New member - I need some advice Amp choices

[MontyW]

Hi,

I've just joined this site as I've been looking into buying a Boogie amp for some time. I play both in the studio and at small (up to 100 people) venues and in the main I play "dirty" Texas style blues although I move into some rock. I've also started to play some harder modern metal, but not yet live.

I currently run the following amps: HiWatt Studio/Stage head, Blackstar Aritsan 30 Head and a Krank Jnr through an Orange 2x12 cab - BUT I would like to move to less amps, may be even one and it being a combo.

I've played the Lone Star Special and liked everything it did, but I know it ain't no metal amp. I also played a non-special Classic Lone Star and I was surprised that I got more of the metal tone, but across the spectrum of clean to "driven" I preferred the Special to the Classic.

I'm sort of heading towards the more versatile Special and adding pedals for my metals tones. Are there any other Boogie amps I should look into?

 

[dodger916]

Have you demod an Electra-Dyne? Great all-around amp that can cop the Lonestar clean vibe while being better suited for rock and metal. It's really a kick-*** amp.

 

[MontyW]

Not had the chance to demo the Electra-Dyne - but just checking it out on YouTube as you replied. Thanks!

 

[clutch71]

Welcome to the Board! Check out the Stiletto series. El34 based but it covers a lot of ground.

 

[teletalkin]

I own an ED so I'm biased.....just wanted to note that if you run a boost or an OD pedal in either lo or hi mode you can achieve some pretty nasty metal tones easily. The ED delivers in so many different styles!

 

[MontyW]

Thanks for the welcomes and advice. So an Okko Dominator or Wampler Triple Wreck would be "cool"...

Okay so what about the ED at practice levels as I've just moved home and I cannot give my next doors any grief LOL

 

[teletalkin]

It sounds great at any level. I have 3 children ages 6, 4 and 1......I'm able to play at night with all of them including my wife sleeping!

 

[jdurso]

Hi,

I've just joined this site as I've been looking into buying a Boogie amp for some time. I play both in the studio and at small (up to 100 people) venues and in the main I play "dirty" Texas style blues although I move into some rock. I've also started to play some harder modern metal, but not yet live.

I currently run the following amps: HiWatt Studio/Stage head, Blackstar Aritsan 30 Head and a Krank Jnr through an Orange 2x12 cab - BUT I would like to move to less amps, may be even one and it being a combo.

I've played the Lone Star Special and liked everything it did, but I know it ain't no metal amp. I also played a non-special Classic Lone Star and I was surprised that I got more of the metal tone, but across the spectrum of clean to "driven" I preferred the Special to the Classic.

I'm sort of heading towards the more versatile Special and adding pedals for my metals tones. Are there any other Boogie amps I should look into?

You want to go new or used?

If you're considering used I would highly recommend the DC-10, Mark IV or Maverick. All three can cover anything from super clean to high gain. If you're going new I would check out the Mark V, Stiletto Ace or maybe even the Express 5:50.

 

[Rezamatix]

Mark v all day.

 

[MontyW]

I want to go new as I have had my fingers burned with a used amp (not a Boogie) before.

The Mark V looks amazing but complex... this is my first venture into Mesa amps. My current kit is simple, very much like me

Could I replace all my current amps with just the Mark V?

 

[Geiri]

Yup the mark V is a do it all amp. And it's not really that complex since it's very logically laid out on the front panel.

 

[madryan]

I'd say definitely try the Mark V. I've owned a ton of amps. I'm what you'd call a recovering gear ***** and have owned at times 3 or 4 really nice boutique amps at a time. I gigged a Lonestar Classic for a year. Great amp. I've owned two DC-5's and they're also awesome but I had one of the last one's built and it was 12 years old. I had a Mark III (Red stripe) also a killer amp as well as an original '93 Dual Rec. Those were just the boogies. I can honestly say my Mark V is my favorite boogie I've owned.

Other stuff I owned was Bogner (shiva) VHT (Deliverance) Orange (Rockerverb 100) various Marshalls and Peaveys and whatnot.

Between my Mark V and my Marshall JMP I'm totally happy. If I had to give one up it'd be the Marshall.

 

[MontyW]

I'd say definitely try the Mark V. I've owned a ton of amps. I'm what you'd call a recovering gear ***** and have owned at times 3 or 4 really nice boutique amps at a time. I gigged a Lonestar Classic for a year. Great amp. I've owned two DC-5's and they're also awesome but I had one of the last one's built and it was 12 years old. I had a Mark III (Red stripe) also a killer amp as well as an original '93 Dual Rec. Those were just the boogies. I can honestly say my Mark V is my favorite boogie I've owned.

Other stuff I owned was Bogner (shiva) VHT (Deliverance) Orange (Rockerverb 100) various Marshalls and Peaveys and whatnot.

Between my Mark V and my Marshall JMP I'm totally happy. If I had to give one up it'd be the Marshall.

Ah you sound a bit like me - look at the amps I have and I really want to down-size the physical number - yet maintain the ability to get the "tones" - if the MkV can do this - I'll be one happy guy.

 

[MontyW]

Would the Mark V marry up to my Orange 212 cab with V30's okay?

 

[Scary]

Would the Mark V marry up to my Orange 212 cab with V30's okay?

I havn't tried one yet, but it sounds awesome in the Mesa 2x12 I have.

 

[madryan]

The Orange cabs are really nice. I like them quite a bit. Any boogie will sound fine with an Orange 212.

 

[MontyW]

The Orange cabs are really nice. I like them quite a bit. Any boogie will sound fine with an Orange 212.

Thanks for this.

 

[MontyW]

Any of you guys gigging with the Mark V - hows it stand up to the day to day knocks?

 

[jdurso]

I want to go new as I have had my fingers burned with a used amp (not a Boogie) before.

The Mark V looks amazing but complex... this is my first venture into Mesa amps. My current kit is simple, very much like me

Could I replace all my current amps with just the Mark V?

Complex in options yes but seriously, once you get YOUR sounds out of each channel its more or less set it and forget it. The complexity is in the variety which turns off a lot of people who like very simple amps, but when you consider the flexibility that amp brings it can cover enough ground to please A LOT of people coming from various schools of tone. I will admit amps like the Mark V, Roadster and Road King take some time to get to the tones you want, but once you find them its a beautiful thing.

I will say the cleans and mid-gain tones are some of the BEST boogie has ever turned out, and if you're more into the tight, liquidy high gain you'll love channel 3. But just the flexibility of the different wattage/tube/post-eq per channel is killer and a lot of times you dont realize how great they really are until you have them. For instance i NEVER would have thought i would use/need 4 channels, but once i got the roadster, the flexibility opened up so many more possibilities.


BTW, your Orange cab should be a good fit with the Mark V.

 

[MontyW]

Oh man my head hurts!!!!

I originally posted that I was looking to "down size" the number of amps I have and that I was looking into a Lone Star Special. Since then I have taken some time out to try a few Mesa amps. The Lone Star Special, Electra Dyne and Stiletto Ace... all are amazing amps BUT I've still to get my hands on a Mk V :?

Argh... I was so very tempted to buy the Ace, but I know I need to try the MkV!