Am I missing out on anything with boutique amps?

RaceU4her said:
And I’m one of them still even after 20 years and however many great amps I have now. I tired many amps with my last band thinking I gotta try something else just because and they just don’t do what the ampeg does for me, properly run in full stereo power into a 1960 is as good as it gets for me playing the brutal metal I do.
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If those things were built better, I would have bought one. I am just scared of spending 4 times what they cost new when i hear so many problems from them.
 
glpg80 said:
I have problems with wizards because they sound like hollowed pieces of wood lacking anything mid character with a shrill diode clipping top end and a depth circuit not tuned correctly that emphasizes only frequencies below 80Hz. It has nothing to do with playability and every bit of the fact they record awful and are either a you love it tone or you don’t tone. I’ve tried to see what people love in them and I just don’t get it.
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I can’t really argue with any of those reasons you don’t like it. Not the amp for everyone, but I still think in person you might be impressed. They have a wow factor with the way they punch and note definition that’s hard to ignore
 
Smashedguitarist said:
Also, I know a lot of guys hate Reza. But I don't have a problem with you telling us how you like the bogner slo. I like Soldano and Bogner amps. I think that could be a pretty unique sound.
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Yeah man he’s always been a good dude to me. Won’t get into all that here but he and I get on well.

I’ll definitely “report out” and maybe even make a vid or two when I’m there…

May also bring my Quad Cortex… who knows…
 
JerEvil said:
Yeah man he’s always been a good dude to me. Won’t get into all that here but he and I get on well.

I’ll definitely “report out” and maybe even make a vid or two when I’m there…

May also bring my Quad Cortex… who knows…
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I always wonder what amps he keeps. Guy goes through so many..
 
mhenson42 said:
I don't care if people like Wizards or not. I especially like people who bitch about the price tag. I like mine and don't give a fuck. I'm not trying to convince anyone to buy one or not. I do find that most people who like Fryette amps love Wizards.
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Wizards are too hard to play, too loud, too powerful, too articulate, too dynamic, built too well. I would never buy one of those over fucking priced boutique amps.
 
I've purchased 2 that were worth it to me -- the Suhr PT100, the Soldano SLO. I'd like to try a Freidman BE100, but that will have to wait until we move next year. I'd love to peel the paint off of my new home with one of those.
 
MetalHeadMike said:
Wizards are too hard to play, too loud, too powerful, too articulate, too dynamic, built too well. I would never buy one of those over fucking priced boutique amps.
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mhenson42 said:
I was fortunate enough to dump a few off on a couple of suckers.:p
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I mean, different strokes for different folks, but it's really hard for me to comprehend someone not liking a wizard, even though I don't own one. I've played them plenty, and they are incredible. They aren't exactly for my personal musical style, but to deny their greatness seems odd. If I had unlimited funds I would absolutely want one in the stable.

Although, on the same token, I don't "get" mark amps like lots of others do. I've owned half a dozen, and played a 2c+, 2c++, and a 2c+coli. And to me, everything except for the Master of Puppets/Petrucci settings sounds like a sloppy, honky mess. I would never say it's a bad amp though, on the contrary - they're iconic, and have a signature sound thats immediately recognizable.

I guess it all comes down to your personal playing style and the music you want to accomplish with whatever the piece of gear is.

If you want to play surgically tight tech-death, than an Orange OR100 isnt the right tool, even though its an amazing amp.
 
DanTravis62 said:
I mean, different strokes for different folks, but it's really hard for me to comprehend someone not liking a wizard, even though I don't own one. I've played them plenty, and they are incredible. They aren't exactly for my personal musical style, but to deny their greatness seems odd. If I had unlimited funds I would absolutely want one in the stable.

Although, on the same token, I don't "get" mark amps like lots of others do. I've owned half a dozen, and played a 2c+, 2c++, and a 2c+coli. And to me, everything except for the Master of Puppets/Petrucci settings sounds like a sloppy, honky mess. I would never say it's a bad amp though, on the contrary - they're iconic, and have a signature sound thats immediately recognizable.

I guess it all comes down to your personal playing style and the music you want to accomplish with whatever the piece of gear is.

