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braintheory
Well-known member
I think in general a lot more amps were overhyped back then and on average we’re a bit more levelheaded these days
angelspade
RT Kimg
I actually feel like his amps sound really good, and the build quality seems stellar. It's just that I play quite a bit of modernesque metal and tend to prefer amps that are on the brighter side and have an aggressive attack to them. These are the only things that have kept me away from his products. Another example might be the Diezel stuff...Fantastic amps in my option, but just too compressed for many.
glpg80
Well-known member
His new Jose based Swiss Army knife model is leaps and bounds better than his deluxe and way more aggressive as well as versatile. It’s everything I wished my metroplex was and then some. I’ll likely be grabbing one to replace my ecstasy I just sold.
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yngHL
Member
Have you had a chance to play it?
glpg80
Well-known member
Are they even available for purchase yet?
I’ve owned both an ecstasy and a metroplex and know how they both sound recorded. I have not played one but under a mic it sounds better than the amps I’m comparing against.
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yngHL
Member
I thought maybe you played one at NAMM. I don’t necessarily disagree but saying amp X which you’ve never played is better than amp Y is pretty wild.
glpg80
Well-known member
It was one of the most discussed amps at NAMM made by one of the most well known amp designers on the planet manufactured by the most common amplifier manufacturer in the world. Why the hell wouldn’t you be interested in buying one based on the plethora of recordings?
VHTStark
Well-known member
There was some of that back then for sure. I mean, there just wasn't as much stuff available overall, so when you combine that with an amp doing something novel/unique combined with rarity....you get hype. Taking a VH4, for example, in 2002 not many players would have played one in N.America. In 2025, I bet most players here on RT have played one and have an opinion on its tone/feel.
You can't discount the effect of rarity though. Back when I was playing as a kid starting in the mid 90's, you saw 2203's and 2204's everywhere. Why? They were plentiful and cheap. Doesn't take away from them being great amps (classics)...but they weren't considered magical or special by any means. Alot of guys then would say,"Man....I am saving up for a Recto or an SLO....my jcm 800 only has 1 channel and not enough gain!!" Nowdays....with an unmolested old 800 being rarer, the dialogue is different:" I would take an old early 800's over anything....way more raw and aggressive...just boost it and it kills a Wizard!"
Us guitar players are a funny lot....
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braintheory
Well-known member
I'm guessing those guy's opinions aren't really coming from a proper place of lots of AB comparisons with reference points to make their conclusions. This is why my opinions haven't hugely changed the last ~12 years or so except for when I come across an amp here and there that is sort of a game changer to what I previously thought I understood, but that's just been a few amps once in a while over the years
I guess I'm lucky I got a IIC+ early on in the gear journey 12 years ago and a few years before that my appreciation for '70's JMP2203/4's started when I went to Tone Merchants where I got to first try several Friedman's, Mojave's and a Cameron Atomica. I was so excited to try something so "boutique" and rare for me at the time just to have my expectations really let down with how lacking these amps were in rawness/personality and aggression, I just didn't get it. I then went right after to visit Luxxtone where he had me plug into his 1979 JMP2203 (first time trying one at the time) and I was thinking this is basically the sound I fantasized those amps before to have had, but didn't
Corey James
Well-known member
I love mine, though it seems people are over the BE thing lately.
This is my BE50 with low gain settings:
This is it with mid gain in one ear and the DS40 in the other:
This is my BE50 with low gain settings:
This is it with mid gain in one ear and the DS40 in the other:
The~Kid
Well-known member
Honestly they are fucking badass......
Just put an SD1-W infront of it and a 6 band EQ at the end of your chain...... thats all you'll ever need aside from some reverb IMO
Just put an SD1-W infront of it and a 6 band EQ at the end of your chain...... thats all you'll ever need aside from some reverb IMO
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yngHL
Member
I don’t disagree. My point is that you’re saying amp X shits on amp Y when you’ve never played amp X. You’re not in a position to say one’s better than the other.
He was smart securing that Jose name look how much hype it’s got already and nobodies played it.
glpg80
Well-known member
I’m in a position to say whatever the fuck I want about whatever amp I please.
Your opinion or lack thereof doesn’t automatically nullify any opinion of my own or anyone else’s for that matter. Just because you disagree doesn’t mean no opinion is allowed and your not in any position to say otherwise.
So here’s an opinion you’re really not going to like. if you don’t like opinions of others talking about gear on a site named Rig Talk, then shut your fucking ass up and keep it to yourself if your first inclination is to tell others to do the same.
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yngHL
Member
I disagreed with one of your opinions shut up you sook.
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jasonP
Well-known member
How is the Jose leaps and bounds better and more versatile then the deluxe which is a channel switching amp and has all sorts of different switching modes and options on various controls? The updated deluxe are a lot more aggressive sounding and so much that I sent it back.
angelspade
RT Kimg
When was the updated version introduced?