Nice Amp to Compliment or Replace a Marshall

[Halowords]

I love my Marshall amp. It is a Marshall 50 Watt Vintage Modern through a Carvin 4X12 half-stack, really nice amp to be honest. Does most of what I need pretty much all the time, does the standard Marshall sound nicely (go figure, huh?), and cleans up nicer than I expected. I can live fine with it in a one-amp setup indefinitely.

 

And yet . . . I am considering at some point adding another amp. First, I would like something that can do the clean-and-chimey thing a bit better. As noted before, the VM cleans up pretty well, surprisingly, so it is not a huge rush. I do think it would be cool to have a Vox or Fender type of clean though for, well, clean (obviously) and the less-dirty overdrive. Second, I would also not be opposed to something that had a second higher-gain-than-my-Marshall channel, something still maintaining that basic type of sound and characteristic, but a bit higher gain where I could roll the volume off to return to a bit more of a "Slash" type of tone, yet be able to roll on and get a bit more of a Metal-with-character tone. Also, I am totally cool with having my own sound, so while I obviously want it to sound great, it does not have to sound just like anybody else's tone(s).

 

I am pretty much considering either getting a two- or three-channel amp, or a Vox-or-Fender-style amp and just using a pedal to get that higher-driven sound I sometimes need and an A/B switch to go between the two amps. That or just stick with what I have, maybe live in the low-gain Dynamic Mode (it is a one-channel amp, but you can choose a low- or high-gain mode) for "clean enough" and try cascading pedals for ranges of gain/dirt a/o effects to heighten the chiminess (maybe a chorus pedal for what I am using) and more mellow/spacey tones. Those seem to be my best options as for now.

 

So, any suggestions? And since I have Heritages, admittedly a Stratocopy, and a largely Heritage-inspired 25.5" scale guitar coming down the pipeline, feel free to recommend something that might work better with the Heritage type (i.e. Mahogany-and-Maple-based, humbucker or humbucker-and-single-coil equipped guitars), as that is what I will be playing most of the time, with some variants.

[DetroitBlues]

Custom order yourself a KBP810 Reverb Deluxe. 22 Watt Fender clean with reverb and tremolo. Takes pedals very, very well. Not to heavy, but a great compliment to a dirty Marshall amp....

[tino]

ENGL Sovereign.......jack of all trades & master of many...superb amp

[Spectrum13]

There are kinda three ends of the spectrum.... Vox, Fender and Marshall.

 

 

 

 

 

Then there are all the rest and variations of each.

[H]

Mesa Transatlantic, BlackStar Series One 45. Vox Night Train. The two bookends would require your Mesa cab, the BlackStar would simply blow your socks off

[Trouble]

I don't want to hijack the thread but has anypne ever used Carvin amps, I own a Carvin bolt and if their craftsmanship extends to their amps they must be pretty decent?

[mars_hall]

Well if you're going to be a bear, be a grizzly. Get a Fender Twin and set it like Bonamassa, blended signals ranging from clean to dirty across the two amps.

 

I used to pair my Boogie MkIII doing completely clean, while having a good edge coming from the 30th Anniversary Marshall. Sounded real nice that way.

[JeffB]

Ive considered the same thing a lot, a one do it all amp or if not all, close enough and most.

Multi channel amps I have with me right now are the Egnater Tourmaster and Koch Powertone.

The Koch does it probably better even though it is 3 channels and the two gain channels share an eq. It just has a richer sound.

The Tourmaster has 4 independent channels all similarly voiced but with increasing levels of gain. I love the 3rd channel.

Ive actually a/b'd the Tourmater against the Marshall VM. The Tourmaster could mimic the VM quite well and go beyond what the VM is capable of in both cleans and gain.

Where th Egnater to my ears is Voxy, Marshally sounding some how, the Koch is its own thing but I sort of think Fender, Mesa if I was forced to make comparisons of either amp.

For me the MKV Mesa out does both amps on just the 1st two channels. Im not sure how I would use the 3rd channel though.

The Mesa Electra Dyne should be thrown in the mix as well for me. It has one set of controls to control its three foot switchable modes.

