Best Sounding Rig In The History of YOUR World?

[prsrocker1988]

I have a killer (IMO) rig, but I always want more, new, different, etc.

For me I try to have a clean palette to do whatever I'm doing. If I'm playing in a modern country/classic rock cover band, going to a blues jam, being a sideman, recording session, whatever. I try not to have a signature sound as I don't want to be pigeonholed into anything. I want to have a clean start every time.

But the fact is I do have a rig I pretty much always use:

For me it comes down to a clean tube amplifier in the Fender vain, and using pedals to sculpt my sound as I see fit. For me the amp needs to be as versatile as possible. I want a blank slate every time. I don't want to haul 10 amps to do 10 things, and I don't want to use the same sound on everything. In my experience I've found Blackface type amps to give me a clean plate every time.

The guitars I use cover a lot of bases in terms of pickups and options and tones. I like taking a lot of guitars to play live or record with. I like humbuckers, P90s, Fender single coils - all of it. And I really like how versatile a PRS is in that I can get a lot of those sounds live without switching guitars. But when I'm recording I like having a lot of brushes to paint with.

I use pedals for the gain, and I use other effects to do all of the time/modulation/wackadoodle stuff. I'm a pedalboard-focused guy as most of my contemporaries are. However, I grew up on Les Paul and Marshall Classic 70s Rock but the fact is I like taking a non-traditional approach or a modern approach to getting classic/traditional guitar sounds. I'm a rebel. But I feel like I always have a toe at least in the water of the old classic guitar tone thing. It's where I started, and you never forget that. I like a lot of modern Nashville guitar (less of the Brent Mason tele stuff and more classic rock guitar sounds and RnB sounds) and a lot of that is pedal based, even for overdrive. A Bassman head and a Matchless and overdrive pedals is that world right now and I have been in Nashville (I go every year to play and hang with friends and go gear shopping) and I have friends in that community so I keep in touch with that stuff.

But you could give me the holy grail setup and I'll eventually get bored with it...I'm pretty insatiable when it comes to tone and I'm a gearhead at heart.

 

[László]

But you could give me the holy grail setup and I'll eventually get bored with it...I'm pretty insatiable when it comes to tone and I'm a gearhead at heart.

I think to some extent most of us share that virtue! Ummm...well, it IS a virtue to be a gearhead isn't it?

Seriously, the only reason I'm so happy with my rig is that I can't think of anything to improve at the moment, with the sole exception of wanting another PRS 2x12 for the HXDA.

I put off buying that when I ordered that Northern Lights guitar that kind of took me by surprise with the three pickups and all the doodads...

So while that remains on the plate (provided my hand doesn't stop working altogether), I can't think of a pedal or gizmo or even an amp that I really feel a true need to add. Not even a mic, or a processor, or...software. At least, guitar related.

That's a strange feeling for me.

On the other hand, Dave Smith Instruments just came out with the OB-6 synthesizer, designed by Tom Oberheim and Dave Smith, with the old Oberheim SEM filters and the whole ball of analog wax. That, I do want. Seriously want. Maybe enough to sell a guitar for...

 

[ViperDoc]

I'm still immersed in my tonal voyage, but I am very pleased with the Mark V I've played for the last couple of years, and perhaps even more dazzled lately by my new Fuchs ODS II head. Both amps are sensational, but I'm the Fuchs makes me smile evey time I play it. I've never played a PRS amp, but PRS guitars are all I play with the exception of a couple Tyler Studio Elite HDs. Overall, I am loving it, Schef. I like to shred, and I like to sizzle. I like to turn it down low and chime, and I like to bake up some grizzle. Fo shizzle!

 

[Tahlee]

I like to shred, and I like to sizzle. I like to turn it down low and chime, and I like to bake up some grizzle. Fo shizzle!

Word.

 

[Boogie]

Was it the view in front of the TV?

I've hung around in the men's locker room before...

 

[11top]

I've hung around in the men's locker room before...

You could use a new hobby.

 

[László]

I'm still immersed in my tonal voyage, but I am very pleased with the Mark V I've played for the last couple of years, and perhaps even more dazzled lately by my new Fuchs ODS II head. Both amps are sensational, but I'm the Fuchs makes me smile evey time I play it. I've never played a PRS amp, but PRS guitars are all I play with the exception of a couple Tyler Studio Elite HDs. Overall, I am loving it, Schef. I like to shred, and I like to sizzle. I like to turn it down low and chime, and I like to bake up some grizzle. Fo shizzle!

Great post! Made me smile!

The Fuchs ODS is a lot like the Two-Rocks I played for quite a few years, with that Dumble tone happening. They're very similar amps in terms of tone, the Fuchs being a little more tight, the TRs a little fatter/looser. But that's hair-splitting. Both are great in every way.

