Desert Island Amp (Money's No Object)

Desert Island Amp (Money's No Object)

  • Bogner Ecstasy

    Votes: 10 12.3%
  • Diezel Herbert

    Votes: 9 11.1%
  • ENGL Special Edition

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Friedman BE-100

    Votes: 14 17.3%
  • Fryette/VHT Pittbull Ultra-Lead

    Votes: 6 7.4%
  • Marshall JCM 800 Master Volume 2203

    Votes: 7 8.6%
  • Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ DRG

    Votes: 13 16.0%
  • Soldano SLO

    Votes: 14 17.3%
  • Wizard Modern Classic II

    Votes: 10 12.3%
  • Other (Please specify below)

    Votes: 24 29.6%

  • Total voters
    81
sutepaj":3t6vugws said:
A good sounding Bassman
I like it!! What year/model are you referring to?

I've got a late '64 6G6B Blonde Fender Bassman that just kills. I'd put it up against a 50w Plexi any day. Obviously, not quite the same upper-mids, but it can bark and howl and scream with the best of them.
 
I find most of the Engl’s to sound too compressed and processed sounding, but a lot them still have a very complete and viscous growl and are tight, which I like.

I own an SE EL34 and it’s my favorite Engl. There’s something about the way it’s bottom end hits you that no other amp I’ve tried can match (nor any mentioned here so far). Obviously, other amps like the Herbert or iic+ (among others) can get massive bottom end, but there’s something different about the way the SE projects it that’s hard to explain. I couldn’t get any of my other 14 amps to match it. It also has a very complete growl on power chords, but still not to the level of my Cameron modded Marshall’s

I owned an Artust Edition and it was good and had terrific upper mid growl, but my Cameron Aldrich exceeded that and many other things about it, but a cool amp with an almost Marshally sound for Engl and a lot less compressed and artificial than their other models

The Marty Friedman model is probably my 2nd favorite Engl. Might be the most growly Engl (especially in the lower mids), but not as tight as other Engls. It was like a much better version imo of the FB100 and extreme aggression, but still too compressed and artificial for my taste and still not quite as growly as other amps I have

The Invader 150 I had was cool and one of the tightest sounding amps I’ve ever tried on the 3rd channel, but very smooth/lacking growl and polished sounding on that channel and I didn’t care as much for the other 3 channels

The savage I remember being tight and good upper mid growl, but again too compressed and artificial when compared to other amps

I don’t like the Retro, Powerball or Invader II
 
I'll admit, I've only played a FB100. Now, I want to go find an SE to try out. Great description, there!! Thanks for posting that!!
 
I recall a decade or so back when ENGL's were all the rage on HC (before that place imploded). I've never been in a place to try one. I do love how Blackmore manages to still have a signature amp with them, despite playing only acoustic for the last two decades!

Yes, I do know he did some Rainbow stuff in the last year, but still....
 
braintheory":3bkxc108 said:
I find most of the Engl’s to sound too compressed and processed sounding, but a lot them still have a very complete and viscous growl and are tight, which I like.

I own an SE EL34 and it’s my favorite Engl. There’s something about the way it’s bottom end hits you that no other amp I’ve tried can match (nor any mentioned here so far). Obviously, other amps like the Herbert or iic+ (among others) can get massive bottom end, but there’s something different about the way the SE projects it that’s hard to explain. I couldn’t get any of my other 14 amps to match it. It also has a very complete growl on power chords, but still not to the level of my Cameron modded Marshall’s

I owned an Artust Edition and it was good and had terrific upper mid growl, but my Cameron Aldrich exceeded that and many other things about it, but a cool amp with an almost Marshally sound for Engl and a lot less compressed and artificial than their other models

The Marty Friedman model is probably my 2nd favorite Engl. Might be the most growly Engl (especially in the lower mids), but not as tight as other Engls. It was like a much better version imo of the FB100 and extreme aggression, but still too compressed and artificial for my taste and still not quite as growly as other amps I have

The Invader 150 I had was cool and one of the tightest sounding amps I’ve ever tried on the 3rd channel, but very smooth/lacking growl and polished sounding on that channel and I didn’t care as much for the other 3 channels

The savage I remember being tight and good upper mid growl, but again too compressed and artificial when compared to other amps

I don’t like the Retro, Powerball or Invader II
No surprise that the Artist resembles your Aldrich. From what I've read, Engl developed the Artist for Doug, and until he bailed on it the amp was to be his signature amp. I wonder if Engl had one of his modded Marshalls to study the circuit? I've been told the Artist/Blackmore are the 2 to try if you like Marshall.
 
