KRANK

[daveycrocketofmetal]

I have a mesa triple rec with bottom rec cab w/ black shadows, standard rec top cab w/ vintage 30's, and a krankenstien head through gibson guitars. my brother plays gibsons through krankenstein halfstack and his sound is much warmer and musical sounding. Switched heads, settings around etc. and in my opinion the krank cabs just sounds better. The vintage 30 cab sounds more up-front than the muddy black shadows rec cab, but the krankenstein cab blows them both away. Im seriously considering putting texas heats in my mesa's. If that dont work their going to ebay. I am a mesa fan, but im a fan of good tone also. If anyone has changed out their BS speakers for texas heats in mesa cabs please let me know. If heard a couple of sound comparisons on youtube with the TH's and they dont do them justice. Either that or the amps being used just suck.

 

[fluff191]

I went to go see Children of Bodom back in April, GREAT SHOW! Anyways! the second opening act...God Forbid I think?... the guitarists were using Kranks. The amps when played by themselves sounded ok, I wasn't impressed. As soon as the whole band started playing, the amps sounded better, very clean - I'm sorry! - Kleen sounding. I even took my ear plugs out to really hear the amp. Basically? the amp sounded like metal.

That entire tour they were using the Randall RM100 heads. Which dont sound too bad IMO.

A friend of mine has a Rev1 and the "Kleen" channel is decent. The dirty channel is horrible though. My Recto kills it. The whole amp looks like a toy.

 

[fluff191]

.............oh and by the way, do you think the guys over at the Krank forum rank on Mesas as hard as we are on Kranks? Its getting pretty brutal. :lol:

 

[MesaGod666]

Kranks are like modded Marshall MG's w/tubes. Live they sound like ****, but in the studio they sound like pure **** w/o heavy post-production EQ.

 

[Turumbar82]

I have a mesa triple rec with bottom rec cab w/ black shadows, standard rec top cab w/ vintage 30's, and a krankenstien head through gibson guitars. my brother plays gibsons through krankenstein halfstack and his sound is much warmer and musical sounding. Switched heads, settings around etc. and in my opinion the krank cabs just sounds better. The vintage 30 cab sounds more up-front than the muddy black shadows rec cab, but the krankenstein cab blows them both away. Im seriously considering putting texas heats in my mesa's. If that dont work their going to ebay. I am a mesa fan, but im a fan of good tone also. If anyone has changed out their BS speakers for texas heats in mesa cabs please let me know. If heard a couple of sound comparisons on youtube with the TH's and they dont do them justice. Either that or the amps being used just suck.

Way to bump an extremely old thread! :lol:

 

[eltib]

Played a Krankenstein at a Dean Owners of America get together. The thing sounded like ****.Couldn't get a decent sound out of it, even with a USA Dean.

 

[Erotomaniac1928]

Ive played one at GC before and have heard them used a number of times at local gigs. Whomever it was that compared Kranks to Line 6, I totally agree. A good tone isnt impossible to get, but dynamics you'd expect from a tube amp arent there

 

[Turumbar82]

I'm pretty sure this specific thread collectively decided back in 2005 when it started that Kranks are not good amps. hahaha There's really no sense in bumping a five year old thread about it now.

 

[MesaGod666]

Krank still sucks.

 

[Disintegrated Skies]

I have some Krank gear, and it's pretty good. It's quite depressing to see such lame comments. Krank amps are much more articulate than Rectos, so you can't exactly cover up you're playing, but that doesn't make them bad. They're pretty warm and don't require a booster pedal to get metal sounds. I'm not a huge fan of the Krankenstein, but I love the Rev, it's versatile - not a one trick pony. I have a Rev cab and I'll take it over any Mesa cab simply because of the speakers used (hate Celestians, way overpriced) and the looks. As far as heads go, I'm a fan of Rectifiers (a lot of my favorite bands play them live) and I'm a fan of Kranks, but I love them for different reasons.

I think some (or most) of you guys rush to a decision. I tell people who diss Mesa the same thing. If you plug in and play and expect mind-blowing tone, you'll probably be disappointed.

And whoever said these things don't have enough low end is just fucking stupid. I really hate to say such a thing, but it's true.

 

[Jaredface]

I love all the smoke and mirrors people come up with in regards of certain guitarist tones. Slash, gilmore, EVH, dime etc etc. I about choked on my drink when I read that dime used a modded superlead. hahah what did they do rip the guts out and stick a SS randall in there. Oh sure you know someone that knew someone that once was a tech for him. Give me a break. People create all this rock folklore because either there bored and they want to be looked at someone that knows what's what in the music business or they went out and bought all the **** their idols used and still suck at playing so they justify it with such lame excuses. People forget that its 98% technique that makes someone's tone.

 

[Scary]

I suppose anything sounds good loud with effects. This guy is ripping it up on one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9rG3ictlDU&feature=player_embedded

 

[Turumbar82]

I have some Krank gear, and it's pretty good. It's quite depressing to see such lame comments. Krank amps are much more articulate than Rectos, so you can't exactly cover up you're playing, but that doesn't make them bad. They're pretty warm and don't require a booster pedal to get metal sounds. I'm not a huge fan of the Krankenstein, but I love the Rev, it's versatile - not a one trick pony. I have a Rev cab and I'll take it over any Mesa cab simply because of the speakers used (hate Celestians, way overpriced) and the looks. As far as heads go, I'm a fan of Rectifiers (a lot of my favorite bands play them live) and I'm a fan of Kranks, but I love them for different reasons.

