What Are Your Favorite Amps To Play?

Bogner said:
I Am A Big Fan Of The Triple Crown. It Deserves Far More Credit Than It Gets
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I know you've heard this before... but that amp came along after I had "given up" on Mesa and sold all the ones I had. It "seemed" to be perhaps the one I had always wanted, but that's also true of a few of them I owned and sold. So, it went on the "I'd like to play one of these to see, but til I do, I'm not jumping in again" category.
 
DreamTheaterRules said:
I know you've heard this before... but that amp came along after I had "given up" on Mesa and sold all the ones I had. It "seemed" to be perhaps the one I had always wanted, but that's also true of a few of them I owned and sold. So, it went on the "I'd like to play one of these to see, but til I do, I'm not jumping in again" category.
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Why Would You Give Up On Mesa? They Make Some Nice Amps.
 
DreamTheaterRules said:
I loved several of my Mesa amps until I got the Archon. I really loved my Mesa Mark V and honestly wish I hadn't sold it, just because I always wanted one and it was great. But the Archon made it so I rarely played the V and the Archon is SO easy to make sound great.
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I Hear Ya. I Love The Original Archons And Am Very Happy With Them And Will Never Get Rid Of Them. It Is Never Too Late To Jump Back In. ;)
 
This thread was what, at least partially, caused me to reevaluate several of my amps and I’ve come to the conclusion that any amp I own (and they’re all “good ones”) can be my favorite after I spend some time on it getting acquainted again. They have a way of reminding you why you bought and, more importantly, kept the ones you have.

This, of course, also happens with guitars for me. Perhaps I’m just not selective enough, but it’s like getting to fall in love again… a musical “Fifty First Dates.” I count it a blessing that my preferences aren’t so dogmatically ingrained that they don’t allow me to re-enjoy something from which I’d previously moved on.

All the experiences expressed in this thread prove that there is no best, only what you like best at that moment.
 
RickP said:
This thread was what, at least partially, caused me to reevaluate several of my amps and I’ve come to the conclusion that any amp I own (and they’re all “good ones”) can be my favorite after I spend some time on it getting acquainted again. They have a way of reminding you why you bought and, more importantly, kept the ones you have.
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My "gave up on" comment above was probably a bit to harsh. I loved my Mini Recto and my Mark V 25 and Mark V when I got them. ONLY sold the recto because I was convinced I was a "mark" player, not recto, and I loved the V25 when I got it. And loved the big boy when I got it. Honestly as much as I loved the Marks, I got tired of CONSTANTLY tweaking them. I was always SO close to the tone I dreamed of and could never quite get it. And I have a couple distinct memories of having a KILLER tone one night, and turn the amp on 3 nights in a row after that and it never sounding as good, so... back to more tweaking. And (just as bad as the last one) you'd get great tone, switch guitars, and could NEVER get it to sound as good. Then I got the Archon and BOOM, great tone all over the place and I could change it dramatically and easily dial right back to the last great tone. And, I could get one great tone, switch guitars, and easily dial that tone into that guitar. That said, I never had these issues with the TA15 or 30, or the Mini Recto. They were easy and quick to dial in and TONES were easily repeatable.

I will (and have before) though, say that I wish I had tried more speakers with the Mesa's before dumping them. At everyone's insistence that V30s were THE speaker for Recto tones and Mark tones, etc., I tired of the V30 spike and started mixing in more high powered greenback type tones and liked those much better. I really wish I had the Dr. Z cab before I sold all of those because I might still have a few of them if I'd gotten to try them with that cab! It is consistently my best sounding cab, to the point I rarely plug in my Mesa 2x12 vertical rec or my PRS 2x12 pine (and it sounds better than stock with one ET90 mixed in).
 
DreamTheaterRules said:
My "gave up on" comment above was probably a bit to harsh. I loved my Mini Recto and my Mark V 25 and Mark V when I got them. ONLY sold the recto because I was convinced I was a "mark" player, not recto, and I loved the V25 when I got it. And loved the big boy when I got it. Honestly as much as I loved the Marks, I got tired of CONSTANTLY tweaking them. I was always SO close to the tone I dreamed of and could never quite get it. And I have a couple distinct memories of having a KILLER tone one night, and turn the amp on 3 nights in a row after that and it never sounding as good, so... back to more tweaking. And (just as bad as the last one) you'd get great tone, switch guitars, and could NEVER get it to sound as good. Then I got the Archon and BOOM, great tone all over the place and I could change it dramatically and easily dial right back to the last great tone. And, I could get one great tone, switch guitars, and easily dial that tone into that guitar. That said, I never had these issues with the TA15 or 30, or the Mini Recto. They were easy and quick to dial in and TONES were easily repeatable.

I will (and have before) though, say that I wish I had tried more speakers with the Mesa's before dumping them. At everyone's insistence that V30s were THE speaker for Recto tones and Mark tones, etc., I tired of the V30 spike and started mixing in more high powered greenback type tones and liked those much better. I really wish I had the Dr. Z cab before I sold all of those because I might still have a few of them if I'd gotten to try them with that cab! It is consistently my best sounding cab, to the point I rarely plug in my Mesa 2x12 vertical rec or my PRS 2x12 pine (and it sounds better than stock with one ET90 mixed in).
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I used to like V30's. Eventually that "spike" became something i couldn't live with anymore.

That spike annoys me like the spike in a new, unaltered Duncan JB pickup. That's the reason I use a roughcast magnet in my JB. Tames that spike. can't do that with a V30!

V30's do sound great in a 4 x 12 Marshall though. Big sealed cab. That's how Eric Johnson uses them.

