Test Drives...

[clutch71]

When I first got a Harley Davidson I started test driving every motorcycle I could. Harley or other wise! I keep a mental check list so that in the of chance that I ended up under a bus I could go with the knowledge that I'd ridden just about everything I could.

The purpose of this post (aside from fufilling my morning coffee ritual now that I don't smoke)is to list what you've enjoyed, not enjoyed, curious to take a spin. It'd help keep an eye out for other things! Not that I wan't to jump ship (quite the contrary) half the fun is just looking. In the process I could find an early DR you never know!

Enjoyed: Stilletto Duece, Orange Rockerverb 100, Dual Rectifier, Triple Rectifier, Lone Star Combo (not really my cup of tea but sparkling clean) Orange Rockerverb 30 combo, Goodsell, 5150 Combo

Not enjoyed: Marshall Mode 4, Marshall DSL or TSL's, Marshall VIntage Modern, Peavey JSX.

Looking forward to: MB Roadster, RK, MKIV, H&K MK 2 Tri Amp, Engl Powerball & Fire Ball, Anything by Rivera, Anything by Bogner, Anything by VHT, Orange Thunderverb, Diezel Vht4 (4600 bucks yikes!) Marshall JCM 800 (no I've never found a Marshall I've liked but Tom Morello uses one so...)

 

[mesanomad100]

Enjoyed;Mesa Dual Rec three channel,Mesa Nomad 100 1x12",Cornford MK50,LS classic combo,5150 combo,THD univalve,RKI combo,Fender blues deluxe



Disliked:marshalls,crate,ENGL powerball,Line 6(the entire range),POD(this gets a seperate vote due to how rubbish it is),Diezel VH4!!!!!


Lookin forward too:RKII,Bogner xtc,Fender Vintage bassman,Fender deluxe reverb

plus more which I cant think off right here,No wait an Elmwood,ohhh yes

 

[Russ]

Looking forward to: MB Roadster, RK, MKIV, H&K MK 2 Tri Amp, Engl Powerball & Fire Ball, Anything by Rivera, Anything by Bogner, Anything by VHT, Orange Thunderverb, Diezel Vht4 (4600 bucks yikes!) Marshall JCM 800 (no I've never found a Marshall I've liked but Tom Morello uses one so...)

MKIV is an awesome amp if you have patience to get through the initial dialing. H&K Triamp mkII is insane. Your Bogners are pretty nice. I like the Shiva but you might like the Uberschall or both. The JCM800 used by Tom Morello is a 2205 (50- watt split channel). rabies had one and loved it. I have the 2210 (100 watt split channel) and love it but am in the process of selling it.

 

[jamme61]

The new marshall JVM410 is an awesome amp, kind of like a road king but all marshall tones. If you love marshall tone, you'll love it but if you don't like marshall, don't waste your time IMHO.

 

[MesaENGR412]

I agree with Russ on the TriAmp being awesome. The other guitarist in my band has one, it's a great compliment to my Triple Recto tone. Together they are brutal on stage. He runs it through a Krank Revolution Cab (He also has the Rev 1 head as backup).

Liked: Dual and Triple Recto, Stilleto deuce, Roland Cube (great practice amp), Hughes and Kettner TriAmp, older TSL 100, Fender Twin, Fender Hot Rod DeVille, a couple Randalls, Ashdown Fallen Angel 60.

I've tried the Mark IV and wasn't too impressed by the one I tried. But, it's probably because I was only able to turn it up to around 1.....and it was a 1x12'' combo sitting on the floor...

