Amp Head Of Choice For Hard and Heavy Guitars

[C_F_H_13]

Just curious what heads people like to use for heavy guitars. I've heard dual rectifiers mentioned alot, but people seem to like the older 2 channel version alot more than the newer 3 channel. What about marshall, rivera, and such??

[sysexguy]

Diezel Herbert or a Cornford Mk50h here.....

I must try a Peter's Wolverine at some point

the quality of the output transformer is crucial and most well known amp companies blow the transformer budget on ads and endorsements imho

Andy

[Tibbon]

My amp selection is as follows:

69' marshal plexi
Vox AC30HW
JCM800
Germino Rockgrinder
Germino Masonete
and a few tiny old amps (Alamo and a Magnatone)

Really, most of the time I just run most things through the AC30 if they dont' have something better, because i can use some high end pedals to distort things, and the AC30 has alot of clarity and dynamics, even when pushing it hard.

We rented a Dual rectifier for a project, and for some reason the client didn't like it... and demanding to use their crappy fender solid state amp instead..... the results were as you'd expect, and i had to use SansAMP PSA-1 to add a little presence to it...

[CV7]

Bogner Uberschall

[Tibbon]

Take a AC30 through a 4x12, and then layer a track with a Zvex nanoamp on top of it through a 4x12 gives a pretty tasty sound. Just crank the hell outta the AC30

[Tibbon]

One thing that constantly strikes me is the fact that many musicians don't have amps that suit their style very well at all, or decent rigs at all. At least in Boston this is true. When I went to Nashville and was in a few studios, I was glad to see that the guitar players brought a whole rack of heads, and a handful of combos, and 6-10 guitars for your average session. The ones in Boston constantly lack any professionalisim, and normally just bring the cheapest 'tube' amp they can find, because "It must be good, it has tubes, and gets loud in practice". I hate Boston mucisians. The drummers here only have a single (normally bad sounding) snare as well. The Nashville ones are so much more pro, and end up bringing 10 snares to any session, no matter big the studio or session. Anything from the Hum Depot to Emerald, they all act more pro there. All these rockers here are worried about is who is going to post on the Noise Board (a crappy dirty hole that Boston musicians wallow in like pigs on a daily basis) about them.

[LTA]

Engl Powerball. It even looks the part.

[norman_nomad]

.... another vote for bogner!

[Waylon]

pretty much hate Rectum-fryers here, they have one tone, and it generally isnt it.......


Fargen, Bogner, Engl, Diesil, anthing with lots fo gain and a great player plugged intot it...

[Tibbon]

What about a Triaxis going to a Mesa 290 into a 4x12 cab or two (different ones?). That's pretty damn heavy sounding.

[subspace]

Ja. Triaxis through a Stereo Simul-class 395 and a 4x12 has been getting it here. One side at full power and the other at half, dial the full side to chunky and crank the half-power for nasty. Blend to taste.
Gotta admit though, if the player doesn't listen with his eyeballs, I'll just as soon dial something in on the Nanoamp and save the heavy lifting for later...

[Tibbon]

Nanoamp rocks... Even live... just mic the cab, and put it through the in ear monitors... Just have the marshall heads there for looks..

[biggator6]

Rivera TBR-1SL

VERY versatile.. and can get REAL heavy
"-)

[djui5]

I've seen some decent tones come out of a Peavy XXL

[robmix]

A properly setup Dual Rectifier never disappoints anyone at our studio. 2 or 3 channel doesn't matter, I can make that thing sound like death from above and below. When that doesn't work I'm all over the Uberschall. For stereo guitars I use one for each side. I've got a pile of other amps but for heavy tones these are the two I go for first.

Rob

[Markus Stock]

For me the Peavey 5150 (Version 1 or 2, doesn't really matter) does the trick most of the time. Great midrange. Crunch Channel sounds like Slayer right out of the box and the lead channel is so versatile! You can dial in from a Heavy Metal tone to the most severe Swedish Death Metal sound...kicks the ass of a Rectifier (which really is a one trick pony) in my book and is alot more affordable too.

