Finally settling into disappointment with the Roadster
So after a couple of months, I'm noticing a few points about the Roadster I'm not liking.
First, contrary to the typical heavy bass characters I would associate with rectififers, this amp is directly opposite. I've never had a problem with boomy bass, rather I have a problem with high end. I am now hearing a harsh edge on everything, even the cleans. Dial down the treble and presence a bit and it's gone, but it now sounds like the amp has a blanket over it.
Second, the modern channel isn't very usable because of the harshness stated above and the power tubes don't really break up in a pleasing manner. Once I hit the level where power tube distortion would begin, I start hearing major compression on the mids...almost like there is a mid boost at a certain volume level. Not that I don't like mids, but there shouldn't be this much midrange variance in volume levels. In my experience, you usually need to boost mids once a certain volume level is reached, but once I hit that level, I can't dial them back no matter what I do...drop the mid control to 0 and that characteristic is still there.
Third, I'm hanging out on channels 2 and 3 the most...I'm not enjoying the crunch tones and the modern settings on channels 3 and 4 just don't seem to like me. I used to set up rigs for guitarists and I have experience as a guitar tech, but I can't get this amp to play nice.
So here's my problem. I'm feeling that the Roadster just doesn't have what I'm looking for. The tones I'm looking for go like this...
Cleans - Eric Johnson sparkle tones. I want pristine here, but I also want to be able to get fatter, more even cleans without all the high end (think Petrucci's clean tones).
Clean drive tones - Andy Timmons all the way. I can get that bouncy, compressed clean drive tone from my Fender HRD, but I don't want to have to carry two amps around with me, and I'm also looking to sell the HRD because I need the money and I need the space in my house. This tonal range should also be able to cover SRV type stuff (I usually run my amps with a tube screamer or two, but in my tone descriptions above, I'm not counting the TS in those examples because those tones were dialed in without any effects).
Vintage grind tones - I'm looking for a decent crunch tone...Satriani's rhythm tone is a good example.
High gain/lead - looking for Satch/Petrucci tones here, with the ability to do heavy rhythm stuff like Petrucci and Tremonti.
So there's the breakdown. I'm afraid I will not be able to find an amp that can cover that kind of range. I'd rather have the cleans/mid gain stuff over the high gain tones. Right now I'm split between the Mark IV and the Lonestar. Can the Mark IV perform on the cleans and mid gain stuff and sound as sweet as the Lonestar?
So after a couple of months, I'm noticing a few points about the Roadster I'm not liking.
First, contrary to the typical heavy bass characters I would associate with rectififers, this amp is directly opposite. I've never had a problem with boomy bass, rather I have a problem with high end. I am now hearing a harsh edge on everything, even the cleans. Dial down the treble and presence a bit and it's gone, but it now sounds like the amp has a blanket over it.
Second, the modern channel isn't very usable because of the harshness stated above and the power tubes don't really break up in a pleasing manner. Once I hit the level where power tube distortion would begin, I start hearing major compression on the mids...almost like there is a mid boost at a certain volume level. Not that I don't like mids, but there shouldn't be this much midrange variance in volume levels. In my experience, you usually need to boost mids once a certain volume level is reached, but once I hit that level, I can't dial them back no matter what I do...drop the mid control to 0 and that characteristic is still there.
Third, I'm hanging out on channels 2 and 3 the most...I'm not enjoying the crunch tones and the modern settings on channels 3 and 4 just don't seem to like me. I used to set up rigs for guitarists and I have experience as a guitar tech, but I can't get this amp to play nice.
So here's my problem. I'm feeling that the Roadster just doesn't have what I'm looking for. The tones I'm looking for go like this...
Cleans - Eric Johnson sparkle tones. I want pristine here, but I also want to be able to get fatter, more even cleans without all the high end (think Petrucci's clean tones).
Clean drive tones - Andy Timmons all the way. I can get that bouncy, compressed clean drive tone from my Fender HRD, but I don't want to have to carry two amps around with me, and I'm also looking to sell the HRD because I need the money and I need the space in my house. This tonal range should also be able to cover SRV type stuff (I usually run my amps with a tube screamer or two, but in my tone descriptions above, I'm not counting the TS in those examples because those tones were dialed in without any effects).
Vintage grind tones - I'm looking for a decent crunch tone...Satriani's rhythm tone is a good example.
High gain/lead - looking for Satch/Petrucci tones here, with the ability to do heavy rhythm stuff like Petrucci and Tremonti.
So there's the breakdown. I'm afraid I will not be able to find an amp that can cover that kind of range. I'd rather have the cleans/mid gain stuff over the high gain tones. Right now I'm split between the Mark IV and the Lonestar. Can the Mark IV perform on the cleans and mid gain stuff and sound as sweet as the Lonestar?
