Spectate me a Guitar Amp Please

[SexyGreyFox]

how many of the pro's have a limited equipment budget???

errr... none...

How many people in normal pub bands have multi stomp boxes?
Err .... none (that I know of).

Several pedals will probably come in cheaper than a decent stomp box and sound a lot better.

 

[Chronos-X]

I saw the guitarist in Guns n Roses play through a Line 6 amp the other day - with a multi-fx footswitch

 

[Nitefly]

Err .... none

Oh get over yourself, and stop sounding like your opinion is fact rather than what it is, simply an opinion. Don't turn your nose up at something that less commited, less 'professional' players, or the poorer players use to really boost some fun into their playing.

I'm far, FAR from pro level or even semi-pro, and although I have played live only at a handful of 'gigs', and consider myself limbless without my Boss ME-50. I really couldn't care if the sound wasn't authentic, but nothing gives me the range and scope of sounds availible at a budget any better, certaintly nothing that isn't a 'multi effects' pedal of any sorts. I know one uni band which has had a few gigs using this piece of kit too, although I havn't seen them play live.

I think the only people who care about tone to this degree are those that can afford to have something clearly on the next level. Us mere mortals will live quite happily with our multi effects pedals thanks very much.

If you can find me a pitchshifter, a wah, a delay pedal (One that also does crazy reverse delay things. Its fun to do to a do it yourself 'Airbag' now and again ), a chorus pedal, a phaser, and a fistful of different sounding distortions for under £200 then by all means tell me. And yes, I do use them all frequently, abeilt some less than others.

That proberly sounds more agressive than intended, but I wub my multi-effects pedal I do.

Edit - I have also been told by other guitarists which do gig that I have had an immence sound coming out of my amp whilst using it, and they wern't being sarcy either. My old guitar teacher who has a vox stack of some sort seemed also very keen to have a mess around with the little blue box. The tone isn't sublime, but its FUN and thats what I play for. Fun.


Has also impressed some girlies ... shame they wernt lookers eh?

 

[Docaroo]

why buy 4 pedals at 80 quid each when you can buy a GT8 etc for under 300???

and its not just the effects, its the preamp sims, the speaker sims, the output choices - I can output in stereo to 2 amps, go direct into a PA... go into my amps input or straight into my amps poweramp and use the GT8s preamps ...

all very useful... I'm not in a pub band, nor pro - just a player...

I know HEAPS of ppl who use them for pub bands - www.bossgtcentral.com is full of them... infact a lot of them are just home hobbyists...


I think u are wrogn in this case dmpoole...this is the 2nd thread about guitars where you have acted like a pompous snob with a holier than thou opinion!

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Oh get over yourself, and stop sounding like your opinion is fact rather than what it is, simply an opinion.

And that is all that it is - an opinion so get off your high horse.
I can only comment on what I see around me and I go and watch at least two bands a week for the last 30+ years and these experienced musicians all use Boss pedals and similar effects.
I've yet to see a pro band use a Multi-FX but Chronos reckons GNR use one.
There is absolutely no reason why a well setup Multi FX shouldn't sound excellent but its my experience that kids in college and blokes in garage bands with these devices usually go over the top with them.
eg put preset 7 on - aaargh.

And yes - I own 3 Multi FX pedals but they will never see a stage.

 

[Nitefly]

And that is all that it is - an opinion so get off your high horse.

I didn't mean to sound agressive but your posts did seem to have a 'know it all' attitude coming from them, and I wasn't the only one to think so. I'm glad it wasn't apparently intended.

There is absolutely no reason why a well setup Multi FX shouldn't sound excellent but its my experience that kids in college and blokes in garage bands with these devices usually go over the top with them. eg put preset 7 on - aaargh.

Ewwww, presets

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Can I just add that the circles I move in are filled with musicians in the 35 to 60 age bracket (mostly about 45) and these are all guys who have learnt after many many years of experience what works best. I'm talking of at least 500 musos and I can guarantee that the majority would have a Gibson/Fender, a Marshall, seperate pedals and no wireless system.

