New amp - Herbert, VH4S or VH4

[MARK2C]

Dealer-

http://www.kmcmusik.dk/Amplification?page=1

Distibutor-

Nicolai Schneekloth:
nicoschneekloth@hotmail.com

 

[Mailman1971]

Herbert. I bought a VH4 and am now thinking of switching. The Herbert seems to do better overall and evidently you can get VH4 tones with the Herbert.

Cheers,

Um....no.

V.

Um.......yes.

Yo MM... What EQ are you dialing in to get Channel 3 proper on the Herbert?? I mean, c'mon - if anyone can get the signature Channel 3 out of the Herbert as well, it would be NO contest. But the V's Channel 3 stays with the V, and the 2+ Herbert stays with the Herbster. C'mon man, I ain't splittin' hairs here

V.

Actually channel 2+ on the herbert to me is right in the same ballpark as Channel 3 on the VH4.
But it sounds a "tad" meaner to me. Running the EQ at noon straight across the board.

 

[Ventura]

Herbert. I bought a VH4 and am now thinking of switching. The Herbert seems to do better overall and evidently you can get VH4 tones with the Herbert.

Cheers,

Um....no.

V.

Um.......yes.

Yo MM... What EQ are you dialing in to get Channel 3 proper on the Herbert?? I mean, c'mon - if anyone can get the signature Channel 3 out of the Herbert as well, it would be NO contest. But the V's Channel 3 stays with the V, and the 2+ Herbert stays with the Herbster. C'mon man, I ain't splittin' hairs here

V.

Actually channel 2+ on the herbert to me is right in the same ballpark as Channel 3 on the VH4.
But it sounds a "tad" meaner to me. Running the EQ at noon straight across the board.

Damn you!! I take it you haven't seen my latest post, eh?? Leave me alone Mailman... You and Pauly just, well, STAY AWAY from me. Stop bugging me... I'm upset, and a little hormonal right now You guys are really getting under my skin...you, you HERBERT guys with your MULTI-TUBE set ups, and, and your 180 WATTS of POWER, and your "it does BROOTLZ REAL GOOD" like, and...whatever Leave me alone.

V.

 

[Mailman1971]

Herbert. I bought a VH4 and am now thinking of switching. The Herbert seems to do better overall and evidently you can get VH4 tones with the Herbert.

Cheers,

Um....no.

V.

Um.......yes.

Yo MM... What EQ are you dialing in to get Channel 3 proper on the Herbert?? I mean, c'mon - if anyone can get the signature Channel 3 out of the Herbert as well, it would be NO contest. But the V's Channel 3 stays with the V, and the 2+ Herbert stays with the Herbster. C'mon man, I ain't splittin' hairs here

V.

Actually channel 2+ on the herbert to me is right in the same ballpark as Channel 3 on the VH4.
But it sounds a "tad" meaner to me. Running the EQ at noon straight across the board.

Damn you!! I take it you haven't seen my latest post, eh?? Leave me alone Mailman... You and Pauly just, well, STAY AWAY from me. Stop bugging me... I'm upset, and a little hormonal right now You guys are really getting under my skin...you, you HERBERT guys with your MULTI-TUBE set ups, and, and your 180 WATTS of POWER, and your "it does BROOTLZ REAL GOOD" like, and...whatever Leave me alone.

V.

I was in your EXACT position when I had the VH4S......
Thought nothing was going to top it......
Once you check out the Herbie......you will know what we are talking about..

 

[Ventura]

....go away

 

[Mailman1971]

....go away

 

[bronz79]

Herbert. I bought a VH4 and am now thinking of switching. The Herbert seems to do better overall and evidently you can get VH4 tones with the Herbert.

Cheers,

Um....no.

V.

Um.......yes.

Yo MM... What EQ are you dialing in to get Channel 3 proper on the Herbert?? I mean, c'mon - if anyone can get the signature Channel 3 out of the Herbert as well, it would be NO contest. But the V's Channel 3 stays with the V, and the 2+ Herbert stays with the Herbster. C'mon man, I ain't splittin' hairs here

V.