I think some (or most) of you guys rush to a decision. I tell people who diss Mesa the same thing. If you plug in and play and expect mind-blowing tone, you'll probably be disappointed.

And whoever said these things don't have enough low end is just f%&# stupid. I really hate to say such a thing, but it's true.

My opinion of the Krankenstein comes from playing on one multiple times. I always give things a chance multiple times to see if I like it because I understand that even with my own gear some days it sounds great and other days it doesn't. The first time I plugged into the Krankenstein I wasn't expecting anything amazing. I don't really care for companies that feel the need to tell me how many famous people use their stuff. I have never play on the Rev's and have always heard that they are better than the Krankenstein. I think the Krankenstein really is just a highly marketed hype machine. I'm not a fan of the tinny, buzzy, transistor sounding distortion it has.

 

[Disintegrated Skies]

I have some Krank gear, and it's pretty good. It's quite depressing to see such lame comments. Krank amps are much more articulate than Rectos, so you can't exactly cover up you're playing, but that doesn't make them bad. They're pretty warm and don't require a booster pedal to get metal sounds. I'm not a huge fan of the Krankenstein, but I love the Rev, it's versatile - not a one trick pony. I have a Rev cab and I'll take it over any Mesa cab simply because of the speakers used (hate Celestians, way overpriced) and the looks. As far as heads go, I'm a fan of Rectifiers (a lot of my favorite bands play them live) and I'm a fan of Kranks, but I love them for different reasons.

I think some (or most) of you guys rush to a decision. I tell people who diss Mesa the same thing. If you plug in and play and expect mind-blowing tone, you'll probably be disappointed.

And whoever said these things don't have enough low end is just f%&# stupid. I really hate to say such a thing, but it's true.

My opinion of the Krankenstein comes from playing on one multiple times. I always give things a chance multiple times to see if I like it because I understand that even with my own gear some days it sounds great and other days it doesn't. The first time I plugged into the Krankenstein I wasn't expecting anything amazing. I don't really care for companies that feel the need to tell me how many famous people use their stuff. I have never play on the Rev's and have always heard that they are better than the Krankenstein. I think the Krankenstein really is just a highly marketed hype machine. I'm not a fan of the tinny, buzzy, transistor sounding distortion it has.

I can respect your opinion on the Krankenstein (though I highly disagree), but saying you, "don't really care for companies that feel the need to tell me how many famous people use their stuff," is a little strange, because of every single amp company will do that if they can. One of the first links on Mesa's homepage takes you to list of artists who play their gear, and it's all for hype.

"Wow, John Petrucci uses Mark Vs? Awesome, I'll save my money and buy one!"

It's just another way of marketing their amps. You basically don't care for any amp company, which is fine, but don't just hold it against Krank - Mesa, Marshall, Engl, etc. all do it as well.

And that video of the Nineteen80 is awesome! I hope to get a Jr. version this summer.

 

[fluff191]

I am not a fan of Kranks in general, but that Nineteen80 does sound really good and will be checking one out for sure.

 

[droptrd]

The chadwick is ok. Some good tones can be had from all the kranks. I think there is better out there though. One thing is - they have a horseshit resale value so if you do want one make sure you get a used one. Because of that, you can get a decent amp for a steal.

The Revolution is just version of the Sovtek MIG - The MIG is just a version of an 800. So the Rev is just a mutant 800. If thats the tone you want, id recommend a Stiletto or an 800 instead. Ive heard good things about the nineteen80. My $.02

 

[MesaGod666]

For the first time, I actually like a KRANK AMP. I saw a Nineteen80 at my local shop and was blown away by the tone. The thing is pretty sophisticated and the tone is like a Hot-Rodded Marshall. I got everything from the MOP tone to AC/DC and even some Randy Rhodes tones. I'm actually thinking of buying it...it's that good.

I hate the Krankenstien. I think that they should just throw that amp in the garbage, burn their patents/trademarks/copyrights, and destroy the schematics. That amp is completely useless, but the REV JR and REV JR CAB are decent enough to check out. Everytime I have played a REV SST it sounded pretty crappy, but the JR sounds really good. I haven't played the REV+ at all, so I can't comment on that amp.

Anyway, KRANK is on the right path with the Nineteen80 amp, but it needs more bottom end.

That is all.

 

[wolf]

I own both Dual Recto and Revolution+.I like play them both.Recto is fucking great and it`s most versatile amp these days.I like Mitch Harris tone so that`s main reason whay I still keep it.Krank is different chapter.Clean on my Rev+ is good enough for playing jazz but nothing for me.the krank ch. is brootal as **** but different way than Recto.It has moved punch and tightness just to different range.It does cover stuff from old school thrash to brootal low tuned death metal.It takes long time to find your tone because it does not understand with every guitar,pickup,speaker&cabinet...Also the upgraded + series is far away from old rev 1 series which I have try in GC few years ago and I wasn`t satisfied with tone at all.