My first amp in 1970 was a WEM, followed by H&H, HIWATT, Orange, Session and then around 1990 I went straight into a 4k rig with a multi-FX.
My first guitar in 1970 was a Kay, then Epiphone, Ibanez (old), Yamaha (old), Hayman, Shergold, various others and it wasn't until 1979 that I gave in and bought a Fender Strat and wondered why I didn't have one in 1970.
In 2000 at the age of 42 I finally realised the sound that I'd been after all my life was a Gibson Les Paul straight into a Marshall. What a thick sod I'd been for 30 years.
The thing is that most experienced musos work this out after a few years so I consider myself to be quite backwards.

 

[MrMoon]

I was actually playing with the boos ME-50 today it seems quite good value considering the amount of stomp boxes you would have to buy to get the same FX as in the ME50, I do think that individual stomp boxes are poor value for money but its what your using them fore I will probably only need chorus,delay and Wah so maybe a multi isnt necessay yet

 

[THMRK]

I used to own a couple multi-fx. I'm 20 now and I've found mutli-fx are certainly not the way to go. Even when I had it, I only used like two effects on the thing anyway. I only use one pedal now and that's my Boss DS-2. Gives me everything I need through my current crappy 10watt.

I do, however, pretty much know my perfect set up already. Something I'm working towards. Which would be a Marshall JCM 800, Orange 4x12 cab and a treble booster. It's a set up I've only managed to actually use once, and I've found that for the sound I'm wanting, an effects pedal isn't needed.

Ideally I'd want to put a Gibson Les Paul Custom with EMG 81s in it through that. So I should be seeing this set up being something that I actually own sometime around 2020

Seriously though, maybe I listen too to much punk these days, but no effect's and amp distortion, through a good head, is the way to go.

EDIT: To the OP. In my experience Randalls are damn good amps. Good for the price range I reckon. People keep buying Crates in about the same price range. This, I feel, is a terrible decision as I've never heard a Crate sound good.

 

[Docaroo]

And that is all that it is - an opinion so get off your high horse.
I can only comment on what I see around me and I go and watch at least two bands a week for the last 30+ years and these experienced musicians all use Boss pedals and similar effects.
I've yet to see a pro band use a Multi-FX but Chronos reckons GNR use one.
There is absolutely no reason why a well setup Multi FX shouldn't sound excellent but its my experience that kids in college and blokes in garage bands with these devices usually go over the top with them.
eg put preset 7 on - aaargh.

And yes - I own 3 Multi FX pedals but they will never see a stage.

well I can say from experience... the gt8 is fantastic... it contains all of those Boss pedals that you say sound so good - the effects are truly fantastic... and it is worth the asking for those alone but it also has all the other stuff I mentioned....

I play power metal and get some awesome distortions outta that thing! especially going straight into my stacks power amp - its great!

I think you have to open your mind, and more importantly your ears dm, your posts reek of some tube fanboy who won't accept anything other than his trusty old tube vox or marshall! I think we argued about this on the other guitar amp thread lol...

lets just let it be for now and get back to helping the OP...

 

[lemonkettaz]

ive just recently stepped up the plate amp wise..

had a marshall 15watt thingy for 5/6yr.

recently bought a TSL 602 (aint arrived yet)

but i tried one at a shop and at someones house... pretty much amazing.. i loved it.

bought new for £599

 

[SexyGreyFox]

well I can say from experience... the gt8 is fantastic...

I think you have to open your mind, and more importantly your ears dm, your posts reek of some tube fanboy who won't accept anything other than his trusty old tube vox or marshall!

The GT8 isn't fantastic - its bloody awesome because I have one.
However, for some reason it didn't cut the mustard on stage and talking to those in the know shoved me in the direction of seperate pedals.
The GT8's niche is in the studio where it will walk over any pedal board.
Do I own seperate pedals? - no but I know 100% that their advise is spot on after watching 100's (nay 1000's) of bands.

I don't even own a tube amp so you must have been arguing with someone else.
I have always maintained that the difference between tube and valve is hardly anything and the funny thing is that GUITARIST magazine in issue 279 backs me up.
If you can't follow my debates then don't accuse me of something I haven't done.