Actually channel 2+ on the herbert to me is right in the same ballpark as Channel 3 on the VH4.
But it sounds a "tad" meaner to me. Running the EQ at noon straight across the board.

Damn you!! I take it you haven't seen my latest post, eh?? Leave me alone Mailman... You and Pauly just, well, STAY AWAY from me. Stop bugging me... I'm upset, and a little hormonal right now You guys are really getting under my skin...you, you HERBERT guys with your MULTI-TUBE set ups, and, and your 180 WATTS of POWER, and your "it does BROOTLZ REAL GOOD" like, and...whatever Leave me alone.

V.

 

[Mailman1971]

Ultimately the desicion will be yours and you wont go wrong with either amp.
They both sound great and the Herbert can get more metal tones.
Whatever suits your needs.

 

[Heritage Softail]

Curiosity question....

Are Diezels getting better with the little niggling quality issues? I know they are quite complex and things happen...

I like 'em but have no patience for amps that break down. That's why I like revolvers for a carry gun. Nothing can really go wrong.

 

[synchu]

Where did you hear about that? There are more than 5-6-7-8000 amps out there (Papa will correct me if wrong) and something like 20 or so posts with issues which are handled remotely (phone, e-mail) in 99.9% of the cases.
I would dream for that kind of reliability in any other device I own

 

[Heritage Softail]

Where did you hear about that? There are more than 5-6-7-8000 amps out there (Papa will correct me if wrong) and something like 20 or so posts with issues which are handled remotely (phone, e-mail) in 99.9% of the cases.
I would dream for that kind of reliability in any other device I own

Geez.... Don't get your panites in a wad. I'm just asking because I have heard of little 'unsolvable' issues with Diezels and I have bought other amps as a result. Buyers have the right to questions. Big amp companies often minimize user issues. Like the switching lag issue in a Mesa Roadster. I like Mesa but dayum.... Have not had any issues with my SLO. My MK V has been flawless, Zinky is the same. For $$$$ excellent quality is expected. I like the Diezel tone, with not many authorized repair locations, it needs to be reliable.

Anybody else care to chime in on Diezel quality and responvieness to issues. I completely understand every amp company will have a rare issue, and what separates the good from the excellent is the way they handle those issues.

 

[PaulyPanacea]

Where did you hear about that? There are more than 5-6-7-8000 amps out there (Papa will correct me if wrong) and something like 20 or so posts with issues which are handled remotely (phone, e-mail) in 99.9% of the cases.
I would dream for that kind of reliability in any other device I own

Geez.... Don't get your panites in a wad. I'm just asking because I have heard of little 'unsolvable' issues with Diezels and I have bought other amps as a result. Buyers have the right to questions. Big amp companies often minimize user issues. Like the switching lag issue in a Mesa Roadster. I like Mesa but dayum.... Have not had any issues with my SLO. My MK V has been flawless, Zinky is the same. For $$$$ excellent quality is expected. I like the Diezel tone, with not many authorized repair locations, it needs to be reliable.

Anybody else care to chime in on Diezel quality and responvieness to issues. I completely understand every amp company will have a rare issue, and what separates the good from the excellent is the way they handle those issues.

I shall chime in! i have owned my Diezels for over 6+years ( well my Herbie @ least..VH4 almost 2). I play alot. Over 250+ shows a year. Plus studio & rehearsal time. THEY GET USED! i have only ever had one issue with my Herbert..and it was fixed free of charge and sent back to me all tuned up! These amps are reliable as sin! I never fret when i plug it in before a show. I turn it on & there it is. Sometimes i dont even need to touch the controls. Cant say that about many amps... & I never even blew a tube!! I know people have tube issues..but Things happen...just as with anything that is pushed to the limit. The worst thing to ever happen was a fuse blew. These are the real deal.

as for responsiveness...Papa Diezel always responds to my emails & PMs. Even over the most minor things. To top it all off, if you have an issue, 99% of the time someone on here can be of more help than you could imagine (Mark2C comes to mind instantly!) Its a win-win.

