Enter the Diezel

  • Thread starter Thread starter stratjacket
  • Start date Start date
stratjacket

stratjacket

Well-known member
Hey guys, great site. I've been a member for a while and still read often, but about the time I became a member, I went the Axe-Fx route, sold all my amps and haven't really posted here much. Anyway, I still love my Axe-Fx II, but was missing a real tube amp. I've always wanted a Diezel and learned a long time ago; buy once, buy quality and it's cheaper in the long run.

So today I pulled the trigger on the Diezel Hagen that was in the classified section base341 as selling :rock: Great guy to work with by the way.
I'm really juiced up and excited about it coming in and jamming on it. I play mostly 7 strings and this seems to be right up what I'm looking for, although as I've read on here many times, it seems like each Diezel delivers in their own rite.

I plan to run it with my Axe-Fx II and use the effects from the Axe-FX. Also have all kinds of crazy ideas about trying the Hagen preamp into the Axe-Fx and matching with different modeled power sections and red-wirez cab impulses. Things like that. But I'm sure I'll mostly just play it straight. Damn, I sold almost all my pedals too, need to enter back into that world.

Anyway, just wanted to drop a note in as I'm excited as hell. I have questions about cabs (I did keep my Marshall 1960 and Avatar 4x12 cabs at least) and good booster pedals to use, but I'll search around for those before I start posing those questions now that I've thought about it more.
 
Diezel + Axe should be more than enough...
I have an Axe as well that I would like to experiment with on my Hagen but I love those little stompboxes so much that I dont know if I can do that.
So I stickedto the old school method of Hagen+Stompboxes and kept the axe for late night sessions and home recordings.
 
That's a killer combo. I've yet to play either but I know that if I bought sight unseen I'd be stoked.

Congrats on your acquisition!
 
Thanks guys. I agree that the Axe-Fx will be plenty for effects, but I'm sure there will be times when I just play the Hagen straight. I'm also pretty sure I won't need a boost for the Hagen, but still looking forward to trying different ones to see.

The Axe-Fx as a preamp through the Hagen's power section will be fun too I'm sure.

I've looked around and read some things on cabs. Read several opinions that the Diezel works well with a tight cab and not as well with the oversized boomy type Mesa cabs. I'm thinking my Marshall 1960A loaded with V30's (which is a very tight and punchy cab) will work well with the Hagen. Anyone else using this cab with their Diezel with good results?
 
You should try the Diezel 4x12 or 2x12 Rear loaded with V30s.

Works amazingly with my Hagen.
 
I prefer Marshall 1960B (V30/G12T75) with my VH4 over any other 412 cabs like Mesa or Orange that I owned,
I still want a Diezel FL V30 cab though.
 
Thanks, the anticipation is building. UPS has it to arrive Wednesday...and I thought waiting on popcorn in the microwave was long. Actually it's not bad, I've been using this time to research reverbs, delays, cabs and all kinds of shit that I've been out of touch with for the last several years.

I've been close to pulling the trigger on different pedals or rack gear, but everytime, I have that "I really should wait and see what I can do with the amp/Axe-Fx together" feeling. And everytime I start to get a cab, I have that "I should at least be patient and see how the 1960 sounds". haha, but it's all fun as hell. Can't wait to try it out and with different tone shapers around it.
 
Hagen Arrived !! See pics below of my new found friend.

Played it for a few minutes, was able to dial in some good tones, but I gotta play with it more. It's been a long time since I've fiddled with a real tube amp. I am officially on the cab hunt though. The Marshall 1960 loaded with V30's sounded boomy at first, although I didn't mess with it much. I quickly tried an Avatar front loaded with GT75's and it sounded better. But at volume, it began to shake, rattle and wet itself. Pretty cool though, with the back of the cab solid covered, the thin white cloth I have covering my dark studio foam (to try to brighten up the room) began to blow like there was a wind.

Now on to try it with my Axe-Fx II...

P.S. Don't laugh at my cab grill cloth, I found a guy who did custom grill cloth, so I had one done of my first CD cover. This was about 5 years ago.

With the cab and guitars:
Diezel-Day1-2.JPG


And it's final destination next to the Axe-Fx:
Diezel-Day1-3.JPG
 
Congrats on the Hagen!!

I have been playing my Hagen with an Axe Ultra in the loop. It's AWESOME!! The Ultra has plenty of CPU when the amps and cabs are not engaged. Gives excellent versatility and no noise :D

I imagine the Axe II will be similar. I just haven't tried mine because I don't have any issues with the Ultra being the effects.