 

[Docaroo]

I have to say that the GT8 is more suited to the complete opposite... I'd say it's better in a live situation than in the studio - in many ways it is very difficult to get to grips with.... you have to wrestle it to find a really good sound - without hiss or "artificial fizz" - but it's possible!

The Tone Modify is the greatest effect ever created in the history of the world - without it the GT8 would be half the unit it is with it.... Stick a Tone Modify Resonator just after the preamp and turn up bass and highs.... utterly phenomenal!!

but anyway... like I said - guitarists constantly argue over soudns/tone and all that rubbish so lets break the mold and let it lie matey

back on topic now ... where were we lol?

 

[QABoy]

I'm not a musician but for at least thirty years I've had an interest in what people use. I'm also not like Les out of the League Of Gentlemen who goes up to the stage and asks "is that a strat?". I go and watch local talent around the Staffordshire area and as far as Macclesfield, Nantwich, Crewe, Northwich etc. I can totally agree what dmpoole says about experienced musicians using Fender, Gibson, Marshall, pedals and no wireless. The chances of seeing an experienced band without this equipment is very rare but funnily enough dmp's own guitarist uses Ibanez Jems because he has a back problem and holding a Les Paul is out of the question (although he had one when I first saw them). When I go and watch young bands they seem to be more experimental and the equipment on stage can be anything and usually not too good a sound. When I go and watch young bands and see a good guitarist my mate will comment "I bet his gear turns into a Gibson/Marshall when he gets older". It is just an observation from the last thirty years.

 

[Docaroo]

well I can say that my gear won't turn magically into gibson/fender/marshall - I really do not like playing those brands at all - I don't like the distortion (or cleans) or marshall amps, gibson guitars are way over priced - especially Les Pauls...

BUT.... think about the music I play... I play Power Metal (this: www.myspace.com/ascensionbanduk) so I'm not really going to be into the whole indie/pub band gibson/marshall thing!!

My current set up is as follows:

Ibanez RG1570L ->
AKG Flexx Intstument Wireless (phenomenal product this) ->
Boss GT8 ->
H&K Vortex Head (Poweramp only (FX Return) - this is the weak link ->
H&K Vortex Cab...

Strings are usually Dean Markleys ... sometimes D'addario XL... picks Jim Dunlop tortex standard blue (1mm) or gator grip...

Now I'm biased but I really love the sound I'm getting now... I have absolutely no noticable change from cables to wireless except that I am free to roam now!

The GT8 into the FX Return of my amp is perfect for me, Im not a big fan of this amp BUT I bought it for one purpose: to shift air from my GT8 - and it does that great. The next update would be to buy a rack mounted poweramp - but that's a while down the road..

I'd be interested for everyone to post their gear... I love going over gear lists!

 

[riddlermarc]

It is true that guitarists gradually gravitate (try saying that after a few JDs) from pointy guitars (shut it Andelusion!) and multi-fx to a more "mature" Gibson/Fender and no multi-fx.

When I started playing back in 1987, I bought every guitar mag every month (and still do) and they all advertised the latest effects units etc. I bought a state-of-the-art ART SGX2000 rackmount unit and went waaaay over the top with the patches trying to get "that" sound. Of course, I was using a crappy guitar and running it all into a crappy Crate amp so it didn't work. Upgraded the guitar and amp but still the effects didn't sound natural.

Further down the line I moved to a nice Jackson guitar, a GT-6 and a Marshall combo.. a much better sound but it still wasn't right. The GT-6 had huge amounts of options but IMHO they weren't the same as the real thing - running the GT-6 set to just use the MT-2 Metal Zone stomp box didn't sound any where near as good as the real, physical MT-2 stomp box I had also.

So I sold the GT-6 and Marshall combo and bought myself a Marshall Mode Four stack along with a Boss CH-1 Super Chorus and GE-7 EQ box.. running this along with my original 1972 Colorsound wah has given me the sound I have been looking for in these last nineteen years (my God, has it really been that long?). Now it's just:

guitar -> wah -> EQ -> chorus -> marshall

I'm not anti- multi-fx units, they are real good in the right place and if you know how to use them properly (yes, I do know how to) they can give you a wonderful sound but they truly do not sound as good as the pedals they replace.

