Favourite High Gain Head for Lead Tones

  • Thread starter Thread starter jbru91
  • Start date Start date
J

jbru91

Active member
Hey everyone,

Looking to get some fresh views on everyone's favourite high gain head for lead tones. Curious to hear what effects you're running through. I'm more of a marshall-based guy but love some obvious non-marshall lead tones (some of Petrucci's stuff in Dream Theatre comes to mind) but I already have a Mark V. I play anything from late 70's to early 90's generally.

Cheers,
Jesse
 
Last edited:
I’m a big fan of mid to late 90’s Bogner Ecstasy 101B’s with the custom Mercury Magnetics transformers stock. Best lead amp I’ve ever played and the blue channel is certainly Marshall inspired. It takes pedals really well also.
 
glpg80 said:
I’m a big fan of mid to late 90’s Bogner Ecstasy 101B’s with the custom Mercury Magnetics transformers stock. Best lead amp I’ve ever played and the blue channel is certainly Marshall inspired. It takes pedals really well also.
Click to expand...
Always wanted to try one of these.
 
glpg80 said:
I’m a big fan of mid to late 90’s Bogner Ecstasy 101B’s with the custom Mercury Magnetics transformers stock. Best lead amp I’ve ever played and the blue channel is certainly Marshall inspired. It takes pedals really well also.
Click to expand...
My 101b is from that era and as of right now, I would concur; so easy to play, it is almost cheating!

That said, the ULTIMATE lead tone (for me) would combine the punch and openness of say, a Fryette, with some of that give under the fingers. So, tight and immediate....but not stiff. I have been told by more than a few people now I need to try a Wizard.....
 
LPMojoGL said:
My favorite heads for lead are SLO and Naylor.
I've had a ton of other amps, and nothing is better.

For effects, Rotovibe, touch of delay, that's all.
Click to expand...
New SLO 100 or Pre-BAD? Have never heard a bad review of a Naylor
 
Almost a decade now and it’s still been my mark IIC+ HRG. My other favorites for high gain leads are my original version Uberschall & Prototype Purpleface VH4 (not at all a Diezel or VH4 tone). My stock 1972 Superlead 100 is also one of my best I’ve got for leads. My ‘89 SLO gets really good lead tones too, but my Purpleface imo beats it in that department. It sounds like a cross of that amp with a Cameron Aldrich modded Marshall

For not high gain leads the best I've tried have been my Gjika, Jim Kelley, Alessandro's and of course the one Dumble I got to try (still in a league of its own to anything else)

No FX with them for me. Those amps don't needs to be cluttered with that crappy gimmicky "make up" to cover anything up. Let the amp’s naked core tone alone do the talking
 
Last edited:
Back in my playing out days, I had a pair of Mark-IIIs. Never put a boost in front and verb/delay were handled through the board by our sound man. At stage volume those babies would just sing. Crazy lead-friendly tones.

Caution:

Never played one, but have heard a few Cameron clips online where you can just hear that slippery, lead-friendly grease ooozing out of every note.
 
PDC said:
Back in my playing out days, I had a pair of Mark-IIIs. Never put a boost in front and verb/delay were handled through the board by our sound man. At stage volume those babies would just sing. Crazy lead-friendly tones.

Caution:

Never played one, but have heard a few Cameron clips online where you can just hear that slippery, lead-friendly grease ooozing out of every note.
Click to expand...
I may put my Cameron Aldrich at the top for what I've got. Been playing that most lately. It sings and is a lot of fun to play.
 
Believe it or not a Bogner Ubershall Rev Blue is an excellent lead amp .
I own one imo it gets Marshally that has plenty of 👊 and feels nice and juicy under the fingers !
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top