let me down both times,bit too crunchy not enough definition)...dsl is nice but if there was ever a call for saturation at low levels it was the 401 makin the call(**** at low volumes on od channel)...don't know the valve king but the classic 30 is nice if u have a booster pedal like a rat or od2 or tubescreamer or somethin...thats my 2 cents...randall all the way fey!!

feylya

I know. I'd have to sell my current amp before I could afford the randall though... It's a tough one.

jcoote

so sell it u crazy man..don't let your head make this decision or your fecked..if u don't get it i will and you'll be really pissed off

feylya

True... Of course, I could just get that lite ash strat instead and use my current rig for the time being...

jcoote

if u come down to dub at some stage u can try my strat and u won't buy an amp trust me its amazin....just get the randall u big girl ...seriously i'd get one no bother...u won't use the other amp if u get it anyway so its there for sellin

feylya

Na, the other amp is going but it's a case that I'd have to sell the current one before I get the other one. Have to check my finances and see what I can do.

Kenny_D

Get the peavey 30 and an od808 for that extra crunch. Mine sounds great now. It is very nice clean too. Very versatile amp

Voodu Child

Sorry to shorten your list, but the ashdown sucks balls. The peacemaker was decent enough, i nearly bought one when they had them super cheap in musicmaker, but the fallen angel is very hard to get good sound from, when/if you try it youll see what i mean. Ashdown just dont seem to know how to make a good guitar amp.

Laney amps are fine, but nothing special, they wont put a grin on your face IMO.

Dont know much about the randall, except it got a great review in guitarist.

Classic 30 definitely wont give you a metallica sound! Its a great amp though, a mate of mine has a 50.

For that money i'd be looking at second hand stuff, or the marshall. If you could up your budget youd be much better off, considering how you want a valve amp. A few hundred quid would make all the difference. The Mesa F series start around the grand mark dont they? (on the internet anyway..)

jcoote

that brings pedals into the equation tho doesn't it...think fey wants to stay with the amp od only

feylya

Don't worry about shortening the list. That's why I posted Unfortunately, my budget more than likely won't go above €600 so I'm kinda limited to that. I'm definately after an amp that'll make me smile and make my balls jangle

Voodu Child

Right so, its the randall then, 600 on thomann. Go buy it, and let us all know if its any good...

feylya

Ah, don't tempt me

Kenny_D

If it's for very heavy sounds like a Mesa or something then the classic wont get it though it will do a good heavy job with something like the Maxon OD808 to boost the overdrive. Which brings my problem: I want to be able to press one switch and have the amp's od and the od808 come on at the same time. Anyway I can do that? You from Dublin Fey yeah?

jcoote

Buy It!!

jcoote

roll of your guitars volume pot for a cleaner sound maybe???

u have 2 feet too.. when i had all seperate pedals i had to turn 4 pedals on at a time and i got it every time...easy peasy just practice man

feylya

GStormcrow wrote:

If it's for very heavy sounds like a Mesa or something then the classic wont get it though it will do a good heavy job with something like the Maxon OD808 to boost the overdrive. Which brings my problem: I want to be able to press one switch and have the amp's od and the od808 come on at the same time. Anyway I can do that? You from Dublin Fey yeah?

Depending on how the footswitch connects to the amp, you could make a wee box. Na, I'm living in Dundalk

Voodu Child

Well, seriously, I wish i had bought that issue of guitarist, but i read it in the shop and it was very very positive. I think they basically said, if youre looking for a cheap valve amp (and lets face it 600 is a bargain fro a valve amp), the Randall is as good as it gets. I wouldnt let attitude or reputation influence you anyway, trust your ears and not your peers...

feylya

Yeah, I read that article in Karl Hungus's house. Very good review of it. Unfortunately, I don't know of anywhere that stocks it, nor can I find any clips of it.

Doctor J

Got to disagree with Voodoo_Child here, my mate Big Ken has a Fallen Angel (the original one without the effects the new ones have) and, apart from some reliability issues, it is a really, really sweet bit of kit. Beautiful tone, really beautiful.

feylya

Gah, my two least favourite words - issues and reliability. What sort of issues?