Best,

[Drumsound]

Originally posted by Markus Stock
For me the Peavey 5150 (Version 1 or 2, doesn't really matter) does the trick most of the time. Great midrange. Crunch Channel sounds like Slayer right out of the box and the lead channel is so versatile! You can dial in from a Heavy Metal tone to the most severe Swedish Death Metal sound...kicks the ass of a Rectifier (which really is a one trick pony) in my book and is alot more affordable too.

Best,

I've recorded 5-6 5150s over the years. Combos and stacks. I can't say I've ever had a good tone come out of one. They seem to work OK live, but in the studio, I’ve never had any luck.

I'm glad somebody has had some luck with them.

[DirkB]

Last project it was a Soldano top and Marshall 4x12, worked out fine.

Next project though will be the new Engl SE with an Engl 4x12. We tested this combo a few weeks ago and I haven't heart anything like it on heavy dirt guitars .

Greetings,
Dirk

[RoundBadge]

jkthtyrGot germino amps,awesome for the real marshall tones,silvertone twin twelve for the white stripes vibe,watkins amps for old funky distortion,jcm 800/900 for/ more modern stuff.my buddy has a bogner, bassmans,ac 30"s to borrow too..

[Jules]

Amps

Engl Savage 120
Vetta HD head with v2 software (modeling amp)

Cabs

Engle 4 x 12
Line 6 2 x 12

Helps us out if the bands own amps are crappy....

[beechstudio]

The under-rated Peavey VTM heads........... I believe Soundgarden used these on the Badmotorfinger album.

[ZEUSS]

Badcat- "hot cat" head = Bad Ass

[muziqfreek]

Hughes & Kettner 6L6 model + Sansamp Classic pedal and/or Distortion pedal of players choice... it rocks....!!!

[meteor]

if you look around at some of the newer "hard" acts, you'll probably spot a VHT classic 100 head. i spent a lot of time recording one and have to say that it had a very rich - harmonic - yet still very heavy and aggresive - tone. definitely prefer it to any of the mesa stuff i've recorded.


cheers,

[kevinc]

Originally posted by Markus Stock
For me the Peavey 5150 (Version 1 or 2, doesn't really matter) does the trick most of the time. Great midrange. Crunch Channel sounds like Slayer right out of the box and the lead channel is so versatile! You can dial in from a Heavy Metal tone to the most severe Swedish Death Metal sound...kicks the ass of a Rectifier (which really is a one trick pony) in my book and is alot more affordable too.

Best,

YEAH 5150 !!!


The other guitar player in my band has one of these.

Together we can usually get a good tone out of it if we mess around with it enough. It`s not as easy as it is with my amp (Fender evil Twin) to get a tone right off the bat but I must say we`ve gotten some really sweet distorted sounds out of it at times. It`s a great contrast to my amp which has sparklier highs.
The 5150 is a great midrange to low midrange amp.

What are some of your tricks to making it sound good Markus ?

[James 'LA' Lugo]

We have a Marshall DSL2000 100 watt head, Mesa Dual Rectifier and a straight cab and nobody ever complains.

[karl]

I had good metal sounds with 5150, rectifier and even JMP1. It's more to do with mic position and the player. Close to the centre of the cone and be careful how you control the boominess (is that a word?). A very important part of the guitar sound is the interaction of the bass guitar and keeping some mids in the tone.

[djui5]

Originally posted by Markus Stock
For me the Peavey 5150 (Version 1 or 2, doesn't really matter) does the trick most of the time. Great midrange. Crunch Channel sounds like Slayer right out of the box and the lead channel is so versatile! You can dial in from a Heavy Metal tone to the most severe Swedish Death Metal sound...kicks the ass of a Rectifier (which really is a one trick pony) in my book and is alot more affordable too.

Best,

I agree.....I've heard good tones out of a 5150 also.....in the studio

[jtienhaara]

I love the sound of the older Mesa Mark IIs.

However for certain types of music (industrial comes to mind) I wouldn't hesitate to reach for a BOSS pedal or two...

[Bang]

I think combining a Dual Rectifier and a JCM 800 for the added punch and midrange is the ultimate hard rock sound for dropped tuning stuff.
Steve
www.bangrecording.com
www.blacklinerock.com