If you want to play surgically tight tech-death, than an Orange OR100 isnt the right tool, even though its an amazing amp.
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I don’t know of anyone yet in person who actually disliked a Wizard, but some who just felt it wasn’t the amp for them. I could see that. Some wanted more compression or saturation or more Marshally mids. This all makes sense to me. But I’ve owned mine for almost 5 years now. Great amp to me! One of the few non-vintages ones that’s actually worthwhile

IIC+’s definitely have a signature sound and I’m sure you get that they need that scooped GEQ setting to get there, but to me that sound can be used for so much more than just Metallica/Petrucci and can be shaped more with different overdrive pedals and speakers. Imo it’s a sound that I think is great for most thrash, shred and some other styles of metal, but it is a specific flavor

The OR100 is imo a fairly mediocre high gain amp, but probably the best non-custom/non-vintage orange. I liked it a lot when I played it a guitar store (better imo than the Rockerverb or thunderverbs), but then bringing it home and comparing to what I’ve got (and surely your stuff as well) it became apparent pretty fast that it got outclassed and really just an ok amp to me ultimately
 
braintheory said:
The OR100 is imo a fairly mediocre high gain amp, but probably the best non-custom/non-vintage orange. I liked it a lot when I played it a guitar store (better imo than the Rockerverb or thunderverbs), but then bringing it home and comparing to what I’ve got (and surely your stuff as well) it became apparent pretty fast that it got outclassed and really just an ok amp to me ultimately
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I was just using it as an example of the "wrong tool for the job" in that situation because its so loose, and tech death demands clinical precision.
 
DanTravis62 said:
I was just using it as an example of the "wrong tool for the job" in that situation because its so loose, and tech death demands clinical precision.
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Yes, definitely wrong tool for the job. No doubt. I was just being anal because that’s how I am lol. I appreciate all flavors of tone and just feel the OR100 is just ok in what’s it’s going for. No time for “ok” or “pretty good”
 
glpg80 said:
I have problems with wizards because they sound like hollowed pieces of wood lacking anything mid character with a shrill diode clipping top end and a depth circuit not tuned correctly that emphasizes only frequencies below 80Hz. It has nothing to do with playability and every bit of the fact they record awful and are either a you love it tone or you don’t tone. I’ve tried to see what people love in them and I just don’t get it.
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They record awful? Shrill? You have an example of this?
 
braintheory said:
Yes, definitely wrong tool for the job. No doubt. I was just being anal because that’s how I am lol. I appreciate all flavors of tone and just feel the OR100 is just ok in what’s it’s going for. No time for “ok” or “pretty good”
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Yeah I have no time for "pretty good" either - and i was probably thinking of the OR120 when I said that.

I'm guessing that alot of our personal preferences are based on what we plan to USE the gear for, though.
 
I will say that diminishing returns is definitely a real thing. I have a couple Boogies, my EVH and a Friedman JJ. I've tried others, Diezel, JP2C, Soldano, etc., and even though I got great tones out of them, the jump in tone and quality, when I went to better amps years ago just isn't there. In the end, play what sounds good to you and inspires you.
 
Love to hear or play a Wizard in person. YouTube audio is mediocre at best. But I have heard one professionally recorded. Sounds good to me. Not sure who else plays Wizards. I recall a interview where he or his guitar tech discussed his gear. More recent.



Buy what you like and burn the tubes out of it.
 
The only thing your missing out on is getting ripped off.
Adds to the hype, -authenticates
a child talking like a man on gear forums.
You bunch of poser GREENHORNS.
 
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Tone Junkie said:
Love to hear or play a Wizard in person. YouTube audio is mediocre at best. But I have heard one professionally recorded. Sounds good to me. Not sure who else plays Wizards. I recall a interview where he or his guitar tech discussed his gear. More recent.



Buy what you like and burn the tubes out of it.
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There's nothing that breaks up like a Wizard IMO. Closest I ever got is a D60 and I just brought home another after letting one go years ago. Side by side they are somewhat similar, but the way an MCII breaks up in the distortion is like the amp is about to come apart at the seems...in a very good way. Both amps bloom with harmonic swirl, both have amazing articulation, both kick like a mule, both grind like crazy, but the Wizard is more aggressive because of the way it breaks up & it's more open and raw....the D60 gets way more saturated, is grainer/grittier in it's gain structure & is a touch more compressed.
 
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