Amp suggestions

Stubbs · 2012-03-22T22:13:29+00:00

Hey guys ? My Marshall MG15 is slowly on its way out and I'm in need of a new amp with some effects. At the moment, I'm considering the Cube 80 - I play Metallica, AC/DC, Nirvana, RHCP and sometimes some Led Zep and Three Days Grace. Getting into Judas Priest as well. I played a friend's Cube 40 and I was very impressed: the bass, effects and especially the clean channel. I wasn't too impressed with the metal presets though, which is obviously an important feature. I reckon I'm ready for a new amp and I started working over weekends to save money to buy one. In a few months time I would like to play at a local bar with some friends, and I'm going to start going for singing lessons. I don't want a "practice amp", I want something that can handle itself which is suitable for small gigs. I can buy a Boss DS-2 for about R450 from a friend, if that will improve the gain sound on the Roland (I am planning on trying out the Cube 40 with the DS2). I'm leaning toward the 80 rather than the 40 because of the extra volume, the external speaker out jack and the presence control know. But is it worth it? Any suggestions appreciated ?

MikeM

I've had 30 year old tubes in an amp that still worked quite well after rebiasing.

AlanRatcliffe

Please folks, stop punting your own sales here. Classifieds is the only section of the site you may post items for sale.

MikeM

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Please folks, stop punting your own sales here. Classifieds is the only section of the site you may post items for sale.

Maybe we can put this as a sticky somewhere?

greetings

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Please folks, stop punting your own sales here. Classifieds is the only section of the site you may post items for sale.

Right, sorry. Didn't know we weren't allowed to. Won't happen again.

flatfourfan

dude what you're playing is what I play and honestly, I can say only recommend one amp that's bang for buck and there is no need for external effects for what you want to do.

HIWATT G100R. They pop up every now and then for in the region of R2000, brand new they are about R3200 last time I checked. Tonnes of power that'll keep up with an acoustic drum kit no problem and it's hard as nails. Far from a practice amp and guidothepimp actually used to gig with his.

Don't write off a decent solid state amp like this one based on a million people saying that a tube amp is the only way to go. My advice to you is to test one. If you're local to me, you're more than welcome to have a blast on mine.

TomCat

flatfourfan wrote dude what you're playing is what I play and honestly, I can say only recommend one amp that's bang for buck and there is no need for external effects for what you want to do.

HIWATT G100R. They pop up every now and then for in the region of R2000, brand new they are about R3200 last time I checked. Tonnes of power that'll keep up with an acoustic drum kit no problem and it's hard as nails. Far from a practice amp and guidothepimp actually used to gig with his.

Don't write off a decent solid state amp like this one based on a million people saying that a tube amp is the only way to go. My advice to you is to test one. If you're local to me, you're more than welcome to have a blast on mine.

+1. Although I'm a Tube amp endorser in a big way....these are excellent SS amplifiers and def worth a look at.
They are also insanely loud and they take pedals well.

ShakeNBake

I find myself in the same position as the OP and need a better amp for my 2003 Epihone 1957 LP Goldtop.
My little 35W Peavey Backstage Plus is not doing it for me ?
Bought it on a whim for my semi accoustic, just to faff about with.

I'm a noob to the elctronic side of things, and so am grateful for threads like these which are there to help me out ?

From what I've been reading the list below is what I'm looking at the moment, in no particular order:

Hiwatt Maxwatt 100W Amp http://www.hiwatt.co.uk/prod_details.aspx?pid=31&cid=21
Marshall MG100DFX http://www.marshallamps.com/product.asp?productId=38
VOX AD100VT http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/guitar_amplifiers/vox/ad100vt/index.html

My friend uses the Hiwatt, but I've not been able to meet up with him yet to test my guitar on it. But I know for a fact that the Hiwatt is loud and ballsy.
If it can handle Mercury and ROAR, then its more than enough for my needs.
The Marshall I'm very keen on, as the guy I bought the LP from has one and the Drive and Clean settings for a start sounded awesome!
The Vox, I really know nothing about. Only been reading, have yet to try it out.