If Mesa gave me free amps, i still wouldnt play them! Same with Marshall & other big amp companies...cuz their tone cant compete. So when i get my endorsement deal, some of you guys will be getting some gifts..cuz i only need one Mesa head to hold open my bathroom door!!

 

[Mailman1971]

If I seen anyone have a slight question.....Peter Diezel chimes right in!
You dont see that very often with amp companies.
I needed a very small tube fuse holder. Wrote Peter and he replied right away and I had the part shipped to my house within a few days....FREE OF CHARGE!
I have owned the VH4S and the Herbert and I am SOLD FOR LIFE on Diezels.

 

[MARK2C]

Curiosity question....

Are Diezels getting better with the little niggling quality issues? I know they are quite complex and things happen...

I like 'em but have no patience for amps that break down. That's why I like revolvers for a carry gun. Nothing can really go wrong.

I feel people like to glorify or exaggerate their problems with Diezel due to the initial cost of the amps.
If warranted, you have the right to complain until the heavens come down, but 95% of the alleged issues
or problems are unwarranted. I personally have not had any issues with four Diezel's back to 1999, but I can see where
many of the "Urban Myth" complaints may come from. The problem is that certain Diezel's can use many types of power tube.
There are way too many tube failure complaints due to this. It's a constant gripe, but people just don't know how to care for certain amps
or don't properly bias, handle or understand what they are doing. Another easy target are the preamp tubes. Let's face it, like power tubes these days
they are not "Medical" grade with 12,000 hour life expectancy. A power tube blows or a channel goes dead from a preamp tube and a $4000 work of
art becomes are piece of junk and the world must instantly be notified. I also feel that Peter Diezel has given us the option to use whatever power tube
we want to, but due to the improper use, biasing and tube quality he gets the blame. It is not deserving of such a kind, patient and giving man.
As for support, I needed a part from Mesa Boogie. They charged me for the parts at retail and $ 12.00 shipping for an 8 ounce box. It took 12 days
from the time of the order to be delivered UPS. I needed a part for my VH4. I emailed Peter and four days later I got the package air mailed from Germany from
Herbert Diezel. Free of charge !!!!!

Lets look at some of the facts.

Known past issues:

1. Some LED's went bad early in some Herbert's
2. Some filter caps went bad after a few years on some Herbert's and Einstein's

Tube Malfunction Related Issues:

1. Midi Chips can get zapped from power tube failure
2. The rectifier bridges for the preamp tube heaters can get zapped from power tube failure
3. Some screen grid resistors fail from power tube red plating or failure
4. Hum trimmers can get zapped from power tube failure
5. Tube fault LED resistors can get zapped from tube failure
6. Fuzzy tone or channel drop out from bad triode in preamp tube
7. No signal. Bad V1 preamp tube
8. Power tube failure. Call China, the Czech Republic or Russia and voice your complaint and see if they care.
9. Does anyone see a pattern here ?

Either way, Diezel amps are polarizing. Owners are either 1000% happy and satisfied with the quality and reliability or they complain about
them until they feel they have inflicted enough venom. There is an old saying in sales. If you make one person happy, they tell two people. If you
make one person mad, they tell twenty. I just have to say you have to take a lot of these complaints with a grain of salt. You really don't know what
the motive is or why they have the need to crucify things. Like I said, polarizing. I would really like to hear some explanations from the negative reviewers
as to what the root or true failure was. You never really get to hear the truth behind a complaint or issue. It's not like the company was bought out by AMF
or something !!!

 

[Ventura]

Ya... Like, what, um, HE said...!!

Well said, M2C... I had an issue that was entirely tube related back in the start of the year. I chatted with Peter about it, he was fast at getting back to me, same day I believe. Even though it was something that happens a lot to tube amps, he was still kind enough to send me a token of his generosity, a matched quad of new, Winged C 6550's. The tubes were completely uncalled for as hey, tubes blow - but Peter wanted to make sure I was a satisfied guy. 100% absolutely satisfied.