Cabs are tricky, in that some Diezel's respond to different cabs VERY differently. I have had a VH4S and currently have Hagen and Herbert. I tried 1X12, 2X12 and a few different 4X12's. The 4X12's were the clear winner for depth, punch, etc.

I tried my Marshall cabs...they were good, but it wasn't until I got my first Diezel cab that things came alive. Now, I use a full stack of FL Diezel's with the top 4X12 loaded with celestion K100's and the bottom 4X12 loaded with V30's. It's the best of both world's and it sounds awesome!

Try out as many cabs as you can, that's a great way to see what "you" dig most. If you can take your Hagen to a store and plug into all their cabs, you will have a better idea.

Good luck and welcome to the Diezel family :rock: :rock:
 
Rezamatix":1ie0y75n said:
Who painted the grill cloth?!
Click to expand...

It was a site I googled and found about 4 or 5 years ago. I can't remember the site off the top of my head, but I dug up the email about 3 or 4 months ago and found out they are out of business. It was a good deal though, I provided the photoshopped image with dimensions and they created it for me off that. I also go a 6 foot banner. I think the grill cloth was only around $50 too.
 
@GtarLover. Thanks man for the advice on cabs. I've been scouring the web and CL for info and deals. I know the I only sure way is to try it myself though. I would love to get the K100 Diezel cab and I am very close to pulling the trigger on one. But I found a Splawn 2x12 today loaded with small blocks. I pulled the trigger on that, can't wait to get home and try it. If it doesn't do it, then I'll return it tomorrow and order the Diezel.

On the Axe. Man it is an awesome combination. Being able to put any of the drive pedals in front and try different ones is awesome. I was worried because I read about tone suck, but I did not experience that. To make sure, I flipped the loop on and off to hear the difference with or without the Axe in the loop. It was better with the Axe in there to me. Love it.
 
Alright, so I've jammed on the Splawn cab all night. Holy Shit !! What an improvement over the Marshal and Avatar cabs. Gotta prep those cabs for Craigslist now, haha. The Splawn can handle the lows really well, even with my 7-strings no matter how much bass I dial in, it comes through crystal clear, amazing. No mud at all. I know the Diezel cab would sound amazing, but I can't imagine it improving much over this setup. Does make me wonder if it does sound better though, haha. I know I'll end up buying a Diezel cab, but I am happy with this for now.

I was skeptical of these Splawn Small Block speakers, described on Splawn site as Similar to a G12M Heritage, aka Greenbacks. But they really can handle the low end of this Diezel really well. I guess cab construction helps too, this 2x12 is actually pretty big at 20"H x 29.1"W x 14"D. Side by side with the Marshall cab, it's not that much smaller really. Anyway, I was wondering if these speakers would be good for metal but I am "guessing" not many people use the geenbacks because of the small wattage (20W). But these small blocks at 55w each makes them in the range to work with 100W amps.

I think I have the main parts (Hagen+Splawn cab) to make an excellent rig, just need to add some pedals to color it up they way I want because while I love the Axe-Fx with it, I want the simplicity to just turn it on and play. Also still just turn on the Axe-Fx and play through the QSC K12 without needing to flip settings or cables.

Anyway, thanks Diezel for such an excellent amp!!, here is a pic:
Splawn-Day1.JPG
 
So I've been trying a few overdrives in front of the Hagen. The Hagen can sound good on its own, but I do like coloring it up with something pushing channel 3. I tried an Exotic AC Booster-Comp, Jetter Red2 and then a Lovepedal Eternity so far.

First I hooked it up to my Axe-Fx2 and tried all the drive pedal models. I liked the Eternal Love (aka Lovepedal Eternity) the best, but could not find one except on eBay...

But then out of the blue, my local Guitar Center got in a used Lovepedal Eternity E6 so I stopped by and grabbed it.
HOLY SHIT !!
I am in love. Truly. I only add a touch of gain, but it does something to it man, that just sounds so damn life like. It does not change the sound of the Diezel, just kinda brings out more of it, if that makes sense. Adding the AC Booster comp as just a comp/booster (with no gain added) gives it a huge growl and vowel like sound to it...loving this.

Anyone else use the Lovepedal Eternity pedal with their Diezel?
 
Heard great things about those Splawn cabs. Glad it's working for you.

Never tried a LovePedal, but have played around with a BB preamp and that worked well on channel 2 or as a boost to the clean channel. I will have to check out the LovePedal, sounds cool.

Congrats on your Diezel and Splawn combo. Still would be running the Axe through the loop of the Hagen, then you have full-on effects at your fingertips. Not that the Hagen needs effects, yet there are tunes that benefit from a little color here and there.

Diezel Rocks :rock:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top