Good amp for a dry vintage tone

  • Thread starter Thread starter Zmo87
  • Start date Start date
Zmo87 said:
Hello,

I'm considering a jcm800, vht deliverance, Friedman be100 delux (ceriatone ah delux) or something similar for a loud, articulate dryish tone. Music wise it will be in the veins of post rock/post metal (pelican) wall of sound kind of deal. The closest amp I've had that accomplished this was a mesa mark v 35, but I sold it for a mark vii as I wanted more volume. The Mark vii gets me close, but it's pretty challenging to dial in and honestly despite a/bing it extensively with the mark v it doesn't inspire me the same wat. I have a ceriatone Marshall superbass clone that also gets close but I feel the mid character gets in the way of the clarity. I must emphasize I'm a upper mids kind of guy and typically don't care for "modern, low mid sounding amps". I've had Krankensteins and have been in about 7 deatmetal bands, but again am looking for more of a rock tone, but in drop b tuning. I would say volume and clarity are the most important things. I also currently have an orange rockerverb mkiii 100 that I'm probably going to return, but it's an awesome amp, but it also doesn't quite have the clarity I'm looking for. Honestly my sovtek mig 50 is probably the clearest of them all, but not quite loud enough and is slightly low mid focused. Any suggestions? Would a jcm800 get me there?
I'll also not that I only use bareknuckle pickups ,v30 speakers and greenbacks. So I don't think those variables are the issue. Also I'm trying to stay away from some used old head that's no longer in production as my amp tech sadly passed away and there aren't any decent ones close to me.
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MKV 90 watt head with EL34’s in it. Especially if the 35 got you very close. I had one for 12 years or so. It had a few ways to skin that cat on all channels. I only sold it to cover a financial issue, knowing I can get another one down the road.
If maintenance is a concern get a, hand wired 800 clone and you may be able to repair it yourself. But I never had a single issue with the MKV in all those years, except for V1, which got a little noisy and all I had to do was swap it out.
 
I'd say a jcm800 as well, with a boost of course. It's got a great rock tone to it and very apparent upper mids with clarity. Not oversaturated like most modern amps. I do believe the Wizards are even drier sounding though, but not with the same upper mids.
 
Smash said:
I would check out a wizard to start. Where you located? You could probably find one to try close to you
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I should have mentioned (I'm in Northwest Pennsylvania). I've heard wizards being recommended, but here are my problem with those. First they are $5500. Second not that I know, but I have a feeling you cant try one rish free for 45 days like MF/GC. Third I read a forum where a guy owned a wizard mcii I believe and a Friedman be100 delux and one other head I can't remember. He said he could dial in the Friedman and the other head to almost be identical to the wizard. Ultimately I'm sure they're cool, but I don't want to sell my Mazda Miata for an amp as I can't go on vacation to well with a wizard lol. Also my favorite band who Is inspiring my time the one guitar player said he got a wizard, the guy dropped it off and he called him back begging him to take it back because he said he didn't like it as much as his plexi. So that might kind be a sign to me.
 
RaceU4her said:
my Laney GH100s would be the first amp i went to for Pelican tones
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I've heard Laney's suggested, but it doesn't seem they make that model anymore. So I would have to see if the ironheart could cover that. I've listened to some demos of it, but of course very few people demo amps in anything other than standard tuning and if they don't it's usually someone like ola england scooping out the mods and such. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
RaceU4her said:
my Laney GH100s would be the first amp i went to for Pelican tones
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I've heard Laney's suggested, but it doesn't seem they make that model anymore. So I would have to see if the ironheart could cover that. I've listened to some demos of it, but of course very few people demo amps in anything other than standard tuning and if they don't it's usually someone like ola england scooping out the mods and such. Thanks for the suggestion
napalmdeath said:
That's what I think of for "dry". Another would be an older Bad Cat Lynx.
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Yes, that fryette nails what I want soundwise for sure. That is what I'm talking about (Pete thorn demo). I know baroness used to use bad cat and I loved their tone, but wasn't exactly what I was going for.
 
pipboy90 said:
I vote for the Fryette Deliverance

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The articulation he gets is exactly what I'm looking for. Not sure if it would still be retained so we'll in drop b or not though. Reminds me of my mark v, but maybe a little more aggressive?
 