I directly compared the Mesa ED to a Marshall VM and JCM800 and it, for me, was a clear winner in the cleans which are deep and Mesa Fenderish and in the gain. I could cop a good JCM800 sound but had lots of gain still left and useable bass to fill out the sound. I didnt find the single row of controls limiting for what I like but if you like a lot of gain it screw up the clean mode a little.

Even though I bought the Egnater and like it a lot I would rather the Mesa ED. Its more me. The Koch is an excellent amp and I just cant help but enjoy playing through it.

Also in the mix when I was looking was the Mesa Roadster, Marshall JVM and Blackstar Series one 100.

I am not a Mesa Dual rec sort of player, couldnt bond with the JVM sound or gain structure(what ever that means) and I dont really like the Blackstar sound.

Hope I understood the original post as Im not very fast at typing and this reply represents a fairly sustained level of focus. Im going to have a beer now.

[DetroitBlues]

I'd rather aquire more amps rather than thin the heard because there will be a time in which only your Marshall will do. You'll regret letting it go just because you wanted a little Fender/Vox clean tone.

[Halowords]

Ive considered the same thing a lot, a one do it all amp or if not all, close enough and most.

 

[snip]

 

Hope I understood the original post as Im not very fast at typing and this reply represents a fairly sustained level of focus. Im going to have a beer now.

 

Yeah, I think you got the original post. I am trying to get a bit more range. Ideally, I'd like that nice clean (thinking adjectives like warm, creamy, liquid, full, and chimey), a nice dirty sound (pretty much the vintage Marshall or even Mesa sound) for rock, overdrive, and copping a Guns N' Roses "Rocket Queen" or Metallica's Ride the Lightning album tone, and a more high-gain melt-your-face-off-yet-be-musical-about-it sound for playing around with Opeth, Neurosis, Isis, In Flames, or just more melodic yet still really high-gain types of Metal.

 

It would be kind of nice to have it simpler with just one amp. Which dovetails nicely into . . .

 

I'd rather aquire more amps rather than thin the heard because there will be a time in which only your Marshall will do. You'll regret letting it go just because you wanted a little Fender/Vox clean tone.

 

If I replaced the Marshall, I think it would only be because I could get a multi-channel that could be dialed in close enough to mimic it pretty well where the Marshall became expendable. I see your point though. I just love the idea of an all-in-one that could cover all the ground I am looking at. But barring that, I could see getting a second (and eventually third?) amp to be able to play around with the sounds I am looking to get.

 

If I ever do get back into a band, it sure would be nice to have an all-in-one that I could more easily carry around though.

[JeffB]

Yeah, I think you got the original post. I am trying to get a bit more range. Ideally, I'd like that nice clean (thinking adjectives like warm, creamy, liquid, full, and chimey), a nice dirty sound (pretty much the vintage Marshall or even Mesa sound) for rock, overdrive, and copping a Guns N' Roses "Rocket Queen" or Metallica's Ride the Lightning album tone, and a more high-gain melt-your-face-off-yet-be-musical-about-it sound for playing around with Opeth, Neurosis, Isis, In Flames, or just more melodic yet still really high-gain types of Metal.

 

It would be kind of nice to have it simpler with just one amp. Which dovetails nicely into . . .

 

 

 

If I replaced the Marshall, I think it would only be because I could get a multi-channel that could be dialed in close enough to mimic it pretty well where the Marshall became expendable. I see your point though. I just love the idea of an all-in-one that could cover all the ground I am looking at. But barring that, I could see getting a second (and eventually third?) amp to be able to play around with the sounds I am looking to get.

 

If I ever do get back into a band, it sure would be nice to have an all-in-one that I could more easily carry around though.

I think this will be a cool amp. I havnt tried one yet though. Still waiting for them to land over here.

Mesa Royal Atlantic

Yeah I come across all Mesa fan boy but they do do this multi channel amp stuff well.

