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Buying a first good amp... Johnson Millennium ?


Runark92

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Hi there, first topic ! I'm looking foward to buy a good (modeling or not) amplifier for home recording to maybe some small gig but i didn't find a good tube amp or distortion pedal that is good enough for my need since I don't gig for the moment. I'm mostly a

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Not sure the Millenium will be so much better. At the time...it was not only THE state of the art....but pretty much only game in town.

 

What I like to do, for flexibility, teakability and ease of use, is have a good tube amp and a multi-fx pedal....and have the best of both worlds. You could get into a cheapish Fender, Crate, or Peavey, and have something like Digitech RP-500. For what you describe, I would also check a Rocktron Utopia. Utopia has a couple user issues, but none of them are it's metal tone. Rocktron has really nice effects too.

With this kind of setup, you can get by with a combo, instead of stack AND avoid the issue of cranking a tube amp- becuase you can tweak the FX unit for things like heavy distortion, EQ and loudness etc. It's true you may not have the one or two perfect tones, but you can easily get a handful or more of very good ones, and have the best of both worlds.

If you are still interested in something like the Millenium, I'd look into the Hughes & Kettner Zentera.

 

 

 

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Steve2112 wrote:

 

 

Not sure the Millenium will be so much better. At the time...it was not only THE state of the art....but pretty much only game in town.

 

 

 

What I like to do, for flexibility, teakability and ease of use, is have a good tube amp and a multi-fx pedal....and have the best of both worlds. You could get into a cheapish Fender, Crate, or Peavey, and have something like Digitech RP-500. For what you describe, I would also check a Rocktron Utopia. Utopia has a couple user issues, but none of them are it's metal tone. Rocktron has really nice effects too.

 

With this kind of setup, you can get by with a combo, instead of stack AND avoid the issue of cranking a tube amp- becuase you can tweak the FX unit for things like heavy distortion, EQ and loudness etc. It's true you may not have the one or two perfect tones, but you can easily get a handful or more of very good ones, and have the best of both worlds.

 

If you are still interested in something like the Millenium, I'd look into the Hughes & Kettner Zentera.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That seem to be a pretty good idea ! Ive read a lot about multi-effects and a lot of people are saying that multi-effect and amp are not a good combination but i remember playing a Boss ME-10 trought a small fender reverb super champ on stage for a talent show and it sounded big ! Do you know what kind of amp take well multi effects ? Maybe an amp like a ampeg GVT, i tried one and it seem really transparent for that kind of things..

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I bought a Millenium 150 as my first amp when they were introduced and have been very satisfied with its' performance. Remember it's part computer, part amp, so the more time you spend with the manual the more you'll be able to exploit its' prodigious capabilities. Good luck!

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I've still got a jm250 and matching 412 and j12 controller. I even found some beta firmware to install many years ago. Anyways it's a cool amp. I've had several other tube amps since then. But plan on keeping it just because. I'll have to try it with a different cab. IMO it's not quite as good as a tube amp. I'd say it's about 90% as good. But there isn't a tube amp around that can do what all it can do.

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scroadstar wrote:

 

 

I bought a Millenium 150 as my first amp when they were introduced and have been very satisfied with its' performance. Remember it's part computer, part amp, so the more time you spend with the manual the more you'll be able to exploit its' prodigious capabilities. Good luck!

 

Yeah, the deeper part of understanding this thing is getting used the sdisk fx limits. Outside of that, the unit is still bad ass. Just get rid of the V30's. They kill it and make things way too harsh.

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I have been reading a lot of post on a lot of different forum pages and it seems people want to really knock the Johnson 150. Now these are only MY opinions and everyone has one I know. I have owned my Johnson Millennium since 98. It has NEVER let me down. I have used it in the studio, which blew the engineer away as he could not tell the difference in it and many other "boutique" amps he had heard. I also use it live along side two other guitarist weekly, one who uses a Marshall JCM800 combo and the other who uses a Mesa Triple Rec. When I use either of those settings on my Millennium, there is NO comparison! I read post from people who have "heard" they were undependable or sounded cheesy. Then there are post about how much they weigh, but then they boast how they use a 4x12 and a 50 pound head?? I believe the proof is in the beholder. I have heard of some peoples Millennium failing but at the same time how many times has a Tube amp failed? If anyone says they never had to do anything to their tube amp they are either lying or have a very very good amp and if so, good for them. I also own a Koch Multitone 212 which is a killer boutique amp and I have played it live. I can do MORE with the Johnson and the j12 pedal. They WERE very pricey when they first came out but now I see they are more reasonable if you can find a good used one.

If you play in a variety band, you can play a variety of sounds with out carrying around a variety of equipment. Its amazing that the Brian Setzer setting sounds just like Brian Setzer. The Gilmore setting sounds just like Gilmore and etc. So, I don't have to purchase five thousand dollars worth of gear to sound like I want to sound per song. It takes some tweaking and doing, but can be done. I played it out live in clubs in 1998 and I will do it again next weekend.

I just wanted to express my opinion on what I think is a great amp. Far as I can see, what ever your using to make good music, don't stop,  Rock On! 

JC

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