Amp Preferences

Hi guys,

I am using a Fender G-DEC 30 at home. It does a reasonably good job of replicating tube sounds from clean to overdrive, although I would definitely want to go the tube amp route if I had access to more space and privacy, lol. What drew me to the G-DEC was the fact that Eric Johnson signed off on it. Since he is a notorious tonehead, I figured it was good enough for me.

I have played through various low watt tube amps like the Mesa Boogie 5:25 Express, which sounds great. It’s the one Tom Quayle uses. You still have to drive these amps at a sometimes unreasonably loud volume to get tone. I have to be quiet, lol.

I own a Marshall TSL 100 which is a beast for the house. It is blowing fuses, so it is time to re-tube it. I am looking at sending it to Voodoo Amps to have some modifications done. From what I have read, there seems to be a buzz about these mods that includes transformer upgrades as well as some circuitry mods. It would be cool to own a Marshall with a somewhat unique vibe to it, as long as it is a toneful one.

I have become interested in some of the ENGL amps like the Powerball and the Fireball. I am also looking very hard at the Mesa Boogie Mark 5, which has alot of quality tone options.

There sure are alot of nice amps floating around these days. What’s a working man to do?

Frank

@billmeedog 8655 wrote:

Hey Guys, 🙂

I’ve actually been using an old Hughes & Kettner Access (Midi Programmable Tube Preamp) feeding an EL84 equipped Hughes & Kettner VS-250 Stereo Power-Amp into a Marshall 1960A Stereo-Wired 4×12 Cab, with a combination of rack (Rocktron Replifex) and stomp/foot-pedal (Fulltone Clyde Deluxe Wah) Effects, and I’ve used this rig (mostly doing “Rock Cover/Copy” stuff) for a VERY long time! :eek::o:cool:

That being said, I also own a Marshall JCM900[ head, a Line 6 POD-XT Live, and a Fender G-DEC 30. I’m always trying to keep up with newer options in gear (even though I rarely budge on changing my “working-rig” much – if at all!) :rolleyes:

If it’s REAL (as in honest-to-goodness, tube-powered) amps that your considering, I really like the direction that Egnater Amps is going in with their “Rebel-Series” amps! That whole “Dual-Power Tube Blending” to me is pure genious! Then you can get the “best-of-both-worlds!” For example, you could get the “chimey-headroom glass” – a la Vox AC30 fame – from the EL84’s, while coaxing “Fender Deluxe-like self-compressing overdriven bliss” from the 6V6’s!!! The ability to blend the two worlds in any “percentage-blend” via a “Tube-Blend Pot/Knob” just ROCKS!!! 😉

I’d like to see these features perhaps implemented by some other companies with some more flexibility in either multi-channel amps or maybe even MIDI-Programmability (Some old-habits are “hard-to-break” I guess – LOL!:o)

Best of luck with and enjoy your search!!! 😎

~Bill Meehan~ 😀

Hi Bill,
Just an observation…your amp rig i.e- the H&K Access preamp and VS250 poweramp is the exact same combo Brett Garsed used in the early 90s when ripping it up in LA. He used these amps on MVP-Centrifugal Funk,Quid Pro Quo and his REH instructional Rock Fusion…I loved the tone on those albums!!
cheers,
Ajay

@billmeedog 9818 wrote:

Hey Ajay, 🙂

You mean that Brett Garsed and I have something in common?!? :confused: :rolleyes: It certainly isn’t talent!!! (LOL!) 😮 Actually, I had NO IDEA that Brett used a similar rig to mine back in the early 90’s?!? I actually bought my pre-amp and power-amp back in 1993, so that makes sense, but I didn’t know that Garsed was an endorser (or a user) of the H & K brand…Cool stuff!!! 😉 😎

Thanks for that info bro! 😉

~Bill Meehan~ 😀

Hi Bill,
I’m sorry this looks really hardcore but I am a HUGE Brett Garsed fan!!!hehehe Can’t help myself. I actually met The Man in March 2007 when he did a series of gigs in the UK….he is so humble its unreal!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/1993-BRETT-GARSED-TJ-HELMERICH-HUGHES-KETTNER-AD_W0QQitemZ350296754422QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_Accessories?hash=item518f5048f6

http://www.hughes-and-kettner.com/news.php?id=295&prodid=&p=10&hus=uhwsbgjaqged

cheers
Ajay
xx

Hey Bill,
I know you weren’t ripping Brett….how can anyone?? I meant I didn’t want to come across as a total Garsed-obsessed nut by sending you weblinks of ebay advertisement articles on the man!! hehehe He played on 3 Nelson albums and actually met TJ Helmerich at Cherokee Studios in LA while laying down guitar solos for the Nelson-After The Rain album. TJ used to be a cleaner at the studios!! can you believe that !!?? Apparently TJ overheard Brett’s legato solos and thought someone was ripping off his 8-finger tapping technique and decided to meet him…and thats how Garsed& Helmerich were born. Here is one of the best Garsed articles/interviews I’ve seen of him on the web:

http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/100/0

And if you haven’t seen the phenom that is TJ Helmerich here you go:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNNsgx5HNFs

I think Brett and TJ were the most criminally underrated guitar players post the Vai/Satch phase