Buying an amp, Marshall MG50DFX?

The best thing for you to do is to go into a shop and ask to try a few in that price range with a guitar that's similar to yours.

Regarding the actual buying, as hard as it is to do be brave and try to negotiate a price. Saying 'I want to buy it today, but then again I'm not fussed about paying a lot less and waiting 2 days longer either' normally works.

What amp do you have at the moment anyway? And does it have an effects loop?
 
Thank you, I'll try and get to a shop tomorrow. Was keen to order something online tonight though as I'm at my Mum's at it will be a Christmas present from her.

I don't have an amp at all at the moment. I had some 10w practice amp but it got thrown away a couple of years a go, it sounded AWFUL! At the moment I just play my electric plugged into nothing :(

I really want to learn properly though, I have a new girlfriend and she is a similar level to me but is progressing much quicker and I want to catch her up :p

I'm really sorry to be a pain, I just really don't know what I should be looking for.
 
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I think that if you are looking at the lower end scale of amps, then something like a roland cube could be a good choice. As far as I'm aware it has a few built in effects which is great for a beginner (I remember discovering that 'chorus' meant the sound on the 'paradise city' and 'come as you are' intros... I was a god!) and from what I've read the tone is respectable too.

Maybe have a google and look at some reviews.

http://www.gak.co.uk/en/roland-cube-20xl-guitar-amp-combo/41348
 
Thanks Nitefly, I appreciate the help. Will check out the Cube you mention there.

Having done a lot of reading today, it seems the VOX Valvtronix and the Peavey Vypyr are recommended as a good place to start, the latter is better for more heavy metal it seems.

Therefore i think I may go for this - http://www.dv247.com/guitars/vox-valvetronixplus--vt40plus--guitar-amplifier-combo--78473

Reviews seem favourable, and as a beginner I'm sure it will be a good starting place. As you say, the presets will make me feel like a God :)

Oh, and I've just order some of those strings you recommended :D

THANKS EVERYONE!!
 
ScarySquirrel said:
Thank you, I'll try and get to a shop tomorrow. Was keen to order something online tonight though as I'm at my Mum's at it will be a Christmas present from her.

I don't have an amp at all at the moment. I had some 10w practice amp but it got thrown away a couple of years a go, it sounded AWFUL! At the moment I just play my electric plugged into nothing :(

I really want to learn properly though, I have a new girlfriend and she is a similar level to me but is progressing much quicker and I want to catch her up :p
Click to expand...

I hate the Marshall MG series with a passion. To me they are fine if you only want to spend £60 on one but as a decent amp they just don’t deliver at all and they always seem to be very noisy with lots of hiss. They are not a patch on the older AVT range either.

Out of the cheap solid state amps, I would look at the Vox VT40 http://www.dv247.com/guitars/vox-valvetronixplus--vt40plus--guitar-amplifier-combo--78473. I had the VT30 (previous model) and nothing really came close for size, sound or value for money and I have had and tried a lot of amps over the years.

After owning a Marshall JCM 800 back in the 90’s it set a very tough benchmark for anything else.
 
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You get what you pay for.

If it's just for practice and you like the sound then go for it. Don't just go for a name and expect it to be great according to it's reputation, e.g. Marshall (hard rock), Vox (rock/pop etc).

Modelling amps (which is what some above are talking about) can be good for practice but just remember that if you really move forward in the instrument you will more than likely upgrade.

Just buy the best you can afford that does what you want it to do - no substitute for your ears over reviews though.

Fender Champion 5w tube is a cracking amp for the money (well under £200) but don't let the 5w put you off, tube vs. solid state wattage very different! VERY diferent. :D
 
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If you need advice or if you decide on a certain amp I can arrange a very good price for you.
I'm from "Sounds Live" and have sorted a few guys on here some deals to help out.

Cheers, Thomas.
 
Yup, i am learning and glad i got my line 6 guitar port, had trouble actually getting it and one of the shops i called said it was being replaced by that thing you have linked.

With decent headphones (i have sennheiser 555's as well) it sounds amazing, you can also hook up MP3's and play along to them very easily.

I don't think you can use guitar rig 5 along side that, you would need to plug the guitar directly into the computer (You are plugging into the line 6 device). **(May be wrong)**
 
the UX2 is an audio interface which comes with their own software. (Pod Farm)

Native Instruments Guitar Rig 5 can be used with any ASIO audio interface (Inc L6 UX2 etc) either as a standalone desktop application, or as a plugin within Cubase, Ableton, Logic etc.

Cheers ,Thomas.
 
You can use it with any software, not just the bundled software I think. Looks like a good choice so will probably go down this route :)

EDIT: Oops, didn't refresh, thanks Thomas.
 
No probs mate.
The UX2 as an audio interface works pretty well, if you're thinking of getting additional software to take care of the amp sim side of things then there are better interfaces for less money - we sell a ton of the Presonus gear and the amount of issues we get is almost nil.

The "Audio Box"
http://www.soundsliveshop.com/p/Presonus_AudioBox_USB_2x2_USB_Audio_Interface/PRESONUS-AUDIOBOX

is a great little interface and the included Studio One comes with some nice amp sim software.
 
Thanks very much for the link. I'm currently looking into second hand options for the UX2 so could well pick up a bargain, but will keep that in mind if the auction doesn't come off.
 
I've owned the older version of the MG30DFX and it wasn't the greatest of amps. I got sucked in in my guitar naivity and just bought it because of the Marshall logo.

It isn't the worst amps, indeed it has some quite good tones and the "contour" selector can vary the sound by a long way. The newer models have come out last years or so and are supposed to be better but I haven't tried them.

Don't overlook the Vox Valvetronix series though. Don't be hooked in by the "valve" as they very much aren't valve amps, but they do make a great combination of sounds and have very good clean tones that are hard to beat, for its price. Would recommend.
 
I've got a fairly old Marshall Valvestate 8020, even at 20W it's way more than enough for the living room. I daren't crank it up unless I know next door have gone out.
 
ScarySquirrel said:
A friend at work who knows his stuff has suggested I buy this instead - http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardw...tone-recording-and-modelling-interface--57442

And then use software like Guitar Rig 5.
Click to expand...

The UX2 comes with it's own software called Gearbox which you can download from Line 6 and install it to see what it looks like.
You wouldn't need Guitar Rig, in fact I don't know how you would be able to use the UX2 with Guitar Rig!!

There has been some great suggestions in this thread but it all comes down to what you exactly want to do with it and what your budget is.
So:
1) What is your budget
2) Have you any thoughts of ever stepping out of your bedroom?
3) Are the influences you quoted the only music you want to play or would you like the opportunity to play through any amp/cab/effect?

For instance in the house I use a Line 6 KB37 which is a UX2 with a keyboard which means I can dial any type of amp/speaker/effect and I can also use it as a recording device into Sonar Production Studio.
Combine this with a guitar that is capable of emulating 37 of the greatest guitars ever made and and any tuning and I'm in sound heaven.
When my band comes round for a quick jam I use a Line 6 Spider 15 which is well good enough but on stage I use a Marshall TSL602 which is a beast.
At the moment I'm using a Marshall AVT150 because my lead guitarist is using the TSL until his is fixed but the sound I get out of the AVT150 on stage is exactly the same.

So answer the questions above and only then can I give advice.
 
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