 

I do play a few cover gigs where we go from Van Morrison Brown eyed girl to Metallica Entersandman and then more modern high gain songs. There isnt one amp that can do those other than multi channel amps. I like that I can get there with one amp and no stomps other than a tuner. If Im going to a blues jam or similar I can take my fender amp and a stomp or two. I dont think multi channel amps are jack of all trades and master of none anymore. To many companies doing it now and getting things right. Why not have a few great amps in one....plus a few other nice classic amps as well...

[tulk1]

Mesa TA-15. Does Vox pretty darned well. Does Tweed pretty darned good, too. In fact, all those Mesa TA's (and Tully's suggestion of the RA) look pretty good.

[Blunote]

I get some great tone out of a Boss Multi Effects unit. It models a number amps including Vox Combo, Marshall Modern and Vintage, Mesa Boogie, Fender Twin, Fender Bassman, and others.

 

Besides Boss, other HOC members here have recommended the Vox Tonelab products.

 

These devices are compact, versatile, and provide good value for the money.

 

Just a thought -but If you've got your heart set on another amp, go for it.

[Halowords]

I don't want to hijack the thread but has anypne ever used Carvin amps, I own a Carvin bolt and if their craftsmanship extends to their amps they must be pretty decent?

 

I have not tried Carvin amps, but I HAVE heard nice things about them and for what it is worth Steve Vai uses them, the "V3" in particular I believe.

[Halowords]

Hey Tully how does or would the Mark V compare to the Trans Atlantic (TA) series, or the Royal Atlantic based on whatever you have seen or heard about them? I have (ever so briefly) played a Mark IV, so I have a general idea about that series, just wondering how they differ.

 

And I am considering DT's advice about getting a KBP810 amp. I just want to make sure I am not asking for something so left field that it would be unworkable. Part of that is getting my act together an pinpointing what I actually want, but I think I am pretty close on a concrete selection. I do really like the idea of supporting smaller builders, and could be a lot of fun.

[JeffB]

Hey Tully how does or would the Mark V compare to the Trans Atlantic (TA) series, or the Royal Atlantic based on whatever you have seen or heard about them? I have (ever so briefly) played a Mark IV, so I have a general idea about that series, just wondering how they differ.

 

And I am considering DT's advice about getting a KBP810 amp. I just want to make sure I am not asking for something so left field that it would be unworkable. Part of that is getting my act together an pinpointing what I actually want, but I think I am pretty close on a concrete selection. I do really like the idea of supporting smaller builders, and could be a lot of fun.

The TA series really only take a brief bow to the Mk series amps on ch 2 HI2 mode. Its a hint of it. The TA is pretty much its own thing but its like you know with out looking its a Mesa when you play through it. Mesa's sonic stamp I guess.

I just cant comment on the RA as Ive only heard clips and read a few reviews on the Boogie Board. So no real experience what so ever with that.

The TA and MKV are quite different.

 

Its hard to pinpoint exactly what you want. I cant do it. it changes all the time. Though Im getting closer and a little more focused than I have been.

 

One thing I struggle with on multi ch amps is speaker selection. Almost want a cab for each channel sometimes. Ive found that cabs and speakers that add bloom and dimension to a clean channel sound yuck on the highest gain channel and visa versa. Hard to strike a balance. Always ends up being a compromise for me.

[Halowords]

The TA series really only take a brief bow to the Mk series amps on ch 2 HI2 mode. Its a hint of it. The TA is pretty much its own thing but its like you know with out looking its a Mesa when you play through it. Mesa's sonic stamp I guess.

I just cant comment on the RA as Ive only heard clips and read a few reviews on the Boogie Board. So no real experience what so ever with that.

The TA and MKV are quite different.

 

Thanks. That makes sense, at least as much sense as words-to-describe-sounds-with-no-immediate-context possibly could.

 

Its hard to pinpoint exactly what you want. I cant do it. it changes all the time. Though Im getting closer and a little more focused than I have been.

 

I THINK I have a pretty good idea in my head, and honestly once I get close I tend to be good. However, there are probably three sounds, or two with the second going from normal to boosted, I am really striving to achieve. And yet, trying to find out which amp(s), speakers, guitars, cables, effects, etc. will BEST get me there and be most efficient to use, is a bit of a quest.

