Pex657 Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 I am planning to purchase a new half-stack this coming up weekend. I have found three that are in my price range. I was wondering if any one knew anything about these or which one I should buy. The music I usually play is close to Tool, System Of A Down, Rammstein, Rage.. Thanks, Pex657 1.)GT1200H/G412SL Half-Stack Package 2.) TB100H Tone Blaster Half Stack Package 3.) 4x12" 100W 1/2 Stack with Digital FX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 the crate is in my opinion the best for the music you play of the three you linked crate has always impressed me you might also look at randall...they have some good half stacks for what you play in the same price range Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pex657 Posted October 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 thanks for the quick reply. I will look into Randall. I just need something that a drummer would be able to hear while playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StratDudeDan Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 of the three you posted, i've gotta say the ibanez, but the crate is a close second. i've played through the ibanez stack before, and my own style is a little bit punkier than what you listed. i usually play lead when i'm playing guitar. i will admit, that stack does sound a bit...digital? but as a personal preference, i really don't mind it and it gives me enough control to be able to get a rather decent tone out of it. if you look at the "Show Us Your CD" topic, the band i posted (Leash & Scoop), both guitar players used one of those half stacks for recording. as for the crate, it's always seemed to have a thinner, but slightly more, i dunno...toneful? presenceish? sound to it. it give you a bit more dynamic picking control, and it adapts well to your guitar's tone. whether you're playing a strat, LP, or SG, doesn't matter, you can probably get something close yo what you're looking for out of it. if you're talking pure "bang-for-the-buck" status, i will suggest the Ibanez winning by about 70%-30% over the crate, if not a wee bit closer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLS Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 Thier all pretty awful.. Seriously man id save your money, in the end you'll be MUCH happier for $650 you can Probably get a Crate Blue Voodoo head and a Peavey MS412 cab and for a little more a Peavey 5150 head. If you really want a solid state amp theirs MUCH better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 Thier all pretty awful.. Seriously man id save your money, in the end you'll be MUCH happier for $650 you can Probably get a Crate Blue Voodoo head and a Peavey MS412 cab and for a little more a Peavey 5150 head. If you really want a solid state amp theirs MUCH better. How right!!!! Forget about these amps. For a similar price you will get a used 5150 head + cab ir another used half stack which can make you happy for your whole live instead of buying one of these 3 amps which I bet you will hate in about 1 year if you are a somewhat serious player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeR Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 I would DEFINATELY recomend getting a good, second hand valve amp. You may also like to consider a second hand valve combo- They would probably seem as loud (if not louder) than a solidstate half stack (Even a Vox AC30 @ 33 watts can hold its own with a loud drummer). Luke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 the crate blue voodoo is a great head for the price.but let's not forget this guy is a begginer,for whom the 3 amps listed are a natural progression into better amps in the future... but hey...look at the behringer ultrastack cabs...they sound pretty damn good and are only around $200 last time i checked..and are rated for 400 watts...and have jensen speakers then just pair it with a randall plain jane 100 watt head like this one and you are ready to blow the doors off your house a friend of mine uses this head for gigging...he gets a pretty good metal sound out of it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 i tell you one thing though...you certainly can't judge by the reviews...one guy said "you can't tell the difference between the mg and the jcm 2000" i had the mg 100 in the past(when it was called the grcd or something like that) and it was decent,but nowhere near a jcm i still at this moment have an mg250dfx i keep in the bedroom for playing while i am going to sleep...and the tone is horrible...i have to keep the reverb way up to make the lead sound reasonable,and the rythm is damn near unuseable to my ears...but that is what i have the mode 4 for but keep in mind most amps in that price range are not great right out of the box...my gcd i used a distortion pedal and a rackmount eq to get good sounds out of...even my mode 4 is pretty weak in the gain department...i use a boss metal zone through the clean amp i think soon i will check out a jcm800...i saw one at my local store that was no frills..just add pedals and go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1nf1d3l Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 ive got a marshall similar to that head, just without the dfx. its a crunch machine but it depends on what youre going for in your sound, if you want the high quality, marshalls your maker, if you want it to play louder the crate is your choice. the ibanez.... is...yea....its an iffy half stack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 