My VHT Pittbull UL-100 w/EQ, or a new HERBERT!

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flexyoface

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I just got my VHT beast retubed with JJ electronic KT88's and new preamp tubes as well from eurotubes.com

I've been fairly happy with my VHT, the amp has a great tone, but sometimes I feel their might be something out there that might edge over it. I live in Utah USA, and I know nowhere that has Diezel amps here. Does anyone know where the nearest midwest distributor or shop is for them if any???

I'd really like to try one of these Herbert heads out, they sound interesting. My favorite guitarists are in the band SikTh and that's what PIN uses, so it has to be good.. hahah.

Also has anybody had any experience with a Diezel and a ISP Decimator ProRackG?
 
I recently played a VHT and while the amp sounded great for what it did I think any amp from the Diezel line stomps all over it as far as versatility goes. Just my two cents.
 
I finally got to play an UL over the weekend. The lead tones were killer. Overall, I liked it alot, but it doesn't come close to my Herbert.

I have the Pro Rack G as well. I works great - my Herbert is dead silent.
 
ULs are way different tonally than Herbs.
Personally although I like VHT amps, a UL wouldn't be my primary choice. Give CLX a listen instead (although it's different than Diezels too, it's more organic than a UL and less stiff).
To sum up at least to my ears:
A UL has a very distinct voicing of its own (either you love it or hate it), great cleans and very tight response on rhythm channel. Very nice loop too.
A Herb is also tight but a bit looser than UL. Has a bit more gain and is way more versatile in terms of switching. Sound wise especially with the use of midcut can become meaner too. To get a UL sound meaner you have to get one with the POST EQ which costs extra. On Herbert the midcut is a default feature. Plus it has separate EQ on ALL channels. UL's rhythm and lead share the same EQ controls.
 
+1 For CLX and I also agree that the Herbert is more versatile. The EQ is not an issue for me but the gain and tonal possiblities of the Herbert is just better IMO. The UL is just too stiff for me. I should say that I don't like the mid cut feature on the gain channels. Great for the clean, not so much on the gain. Just some insight into my idea of tone. Have fun.....
john
 
I should say that I don't like the mid cut feature on the gain channels. Great for the clean, not so much on the gain.
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+1 to that

Having owned both I'll say this, the lead tones were pretty damn good on the UL, the Herbert otherwise smokes it. I was going to run both in a stereo set up because I needed added tightness, so I sold my other Herbie to get the UL, because the tight part was more of a factor in my tone right now, well THEN, I saw herbert in a store and bam that one was slightly tighter than the old one I had (no two amps sound the same), so that pretty much solved my problem and I'm back to a one amp rig, the Herbert. If I played more leads I would have kept the UL and went for plan A, both heads, but I only do intricate*sp?* leady stuff %10-15 of the time, rest of my playing is accented lead stuff with chords, and the Herbert still does leads well enough to over look that 10-15, matter of fact it does them very well, but ideal lead sounds vary as much as everything else to each person.

-Nick
 
I owned a Ul for 5 years and replaced it with a Herbert. I had replaced the the KT88's in the UL with EL34's, which completely transformed the amps sound for the better (I would try EL34's before getting rid of the UL). The Herbert has alot more low end, my bass player complianed the herbert drowned him out,and to this day still prefers the UL. The Herbert can also get super distorted at low volumes, more so than the UL. My other guitarist still uses a 50CL, and the two amps blend great. There is also the midi issue, but Axess Electronics can remedy that. I would say it's like comparing a Ferrari and a Lamborgini, they're both amazing it just comes down to what you prefer.
 
I just bought Nick's (Hey_bert_whtcha_doin_bert) Ultra-Lead. I'll get to do a Herbert/UL side-by-side comparison this weekend. :)
 
I just bought Nick's (Hey_bert_whtcha_doin_bert) Ultra-Lead. I'll get to do a Herbert/UL side-by-side comparison this weekend.
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Yeah, let me know how those two get along. Can't wait for that Caparison either, it looks sexy everytime I see the pic. :lol:

-Nick
 
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Hey_bert_whtcha_doin_bert":76aea said:
Yeah, let me know how those two get along. Can't wait for that Caparison either, it looks sexy everytime I see the pic. :lol:

-Nick
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Here are a few more pics to help build the anticipation. (OP- sorry for the OT pics):

Caparison2.jpg

Caparison3.jpg

Caparison4.jpg

Caparison5.jpg

Caparison6.jpg

Caparison7.jpg

P4030067.jpg

Caparison0.jpg
 
Thanks for the feedback guys, my VHT is 3 years old with EQ option, I don't think mine has the ability to switch to EL34s, only 6L6.

I agree with all these term "Stiff". Sometimes that's what I dislike about my VHT, it's very stiff which is good for some things, but sometimes I wish it was a little more buttery. It's very unforgiving, it makes me doubt my ability. It might be the VHT Fat Bottom cab though too, not sure how much I like Eminence speakers.


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mhenson42":c3e7c said:
I just bought Nick's (Hey_bert_whtcha_doin_bert) Ultra-Lead. I'll get to do a Herbert/UL side-by-side comparison this weekend. :)
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I'll be really interested to hear what you have to say about this, please reply once you do this comparison with your caparison!!!
 
EL34's and KT88's are interchangeable, your amp can use EL34's.
 
Another thing I wanted to suggest is to use a Maxon 808 or a boss SD1 as boost, they'll make the amp more forgiving or "squishy". I've also done side by side tests between a VHT Fatbottom loaded with P50's and one loaded with vintage 30's. Altough I prefered the vintage 30's, the P50's didn't feel stiffer, they were just higher fi sounding(more pronounced low and high end)which some people prefer.
 
I don't have the VHT dialed in exactly to my liking yet but it is definately a tighter/drier amp. I may be completely off base since I've never played one, however, this is kind of how I imagine the VH4. I do like the Herbert alot better because of the gain saturation, plus, overall, it is just alot more burtal :rock: . I boosted the VHT with a Analogman modded Maxon OD9 and it was a more saturated tone. Definately alot tighter than the Herbert. I like the lead tones alot. I look forward to plugging my FX unit through the loop.

P5170015.jpg
 
I'm drooling over this picture, maybe I'll just keep my VHT and get a Herbert as well and stack them just like this. I've tried my VHT through a Mesa straight angle cab with vintage 30's it did sound sluttier. The more I hear about the Herbert's tone, the more I want to try one god damaged it!

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jack butler":b06c7 said:
EL34's and KT88's are interchangeable, your amp can use EL34's.
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Learn something new everyday, man I feel dumb.
 
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jack butler":ca56e said:
EL34's and KT88's are interchangeable, your amp can use EL34's.
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Are you sure about that? Don't think this is true for every amp... :confused:
 
EL34s are KT88s NOT interchangeable. EL34s and KT77s are.

You're gonna damage your VHT if you throw in EL34s... Did you try EL34s in your UL? What happened?
 
I had Savage audio in Savage, Minnesota (Builder of Savage Amps) retube my 97 Pitbull UltraLead with EL34's. I went 5 years and 3 retubes with EL34's no problems ever. I thought I also read somewhere Slash switched from EL34's to 6550's in his Marshalls. I also had a 50cl that I ran 6550's in with no problems, I'm no amp expert though.
 
Maybe they did some modifications to retrofit the amp to take EL34...
 
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