VH4 or Herbert?

[guitarman967]

+1, i just dont hear that in herbert. like i said earlier the herbert and eintien both have a softer feel that i think lends itself to the lead stuff. Just dont use to much midcut, try using midcut at about 8 30 or 9 oclock. remember petrucci uses boogies so if you want to use him as an influence that "feel" is definately a factor.

You don't hear a lower mid voicing in the Herbert when compared to the VH4?
The Feel on the Herbert is Loose. I don't want that Feel personally and most guitar players that I know don't want it either.

The older Marshall sound that he may or may not be going for had a nice tight lowend more similar to the VH4.
Of the two amps the VH4 is the one that get's more of the old school traditional sounds. Herbert is more modern sounding in the high's and voicing to me.

 

[slate]

i agree with g'man - i own the einstein and the VH4 , and have tested the herbert at volume ( A/B/C 'd all three heads at the same time through the same cab ) .

VH4 is the one .

 

[nbarts]

Yes, if you want old style sound Herbert is definitely not your thing.

 

[guitarman967]

It's nice that the VH4 has a seperate channel for the classic rock sounds on CH2. With the Herbert you would have to flick the +/- switch to get from your mid gain sounds to your heavy rhy sound and it's not MIDI switchable. That always bummed me out on the Herbert because those were my favorite two sounds. CH 2 +/-.

 

[Joeytpg]

I really really dig the 4 channels option on the VH4, It's like you have EVERYTHING right then in there.

I love my Einstein, and I don't think I'll sell it, but if I do, I think it would be to get the VH4.



Which one has the best Cleans? Einstein or Vh4?

 

[Jaymz82]

Which one has the best Cleans? Einstein or Vh4?

I used to have a Einstein 50 and now have a VH4. I like the VH4 cleans a little better, though both cleans are good.

 

[scottph]

Herbert has the best cleans imo.

 

[Jaymz82]

I personally liked the VH4 cleans a lot better than the Herbert Still a VHT UL beats them all, not to mention Fender

All a matter of taste I guess

 

[scottph]

Hence the "imo".

 

[VilleDZL]

I really dig Herbert´s cleans. I found them way better than VH4´s but there you go. Different tastes. Herbert has rounder tone but with enough mid cut and proper cab(Diezel front loaded) you can get it as tight as you want.

Overall I find Herbert better for your style too. That little give makes it sound much more like Petrucci´s tone but as I said you can also have the tightest sounds. Great amp but so is VH4.

For me the choice was easy because I play mainly metal. Herbert is the best metal amp ever. Also great cleans and rock sounds and what not. It´s very well rounded beast.

 

[diezel&gas]

what's the best for palm mute stuff in your opinion?

 

[van hellion]

this is just my thoughts but comparing diezels to other diezels is like comparing ferraris to ferraris. they are all top items which share a VERY similar tone. All of the posts here have valid points BUT imo vh4,herbie,and einstien all share that common diezel voicing and gain. i think one would be more than pleased with the tones,both lead and chuggy palm mute, out of all 3 of these amps.
peace
A Wood

 

[eddyrox]

this is just my thoughts but comparing diezels to other diezels is like comparing ferraris to ferraris. they are all top items which share a VERY similar tone. All of the posts here have valid points BUT imo vh4,herbie,and einstien all share that common diezel voicing and gain. i think one would be more than pleased with the tones,both lead and chuggy palm mute, out of all 3 of these amps.
peace
A Wood

+1 Absolutely Andy!

 

[VilleDZL]

Yes, they are quite similar but still I would say that Herbert would give the best chug on palm muted metal stuff. I really dig VH4´s channel 3 otherwise but I just don´t get this same kind of chug out of it. Although I haven´t tried it with BKP Warpigs. They might do the trick. I just installed one as bridge pickup to my ESP Custom Shop Eclipse, neck-thru and fell in love with it, again. I have had both alnico and ceramic before and I like the ceramic best so that´s what I ordered this time too. Now the sound is beyond brutal.

