Amp Selection Affirmation

[Boogie]

We all do it...it starts as GAS, you research the holy moly out of it, listen to the demos and videos, seek out the best deal and pull the trigger. But did I make the right decision?:dontknow: Who(m) better to confirm - or otherwise - your purchase than your peers and friends? How, you might ask? Well, I had a great weekend hanging out with about 15 guitar FREAKS and PRS pros and did something daring...put my amp on the backline for everyone to tweak and play. Yes, I did start it out with my settings and played a bit, but then I walked away and encouraged everyone to take a swing. It was the only 1 out of 7 guitar amps that were PRS.

Numerous times I had to run forward to see who was playing and which amp I was hearing because it was not what I knew my amp to sound like. And over and over again, I had people come up and ask "what IS that amp?" (PRS doesn't label some custom/CAD amps). Raised eyebrows resulted when told it was a Super Dallas because each player had different tunes they'd play, different tone and gain settings, different pedals (I also brought the pedalboard) and every guy squeezed an amazing sound out. Regardless of guitar, pedals, settings, they all sounded great. This amp not only exceeded everyone's expectations, but shattered the stigma of the Dallas brothers being only "a clean amp".

I'm sure it wasn't for everyone. There were lots of differing tastes there, but being as cordially honest with each other as we are, they had the opportunity to comment however they wanted. Nothing but compliments.

This is as good of a litmus test as I can put together. If people - whom I respect as friends and talented musicians - say it's cool, then by golly, it's cool! My hard work is solidly affirmed.

 

[Egads]

Very cool. 4x10 or head? If it was the head, what cab were you using?

 

[László]

Sounds like fun!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I need a "clean only" kind of amp, do I need to check out a Dallas?

 

[veinbuster]

So clearly Boogie never needs another amp - I think that leaves more money for guitars.

 

[Boogie]

Very cool. 4x10 or head? If it was the head, what cab were you using?

I took my head only. The host had a PRS pine 2x12 just like mine, so there was no difference than my normal rig.

I need a "clean only" kind of amp, do I need to check out a Dallas?

The Dallas is anything but a 'clean only' amp. Depending on what you expect from a clean amp, the Dallas doesn't come into its own until the power stage is pushed; that's not like a clean amp. The Dallas sounds bigger than a Twin, to me. And the Twin is my favorite clean amp.

So clearly Boogie never needs another amp - I think that leaves more money for guitars.

Stop it Pete! You're not helping. I just got done telling myself that I don't need anything else for quite a while. A new amp and a new guitar within 3 months of each other is more than enough.roud:

 

[martysnarf]

... The Dallas is anything but a 'clean only' amp. Depending on what you expect from a clean amp, the Dallas doesn't come into its own until the power stage is pushed; that's not like a clean amp. The Dallas sounds bigger than a Twin, to me. And the Twin is my favorite clean amp...

Kerry- let's make sure we are CLEAR here because I think some folks might get confused! The beast we are discussing is a SUPER DALLAS. It's DEFINITELY not designed to be purely clean. There is ANOTHER PRS amp- the DALLAS- that is a VERY clean amp, designed more like a Twin. It does not break up much at all. I have owned both, and they are VERY different animals.

The Dallas is UBER-clean with lots of headroom, while the SUPER Dallas was built on a Dallas foundation but has a VERY different gain stage; it has MUCH more gain on tap and less headroom. That said, the Super Dallas cleans up WONDERFULLY by rolling off the guitar's volume.

So for a sergiodeblanc, sounds like a Dallas is more up your alley than a Super Dallas.

Hope that helps!

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

That Super Dallas, by the way? AWESOME!

 

[Boogie]

...The beast we are discussing is a SUPER DALLAS. It's DEFINITELY not designed to be purely clean. There is ANOTHER PRS amp- the DALLAS- that is a VERY clean amp, designed more like a Twin.

I was lumping both amps together more so than intended, but I stand by my statement that the Dallas (non-Super version) is not a clean-only amp. Yes, is is Twin-like and can be very clean, but I've had experiences with a Dallas combo that broke up nicely with the master cranked past noon. That's not what my Twin ever did (not until my ears started to bleed). And after several conversations with other owners of Dallases, it may be that this one (at Willcutt's) had a custom tube cocktail. Regardless, though it was a stellar clean tone, the bad boy attitude came out with a twist of the master.

 

[martysnarf]

I was lumping both amps together more so than intended, but I stand by my statement that the Dallas (non-Super version) is not a clean-only amp. Yes, is is Twin-like and can be very clean, but I've had experiences with a Dallas combo that broke up nicely with the master cranked past noon. That's not what my Twin ever did (not until my ears started to bleed). And after several conversations with other owners of Dallases, it may be that this one (at Willcutt's) had a custom tube cocktail. Regardless, though it was a stellar clean tone, the bad boy attitude came out with a twist of the master.

The Dallas that I had had VERY little dirt at ALL. It was Twin-clean all the way. Took pedals real well, though; was a great "foundation" amp if you like to get your dirt from pedals.