• From: Missoula, Montana
  • Registered: 2008-08-18
  • Posts: 308

Re: More Amp Demos...Stratalicious!

stratpaulguy86 wrote:

You may already know about this, but www.thegearpage.net is probably the hugest website totally dedicated to all things guitar gear.  It can be a harmful place to spend too much time, but in moderation it can really help you get an idea of what sounds good out there.  There are some guys on there that have million dollar rigs, no joke.  I don't let it put me down, I mean who really needs 15 Two-Rocks, 10 Divided by 13's, 8 Fuchs', 6 Mad Professors, etc.  Just take everything with a grain of salt on gear forums because there is a LOT of bias in each post.  I'm as guilty as any but I definately don't put anyone else's stuff down.  As you mentioned you have a Marshall MG, there is a demo on YouTube of Rob Math (Marshall rep) playing one...holy friggin' cow.  Just goes to show you, tone is definately achieved by practice and hard work even on cheaper amps/guitars.  Good luck, and thanks again!

                   -Justin

Thanks Justin, I'll give the gear page a look. I am following the tube discussion - completely lost, but following along

#275 JB LP

tmcguire's Website

  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: More Amp Demos...Stratalicious!

Tubes are really subjective, but it seems that Joe likes JJ's! big_smile  That's what I have been putting in most of my amps for a while and I dig 'em.  Tubes can be confusing because there are often different names for essentially the same tube.  Example:  6CA7's are a direct replacement for EL34's, as are E34L's.  It's not really that important as long as the amp sounds good and the tubes don't keep blowing.  Have fun at TGP, it's a circus on there!

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • Registered: 2009-05-30
  • Posts: 25

Re: More Amp Demos...Stratalicious!

Hi guys...newbie here. Just wanted to share my taste on tone. I'm a firm believer that it's in the fingers and that an amp will heighten it and, as a good friend of mine said, the guitar itself becomes like a mic stand! Now bear with me on this. I wrote an article for a website that warned of the virtues of deluxe boutique amps. Now I have nothing against all of these guys making amps and, over the years, I've had Boogie (Mk4), Marshall (4 100w tops from Superlead to JCM800's), Gallien Kreuger (that little 250ml beast), Hughes and Kettner (various), Peavey (5150 heads and my current 30w Classic). In fact since 1978, I've probably owned 30+ amps and parted with many expensive guitars (including a 76 Fender strat and a Gibson Melody Maker from 1972 that went for a pittance sad  ) BUT I've made my best noises with a Line6 PODxt and a 1985 MIJ Squier strat!

I did a cover of 'If Heartaches Were Nickels' by Joe (written by the mighty Warren Haynes) and used the above. You can find the link here: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7645476

In the Squier is a Seymour Duncan Hotrails but the single coils are stock and they sing. I've found that underpowered pickups work harder when they are driven hard and I think these old Squiers are Fenders in all but name! I have been able to coax most sounds out of the PODxt and there's a couple of links on youtube where (if you can be bothered) you can hear the virtues of the PODxt and also a video I have done for the Peavey Classic 30w using both a Levinson Blade and a Musicman Steve Morse beastie!

Here's a link to the Peavey demo...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdYtKbMR … annel_page

And here to a cover of Gary Moore's 'The Loner' with the PODxt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Esz7Fi8N … annel_page

At the end of the day, what I'm trying to say is that the never ending search for the holy grail of tone is not best served by extremely expensive guitar amps. My Peavey Classic cost £230 and sounds great but people still say I should mod this and change the speaker etc! The PODxt was 2nd hand 5 years ago and cost me £180...I've recorded over 150 songs with it! Expensive amps will help but YOUR tone starts with your fingers. It won't make you sound like somebody else...a great anecdote from the 70's was of Ted Nugent on hearing Eddie Van Halen, followed him round trying to get a meet to try his gear out. On finally plugging in and playing a bit he said 'this doesn't sound like you?' to which Ed replied 'well who were you expecting!'

Let the flaming begin...on your marks, GO! big_smile

"Tone is in the fingers"
Peavey Wolfgang Goldtop, Peavey Wolfgang Custom 5150 finish,  1994 Musicman EVH, Musicman Steve Morse Y2D, Levinson Blade Texas Deluxe, Squier MIJ 85 strat, Ibanez AEL40 acoustic, Yamaha G255-S Classical guitar
Peavey Classic 30, Line6 Spider 3, Line6 Spider 1 XL, Marshall 30w, Line6 PODxt, lots of toys!
  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: More Amp Demos...Stratalicious!