I've owned several VH4's and 4S's over the years, I'll more than likely be buying another model or two in the future - why? Aside from the amazing tone, aside from the amazing build quality, aside from the amazing customer service, and so forth, there's a definite 'family' feel when owning a Diezel. It's like a knowing glance or a familiarity or a secret handshake. If you own one, you're in. And knowing either one of these cats here on RT or Peter or Stapfer or anyone else has my back? It's just awesome.

Peace,
V.

 

[MARK2C]

Ya... Like, what, um, HE said...!!

Well said, M2C... I had an issue that was entirely tube related back in the start of the year. I chatted with Peter about it, he was fast at getting back to me, same day I believe. Even though it was something that happens a lot to tube amps, he was still kind enough to send me a token of his generosity, a matched quad of new, Winged C 6550's. The tubes were completely uncalled for as hey, tubes blow - but Peter wanted to make sure I was a satisfied guy. 100% absolutely satisfied.

I've owned several VH4's and 4S's over the years, I'll more than likely be buying another model or two in the future - why? Aside from the amazing tone, aside from the amazing build quality, aside from the amazing customer service, and so forth, there's a definite 'family' feel when owning a Diezel. It's like a knowing glance or a familiarity or a secret handshake. If you own one, you're in. And knowing either one of these cats here on RT or Peter or Stapfer or anyone else has my back? It's just awesome.

Peace,
V.

I agree. It's a weird feeling being so well taken care of without asking so, I give back what I can. I've just never had any of the problems
associated with these phantom problems. My 99 VH4 didn't even have a bias pot and the JJ 6L6's lasted two years !!! I have just never not been able
to plug the cord in and let them rip for over 11 years. Now I have plenty of other amps and my beloved 2007 VH4, but I use the Herbert about 70% of the time.
Again, for almost a year and a half I have had no issues. My other stuff is fucking green with envy !!! I just feel Diezel's are the pinnacle of what my ears want to hear.
Am I polarized ? 1000% !!!

 

[Heritage Softail]

Thanks for solid fact related replies. The Herbert I played at Guitar Center was undeniable in being an outstanding amp for a wide variety of tones. And I have experienced the tube related issues, seems every manufacturer has to deal with that. My Mesa MK V had a 12ax7 fail in a month. Was a good time to go to Tung Sols anyway. And the collateral damage from power tube failure hits internal components causing them to fail, and sometimes that amp builder gets blamed unfairly. Nuff said.

Diezel is a somewhat expensive amp but if you get what you pay for, and from the posts most all agree you do, it is worth it. The tone was never a question. Herbie is back on the radar.

 

[Mailman1971]

Thanks for solid fact related replies. The Herbert I played at Guitar Center was undeniable in being an outstanding amp for a wide variety of tones. And I have experienced the tube related issues, seems every manufacturer has to deal with that. My Mesa MK V had a 12ax7 fail in a month. Was a good time to go to Tung Sols anyway. And the collateral damage from power tube failure hits internal components causing them to fail, and sometimes that amp builder gets blamed unfairly. Nuff said.

Diezel is a somewhat expensive amp but if you get what you pay for, and from the posts most all agree you do, it is worth it. The tone was never a question. Herbie is back on the radar.

Yes.......you get what you pay for in the Herbert for sure.
I used to have 2 amps to cover all my tones....now the Herbert gets everything I play all in one amp and it sounds better then all the others I have owned.
I am done tone chasing. One amp....one guitar. Now I need to PLAY!!

 

[base341]

My wife thought I was out of my frickin' mind when I bought my Herbert..
I couldn't imagine being satisfied with any other amp after owning this, except maybe another Diezel.

After I purchased the amp and posted here about it, Peter Diezel chimed in and welcomed me to the brotherhood.
I told some friends about this and they thought I was full of it. Anytime I've had any questions about this amp everyone here has been extremely helpful,(pauly, nbarts, mark2c, Peter, etc).
I feel that this has pushed my playing to a new level because I find myself rushing to get home and play everyday. That inspiration has never happened with any guitar equipment or ANYTHING I've ever purchased in the past. EVERYTIME I plug in I love it more than the last time..

Buy with confidence!!!!

 

[RJF]

I have played both, and honestly the VH4 is a better amp. Period.

You're just bias because you got such a stupid good deal on that used VH4.