the marshall name does not gaurantee quality in any way these days...those low end models are not made in the same factory or even country as the high end ones are and the crate is only minimally louder..only 20 watts more power...not even noticeable and i have never known anyone to completely crank a 100 watt amp without a power brake to bring the volume down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1nf1d3l Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 lol, youve got a point, but my marshall is a crunch machine, given that its not the same model. and the crate is probably a better bet, considering the marshall is a low end model, but as i said, its your choice and preference Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pex657 Posted October 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 How about this combination? Ultrastack® BG412H 4x12" Angled Guitar Speaker Cabinet and GT1200H Guitar Amp Head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 How about this combination? Ultrastack® BG412H 4x12" Angled Guitar Speaker Cabinet and GT1200H Guitar Amp Head sure why not? you can always upgrade to a better head later,and that cab is rated for anything you want to put on it one thing you want to check is the ohms of the head and cabinet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pex657 Posted October 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 I am always amazed at your fast replies. cab is rated for anything you want to put on it I don't fully understand what that means? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 I am always amazed at your fast replies. cab is rated for anything you want to put on it I don't fully understand what that means? it is rated for 400 watts at 16 ohms i am on a fast connection and on a sunday when i have no parts to work on guitars i surf alot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pex657 Posted October 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 I will try to check out ohms and such, but I really don't know what all those numbers mean when it comes to sound and such. Thanks for the help though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1nf1d3l Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 I am always amazed at your fast replies. cab is rated for anything you want to put on it I don't fully understand what that means? it is rated for 400 watts at 16 ohms i am on a fast connection and on a sunday when i have no parts to work on guitars i surf alot yea, that cab'll handle a LOT of power, that mix is nice too. but whats your price range?? maybe we'll be able to help a little bit more then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pex657 Posted October 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 (edited) my price range for everything is $500-600. Edited October 17, 2004 by Pex657 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heugel Posted October 18, 2004 Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 My recommendation ... and just a recommendation, mind you... is to check out a Carvin MTS half stack. If you dig the tone, you might be able to snag a second hand half for about $600. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted October 18, 2004 Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 i tell you one thing though...you certainly can't judge by the reviews...one guy said "you can't tell the difference between the mg and the jcm 2000" i had the mg 100 in the past(when it was called the grcd or something like that) and it was decent,but nowhere near a jcm true.... and dido, i just got rid of my mg100RCD my price range for everything is $500-600. off to ebay you go! Seriously, i snagged a peavey ms412 for 130$ and an old carvin head (w/built in EQ) for 330$ shipped along with a boss sd-1 for 35$... so so powerfull and a wide tonal range. I would also highly recommend you go with a tube amp... just a bigger more powerfull sound from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pex657 Posted October 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 I would go on ebay, but I want to buy this new. I do use ebay, but for some thing I just like to be new. Also what is the best watts at what ohms? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1nf1d3l Posted October 18, 2004 Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 well, watts to ohms is only a problem if youre doing a high watt amp, if youre going small like 100 or 120, 4 or 8 ohms'll do it, if you have to go any higher than that, your prolly gonna EDIT!!!!!! up whatever youre using anyways this is the third time in 3 days i have warned you about your language!more warning than you need.i am going to reccomend a vacation for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StratDudeDan Posted October 18, 2004 Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 might wanna check your language there... i'd say edit before a mod gets here (quick, hide! the boss is coming). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill-Murray Posted October 18, 2004 Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 Dude, if you want an amp get a combo. Those solid state half stacks are for kids who want to feel bad, but all you're getting is a combo that takes up too much room, is harder to move. Just save up a little more, and get a second hand tube half stack. You won't feel like an idiot down the road, like if you were to get that.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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