 

One thing I struggle with on multi ch amps is speaker selection. Almost want a cab for each channel sometimes. Ive found that cabs and speakers that add bloom and dimension to a clean channel sound yuck on the highest gain channel and visa versa. Hard to strike a balance. Always ends up being a compromise for me.

 

Yeah, I could see what you mean by that. Just wondering if you have the same problem using a single channel or amp and adding an OD/distortion/boost pedal/effect into the mix, or just going to different channels. I could see this becoming an interesting (and incredibly expensive) question to answer. A multi-channel or multi-amp setup where each channel (or amp) ran to its separate cabinet with speakers set up for the different levels of gain or for the different EQ levels. I could blow a lot of money creating that dream setup.

[Trouble]

Hope I understood the original post as Im not very fast at typing and this reply represents a fairly sustained level of focus. Im going to have a beer now.

It is writing like this that inspires me! Seriously, love reading your post Tully!

[SteveKrell]

[font="Arial Narrow"Hummmmm, I have a morley A/B A+B switcher. I use two amps always as one tuber might just crash , 2nd set. lol . I use fender amps : Twin; Concert+ pedeals . works for me . one amp all sounds is like one woman for life.Can be done most need more than one also lol ][/font]

[Trouble]

I have not tried Carvin amps, but I HAVE heard nice things about them and for what it is worth Steve Vai uses them, the "V3" in particular I believe.

I've owned a Carvin bolt for about 12 years, a lot of attention to detail in that guitar. I bought the guitar when I discovered Carvin and many times since then I've been tempted to try one of their amps. I would have to buy one to try it I don't know anyone around who has any. Sure would be nice to get a real report on one from someone who used one.

[NoNameBand]

HiWatt Bulldog. I just bought one over the weekend and it's killer. 40 watts rms 112 combo, 2 channel, half power (20 watts) feature & effects loop. The best part of this amp is the clean channel, it's great and I have always been a Fender Clean guy. The dirty channel is a monster. It may be one of the best amps I've ever played.

[Halowords]

I've owned a Carvin bolt for about 12 years, a lot of attention to detail in that guitar. I bought the guitar when I discovered Carvin and many times since then I've been tempted to try one of their amps. I would have to buy one to try it I don't know anyone around who has any. Sure would be nice to get a real report on one from someone who used one.

 

Yeah, I had a Carvin, one of the old set-neck Koa DC's for a while. Not sure how I ended up letting that one go. Looking back, really, really, really nice guitar. I was just not quite sure WHAT I wanted at the time (although to be fair the Hamer Studio I ended up with was a great fit, although I let that go to get the Heritage H-150, so there are two guitars I would have liked to have kept), and it had not occurred to me I could just keep it and save up to get another guitar later.

 

Anyway, I have heard good things about Carvin amps, but like most things it probably depends what you are looking for, and what model(s) you are looking at. You could check out the Carvin forum. The people there seem pretty reasonable and descriptive as far as what they like/dislike about Carvin products (their pickups & amps are probably the major hot-topics for debate), and could help you figure out if they might be a good fit.

http://forums.carvinmuseum.com/

 

The nice thing is you could probably do well buying a used Carvin amp. It is not that uncommon to see somebody selling a like-new Carvin V3 because they want to upgrade from a 50 watt combo to a 100w head, or they have a Nomad or Legacy and want the V3, or want to go from Carvin to Marshall/Mesa/Fender, or just want something different or new. In this market, you can get some real steals on used equipment, even moreso on something people do not know as much about (e.g. anything by Heritage, Carvin, G&L, Hamer, etc., etc.).

[Halowords]

FWIW, I think we have a winner! I will update once it is in-hand, although at least one (maybe two) of you knows what it is I am getting. If you would like a clue, it is half of a recommendation from this thread.

[JeffB]

FWIW, I think we have a winner! I will update once it is in-hand, although at least one (maybe two) of you knows what it is I am getting. If you would like a clue, it is half of a recommendation from this thread.

Fender type amp and a switcher?

[Halowords]

Fender type amp and a switcher?

 

Not exactly, but you are in the general ballpark. Kinda, sorta. So, maybe, kind of. You are on the right track though.