Wasn't Impressed with: Peavey Triple XXX, 6505, Marshall DSL, newer TSL, JCM 900, Crate BV300, Fender Cyber Twin, Fender Metal Head, Fender Stage 160, Krank Rev. 1, Kustom 100 watt head (solid state), Marshall Valvestate Series, Line 6 Flextone 2, 3, Spider, HD, Digitech RP200, Digitech GNX 3, Any line 6 POD model

Want to Try: DIEZEL VH4!!!, ENGL, VHT, Mark IV where I can turn it up, Stilleto series 2, Peavey 5150, Randall MTS (genius IMO)

-AJH

 

[jtb226]

Enjoyed: Mesa DR, Mesa 4x12 standard, mesa lonestar, Line 6 Vetta (for the versatility...the tone sucked. lol), Marshall JCM 800, Orange Rockerverb 50, Vox AD30VT (practice amp), Peavey Audition 110 (practice amp)

Disliked: Marshall JCM2000 TSL100, Marshall AVT series, Peavey XXX, Peavey Supreme XL, Crate Blue Voodoo 4x12 (w/o Celestions)

Want to try: Bogner, Splawn, DIEZEL, Mesa Stiletto, Mesa RK, Mesa Roadster, Mesa Mk IV

 

[mesanomad100]

ohhh I also want to try a Howard Dumble!!!!!!badass :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Vigo1999]

well, in the last 3 - 4 years:

enjoyed: Mesa Stiletto Deuce Stage I, Triaxis-50/50 combo (oh boy, if i have half the experience i have now when i have those babies . . .), Mesa Cal 50+, Mesa Thiele Cab, Mk III, Fender Princeton Chorus (gosh, this baby sure have tone and cost peanuts :shock: amazing chorus!), Mesa DC-3, Peavey Bandit 112 (the old black/grey face).

dislike: Mesa DR (sorry guys . . .), Fender FM, Marshall AVT, Marshall MG, Marshall JTM30, Marshall JCM900 and Carl Martin Red Repeat delay (suck BIG balls regarding bypass).

wanna try: Bogner XTC101B, any ENGL, Stiletto Deuce Stage II, Stiletto Ace, Mesa Roadster, any Bad Cat, any Matchless and Fulltone TTE.

 

[Russ]

I was floored by the tone when Matchless amps hit the market. They don't have that appeal anymore. The early ones are the ones to get.

 

[dumeril7]

Interesting post!

ENJOYED:

Mesa: Mark I, Mark IIC, Mark III, Dual Recitfier Solo and Tremoverb, Blue Angel, Maverick, F-Series, Lonestar, Lonestar Special, Stiletto ACE, 2:90 power amp

Marshall: Any 4-hole, non-master volume Marshall head, JCM800 2204 and 2203, DLS heads, early '70s 20W heads, Bluesbreaker RI

Fender: BF Deluxe Reverb, BF Super Reverb, BF Vibrolux, Bassman RI, tweed Super, tweed Bandmaster, tweed Deluxe, Vibro King, all the reissue BF amps are great.

Others: VHT Pittbull 45, Budda Twinmaster, Top Hat Emplexador, Top Hat King Royale, a one-off Top Hat custom amp, Bogner Ectasy, Vox AC30 and AC15 (vintage and new -- they all sound great IMO), Matchless DC 30 (probably the best amp overall I've ever played), Matchless Clubman, Bad Cat Hot Cat

DIDN'T CARE FOR:

Mesa: Mark IV (too difficult to get all channels sounding good at the same time), DC series, Nomad series, Triaxis

Marshall: JCM 900 series, TSL heads, multi-channel JCM 800s, Artiste combos

Fender: Any of the ultralinear silverface amps, Prosonic

Others: THD Univalve (too bright, not enough headroom), homemade Dumble Clone (I sure hope the clone wasn't very accurate!)

WANNA TRY:

More Dumble clones (Fuchs, Two-Rock), 65 Amps Marque and London, Mesa Road King and Roadster, Marshall Vintage Modern, more of the Bad Cat Black Cat, Soldano SLO 100, more Rivera amps[/list]

 

[Russ]

I agree with Russ on the TriAmp being awesome. The other guitarist in my band has one, it's a great compliment to my Triple Recto tone. Together they are brutal on stage. He runs it through a Krank Revolution Cab (He also has the Rev 1 head as backup).

