Guitar Rigs

[Blake_T]

i like the mesa dirty channels but i've never been big on their cleans.

they're cleaner than what i currently get out of the "clean" on my jcm900 but i've never liked the timbre/texture of the cleans. a but too sterile for my tastes. the gain is definitely solid.

[jubuttib]

i like the mesa dirty channels but i've never been big on their cleans.

The exact reason I'm aiming for the Egnater. I can never seem to find an amp that does clean and distortion good, so an amp that has completely different preamps for both sounds terribly tempting.

[Bradley Walker]

i like the mesa dirty channels but i've never been big on their cleans.

they're cleaner than what i currently get out of the "clean" on my jcm900 but i've never liked the timbre/texture of the cleans. a but too sterile for my tastes. the gain is definitely solid.

I believe this is largely tube selection.

I have a set of JJ EL 34's that I would like to stick in there (and then try that spongy rectifier setting).

The Russina preamp tubes (12ax7s) largely sound like flat pieces of shit compared to the $25 old stock stock Sylvanias I have been buying on Ebay (about $10 more than a new JJ, Ruby, or TongSol). They appear to have no equal on clean V1 (at least compared to current production). Turns cardboard into music.

The Mesa is if nothing else, is the ultimate *TRUE* tube amp starting point. It has more features than any amp out there, and I was blown away at the design. I mean is comes stock with a transformer choke, tube rectifier/solid state (switchable), tube preamp/diaode (switchable), has a built in VARIAC voltage drop setting (the spongy switch), and will accept either 6l6's or EL 34's without the need to bias the amp. Holy shit!!! There is nothing like it out there bar none (I have to ask myself why???)

Not to mention it is built like a tank in the USA at it appears to have been voiced specifically for the new Chinese V30's so it has thundering bass and smoothness (as it should) with these speakers (these are the speakers I have).

The Egnator Tourmaster 4100 has some wonderful features, the amp power switching is insanely good (each channel has its own wattage setting). The vintage to modern setting is great too (kind of simulates EL 34 to 6l6 power amp reaction). It is one the best new designs out there. One problem... made in China. Fuck that. It should cost about $500 instead of $1200. No more Chinese stuff for Brad. I am boycotting everything but Chinese model airplanes.

The Tourmaster is also voiced wayyyyyy to bright for V30's (which they recommend---along with a piece of foam in front of the speakers if you read there web site). It sounds much better on much darker speakers than the V30's.

[Bradley Walker]

i like the mesa dirty channels but i've never been big on their cleans.

The exact reason I'm aiming for the Egnater. I can never seem to find an amp that does clean and distortion good, so an amp that has completely different preamps for both sounds terribly tempting.

The Dual Rectifier has three separate preamps. The channels have a similar layout to the Egnator Tourmaster. Clean, and two dirty (both are switchable from vintage/modern/raw). So you essential have clean, crunch and distortion, all with their own EQ and master volumes.

[black udder]

dammit - why don't I have three grand!

They do look and sound awesome.

[jubuttib]

i like the mesa dirty channels but i've never been big on their cleans.

The exact reason I'm aiming for the Egnater. I can never seem to find an amp that does clean and distortion good, so an amp that has completely different preamps for both sounds terribly tempting.

The Dual Rectifier has three separate preamps. The channels have a similar layout to the Egnator Tourmaster. Clean, and two dirty (both are switchable from vintage/modern/raw). So you essential have clean, crunch and distortion, all with their own EQ and master volumes.

OK, let me fix that: "An amp that has completely different modular preamps for both sounds terribly tempting."
Like I said, I've yet to find a single amp that caters to my needs. I also don't want to haul around more hardware than necessary. The Egnater seems like the answer in this respect. I don't know about the Rebel, Renegade and the Tourmaster, but from what I've gathered the modular amps (MOD50/100 and M4) are built by Bruce Egnater himself, not made in China.

Incidentally, has anyone here ever tried a Line 6 Vetta II? I know it's only a modeling amp, but if it's good enough for Fredrik Thordendal, it'd be good enough for me.

[Bradley Walker]

I don't know about the Rebel, Renegade and the Tourmaster, but from what I've gathered the modular amps (MOD50/100 and M4) are built by Bruce Egnater himself, not made in China.

They also appear to be in the boutique amp price category... Does sound cool though.

[Bradley Walker]

Incidentally, has anyone here ever tried a Line 6 Vetta II? I know it's only a modeling amp, but if it's good enough for Fredrik Thordendal, it'd be good enough for me.

Grandson of the Johnson...

[black udder]

I have a Fender cyber-twin II that I really like...not boutique, but it has a ton of sounds, I think it's tube pre-amp so you can get all the old fender amp sounds. Some people don't like it, but it does imitations of several amp types and you can customize sounds easily and there are lots of options.

If you like the Fender clean, it's easy to add a distortion pedal if you can't find one of the presents or customize something to your liking.

Still want the mesa-boogie head though...

[Leopard]

here's a disorienting composite pic!
(this runs along 2 walls in the corner of my living room.. this is 2 photos shot from opposite sides, see the tiny inset for reference)


(and larger, if you actually wanna see something )


so that's the music corner of my little habitat. i've left a few larger speakers, amps, drum sets, and furniture out of this setup since i'm in an apartment.

the short version of my guitar rig: Epi LP and MexiStrat stock, Pod X3 Live lately (Pod 2 in parallel with J-Station/J12 previously), FM4 filter pedal, and ASR-X sampler with MIDI foot triggers. for my home practice/programming setup here, i mix in the 01V and monitor through a pair of wedge monitors. serious business goes through the V-Mix and mac/Digital Performer with some old M-Audio reference monitors.

i use a good range of traditional tone styles as well as more out-there stuff. the FM4 and the X3's filters get used for a lot of synth/octave stuff. with my current project, i play that sampler/pedal/synth along with rhythm guitar and vocals... lots of noise/feedback/drone/loop/phrases triggered from the sampler; makes for an inspiring combo of instruments. i will often mic up the Peavey tube amp, but it's mostly there to get back to basics.

i'd be happy to answer any questions about what the hell is going on here but i wanted to keep this kinda brief

[Bradley Walker]

i'd be happy to answer any questions about what the hell is going on

Totally bitchin.

[Bradley Walker]

Still want the mesa-boogie head though...

The kid with the DR head for sale cheap is coming over this morning...

[Bradley Walker]

Still want the mesa-boogie head though...

The kid with the DR head for sale cheap is coming over this morning...

Played it. It had Electro Harmonics EL 34 power tubes. Not a fan of these tubes.

This is an incredible amp...

[Bradley Walker]

I played the Peavey 3120. Not bad at all. Much less noisy than the other high gain Peavey's. Very tight bottom end.

Played the newest Triple Rectifier. Insane.

[black udder]

This is what I want:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It_k4uDnetU

Edit: for kickass video (Andy Timmons):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CDklxuT ... re=channel