Kenny_D

The amp distortion footswitch isnt detachable I dont think. Goes right into the inside of the amp. Too lazy and its too awkward pressin both on at the same time. Might be worth holding off for a while and trying to pick up a 2nd hand mesa. Sounds like thats what you need. Chris might get one in or ebay

feylya

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mesa-Boogie-Nomad-45-4x10-3-Channel-Tube-Guitar-Amo-NR_W0QQitemZ7353007765QQcategoryZ43374QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem I could but that wouldn't give me teh tone I want, believe it or not. I'd prefer to get a European amp tbh. Don't want to have to mess around with transformers.

Kenny_D

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Mesa-Rectifier-Rect-o-Verb-50-Guitar-Amplifier-Used_W0QQitemZ7352447163QQcategoryZ43374QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

and

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Mesa-Boogie-Single-Rectifier-Solo-50-w-ftsw-intl-ship_W0QQitemZ7352332214QQcategoryZ43374QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Only thing is the import fees

Voodu Child

Doctor J wrote:

Got to disagree with Voodoo_Child here, my mate Big Ken has a Fallen Angel (the original one without the effects the new ones have) and, apart from some reliability issues, it is a really, really sweet bit of kit. Beautiful tone, really beautiful.

Well, like I said, trust your ears and not your peers. Maybe theyre alright for 'nu-metal' or something, i guess im not the best judge of an amp for feyla cos i cant help but judge am amp on the lead sound most of all....At least they have them in MM to decide for yourself. Pity you cant do that with the Randall.

Doctor J

Nu-Metal? Sir, you misjudge me greatly. He plays in a blues band.

feylya

Only problem with those GStormCrow is the lack of a cab. That said:

this and this would please me greatly.

Doctor J

feylya wrote:

Gah, my two least favourite words - issues and reliability. What sort of issues?

It died. He brought it back to musicmaker, they sent it to someone other than Ashdown. It died again. Same deal, didn't go back to Ashdown. It died again, he got heavy, they replaced the head, problem solved.

feylya

Ah, so it was probably just that head then?

Voodu Child

Doctor J wrote:

Nu-Metal? Sir, you misjudge me greatly. He plays in a blues band.

And he plays a Fallen Angel?! Now ive heard it all...

Let me guess, he plays down-home blues on a BC Rich?

feylya

Cue Karl Hungus with a blues player using a BC Rich

jcoote

someone was sayin thet seen a guy playin funk on a bcrich a while ago...now u seen it all voodoo

Doctor J

voodoo_child wrote:

And he plays a Fallen Angel?! Now ive heard it all...

Let me guess, he plays down-home blues on a BC Rich?

Nope, a Gibson Les Paul, sometimes his Fender Strat.

feylya

jcoote wrote:

someone was sayin thet seen a guy playin funk on a bcrich a while ago...now u seen it all voodoo

Yup, that was me

Voodu Child

feylya wrote:

Cue Karl Hungus with a blues player using a BC Rich

With a bottleneck on a 7-string...
Robert Johnson et al would be rolling in their graves (just be lucky they havent seen his beard...)

It wasn't me!

Personally I think they'd appreciate the innovation!

John

voodoo_child wrote:

With a bottleneck on a 7-string...
Robert Johnson et al would be rolling in their graves (just be lucky they havent seen his beard...)

Why? Leadbelly played blues on a 12 string. I'm sure he'd love a go on a 7 string. A piece of equipment does not the music style make.

feylya

Oooh

Voodu Child

Have you ever tried to play death metal on a banjo?

feylya

Yes. Yes I have. Personally, I prefer Stairway to Heaven on a banjo...

John

voodoo_child wrote:

Have you ever tried to play death metal on a banjo?

I'm sure someone somewhere has done it. Seriously, only by expanding your horizons will music progress.

EDIT: See, Fey's done it!

Voodu Child

*strokes chin.....*

Hmm, now a seven string banjo....theres an idea....

feylya

Pfft, you're not thinking broad enough. You want a 15 string banjo, with octave strings for the highest 7 and one low string without.

Voodu Child

*runs to the patent office...*