As you probably know, I loved the Mark V I had, and posted very positively about it when I put it in the studio. They're wonderful amps. I had the head, paired with a 2x12 Recto cab. I had kind of a studio equipment emergency, and things were a little slow that month, so I sold the Mark V to fund it, and then when things got back to normal, I started in with the HXDA and kind of fell in love with that vintage tone.

When I decided I needed to add the Mesa tone for a particular project - it was going to be very 'punk' and of course got cancelled by the time the amp arrived - I ordered a Lone Star 100, partly because my son was touring with one and was getting some seriously killer tones with it. I figured if it's good enough for him, I should have one, too!

But the Mark is a terrific amp. Do you have the combo or a head? I wish I'd gotten the Lone Star head. Mine's a combo, and it's just too heavy for me. I'm better off with heads and cabs these days. I'm going to keep it, because it does have wheels, and I did order up the fancy trim. But next time...

 

[ViperDoc]

Great post! Made me smile!

The Fuchs ODS is a lot like the Two-Rocks I played for quite a few years, with that Dumble tone happening. They're very similar amps in terms of tone, the Fuchs being a little more tight, the TRs a little fatter/looser. But that's hair-splitting. Both are great in every way.

As you probably know, I loved the Mark V I had, and posted very positively about it when I put it in the studio. They're wonderful amps. I had the head, paired with a 2x12 Recto cab. I had kind of a studio equipment emergency, and things were a little slow that month, so I sold the Mark V to fund it, and then when things got back to normal, I started in with the HXDA and kind of fell in love with that vintage tone.

When I decided I needed to add the Mesa tone for a particular project - it was going to be very 'punk' and of course got cancelled by the time the amp arrived - I ordered a Lone Star 100, partly because my son was touring with one and was getting some seriously killer tones with it. I figured if it's good enough for him, I should have one, too!

But the Mark is a terrific amp. Do you have the combo or a head? I wish I'd gotten the Lone Star head. Mine's a combo, and it's just too heavy for me. I'm better off with heads and cabs these days. I'm going to keep it, because it does have wheels, and I did order up the fancy trim. But next time...

I have the head and I run it through a Mesa 1x12 closed back cabinet with the stock speaker (not a V30). Head and cab is the only way I'll go now, not only for weight, but also for versatility. No sense owning a truckload of combos.

The ODS II is simply badass. It sizzles like country breakfast. I'm still learning how to use the EQ, but overall I'm very pleased with it. I'd love to try an HXDA sometime.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Well, in fear of violating the forum rules, I won't go into any details since it's not a PRS product. But, it's a modeling system by the engineer responsible for the old Redbox. Woundtight brought one with him and we demo'ed it at Wild West Guitars...sounded incredible. Get this: it has a built-in 100w amp. PM me for details.

Is mentioning another brand, in a market segment in which PRS doesn't even participate against the rules here? I understand the ethics of it, but we still discuss other amps we own here all the time and that is a category PRS is in. (look at the posts preceding this one) But we discuss pedals and other music gear all the time.

 

[11top]

Is mentioning another brand, in a market segment in which PRS doesn't even participate against the rules here? I understand the ethics of it, but we still discuss other amps we own here all the time and that is a category PRS is in. (look at the posts preceding this one) But we discuss pedals and other music gear all the time.

It's my understanding that it is not against the rules.

 

[Boogie]

Since the device is pitted directly at the Plexi market, I didn't want to misconstrue my excitement for it as a viable gigging device en lieu of an HXDA. I would only make such a statement if I were, say, a pod person (it's not everyday you can make an Invasion of the Body Snatchers reference...and the Donald Sutherland version, not that new wannabe flick). OK, okay, I give.

There have been numerous influences looming about. Really credible friends and incredible players who's opinions I not only respect, but share an uncanny similarity. Two, in particular, have been working in the realm of techno-amp-replacement stuff and have gotten my attention. One is hook-line-sinker into the Kemper camp and has the results to back up the sound. The other blindsided me with the BlueGuitar AMP-1. You think Les is skeptical? HA! Use that caps key when referring to me...I'm Skeptical. While no one brought a Kemper with them 2 weeks ago, someone brought an AMP-1 and we blew the doors off a full-sized stage environment with the demo. Let's just say you don't have to use the caps key anymore. Actually, you can't call me skeptical anymore, either, because, for many applications and certain situations, it's the perfect replacement for a full amp rig. Yes, you still need your pedalboard (you'll be prying that from my cold/dead fingers) and a cab, so it's never going to replace my fantastic amps. But if you want a responsive and a realistically breathing alternative, this is worth a look.

Don't go look at any of the posted videos, they sound pretty poor in comparison to the real thing. At gig+ volume, through a 1960b classic cab, I was impressed. And at a fraction of the cost of a Kemper or AxeFX, or even the new Line 6 POD thingy, it's really worth a look...especially since it also has a 100w amp built in.

