02-13-2013 11:01 AM
Posted this to amp forum and got zero responses, so I hope I have better luck here -
Hey guys,
I wanted to ask for suggestions on a new or used head. I'm currently playing thru a Marshall Valvestate (1993) 100w head, and it's taking a crap on me. I used to be all about Marshall, but since I've updated my FX to a GSP rack, I have found that tubes and valves and even valve emulators tend to clash with the modeling from the rack, so I was looking for something just basic, solid state, prefer no FX (reverb ok), and maybe 2-channel, but definitely more interested in the clean channel being.. clean.
I'm not looking for a $2k head or anything, just local bar cover-band quality that can deliver good low and high end, and let me rack speak for itself.
I was looking online, but can't seem to factor out all the amps with built-in effects and valve technologies, so I figured I would ask here.
So, what's a good, solid, SS amp head out there?
Worth noting, I've been eyeing up the Ibanez TBX150H head online, so far that's the only one that I've found that seems to be fitting. Any opinions on this head?
02-13-2013 11:16 AM
No idea. But, how serious are you in regards to modeling? Can you go direct into the PA? If so, maybe you just want to look at going direct into the PA from your modeling stuff and get a powered speaker as a monitor so you can hear yourself.
02-13-2013 11:18 AM
A lot of guys I know find the various Fender amps to be perfect for this.
I've seen some guys using PA amps or even bass amps for this type of setup as well. Perfectly clean amplification with no coloring. But I can't say any of them were anywhere near as passionate about "loving thier setup" like the Fender guys.
Personally, I have strayed away from all modelling and mutli-effects systems and have returned to the tried and true Marshall (my main head is a modified JVM) and a few pedals.
02-13-2013 11:24 AM
02-13-2013 11:40 AM
02-13-2013 11:45 AM
02-13-2013 12:41 PM - edited 02-13-2013 12:41 PM
02-13-2013 12:55 PM
Are you looking to get all of your overdrive/distortion and effects from the rack modeler?
If so, then go with a Mosvalve power amp, or Rocktron Velocity.
You can find 'em used for cheap on ebay and you will be very happy with that.
02-13-2013 12:59 PM
Kramerguy wrote:
I built a pedal board last year, found myself disgusted with only having 3 distortion pedals, one chorus, one delay, etc. The modeler I use has 3 different choruses, reverbs, tons of delay pedal models, etc.. just can't go back to stompboxes after having 20 pedalboards worth of FX at my fingertips
I was there for a long while. I often think about going back. Especially because I could combine pedal board patch changes with midi control messages for controlling my lighting rig. When I go from an Aerosmith song to a Godsmack, I think, "would be nice to switch from a Marshall tone to a Mesa tone right about now..."
But I just found that although I had a million options at my feet, I was never fully satisified with any of them. Everytime I sat down to practice, I would start adjusting things to get closer to what I want. Then the next day I would say, "this is close, but let me adjust it and get a little closer..." Rince and repeat... It started eating away at my practice time.
Now I run a JVM. I keep a Bad Horsie II, Tube Screamer, volume pedal and tuner in front of the amp, and a delay (with tap tempo) and chorus in the effects loop. Nice simple system with a really nice crunch and a lead channel that's thick and cuts though nicely.
02-13-2013 01:05 PM
vablows wrote:Are you looking to get all of your overdrive/distortion and effects from the rack modeler?
If so, then go with a Mosvalve power amp, or Rocktron Velocity.
You can find 'em used for cheap on ebay and you will be very happy with that.
That's a really good idea- I hadn't thought about a rack amp.. Looking into it, thanks!
02-13-2013 01:12 PM
Mutha Goose wrote:
Kramerguy wrote:
I built a pedal board last year, found myself disgusted with only having 3 distortion pedals, one chorus, one delay, etc. The modeler I use has 3 different choruses, reverbs, tons of delay pedal models, etc.. just can't go back to stompboxes after having 20 pedalboards worth of FX at my fingertipsI was there for a long while. I often think about going back. Especially because I could combine pedal board patch changes with midi control messages for controlling my lighting rig. When I go from an Aerosmith song to a Godsmack, I think, "would be nice to switch from a Marshall tone to a Mesa tone right about now..."
