Diezel Big Max (Video Review)

  • Thread starter Thread starter hellzington
  • Start date Start date
hellzington

hellzington

Well-known member
Ok fam, so video 2 of 2 that I owe y'all featuring amps that I love which I haven't seen much content about. (Other one was the Carstens Warm Machine demo you can see here: https://www.rig-talk.com/forum/threads/carstens-amplification-warm-machine-w-video.264661/)

The Big Max is tied with the Einstein as my favorite Diezel. For the record, I've owned:
  • 2 VH4's (a 2006 and a 2022)
  • VH2
  • VHX
  • Hagen
  • Einstein
  • Big Max
What makes the Big Max so great is that it has both Diezel and Marshall characteristics. It's far brighter than the other Diezels I've owned and has a lot more of that upper-mid snarl and "kerrang" that old Marshalls have; yet, it still has the gain, low mids, and punch of a Diezel. As I say in the video, the best way to think of this amp is: "...if Peter Diezel built a 2204." This amp's simple yet effective layout keeps the focus on tone and not knob turning, making it easy to get great sounds. Plus, it's an awesome pedal platform to boot.

I’m this video I cover some AJ tones, some heavy tones, some classic rock tones, and some pedals/boosts, showing how simple but flexible this amp is.

Check it out and let me know what you think!

 
Last edited:
The one I had was very warm. Too warm for me. Peter admitted there was a fault with the first units. When the gain was past 12 it kinda would swallow itself like a fuzz. Removed a cap per Peter but was still too warm.
 
Smashedguitarist said:
I probably would have bought one if it came in 100 watt. I tried the vh2 and it was pretty nice.
Click to expand...
I could see wanting 100w if you just want to use it as a pedal platform. It’s plenty loud at 50w.

Totally different amp from the VH2.
 
peterc52 said:
The one I had was very warm. Too warm for me. Peter admitted there was a fault with the first units. When the gain was past 12 it kinda would swallow itself like a fuzz. Removed a cap per Peter but was still too warm.
Click to expand...
Mine is a 2021 or 2022, so I don’t think it has that issue.

I am a bit hesitant to buy Diezels when they first come out because they’ve had several products with issues at launch (e.g., VHX, which I’ve also owned).
 
hellzington said:
I could see wanting 100w if you just want to use it as a pedal platform. It’s plenty loud at 50w.

Totally different amp from the VH2.
Click to expand...
Yeah. I am a single channel guy. I am sure that it is loud, but it is about how loud can it get with clean headroom on the power section. That is why i generally avoid 50 or 60 watt. It isn't about pedals at all. It is about the power tube saturation muddying up all that "clear gain" that you have worked so hard to make.
 
hellzington said:
Mine is a 2021 or 2022, so I don’t think it has that issue.

I am a bit hesitant to buy Diezels when they first come out because they’ve had several products with issues at launch (e.g., VHX, which I’ve also owned).
Click to expand...
Did you have the unit from namm that couldn’t be updated?
 
I was super interested in these a while back and nearly got one for great price until a JJ100 popped up. Not only has there not been much talk about these here but not much talk about them anywhere ever.

I really like how it has the more open bite of a Marshall but with this big throaty low midrange. Honestly this vid is the first one to give me GAS in quite a while. :LOL:
 
peterc52 said:
Did you have the unit from namm that couldn’t be updated?
Click to expand...
I am not sure but my overall feeling about the VHX was that it felt like very dated technology for 2020 and all the modes had the same fuzzy kind of sound reminiscent of the Hagen. A friend told me that Diezel has acknowledged that this is an issue and apparently they have a fix now but I had already sold mine and don’t have any interest in trying another.
 
Bardagh said:
I was super interested in these a while back and nearly got one for great price until a JJ100 popped up. Not only has there not been much talk about these here but not much talk about them anywhere ever.

I really like how it has the more open bite of a Marshall but with this big throaty low midrange. Honestly this vid is the first one to give me GAS in quite a while. :LOL:
Click to expand...
Haha sorry to awaken the GAS demon 😂

I’m also surprised at how little coverage this amp has gotten. I don’t think Diezel has even done a very good job of marketing this amp.

It’s really a great amp and as far as these things go, not too bad on your wallet either. I picked this one up in mint condition for I think $1700. Worth every penny.
 
Good review. Man I wish I could find one for $1700, I’d be all over that. Great deal.
 
hellzington said:
Ok fam, so video 2 of 2 that I owe y'all featuring amps that I love which I haven't seen much content about. (Other one was the Carstens Warm Machine demo you can see here: https://www.rig-talk.com/forum/threads/carstens-amplification-warm-machine-w-video.264661/)

The Big Max is tied with the Einstein as my favorite Diezel. For the record, I've owned:
  • 2 VH4's (a 2006 and a 2022)
  • VH2
  • VHX
  • Hagen
  • Einstein
  • Big Max
What makes the Big Max so great is that it has both Diezel and Marshall characteristics. It's far brighter than the other Diezels I've owned and has a lot more of that upper-mid snarl and "kerrang" that old Marshalls have; yet, it still has the gain, low mids, and punch of a Diezel. As I say in the video, the best way to think of this amp is: "...if Peter Diezel built a 2204." This amp's simple yet effective layout keeps the focus on tone and not knob turning, making it easy to get great sounds. Plus, it's an awesome pedal platform to boot.

I’m this video I cover some AJ tones, some heavy tones, some classic rock tones, and some pedals/boosts, showing how simple but flexible this amp is.

Check it out and let me know what you think!

Click to expand...



I was feelin’ “We Die Young”, you had that on lock.
The Tool was cool,
Let’s hear some “Prison Sex” (not literally!)LOL!!
I like your passion the most.
 
Thanks for the demo! I’d been interested in these. Seems like a killer sounding and incredibly versatile amp. I loved the tone in that VH section you were playing where you rolled back the volume. Pristine clean to nice healthy overdrive with just your picking dynamics. Might have to pick this one up one day.
 
stratjacket said:
Good review. Man I wish I could find one for $1700, I’d be all over that. Great deal.
Click to expand...
Another member got one for 1500, they definitely come up at a good price more often than the other diesels.
 
hellzington said:
Mine is a 2021 or 2022, so I don’t think it has that issue.

I am a bit hesitant to buy Diezels when they first come out because they’ve had several products with issues at launch (e.g., VHX, which I’ve also owned).
Click to expand...
This happened to my subzero 93 . Gettyng a brand new one this week because the first batch has users . Hopefully here tomorrow . But ya early bat he’s can get at any company
 
Soundstorm said:
Thanks for the demo! I’d been interested in these. Seems like a killer sounding and incredibly versatile amp. I loved the tone in that VH section you were playing where you rolled back the volume. Pristine clean to nice healthy overdrive with just your picking dynamics. Might have to pick this one up one day.
Click to expand...
It sounds great with a variety of speaker cabinets too. If you want it to sound even more Marshall-ish hook it up to a Creamback H75 cab. Really rocks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top