Thoughts on what I've listed?
I don't aim to play any real loud, hard or riffy stuff.
Only to fill over any of my accoustic stuff and to induldge me when I do feel like getting all heavy.
I mainly play my own stuff that I've written.
Stuff I am into when playing other artists are: Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Travis, Metallica, just got going on tabbing Van Coke Kartel and I'm missing on quite a few bands I listen to - it's nearly 05:30 and I've been working a night shift, so bear with me ?
So not much heavy stuff that I play, only limited to my skill - but I listen to a lot more.

Sorry if I'm hijacking this thread ?

AlanRatcliffe

Don't know the HiWatt, hate the Marshall, like the Vox.

Something else worth looking at in the 100W solid-state amp arena is the Fender Mustang III - a lot of guys who have been using valve amps for years are raving about those.

flatfourfan

Love the HIWATT, like the vox, hate any MG series Marshall.

MikeM

Do you need 100watts?

flatfourfan

If he's looking at upping from a practice amp and still staying SS, then I'd say at least a 100watter.

Charlie4

PM sent.

Stubbs

Just how loud is 80 and 100 watts? I mean, my MG15 is loud, but how do 40 to 100 watts compare? How loud do you need to be to play with a drummer - mic'd and unmic'd?

Is a Cube 40 suitable for gigs? I see a Mustang mention - I've heard a bit about the fizzing on the III, but what about the II?

flatfourfan

Stubbs wrote Just how loud is 80 and 100 watts? I mean, my MG15 is loud, but how do 40 to 100 watts compare? How loud do you need to be to play with a drummer - mic'd and unmic'd?

Is a Cube 40 suitable for gigs? I see a Mustang mention - I've heard a bit about the fizzing on the III, but what about the II?

It's not all about how loud an amp can go, to me it's more about having that extra headroom from a larger amp. MG15 is loud?.......damn, then you aint heard a decent 100 watter then. The MG15 is pretty much good for tingling around the lounge/ study, I wouldn't use it for anything more. Unless you're looking at doing this.

I managed to keep up just fine with an accoustic drum kit at about 4 on my HIWATT. Up it to 6 if he's blasting as hard as he can. A decent 100watter is loud. I know that guidothepimp used to gig with his HIWATT.

Cube 40 for gigging? A tad small if you ask me. Unless you're willing to do what the picture shows above?

guidothepimmp

Loudness is all relative

Can you gig with 40w, sure,

You can even gig with 5w.. Most venues mic everything up so if you're miced through the desk, any size amp will do.. As long as you're happy with the sound

Can 40w cope with a drummer unmicced, probably but I think it will reach a point where it almost gets lost in the noise.
Also depends how hard the speaker is being driven..

I used my 100w plenty, always micced up, and set to 6 on the gain and master.. That for me had the ideal volume and tone, above that was just reckless and farty..

Through the desk they equalize the volumes and its sounds tit..

Valve amps do sound louder than their ss counterparts, nature of the technology I guess, but if you go ss then I'd tend to go higher wattage than low. For versatility sake.. 15w ss next to a 100w ss amp just sounds weedy imho

Stubbs

Wouldn't 80+ watts be too loud to play with in my bedroom?

nick

Stubbs wrote Wouldn't 80+ watts be too loud to play with in my bedroom?

Since SS amps dont really have the same 'sweet spot' a valve amp has you can play it at lower volumes fine

ZarK

Roland Cube 60... Simple, solid and proven all round performer that can be used for both bedroom practising and jamming with a drummer. Big, balanced sound at the price point and from such a compact unit even though it's fitted with a 12" speaker... All you need for Metallica high-gain tones on the Rectifier setting and cleans on the Jazz chorus setting... Very reliable amp's in my experience. When boredom (which is also known as GAS) kicks in, you can always get a low-wattage all-tube amp down the line to add more tone and volume to your playing. (I'd keep the Cube though... A great backup to have due to it's know reliability -if you can eventually have 2 amps...) I'd always suggest reliability over all the bells & whistles -especially when you're starting out...

All of the best!

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