 

[van hellion]

hey eddyrox how many andersons have you had? i have had 5 different ones right now i have 3, a hollow drop top t with b-bender, solid body mahogany drop top with 2 hums and a 3 way switch and a solid basswood hum-sing-hum with switcharoo (sorry not trying to hijack the thread)

peace
A Wood

 

[eddyrox]

hey eddyrox how many andersons have you had? i have had 5 different ones right now i have 3, a hollow drop top t with b-bender, solid body mahogany drop top with 2 hums and a 3 way switch and a solid basswood hum-sing-hum with switcharoo (sorry not trying to hijack the thread)

peace
A Wood

Hi Andy, not to brag, but I'm on number 14 right now. I've been playing tom's stuff since 1995 (dating myself! ). The BEST TAG's IMHO are the one's since 2006 (wedgie neck joints). How's the HDT-T with the B-bender? I've always wanted to play the Fenders - didn't know TAG was marketing 'em - must be nice to be an endorser!!!

I've pretty much had every axe tom's ever made, mostly the DT's and Cobras. Although the one I adore the most is my Atom (yes, believe it or not! )
mike

 

[van hellion]

the b bender tele, was purchased as a regular hollow drop top t then joe glaser in nashville did one of his custom glaser benders in the guitar, it is awesome for country stuff! it really brings out my redneck side! im like you and enjoy the new anderson heel joints better than anything!

peace
A Wood

 

[guitarman967]

Herbert has the best cleans imo.

Scott, I agree that the Herbert cleans are slightly better because the Midcut adds some extra sparkle to the sound. It's certainly not a night and day difference I guess. Its the only channel of the Herb that I prefer over the VH4's.
BTW, Have you ever owned or A/B'd a VH4 with a Herbert?

 

[VilleDZL]

To me the best possible Diezel would be Herbert with added VH4´s channel 3. I could even swap my Herb´s channel 3 to VH4´s channel 3 I find Herb´s channel 2 with added mid cut to deliver the best metal tones ever. Then VH4´s channel 3 and VHT Ultralead would be on place number 3. I have VHT Pittbull Classic also but it would need new tubes before I can get the best out of it.

 

[eddyrox]

Herbert has the best cleans imo.

Scott, I agree that the Herbert cleans are slightly better because the Midcut adds some extra sparkle to the sound. It's certainly not a night and day difference I guess. Its the only channel of the Herb that I prefer over the VH4's.
BTW, Have you ever owned or A/B'd a VH4 with a Herbert?

G-man I gotta give ya props for hangin' in there with the VH4 thoughts. As a "sworn" Herbert player (last 3 years), my first experience with the VH4 was in February at the Hollywood GC. I was so floored by the "tightness"/compression, the cut of the VH4 (through all cabs), and it's "Marshall-esque" tone, that I ended up selling my Herbert (this week). She is off to a new home, but not because I need the $$$'s. I sold the Herbert for all of the reasons you've mentioned - softer low-mids, less focused low end, and a darkness that is difficult to dial out when you want to cut through in the mix.

With all due respect to AndyW and the KILLER tones he's achieved with the Herbert on Down from Up's tracks, IMHO I just like a brighter head. Call it old skool, but I'm a dyed-in-the-wool brown sound kinda playa.

Personally, every one of my Tom Andersons sound phenomenal through the Herbert. Fundamentally speaking, the TAG's are on the "bright" side. Tom's wood selection (only the best) and his Hi-Fi-style pickups really allow his guitars to resonate freely, which allows the given wood character to really cut. When coupled with an amp like the VH4, you really have to be careful with the presence and EQ controls. But when married up to the Herbert, with its darker voicing, the TAG's sound wonderful - like an Andy Wood signature tone!!

I will say IMHO that Herbert's Ch1 is BY FAR the BEST clean tone of ANY multi-channel head out there - BAR NONE. The other reason that I've had such a bitch of a time selling the Herber t is the flexibility and functionality (serial/parallel/footswitchable loops, tuner out, mute, midi functionality, etc.). There is not a head out there that can hang with the Herbert in this respect. AND she's 180W's!!!!!

But in the end, my use of the 5152, Marshall JVM410H, and other Marshall knock offs, lead me to a Diezel that is much "closer" to my 80's roots, but still has the German KERRANG that only a Diezel can deliver. I guess that is also why Warren DeMartini, Chris Impelliteri, Neal Schon, Bumblefoot (and other 80's metal guys) have gravitated to the VH4.