Which amp for me??

[Venomous Shadows]

Hey there, new to the boards here.
I'm just curious which amp you guys here would rec-omend :wink:

I'm having a tough time choosing between getting a dual rectifier, single rectifier, ENGL fireball, or a Framus.
I've only gotten to try out the rectifiers for a short amount of time, and that was in a guitar center (so no decent level volume testing). The other amps I have, unfortunately, not gotten the chance to play. I have only listened to clips on the tube and on netmusicians.org.

My price range is around $1000 dollars. I can go up a couple hundred if needed.

I'm looking for nice thick but tight metal tones. Think Killswitch Engage, Devildriver, All That Remains.
I also love that lowend grind songs like Panic Attack by Dream Theater get. I know some of it is studio magic, but that tone is so much fun to listen to :lol:

I also would like playable cleans, as I like Opeth a lot, so I enjoy the progressive esque clean type stuff too.

I'll be matching this all up with an oversized Mesa 4x12 slant (I've already got the cab, so I can't really change that decision) and Bareknuckle Warpigs ceramic pickups (nice high gain passives :twisted: ).

Sorry if this is a long post, but you guys are all a very helpful bunch from all the threads I've seen.

 

[YellowJacket]

That is some rad gear you've got going. The pickups should help shape your tone to your liking. What is your rehearsal / gig situation like? Consider how loud you will be able to play since that can influence the tone of an amp a LOT. The thing about a 50watt tube head is that the tubes are working harder at lower volumes which means you can get a very thick and aggressive crunch at lower volumes than you can with a 100 or 150 watt head. It makes it easier to turn down when soundmen are being douches. Some sound guys are great and others are *****, we have to deal with the whole gamut. The recto amps are great but you may find you have to roll back the bass to keep the low end tracking tight. It also helps you hear the bass guitar which is nice. I think many guys here would recommend the Mark IV as a great metal head because it apparently is more flexible and tracks tighter. John Petrucci uses one of these. I think Killswitch Engage uses duals or triples but it really is hard to know. Have you checked out Soldano heads? I'd imagine they are out of your price range but the distortion tone is so clear. The Mesa heads sound muddy by comparison. Something else to consider about the recto heads: I've heard from many people that the lead tones suck but the rhythm is awesome. Single note runs can sound a bit thin and papery at times, so you'll probably need some sort of an OD pedal to thicken things up a bit. If you're going to be shredding, this amp might not be for you. If you want a Mark series amp, you'd have to get the Mark V new since the Mark IV is out of production. You can get a Mark IV used but I get the impression they are going for around $1,400 USD?
I haven't played the other amps you quoted so I can't comment but I do know a guy who plays an ENGL and he LOVES it!

You will hate this feedback but I suggest you keep trying amps until you find what is right for YOU. Don't rush this since it may take some time.

 

[Venomous Shadows]

Thanks a lot for the gear comment :lol:
It's hard being young and wanting higher end gear lol. I have to work my ass off to get this stuff! But I really don't mind, it's SO worth it.

I plan on getting an attenuator (maybe) for home use, but seeing as I live 16 miles out of town, that may or may not be an issue. I jam with my friends a lot, and am very hopeful to form a band this year and get gigging. I love to play, and music is my life (really, I play 4 different instruments, 2 of those since before I was 10 lol).

I already have a boost, but it is a clean boost (BBC Boosta Grande). Will this work in place of an OD? Because I wanted to get a maxon od-808 (a lot of heavy bands are using it), but I simply could not find one to demo in my area. So I think I have the whole lead thing covered. If not, I can always do what Zakk Wylde does, use TWO boosts! :lol:

 

[YellowJacket]

Hmm, I'm pretty sure an OD pedal is only used to boost the input level into the amp to get more gain out of it. I'm not the guy to talk to about this because all I want between my guitar and my amp is a patch cable. Why anyone would want to add analog or transistor distortion to a tube amp is beyond me!

Definitely work your ass off and get your gear now. It is much easier when you don't have a woman to be accountable to with your spending. I recall putting in hours at the local grease pit as I worked on my undergrad degree. I'm so glad I have my rig because expenses only mount as I get older.

I don't know what other players here think, but I strongly suggest spending like <$100 on a little solid state practice amp in addition to a gig rig. I have a Peavey Rage 158 and it is great for a passable tone at 3 in the morning while people are sleeping. Totally worthwhile investment! I also suggest wearing hearing protection for jam sessions. Halfstacks are brutally loud and can do irrepairable damage to your ears over time. Guys I know used to harass me endlessly about this but now, several years later, they complain about their ears.


Out of curiosity, what other instruments to you play? I play piano, bass guitar, and Cello in addition to guitar.

 

[Venomous Shadows]

I play piano (one of the instruments I've played since a young age, and also my first), various brass instruments (of which the tuba is my favorite ), guitar (started out playing acoustic) and bass, and when I was younger I used to sing (yes, your voice counts as an instrument no matter what anyone says otherwise). I no longer sing, as I lost interest in it. I've got the whole practice amp thing covered with a nice $50 headphone amp (the amplug metal one) and a nice set of in-ear headphones. It sounds just as good (or bad, by definition :lol: ) as a spider.

I've always admired the Cello. Probably my second or third favorite instrument to listen to. Maybe one day I shall learn to play it

 

[Chris McKinley]

Venomous Shadows,

RE: "I already have a boost, but it is a clean boost (BBC Boosta Grande). Will this work in place of an OD?". It can, but it depends on how you're wanting to alter your amp's basic sound. A clean boost will essentially give you more of the same of exactly what you've got now. It will simply hit the preamp tubes harder up front, causing them to make more of the preamp distortion they're already making, and giving you a more saturated overall sound and a little more sustain.

However, they don't change your tone (thus the name "clean" boost), and if you're having mud issues from too much 200Hz in the bass, or if your mids are too thin for leads, for instance, you might want to consider an overdrive instead. An OD will give you a straight volume boost the way a clean boost does, but it also can alter the tone to various degrees. Some OD's are known for being transparent, which means they don't really alter the tone that much. Most others, including all of the various OD's based on the 808 model Tubescreamer, will usually take out some bass (which is what guys refer to when they say "tightening up the bass") and increase the harmonic content, giving you richer harmonic distortion, more singing leads, and greater sustain.

Like I said, the choice between a boost and an OD depends on what you want it to do. Since you don't already own any of the amp's you're deciding between, I'd suggest you look around for reviews of each and try to notice a pattern of commonality about each one. For instance, the Rectos are known for being very powerful and provide a very thick saturated tone, especially for low tunings. However, they are also known for being a bit muddy, lacking mids/sustain, and having a somewhat harsh presence-range high end. Don't get me wrong; it's a great amp (I play a Triple Rectifier personally), as are all the choices you mentioned. But every amp ever made has its strengths and its weaknesses...nothing is perfect, and it's worth knowing they are before you make a purchase. It will also help you to make any further decisions about boosts/OD's as already mentioned.