I'm definitely not bragging, boasting, willy-waving etc but my tone is the purest I have heard in a long time and I could confidently go blindfolded to a gig and tell if the guitarist(s) are using multi-fx or not.

The only downside to using separates is the tap-dancing needed if you want to suddenly switch on chorus/wah and change channel at the same time..!

Check out how many "pro" guitarists use a GT-6:
http://guitargeek.com/gearview/1163/

Then how many use the CH-1:
http://guitargeek.com/gearview/46/

 

[riddlermarc]

BUT.... think about the music I play... I play Power Metal (this: www.myspace.com/ascensionbanduk) so I'm not really going to be into the whole indie/pub band gibson/marshall thing!!

I currently have two bands on the go, one plays crushing thrash metal and the other is an Ozzy-level of hard rock - I use my Les Paul and Marshall in both and I easily have the heaviest sound in North Hampshire

It depends on which LP/Marshall you are playing - I've upgraded my Les Paul to have EMG 81/85 pups for some serious output and my Marshall is the Mode Four half-stack, the sound is so heavy I have to roll the gain back a fair bit 'cause it's TOO much. Yes, I said "TOO much"!

Don't tar the whole LP/Marshall sound with the same brush..! Kirk Hammett plays a Les Paul as does one of the guys from In Flames and Matt Heafy from Trivium used to.. oh, and Zakk Wylde too

 

[QABoy]

BUT.... think about the music I play... I play Power Metal

I've seen dozens of power metal guitarists using Gibson/marshall combinations. I'm no expert but I bet theres a pedal on the floor turning into that particular sound. Another observation over the decades :
70's - 50% Marshall, 50% Laney, Orange and HiWatt.
80's - Everybody around Stoke had Peavey Specials and Bandits for some reason
90's - Every type of amp and guitar imaginable. makes I'd never heard of.
00's - Back to Marshall

 

[Docaroo]

ok then I guess I put it down to personal preference

I hate Les Pauls, the neck is horrid, they are chunky and heavy, the shape is not appealling to me - not worth the asking really....

I have played a lot of Marshall's and heard then used at many gigs, some are not bad - but they never really sit well with me... I'd rather have a H&K, Randall, ENGL, etc over the Marshall I have to say...

 

[SexyGreyFox]

I hate Les Pauls, the neck is horrid, they are chunky and heavy, the shape is not appealling to me - not worth the asking really....

Wait. It took me 30 years before I fell in love.

80's - Everybody around Stoke had Peavey Specials and Bandits for some reason

I have a story - sit back.
Around 85 I was the keyboard/vocalist with a band and the two guitarists had Peavey Specials but kept breaking them. It soon became common knowledge that everybody in Stoke was breaking them and virtually every Peavey was being continually returned to the three music shops we had in Stoke.
That year the band made a pilgrimage to the British Music Fair at Earls Court and the guitarists made a beeline for the Peavey stand.
They tore into the staff and they explained that they'd been through serial numbers and everything but couldn't find an explanation why Stoke On Trents Peaveys were breaking. They couldn't put it down to a particular batch of complete amps, or a batch of boards, or a batch of anything and they were totally perplexed.
At this particular moment the staff were trying to get rid of us because Marillion were waiting to talk to them. One of the staff rudely bypassed us and John the guitarist asked him where he was going because he hadn't finished with him and that Marillion can afford new amps but he couldn't. Marillion kindly told the staff to sort us first.
They took us to a side room where they bombarded us with questions about Stoke, musicians etc. They asked if we had a local guitar hero to which we replied "Yeah, Ronnie Smith".
"Does he have a Peavey?"
"Yeah, a classic"
"We've seen his name several times on returned gear. Do you know what settings he uses?"
"Yeah, the same as ours because we all copied his sound"
"What are they?"
"Everything turned to 10"
" You can't do that, are you serious, you turn everything to 10?"
"Yeah, why? All our Marshalls, Laneys, Oranges in the 70's could be turned on full wack"
"You can't do that with Peavey, you are overloading the circuits, I think we've found the answer at last. Please go back and tell everybody who is copying this Ronnie to not put their pre-gain on more than 7 and we shouldn't see another return"

We got there in the end and hopefully Marillion were sorted.