Liked: Dual and Triple Recto, Stilleto deuce, Roland Cube (great practice amp), Hughes and Kettner TriAmp, older TSL 100, Fender Twin, Fender Hot Rod DeVille, a couple Randalls, Ashdown Fallen Angel 60.

I've tried the Mark IV and wasn't too impressed by the one I tried. But, it's probably because I was only able to turn it up to around 1.....and it was a 1x12'' combo sitting on the floor...

Wasn't Impressed with: Peavey Triple XXX, 6505, Marshall DSL, newer TSL, JCM 900, Crate BV300, Fender Cyber Twin, Fender Metal Head, Fender Stage 160, Krank Rev. 1, Kustom 100 watt head (solid state), Marshall Valvestate Series, Line 6 Flextone 2, 3, Spider, HD, Digitech RP200, Digitech GNX 3, Any line 6 POD model

Want to Try: DIEZEL VH4!!!, ENGL, VHT, Mark IV where I can turn it up, Stilleto series 2, Peavey 5150, Randall MTS (genius IMO)

-AJH

If I was you I would skip the audition of the 5150 if you didn't like the 6505. It is basically the same amp without using the name 5150.

 

[clutch71]

Looking forward to: MB Roadster, RK, MKIV, H&K MK 2 Tri Amp, Engl Powerball & Fire Ball, Anything by Rivera, Anything by Bogner, Anything by VHT, Orange Thunderverb, Diezel Vht4 (4600 bucks yikes!) Marshall JCM 800 (no I've never found a Marshall I've liked but Tom Morello uses one so...)

I can remove the following from the list

Road King...

Liked it! Very recto. Fun to use different combos of tubes. Too Pricey.

H&K MK II Tri-amp...

Liked it. Better cleans than a DR IMO. Very Mesa-esque on the 3rd Amp (Vintage=A/Modern=B almost). Amp 2 very Marshallesque. I don't like Marshalls. Very frickin Heavy! I'll stay with Mesa!

 

[Accio Recto]

Let's see, what have I tried? There's been so many...

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT: Road King (Don't remember whether it was a I or II) - Man that was awesome. I couldn't get it to sound bad, no matter how hard I tried. Tried it out with a Les Paul and it's a match made in heaven.

Stilletto Trident Stage II. Love that EL34 tone! Really tight, it barks at you like an angry dog. Stand well back though, it'll give you a headache it's so loud.

REALLY LIKED: Single Recto, Dual Recto (What I have now), Stiletto Deuce Stage I, Stiletto Ace combo, Carvin Legacy, 5150, JSX. Marshall JVM. Marshall 1974X combo. The Marshall combo is worthy of note; I tried it out @ GC in San Antonio last week and it sounded great. I was wondering why I was able to crank it all way up without killing myself; found out later it's only 18 watts. VERY nice blues amp.

EH: Peavey Valve King, most Fenders

WANT TO TRY: Mesa Mark IV, Splawn, Trainwreck (Dream on!!)

 

[6_6_6_1_syn]

Liked: Hell, any Mesa I could find at my local GC :lol: :lol: :lol: .
I was very impressed with the Peavy ValveKing and a few other specific models.
I was also extremely surprised with the versatiliy of the Behringer cabs at such low prices.

As for other makes...everythings sort of slipping away.

Line 6...The original PODs were true works of art, but nowadays, not so much.

Marshall...oh Marshall...everythings now digital! Nobody wants a re-creation of the real tone! Their tube amps are even getting worse! Marshall needs more than one available tone! More versatility! Quality is really slipping away.

Krank...bad! Need I say more? This was a huge disappointment for me.

Vox...The digital trend is not going anywhere!

B-52...again with the digital combos! I was immensely disappointed with the tones I was getting from some of these amps.

Crate...Never was a fan, but some of these tones just make me want to drive eleven rusty nails into my tortured ears.

Behringer: Quit trying to make guitar amp heads!

The biggest problem arising is that many companies feel that digital modeling is the way to go. It may be cheaper, but its no match to the real thing!