skoora said:
MKV 90 watt head with EL34’s in it. Especially if the 35 got you very close. I had one for 12 years or so. It had a few ways to skin that cat on all channels. I only sold it to cover a financial issue, knowing I can get another one down the road.
If maintenance is a concern get a, hand wired 800 clone and you may be able to repair it yourself. But I never had a single issue with the MKV in all those years, except for V1, which got a little noisy and all I had to do was swap it out.
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Sounds quite plausible. For whatever reason I'm more intrigued by single channels and if I had to have more than one two would be the most I'd want. I'd rather just throw a boost in the rhythm channel than have a third channel. I know it's a first world problem/neurotic thing, but I'm honestly annoyed my mark vii has 3 channels and I don't like any of the choices of the third channel. That's why I liked my v35 as it had two channels that I could do so much with
 
nightlight said:
I really like my Marshall JVM. Covers a lot of ground. Here’s a video from my dinky studio.

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I don't disagree listening to that, but that amp has way too much going on for me. It's not as bad, but reminds me of the reason I bought and sold an ax fx, Kemper and quad cortex. I don't have enough time in my life to dial in a million things or do I need more than 1 or two channels. I like to keep things simple and make them complicated with my pedal board if need be. Although my pedal board is likely pretty basic honestly.
 
MetalHeadMike said:
We can agree to disagree, nothing wrong with that! I just don't get anything unique/special from Marshall mids. MCII has everybit the grinding upper mid content to my ears.
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I don't doubt that wizards are amazing for sure, but again unfortunately I'm not wealthy/looking to drop almost $6k on an amp when say a Ceriatone jcm800 clone is $1500. The Friedman clonse is only $1700 ish. So I could almost buy 3 good amps for the cost of a wizard. But if guitar center ever starts carrying them(which I'm sure they won't) I'll definitely try one out!
 
Racerxrated said:
Gonna disagree big time my friend. No Wizard, ever, has the mids or upper mids of any Marshall I've owned...from 2210 to 1972 SuperTrem. Wizards have a hollow midrange in comparison, to my ears anyway. The closest was the MC100 I had but when I A/Bd a 1983 2203 directly the Wizard was almost scooped in comparison.
Wizards are killer, killer amps but in midrange content they aren't in the same universe as a vintage Marshall.
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Marshall pretty much only have upper mids. Wizards have all of them. Every control is part of the midrange.
 
Zmo87 said:
I don't doubt that wizards are amazing for sure, but again unfortunately I'm not wealthy/looking to drop almost $6k on an amp when say a Ceriatone jcm800 clone is $1500. The Friedman clonse is only $1700 ish. So I could almost buy 3 good amps for the cost of a wizard. But if guitar center ever starts carrying them(which I'm sure they won't) I'll definitely try one out!
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Yeah. Didnt know money an issue. I could make A cheap amp my forever amp. But i started that way and kept looking for better and better. If you are about good enough, go cheap. But if you are perfectionist, get great amp first..it will be cheaper in end. Trust me. Took me 18+ amps to figure it out
 
Smash said:
Yeah. Didnt know money an issue. I could make A cheap amp my forever amp. But i started that way and kept looking for better and better. If you are about good enough, go cheap. But if you are perfectionist, get great amp first..it will be cheaper in end. Trust me. Took me 18+ amps to figure it out
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I mean I wouldn't consider working with 4k a money issue, but I also have a family/just got married, etc, so a wizard is not going to be a right choice especially with the unknown of returning it if it doesnt do It for me. I also 'know' that the tone can be achieved with say a jcm800, but I'm not exactly sure how. I mainly only heard wizards in doom contexts and as much as I like doom, I'm not into my amp sounding like it's about to blow up and although my model t is cool, it's not 'the one'
 
Zmo87 said:
I don't doubt that wizards are amazing for sure, but again unfortunately I'm not wealthy/looking to drop almost $6k on an amp when say a Ceriatone jcm800 clone is $1500. The Friedman clonse is only $1700 ish. So I could almost buy 3 good amps for the cost of a wizard. But if guitar center ever starts carrying them(which I'm sure they won't) I'll definitely try one out!
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Yeah, the price is silly, but they are great amps. You can snatch them used these days $3800-$4800, still a lot of coin. Used to be able to grab them used for $3200 all day.

Ceriatone I bet is killer. Of the many amps I've owned, I've never tried one. Have thought about it countless times.
 
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