No flaming here brother, but I sure do love my amps no matter how much they cost.  I prefer boutique amps because for my dollar they break down less, are easier to work on because many of them are PTP, and just plain spank some of the mass produced stuff out there.  I use to own mass produced Fenders of all types (reissues, hot rod, blues jr.) and a Peavey Classic 50.  All great sounding but IMO don't hold a candle to what I own now for MY TASTES.  You have some KILLER sounds with the Morse MM and the Classic 30.  I can hear the difference between that and the POD clip, some more compression and a slight digital cleaness if you will.  Still killer and some great chops to boot.  I did have a laugh at this though man lol:

"At the end of the day, what I'm trying to say is that the never ending search for the holy grail of tone is not best served by extremely expensive guitar amps."

You do know that this is a Joe Bonamassa fan site right?!  Joe is probably the biggest gear whore in the biz lol .  Sweet clips, thanks for sharing!  Peace

        -Justin

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • Registered: 2009-05-30
  • Posts: 25

Re: More Amp Demos...Stratalicious!

stratpaulguy86 wrote:

I did have a laugh at this though man lol:

"At the end of the day, what I'm trying to say is that the never ending search for the holy grail of tone is not best served by extremely expensive guitar amps."

You do know that this is a Joe Bonamassa fan site right?!  Joe is probably the biggest gear whore in the biz lol .  Sweet clips, thanks for sharing!  Peace

        -Justin

Yeah, I know JB had a 3 amp rig last time I checked his gear out BUT, you gotta agree, it's a lot easier to get hold of whatever amp, guitar or pedal you want when you're called Joe Bonamassa! Not all of us have unlimited budgets or endorsements...I'm simply saying don't expect to sound like somebody because you own the same gear. Tone is in the fingers! big_smile

Thanks for checking out the clips.

"Tone is in the fingers"
Peavey Wolfgang Goldtop, Peavey Wolfgang Custom 5150 finish,  1994 Musicman EVH, Musicman Steve Morse Y2D, Levinson Blade Texas Deluxe, Squier MIJ 85 strat, Ibanez AEL40 acoustic, Yamaha G255-S Classical guitar
Peavey Classic 30, Line6 Spider 3, Line6 Spider 1 XL, Marshall 30w, Line6 PODxt, lots of toys!
  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: More Amp Demos...Stratalicious!

I agree with you 100% you don't need to drop serious money on gear.  Some professional sounds can be had on more common stuff, as you have shown.  I set up my main rig to get into Joe Bonamassa territory but I was also a huge SRV, Beck, EJ, EC, and Page fan before I got heavily into Joe.  We share similar influences and hearing Joe just made sense.  His rig is awesome because he can get into the ballpark of all the tones of the above mentioned players.  That's what I ultimately want moreso than Joe's licks.  To me, unfortunately, that usually translates into multiple amps and higher quality stuff that is versitile enough to change musical direction quickly.  I'd like to see some more stuff from you man, I especially like the MM Morse.   That's a mean sounding guitar! cool

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.

43 Reply by wahwah666 (edited by wahwah666 2009-06-01 19:19:39)

  • Registered: 2009-05-30
  • Posts: 25

Re: More Amp Demos...Stratalicious!

stratpaulguy86 wrote:

I agree with you 100% you don't need to drop serious money on gear.  Some professional sounds can be had on more common stuff, as you have shown.  I set up my main rig to get into Joe Bonamassa territory but I was also a huge SRV, Beck, EJ, EC, and Page fan before I got heavily into Joe.  We share similar influences and hearing Joe just made sense.  His rig is awesome because he can get into the ballpark of all the tones of the above mentioned players.  That's what I ultimately want moreso than Joe's licks.  To me, unfortunately, that usually translates into multiple amps and higher quality stuff that is versitile enough to change musical direction quickly.  I'd like to see some more stuff from you man, I especially like the MM Morse.   That's a mean sounding guitar! cool

Thanks mate. Just type wahwah666 into youtube and there's around 9 videos there. The Morse is a wonderful guitar but I've fallen for my MIJ '85 Squier at the moment. That's what I recorded 'If Heartaches Were Nickels' with and it's a great buy for less than $80!!!! The Musicman was a LOT more. lol

"Tone is in the fingers"
Peavey Wolfgang Goldtop, Peavey Wolfgang Custom 5150 finish,  1994 Musicman EVH, Musicman Steve Morse Y2D, Levinson Blade Texas Deluxe, Squier MIJ 85 strat, Ibanez AEL40 acoustic, Yamaha G255-S Classical guitar
Peavey Classic 30, Line6 Spider 3, Line6 Spider 1 XL, Marshall 30w, Line6 PODxt, lots of toys!