ChurchHill":3m8frxjj said:
MetalHeadMike":3m8frxjj said:
The Savage 120 is the tightest amp I've ever owned or played. Only amp I've owned that I could plug straight in and get the level of tightness and attack that I like. The trade off thought was that it felt very stiff most of the time and just was somewhat difficult to play if that makes sense.
How does the "stiffness" of the Savage compare to your Wizard?

The Wizard isn't nearly as tight and does not come across too stiff to play on. More forgiving than the Savage.
 
braintheory":2yizeb5k said:
The savage I remember being tight and good upper mid growl, but again too compressed and artificial when compared to other amps

I've heard so many recordings of the Savage and they all had that "processed/artificial" quality to them. Maybe they were boosted on top of the already compressed nature of that amp. The one I had sounded no where near as processed/artificial sounding :dunno: It did lack that midrange growl that I like though. Was kind of flat sounding in that respect.
 
rstites":hd53sz6z said:
I recall a decade or so back when ENGL's were all the rage on HC (before that place imploded). I've never been in a place to try one. I do love how Blackmore manages to still have a signature amp with them, despite playing only acoustic for the last two decades!

Yes, I do know he did some Rainbow stuff in the last year, but still....
LOL! Yeah, that's pretty slick how Blackmore pulls that off. ;)

I, too, used to hear a lot about ENGLs, but that seems to have quieted down a lot. My son-in-law has the only ENGL I've ever played through. He's into European Power Metal and seems that a lot of his favorite bands play them. He's been really happy with his amp, but to be honest, it's not really my thing. I can see where the "over-processed" comments come from. He struggles sometimes with either too much treble or not enough, but that can probably be addressed with different speakers, pickups, etc. Anyway...

For the topic at hand, I definitely think the SE deserves to at least be in this list. I'd love to give one a day in court at some point. I think the Artist Edition sounds interesting, too, given its roots as Racerxrated pointed out and is what I'd heard as well.
 
MetalHeadMike":k4bdq480 said:
The Wizard isn't nearly as tight and does not come across too stiff to play on. More forgiving than the Savage.
Cool! That's what I was hoping to hear. :) I can do tight already... for an amp I don't own, I'm already having quite the affection for the Wizard. :)
 
73171":3eonrb1w said:
Tony Bruno 90watt Cowtipper
I've heard great things about Tony Bruno's amps, but haven't had the pleasure of playing one. What is it about the Cowtipper that you like so much?
 
Here is what I currently have, and there's no way I can choose only one

Bogner XTC 101B
Budda Twinmaster
Fender Bassman
Friedman Dirty Shirley
Hiwatt DR103
Komet Constellation
Marshall JCM800 2203x
Marshall JMP50
Marshall Major
Marshall Super Tremolo
Mesa Mark III Coliseum
Mesa Tremoverb
Morris Perplex’d
VHT Deliverance 60
 
Nice collection!! I know what you mean about not being able to pick just one... my favorite is usually the one I'm currently plugged into. ;)
 
BlackRose":1bm5o816 said:
Here is what I currently have, and there's no way I can choose only one

Bogner XTC 101B
Budda Twinmaster
Fender Bassman
Friedman Dirty Shirley
Hiwatt DR103
Komet Constellation
Marshall JCM800 2203x
Marshall JMP50
Marshall Major
Marshall Super Tremolo
Mesa Mark III Coliseum
Mesa Tremoverb
Morris Perplex’d
VHT Deliverance 60
Care to provide some Intel on the Perplex'd??
 
On the ENGL train...
I have had several models.
Savage. Invader 150 fireball both versions.
I now own the original Powerball.
And the crunch channel just kills! The lead channel just gets too saturated.
But I dig it. :rock:
 
Mailman1971":1bouasq7 said:
On the ENGL train...
I have had several models.
Savage. Invader 150 fireball both versions.
I now own the original Powerball.
And the crunch channel just kills! The lead channel just gets too saturated.
But I dig it. :rock:

Iv'e always wanted to try an original Powerball Dan :rock:, but all the ones I see on Reverb people are asking WAYYYYYYY too much :loco:
 
Got mine in a local trade with a buddy of mine.
Not impressed with the lead channel. But that crunch channel fucking rocks!!
:yes:
 
I'm not much of a high gain guy (though it is fun from time to time) so I'm gonna stick with my Quinn SDO, my Train wreck, and my Fumble.

Additionally, my desert island pedal of choice would be my Ethos Overdrive
 
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