But I just found that although I had a million options at my feet, I was never fully satisified with any of them. Everytime I sat down to practice, I would start adjusting things to get closer to what I want. Then the next day I would say, "this is close, but let me adjust it and get a little closer..." Rince and repeat... It started eating away at my practice time.
Now I run a JVM. I keep a Bad Horsie II, Tube Screamer, volume pedal and tuner in front of the amp, and a delay (with tap tempo) and chorus in the effects loop. Nice simple system with a really nice crunch and a lead channel that's thick and cuts though nicely.
That was my project a year ago.. I was constantly thinking about going back to a pedal board.. gas'sing for the cool distortion pedal, etc.. but once I did it, I was just disappointed with the end result. Swapped out a pedal here and there and just couldn't satisfy my desire for more easily switchable effects.. like you said, wouldn't it be nice to switch from a marshall tone to a mesa tone lol. Also I couldn't fit chorus, reverb, delay, flanger, phaser, 3 dist, wah, whammy, eq, comp, gate, etc.. so I had to give too much up.
I agree that the marshall (or whatever) model wasn't exactly the same as a marshall, but it still sounds plenty good and has it's own flavor, which once dialed in (for me), is pretty damn sweet. The dual rec model actually sounds better than a real dual rec to me, so there's wins and losses in both. I use mostly OD gains anyways, so it's all good.
02-13-2013 02:29 PM

02-13-2013 05:16 PM
02-14-2013 05:50 AM
Kramerguy wrote:
vablows wrote:Are you looking to get all of your overdrive/distortion and effects from the rack modeler?
If so, then go with a Mosvalve power amp, or Rocktron Velocity.
You can find 'em used for cheap on ebay and you will be very happy with that.
That's a really good idea- I hadn't thought about a rack amp.. Looking into it, thanks!
The Velocity gets my vote. I went rack after doing everything else under the sun. Velocity did the trick and the price was good.
02-14-2013 07:06 AM
02-14-2013 12:29 PM - edited 02-14-2013 12:30 PM
As it stands, I'm just using the GSP1101 and a power conditioner rack in the case, have 1 slot left. The velocity does look like a great solution. The GSP has a left (mono) and right 1/4" output jacks, so I could always run one to the cab and the other to the board, but current config is I just run to the cab and use a SM57 mic to run to the board.
02-14-2013 07:32 PM
Kramerguy wrote:As it stands, I'm just using the GSP1101 and a power conditioner rack in the case, have 1 slot left. The velocity does look like a great solution. The GSP has a left (mono) and right 1/4" output jacks, so I could always run one to the cab and the other to the board, but current config is I just run to the cab and use a SM57 mic to run to the board.
When I used to pack around a 4x12 with my GSP rack I would run the cab with a Carvin TS100 tube power amp and use the XLR outs to the PA.
Worked pretty well. PA in stereo and a stereo 4x12,nice thick sound. Kept the 4x12 volume on stage pretty low with the input gains on the amp.
02-28-2013 12:19 PM
Well I ended up purchasing the ART SLA-2. Got it last week, but also had to wait on a new rack case, as my old one was a shorti.. So I popped it in yesterday at practice and cranked it up.
The thing definitely packs a whallop, powers my 4x10 cab without any trouble. Everything is coming out a little muddy at first, but apparently my marshall head was really trebly.. it had no low end at all, so my eq's were all low treble and high bass on my GSP patches. I made the EQ adjustments and it sounds phoenominal! I will take a pic on Sat and upload it, it's now what I call a "sweet rig".
The amp model gains, boosts, effects, everything are coming thru MUCH MUCH better. I think that my marshall head was actually dying on me.. it sounded worse and worse over the last 6 months and had been getting tempermental (volume going up and down a little.. loud one song, quiet the next).
The nice thing was that I got it all from sweetwater- they matched GC's pricing on everything (pres day sales), and then shipped for free, esentially killing GC's price, and GC would have taken much longer to get it to me.. their order and ship times are terrible.
02-28-2013 01:49 PM
Yeah, I think if you're modeling you should get a clean little digital amp and two little 8-10" PA speakers. That's what I've done, I play guitar and keys and run them both throught the same little PA system on-stage. I think it blows away the fender combo amp the other guitarist uses.
02-28-2013 01:51 PM
Oh, well. Done.
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