I changed my mind: this is a pretty good video...

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I saw some Jennifer Batten video about that sucker, sounded really nice. IIRC she was just rolling with that, a 1x12 cab and a couple of pedals.

I'd probably check it out if it weren't for one small detail.

 

[László]

Kerry, as you know, I amazed my anti-digital self by preferring the Line 6 Helix to this analog-but-solid-state (except there's a miniature tube in it) pedal/amp thing, at least in the videos I've listened to. There's a dryness to this one's tone that's typical of that solid state thing, and there's a liquidity to the Helix' tone that I find more alluring and convincing.

That isn't to say this Blugamp sounds bad. It doesn't sound bad. It sounds pretty good.

But -- If I was gigging and needed an alternative to a traditional amp, I hate to admit it, but I'd go with the Helix, and leave the pedalboard AND cab at home.

Because if I'm dragging a cab around, and a pedalboard, I really don't see much point in not going all the way and taking a tube head, I'm still doing some serious schlepping. And the whole point of this thing is to eliminate that, right?

As a weight-saving thing, the Helix is SO much more attractive a proposition. To me. I think it sounds better, too.

But of course the usual disclaimers apply, and Your Mileage Definitely Varies.

 

[11top]

I'll let you know more after Wednesday.

 

[duhdewd]

As for me, I am in LOVE with my current rig! I crave playing it all day while I'm at work! When I'm in the shops I can't find anything to plug into that touches it! I am running my guitar into a Dunlop Volume X then to an Emma Reezafratzitz II then to an Eventide H9 where I split it out to the HXDA 100 and Budda SD30 in stereo. It's bone simple and sounds MASSIVE!

 

[László]

As for me, I am in LOVE with my current rig! I crave playing it all day while I'm at work! When I'm in the shops I can't find anything to plug into that touches it! I am running my guitar into a Dunlop Volume X then to an Emma Reezafratzitz II then to an Eventide H9 where I split it out to the HXDA 100 and Budda SD30 in stereo. It's bone simple and sounds MASSIVE!

I think that would sound AWESOME, too.

 

[aristotle]

I find the Blug interesting at the very least. For me, I'm not sure it's an advantage since I'm not hopping off an airplane and taking a taxi to the gig. The extra effort to take a head is negligible. But I can see that for some players this thing would indeed be an advantage. I also find it interesting that in the video that Boogie posted, they indicated that duplicated the behavior of a tube amp relative to pushing the power section at high volume. I'm skeptical that they aren't really just experiencing how human hearing works, but it seems to me that plenty of home players would prefer that this "feature" didn't exist. Neat post though Boogie!

 

[aristotle]

And since it seems to be OK to post content that isn't PRS for the purposes of this thread at least, I found this video interesting and at least mildy on topic.... Start at around 2:00

 

[László]

I like Bonamassa and enjoyed that video, thanks Aristotle!

Of course, that last 5-10% that Bonamassa is talking about is pretty much the point of discussions like this.

I will also say that this thread isn't about the money one has to put into making one's self happy with a rig. It's merely about the best sounding rig on the history of the reader's/poster's world, not the dollar value.

The hands...yes. All the instruments do is facilitate and amplify what the hands are causing to happen. Paul Smith also says that in a recent interview that was posted on the Forum.

But of course, we all know from experience that different guitars and amps and pedals and all that SCHTUFF sound different! Even though we're using the very same hands!

So it's certainly not JUST the hands. And as I've said many times in the past, it's the brain more than the hands, because the brain is the most active participant in that feedback loop of hands, instrument, amp, ears, brain.

"Hands, this is brain. Please give me a little vibrato in 5...4...3..right....NOW! Yes, a little more...no back off...yeah, that's the ticket. Next note will be a "D". And here we go, hitting the D, now a little vibrato, hit it again only harder, slide up to the E...and.."

 

[coyote]

Some of us, no doubt, are rock stars with a lot of choice gear. Some of us, like Aristotle, are gods of gear who have Mount Olympus sized rigs.
SNIP
Where do you fall? Are you walking into your studio or practice room and loving the stuff in there, or are you still on the Quest for the holy grail of tone?

I had/have my Holy Grail: a Marshall Major, that I ran thru a pair of 4x12s. It's retired now because the rebuild, with a quartet of new KT88s and new capacitors and output transformer and rebiasing, is more expensive than is worth doing in the moment. But in its day, with its active tone controls and incredible power, it was stunning. Clean powerful cleans, went from clean to crunch with the flick of a pick, add overdrive up front and the sustain was endless**. GAWD I used to love playing thru that stack!

**the real problem with it is that due to quirks of that design, adding overdrive up front resulted in huge voltage loads - with 1800 volts or more across the plates. Was torture on the output transformer. I replaced that twice already.