Amps you gave another chance to and actually liked them the second time around?

Soundstorm

Soundstorm

Well-known member
I'm on the verge of buying a D-Moll for the second time, because I don't feel that I gave it a fair shake the first time and was in a hurry so I auditioned it for about 10 minutes then packed it up and shipped it back. I made a couple of quick recordings and now that I'm listening back, I think it sounded pretty badass.

What are some amps that took you two or more tries to appreciate?
 
Diezel VH4 and also the Herbert, i bought both used and disliked them and sold them after a few months, but as the years went on i played both again multiple times and ended up loving them and bought both again, and they been some of my favorite amps for over the past 15 yrs.
 
Mesa Tremoverb. First tried in the 90’s but I was too much of a Marshall guy at the time. What I like to play has really expanded over the years and I really dig the one I have now.
There’s a couple of amps I would like to give a second chance to because I know exactly what I would do with them now. An Ecstasy (with class A switch) and a DR series Hiwatt.
 
Mesa Mark series. I had no clue what I was doing with all the knobs and GEQ the first time around and gave up on it. Revisited it with the Synergy IICP with better knowledge of how to dial one in. I figured out how to get a great tone out of the module and eventually bought a Mark III red stripe. The Mark III is now a permanent member of the family.

Didn't get along with Rectifiers for the longest time; mostly because I didn't know how to dial them in. I haven't fully revisited them, but get along with them much better now that I know what I'm doing. I have a feeling It'd be a similar experience as with the Mark series if I jumped back in.
 
skoora said:
Mesa Tremoverb. First tried in the 90’s but I was too much of a Marshall guy at the time. What I like to play has really expanded over the years and I really dig the one I have now.
Click to expand...

My experience was the reverse! Bought a T-verb brand new in 1995 and loved it. Bought another about 7 or so years ago and did not. Much more of a Marshall type guy these days.
 
Bought 5150’s multiple times. Bought one brand new when they first came out. Actually had the first one around my area. Really good amp, sold it 8 years later to get an UL. Just recently picked up a 6505, fun amps.
 
Yep, Mesa Heartbreaker combo. Didn't know enough to dial what I wanted from it back in late 90s, eventually got an xtc classic that does everything for me. Got another Heartbreaker dirt cheap in 2016 and love what it does. However, my xtc classic still gets gigged most of the time. Got a tremoverb combo in 2016 cheap too but I think if I'd gotten one in back in late 90s it would've worked for me easier, just too expensive for me at time.
 
'63-Strat said:
Yep, Mesa Heartbreaker combo. Didn't know enough to dial what I wanted from it back in late 90s, eventually got an xtc classic that does everything for me. Got another Heartbreaker dirt cheap in 2016 and love what it does. However, my xtc classic still gets gigged most of the time. Got a tremoverb combo in 2016 cheap too but I think if I'd gotten one in back in late 90s it would've worked for me easier, just too expensive for me at time.
Click to expand...
One thing I’ll never forget is how heavy Mesa Combo’s were. The Tremoverb and Heartbreaker were next level on performing a deadlift. We used to call the HB the Backbreaker. Always felt like the Heartbreaker is a couple of mods/tweaks from glory. Give it the top end sheen and brightness it craved but never had. God, I could only imagine the weight on a Roadster or Roadking combo.
 
Last edited:
skoora said:
One thing I’ll never forget is how heavy Mesa Combo’s were. The Tremoverb and Heartbreaker were next level on performing a deadlift. We used to call the HB the Backbreaker. Always felt like the Heartbreaker is a couple of mods/tweaks from glory. Give it the top end sheen and brightness it craved but never had.
Click to expand...
They are both obscenely heavy for sure. Heartbreaker works great so long as I do two things: run the bass on both channels at zero or a smidge above, and on the 2nd/lust channel run it on high gain as that cuts the low end also. Even if I want low gain on that channel it works better for me running the gain low on the high gain mode.
 
Probably doesn't really count because they are technically different amps, but I felt like the Orange Rockerverb 2 was kind of generic and boring while I absolutely love the Rockerverb 3
 
OG 5150; I was probably 19 when I bought my first one for $350. Gain cranked, mids scooped, tried taming it with a rackmount noise gate & thought I could get a good clean tone from it.
 
Greazygeo said:
Bought 5150’s multiple times. Bought one brand new when they first came out. Actually had the first one around my area. Really good amp, sold it 8 years later to get an UL. Just recently picked up a 6505, fun amps.
Click to expand...
My buddy offered to sell me his 6505 for $500, should I bite?
 
EyesOfTheSouth! said:
Not really. But I bought a used JVM210 that I really liked. Bought a brand new JVM205 later and hated it.

Bought the EVH50 6L6 three times and hated every one of them…..lol.
Click to expand...
I'm on 4 times with the 5153s.....2 50w 6L6, and both Stealth 100w....still don't care for them. Can't put my finger on it really...something just sounds too unnatural. Fake, contrived.
Yet, the Iconic sounds much better to my ears, and is cheaper.....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top