guitarjeff
New Member
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2015
- Messages
- 18
So after debating on which amp would be the best choice for me the last several weeks, I decided on a the 2 Channel Custom 20. Here she is.
It came down to the Archon or this Custom 20. I ultimately decided on this amp because I play out so much and when I used to play through a Hot Rod Deluxe, I swore I would never again own an amp that didn't have a boost pedal. I can get pretty much any effect I want from a pedal and sweeten up a Hot Rod enough to my liking but trying to get a proper boost can be a drag some nights (most nights). I would go from pedal to pedal and the boost would always slightly change the signal. I could deal with that though. Where it drives me insane is those nights when the rest of the band is turning up their instruments or jacking with the mix. Every time I adjust my amp or when they adjust their sound, I have to figure out the new level for the boost to be perfect for the next solo. Sometimes you hit it and it's a hair too loud and sometimes just a little too quiet. It gets frustrating to focus on such a silly thing when you have so many other things to think about while on the stage.
So after listening to what few video comparisons I could, I reasoned the Custom 20 should do the trick and I ordered it. After getting the amp and playing non-stop on it the first day (and already feeling extremely delighted), my best pal, who works at a music store, calls me and tells me he has a brand new Archon 50 head that he can get me for $850 (a rep he deals with and knows well). I ask why in the world he's not buying it, being the big PRS fan he is - and he tells me he's been playing out with it for the last month and there's only one thing that drives him crazy.... It doesn't have a boost and he loves that feature! I had to laugh and I then told him about my new amp and why I purchased it. He asked me to bring it by the practice room that evening.
We plugged them in side by side and played for the next couple hours, swapping out guitars and changing settings non-stop. When all was said and done, we both agreed that the Custom amp was the better one for playing live - just because we love that darned foot switch so much more! A separate boost for both the clean and gain is priceless when playing out (why in the world didn't they add this to the Archon?!)!
By comparison, they are nearly identical in sound. The Archon has a little bit bigger balls when the gain is full up but outside of the occasional 80s Van Halen/Scorpions/Ozzy song, we neither one keep that dial full on like that anyway. We were also going completely dry for our tests and any amount of gain is easily attainable with your favorite pedal (quite frankly, a compression pedal is probably all I'll use because I can't imagine the gain on either amp not being enough). We were actually both quite surprised at how much they sounded alike outside of this. He loved the extra reverb on the Custom as well (something the Archon doesn't have) and again, that's easily attainable in a pedal but it's one less I'll have to have. The cleans were nearly identical but we did both notice that it's hard to get the Archon to break up on the clean channel without going beyond the level you would have it even at a club (assuming you're micing your amp). They both sparkle in tone though. Add a Wampler Tape Echo and you'll have the clean sound of your dreams on either amp.
In driving out to his place, I was half-contemplating sending the Custom 20 back to Sweetwater and getting the Archon for the amazing price he was offering it to me at. After playing both though, I feel I have the perfect amp and it's worth a few more dollars to me. The Archon is still an equally amazing amp though and you really can't go wrong with either. It just kind of comes down to personal preference, as always. These amps sound so good that if you had to travel out of town for a gig and realized you forgot your entire pedal board, you would still enjoy playing the whole set list. I haven't found many amps I could honestly say that about!
It came down to the Archon or this Custom 20. I ultimately decided on this amp because I play out so much and when I used to play through a Hot Rod Deluxe, I swore I would never again own an amp that didn't have a boost pedal. I can get pretty much any effect I want from a pedal and sweeten up a Hot Rod enough to my liking but trying to get a proper boost can be a drag some nights (most nights). I would go from pedal to pedal and the boost would always slightly change the signal. I could deal with that though. Where it drives me insane is those nights when the rest of the band is turning up their instruments or jacking with the mix. Every time I adjust my amp or when they adjust their sound, I have to figure out the new level for the boost to be perfect for the next solo. Sometimes you hit it and it's a hair too loud and sometimes just a little too quiet. It gets frustrating to focus on such a silly thing when you have so many other things to think about while on the stage.
So after listening to what few video comparisons I could, I reasoned the Custom 20 should do the trick and I ordered it. After getting the amp and playing non-stop on it the first day (and already feeling extremely delighted), my best pal, who works at a music store, calls me and tells me he has a brand new Archon 50 head that he can get me for $850 (a rep he deals with and knows well). I ask why in the world he's not buying it, being the big PRS fan he is - and he tells me he's been playing out with it for the last month and there's only one thing that drives him crazy.... It doesn't have a boost and he loves that feature! I had to laugh and I then told him about my new amp and why I purchased it. He asked me to bring it by the practice room that evening.
We plugged them in side by side and played for the next couple hours, swapping out guitars and changing settings non-stop. When all was said and done, we both agreed that the Custom amp was the better one for playing live - just because we love that darned foot switch so much more! A separate boost for both the clean and gain is priceless when playing out (why in the world didn't they add this to the Archon?!)!
By comparison, they are nearly identical in sound. The Archon has a little bit bigger balls when the gain is full up but outside of the occasional 80s Van Halen/Scorpions/Ozzy song, we neither one keep that dial full on like that anyway. We were also going completely dry for our tests and any amount of gain is easily attainable with your favorite pedal (quite frankly, a compression pedal is probably all I'll use because I can't imagine the gain on either amp not being enough). We were actually both quite surprised at how much they sounded alike outside of this. He loved the extra reverb on the Custom as well (something the Archon doesn't have) and again, that's easily attainable in a pedal but it's one less I'll have to have. The cleans were nearly identical but we did both notice that it's hard to get the Archon to break up on the clean channel without going beyond the level you would have it even at a club (assuming you're micing your amp). They both sparkle in tone though. Add a Wampler Tape Echo and you'll have the clean sound of your dreams on either amp.
In driving out to his place, I was half-contemplating sending the Custom 20 back to Sweetwater and getting the Archon for the amazing price he was offering it to me at. After playing both though, I feel I have the perfect amp and it's worth a few more dollars to me. The Archon is still an equally amazing amp though and you really can't go wrong with either. It just kind of comes down to personal preference, as always. These amps sound so good that if you had to travel out of town for a gig and realized you forgot your entire pedal board, you would still enjoy playing the whole set list. I haven't found many amps I could honestly say that about!