In a 4x12 marshall cab, I don't hear that spike the way i do when a V30 is in an open back Fender combo.

I'd like to try some Scumbacks someday but probably never will.

The Heritage version of the Celestion G12H30 is my favorite "new" speaker these days. I prefer the 75 Hz cone to the 55.
 
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DreamTheaterRules said:
Same here. Been saying that for years and come close multiple times to buying a couple. Now suddenly their price has doubled from back when I looked a few years ago and the "speaker-go-round" is a tough ride to hop back on when you aren't playing the amps all the time.
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All of my amps are pretty well tweaked to my idea of perfection by now.

My brother Bruce is an amp tech in Denver. Mission Amps.

The "right" speakers are as important as your pickups, effects and everything else.

They're the last tone shaper in the chain.

But the best ones don't come cheap.
 
DreamTheaterRules said:
My "gave up on" comment above was probably a bit to harsh.
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My little blurb there was pure self-reflection, and not really pointed towards anyone. Sorry if it might have appeared that way.

I still love what I love, but have also recognized a tendency to often go back to a past thing and think “this sounds awesome, why did I stop using it?” So I’ll live in that space a while. I used to think of it as a mistake becoming apparent, but now more look at it as a tool I once used being the tool I need again. When you already purchased and still have the tool, it’s like getting the second round free, so there’s never a buyer‘s remorse!
 
Lewguitar said:
I used to like V30's. Eventually that "spike" became something i couldn't live with anymore.

That spike annoys me like the spike in a new, unaltered Duncan JB pickup. That's the reason I use a roughcast magnet in my JB. Tames that spike. can't do that with a V30!

V30's do sound great in a 4 x 12 Marshall though. Big sealed cab. That's how Eric Johnson uses them.

In a 4x12 marshall cab, I don't hear that spike the way i do when a V30 is in an open back Fender combo.

I'd like to try some Scumbacks someday but probably never will.

The Heritage version of the Celestion G12H30 is my favorite "new" speaker these days. I prefer the 75 Hz cone to the 55.
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Have You Tried The DV-77? You May Really Like It.
 
Lewguitar said:
What is it? I doubt that I've tried it.

Ah! An Eminence.

I'm very much a Celestion and old Jensen kinda guy,

That's my sound.
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It Is A Really Nice Speaker Worth A Look For The Vintage 30 Lovers Who Dislike The Spike.

Edit: You May Discover A New Sound That Could Be Your Sound As Well. ;)
 
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RickP said:
My little blurb there was pure self-reflection, and not really pointed towards anyone. Sorry if it might have appeared that way.
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Not at all. It just made me remember what I posted and think it needed further elaboration. And I've said it before. I might still have 2-3 Mesa if I had that Dr. Z cab when I owned them (or had replaced a V30 or two in the cabs I had).
 
Bogner said:
It Is A Really Nice Speaker Worth A Look For The Vintage 30 Lovers Who Dislike The Spike.

Edit: You May Discover A New Sound That Could Be Your Sound As Well. ;)
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That was the idea with the Warehouse Sound Veteran 30. Bought a pair because Brent Mason used them but they sounded bland to me.

Doesn't seem like anyone can capture the Celestion sound except for Celestion.

It's the voice coils and cones they use, and magnet, even though they've changed through the years.

But real British made Celestions have been giving me my sound since the 1960's.

Maybe Scumback can get that sound, but I've never played through one.
 
DreamTheaterRules said:
I know you've heard this before... but that amp came along after I had "given up" on Mesa and sold all the ones I had. It "seemed" to be perhaps the one I had always wanted, but that's also true of a few of them I owned and sold.
Click to expand...
Over the years I've found that there isn't one amp that will always do it all. at least not the way I want "all" done. Each one has a character and a sound, and that's not a bad thing! ;)

There are a lot of excellent amps out there, and I've become a fan of quite a few of them.

One thing about my Mesa amps (as with my other amps, but especially so with the Mesas): The tubes matter. A lot. As you know I'm all over NOS, but it's not because I'm crazy.

It's in ADDITION to the fact that I'm crazy!! ;)

DreamTheaterRules said:
And (just as bad as the last one) you'd get great tone, switch guitars, and could NEVER get it to sound as good.
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Goodness, I have a few thoughts about this - Well, OK, when do I not have a few thoughts about something or other? ;)

The fact that an amp needs tweaking when you switch guitars is not a bad thing. It's actually a GOOD thing. It means the amp is responsive to what you're playing and isn't dominating the tone completely. It means the guitar's inherent tone and differences are shining through.

A quality amp should ALWAYS need tweaking when changing guitars. If the guitar is irrelevant, the amp sucks.

If it doesn't need tweaking it means the amp isn't very transparent.

DreamTheaterRules said:
I will (and have before) though, say that I wish I had tried more speakers with the Mesa's before dumping them.
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I will admit that I have moved too many Mesas along. But I've also moved too many Two-Rocks, Fenders, Vox', Bad Cats, Bogners and others along.

All of them were really nice amps -- what was I thinking? I have no idea!

One of the great benefits of having this lovely KHE amp & cab switcher here in Studio Craptastic is that I can use different amps with different speakers and cabs at the touch of a button or midi switch, and get the tone I need for a project. It's WONDERFUL. Because let's face it, many of us (I include myself) aren't going to bother to dick around with a bunch of cables every time they have a different session or change guitars. Yet the speakers make a HUGE difference.

It's not like I'm looking for the ONE ultimate speaker for an amp - there probably isn't one. It's that I'm looking to achieve the tone I have in my head, whatever that is, and this tool helps.

If I had one of these before, I'd have hung onto more amps. More amps = more better!! ;)
 
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