Biohazard Posted September 25, 2004 Report Share Posted September 25, 2004 Hi, this sort of thing has probably been posted before so I apologise in advance for this. I'm looking for a new amp and I have got two in mind. The Marshall MG250DFX (thats the stereo 50W amp) and the Line 6 Spider II amp 210/212. Could anyone give me advice on which one would be the best amp to gp with? I hear that the distortions on the Line 6 aren't great but clean its really good, plus it has effects in it. The marshall I hear has good distortion with good clean and fewer effects. What would people recommend? If it helps, I play rock music along the lines of Muse and I will want to be experimental with my sound but have good distortion. My custom guitar has Kent Armstrong Motherbucker and rio Grande Punchbox for pickups. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansil Posted September 26, 2004 Report Share Posted September 26, 2004 do you mind having your guitar signal raped and used only as a sample bank trigger system then go with the line 6. i dont' mean to dis the 6 but its a simple fact if i wanted to play midi guitar i would play a midi guitar [which i have and do sometimes] as i can make my own samples. its great for recording and for live work where you need a versatile setup but i have yet to hear any of these "modeling amps" reproduce a nickels worth of difference between a teisco delray guitar a 59 lespaul and a kramer knock off. they all sound the same minus pickup noise as the teisco is a noisy guitar. and try rolling the volume knob back and watch the line 6 freak out. when on a heavy distortion setting. also if you want to sound like muse here is a simple equation Muse = ZVEX = FuzzFactory no exceptions here my friend i have one on the bench and was playing last night to the absolution album and with the knob set right on the stab you get all the weird notes from origin of symetry album. and i finally got the correct sound to stockholm syndrome last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted September 26, 2004 Report Share Posted September 26, 2004 Damn, Ansil, don't sugar-coat it like that, tell us how you really feel. Seriously, that Line 6 is gonna run you at least $350, and the Marshall's gonna be closer to $500, and they both sound (at least to my ear) too much like that ultimate tonal benchmark, the Peavey Bandit, with a few watered-down DSP effects built in. For that money, you can pick up either a real amp, or a decent digital modeller and a couple of pedals. I'm not a tube amp purist, in fact I use a solid state preamp myself(SansAmp PSA-1), but it cost more by itself than that Marshall . Even a Pignose G40V with the speaker replaced would be superior to the amps you mentioned IMO, or a V-Amp/POD and a cheap solid state amp with a decent clean sound. The key to Matt's sound is adding effects to a really good classic amp sound, and you're not going to get that from a cheap "do-it-all+digital-f/x" box. After all, he's running a Diezel VH4, a Soldano SLO-100, a Marshall Mode 4 and a Fender Hotrod Deville all together in his stage rig, so even he hasn't found a digital way to simulate classic amp tones. My advice - get a good two channel amp with a superior clean channel and a decent high-gain channel, and start collecting stompboxes, but don't rely on f/x for all your sounds. A good amp is as important to your sound as your guitar and your technique, and you need to learn how to play the amp just like your guitar. And before anybody gets upset and starts flaming, my apologies in advance to any Peavey Bandit owners who are getting a really good sound - I imagine it's possible, but after years of listening to them filling the room with a delicious blend of midrange mud and icepick highs at blues jams and local clubs, I have to say it doesn't happen often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted September 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2004 Yes, the fuzz Factory is one of the keys to a Muse type sound. I built one into my custom guitar so I already have that. Ok so I'm not hearing much support for the Line 6 and I take it your not too bigger fans of the Marshall either. Ok, so what would you recommend I take a look at then? Something in the same price range as either the Line 6 Spider II or the Marshall 250DFX amp. Thanks for your help guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted September 26, 2004 Report Share Posted September 26, 2004 I'd go try out a few simple channel-switching amps - I've heard good things about the Traynor YCV20WR, but I haven't made a trip into the city to hear it, so take it with a grain of salt. The Pignose G40V is not bad, but the built-in speaker is rubbish, and it's basically a one-input tweaked JCM800 clone, so there's no channel switching available - I'm in the process of modding one now, but it's not a project I'd recommend for the faint of heart. I've also heard a few nice comments on the Crate V1512, but again, it's a vintage style master volume amp with no gain switching. Another old workhorse I'm quite fond of is the Peavey Classic 30, but it might not have enough gain to suit you, and they're probably not as common in the UK as they are down here in redneck country. Since you've already got a Fuzz Factory, I'd work on finding an amp with really good clean and mid-gain tone that wroks and plays well with pedals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anathema Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 eh sorry if this is a lil off topic but i was wondering about the avt series from marshall my friend has this amp but he is gettin a new one so he is going to give me the marshall for free. its the 150 watt half stack and i was wondering if anyone knew anything aobut it like what the distortion sounds like and the clean channle and other important tihngs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted September 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 Thanks for the recommendations. However, even though I have an FF, I won't be using this as my main distortion so I would also like an amp with a good distortion channel as well as clean. Thanks for anymore input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorecki Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 For what it’s worth, I recently picked up a Line 6 Spider II 30 that has a 12” Celestion. I picked it up exclusively for a bedroom/living room practice amp. To be objective and realizing it’s my very first solid state amp (in 30 years) I’m pretty pleased with it and expect to use it in the studio a bit. The effects ARE NOT a good reason to purchase the amp, you have very limited control over them and I literally turn the color effects completely off cause they’re so overwhelming they simply are useless to me but the tape echo and reverb is okay. On the other hand the distortion and range of sounds it can produce for the price range made it better than anything I could find until you added another $100.00 which for a practice amp I wasn’t interested in doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansil Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 sorry i didnt' mean to explode but I freakin hate the dead tone sound of these things they only sound good for like 30 minutes and then you hear all the quirks in it. abnormal quirks and artifacts that can be cool for some things but not for others. so let me elaborate on why i dont' like it. about 10 years ago i was at mars music in atlanta. THey had a "modeler amp" that i was unfamiliar with. and this was way before all the line 6 stuff really came out and took off. they had a combo amp and it had in it real high voltage tube preamp [sorry i am not a tube purist but i do know what sounds warm and fuzzy. teddy bears.... lol] a very high end expensive midi controlable dual foot contorler system with a digital effects section and a very High powered Solidstate Poweramp built into this combo amp. it was a 2*12 and possibly one of the best all around sounds i have ever heard. EVER.. sparkling shimering cleans classic and modern wah's crunchy distoriton all the way from blues ot way over the top oscilation available. real time morphing of patches and expression pedal controls built like a tank even for someone who has size 14EEEE shoes like myself and is over 300lbs. it was only priced at around 1495$ which i know sounds like alot but not when you think about it. well long story short. i dont' remember the company but i had a friend who worked there and i found out that "Johnson bought it" and they took out the tube preamps changed the whole digital section and went completely like a bad line 6. THat is why i hate all the line6 behringer[behringer just sucks they run their tubes in their preamps at 12vdc and put light bulbs behind the tubes to make them light up they must DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!] Johnson and all the others. personally for what one of these amps will cost i am buy one of the old casio midiguitars [the synth ones not the real guitars with midi controls] and for 50 bucks get a nice roland module that lets me write my own patches. so for around 300usd i can just plug into the pa and get any sound i want. now i need me a Widget....................................... ahhh metronome a dwarf that lives in the city.. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorecki Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 personally for what one of these amps will cost i am buy one of the old casio midiguitars [the synth ones not the real guitars with midi controls] Looks like a plastic Steinberger with plastic strings, touch pads on the neck and a built in speaker and drum machine. I have one of those sitting in my studio collecting dust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansil Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 personally for what one of these amps will cost i am buy one of the old casio midiguitars [the synth ones not the real guitars with midi controls] Looks like a plastic Steinberger with plastic strings, touch pads on the neck and a built in speaker and drum machine. I have one of those sitting in my studio collecting dust. does it work if it does and it is the dg-20 then hook me up man. what do you want for it. i did live shows with one of those that i modded as it tracked better than my roland once i was through with it. i used it when we had those moments wheni didnt' want to solo i wanted to play key board and guitar at the same time and have weird space alien love making sounds and still keep the melody going too. i loved it. http://electricguitar.50megs.com/casio.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorecki Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 personally for what one of these amps will cost i am buy one of the old casio midiguitars [the synth ones not the real guitars with midi controls] Looks like a plastic Steinberger with plastic strings, touch pads on the neck and a built in speaker and drum machine. I have one of those sitting in my studio collecting dust. does it work if it does and it is the dg-20 then hook me up man. what do you want for it. i did live shows with one of those that i modded as it tracked better than my roland once i was through with it. i used it when we had those moments wheni didnt' want to solo i wanted to play key board and guitar at the same time and have weird space alien love making sounds and still keep the melody going too. i loved it. http://electricguitar.50megs.com/casio.htm Yep, dat's the critter! I bought it to do midi tracks before getting my Roland GK stuff. Still works just fine last I knew. PM me what it's worth to ya, frankly I don't know what it's worth. Besides being an occational conversation piece, I don't use it, just sits on a stand by my acoustics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted September 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 Hmmm, ok, so what exactly would you recommend I look at Ansil. Sorry for being persistent. but I would like to consider EVERY alternative, especially when I'm going to pay in the region of £300 for a good amp. Err thats about $545. So you can see why i'd like to consider everything. So what amps for an experimental muse type sound. Other than the line 6 stuff, which isn't looking so good anymore lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted September 28, 2004 Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 I might get flamed here, but I suggest you save $200 more and get this that's my next buy, If I don't get brave and get the half stack, it's switchable 50-100 all tube, and after listening to my friend I must say that it kick sss . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansil Posted September 28, 2004 Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 that is a good choice maiden carvin makes quality stuff. i wil let you know biohazard. i only have a few minutes at present moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted September 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 Ok, thanks very much Ansil, I appreciate your support. Cool, if I could save a couple of jundred dollars (or whatever that is in UK pounds) then I could also jump ahead and get one of the three pedals i'm after too to complete my set up I want: Decent amp Digitech Whammy WH4 Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler Boss PH-3 Phase pedal But for now i'm taking care of the amp. Thanks for the help. Look foward to your response Ansil. thanks to everyone else for input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted September 28, 2004 Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 There is an amp builder that goes by the name Electric Penguin. Search for him, and get him to build you an amp. I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted September 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 Cool, is he cheap and are they quality/safe amps? Sorry to sound un trustworthy but there are a lot of people in the world that will try anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted September 28, 2004 Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 The price is right for me, best you contact him yourself for a price, not my place to quote you I'll answer the other q's when the amp arrives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansil Posted September 28, 2004 Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 Cool, is he cheap and are they quality/safe amps? Sorry to sound un trustworthy but there are a lot of people in the world that will try anything. I did a search and found this email thehomeoftheelectricpenguin@yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted September 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 lol, what a long and strange email address. I'll contact him and see what he's like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted September 29, 2004 Report Share Posted September 29, 2004 No probs, tell him Perry sent you. Hey Ansil, do you know the guy??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansil Posted September 29, 2004 Report Share Posted September 29, 2004 why yes perry i do actually. test site Electric Penguin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biohazard Posted October 3, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2004 Just going back to the Marshall and Line 6 amps. I'm loosing interest in the Marshall amp. I've heard some samples on the line 6 site of the Spider II. To me it sounds fairly ok but not something that caught my attention a lot. Then I remembered that over the summer when I was doing a summer guitar course, I played through a Line 6 Flextone. Not sure where it was a flextone II flextone III or flextone III plues etc. But I take it these amps are far superior to the Spider II and if I could afford the extra it would be recommended that I go for one? What are people's opinions on this amp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorecki Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 Only line6 I'm familiar with is the SpiderII and thought I'm content with what I use it for, it's not the end all be all. You just may want to look into the Vox AD15VT Valvetronix 15W Guitar Amp. It has a tube preamp section and sounds really nice and warm and about $20 less then the spiderII 30. There's a 30w as well for about $40 more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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