Univalve Guitar Amp Opinions
 

I know some of you guys are guitar players...

I am seriously considering buying a Univalve, but I have never played one (exactly zero within 100 miles of me)). I am looking for that tube amp feel and dynamics in a package that will allow me some power tube saturation at reasonable volume levels (no gigging).

My ultimate goal in tone would be a Marshall DSL50 or old JCM800 type of sound (some good crunch along with some warm overdrive). I currently play a Gibson SG through a Marshall VS265R amp and while it's pretty decent...well, I'm looking for something better.

I like the idea of versatility with the Univalve and have a feeling it would accept pedals pretty well.

Any opinions?

Mike

i never played a univalve but if you want a smooth warm tone i would invest in a Fender Vibroverb tube amp older the better, it is the same one clapton and BBking play with , my buddy has a few and they just sound like the real deal, with either a Gibson blueshawk or LP and a strat ofcoarse ,, you wont be disappointed i promise




911E IROC replica
C36 AMG
190e 2.3-16v cosworth
190e 2.3-16v cosworth

Problem remains with a Class A valve amp- they need to be run hard, and that poses issues for home use. I use a little Laney VC30, its a ripper, but its loud. However, its insignicant compared to the shattering vloume required to get the sound out of the pair of Marshall 100w Superleads I used have. But for home- get yourself a Behringer V-Amp2. Best $100-200 bucks you'll spend. All the Marshall/Vox/Fender/Engel/Boogie sounds you want deleivered in very realistic, albeit digital, manner.

You might even decide you dont need a new amp, as well.

Good luck

Stuart - regarding the issue of really having to crank it - I know what you mean. Sorta the Vox AC30 syndrome - great tone, but at extreme volumes. According to the THD site and Harmony Central reviews for the Univalve - the built in attenuator *supposedly* allows the amp to be driven really hard while bringing the volume down to reasonable levels.

My only real experience with modeling stuff is some Line6 amps. I wasn't impressed. I have heard good things about the Behringer, though. The Marshall Valvestate I have now is pretty good (for what it is), but it doesn't have the same dynamics as a full tube amp. Plus, it doesn't articulate chords very well (if that makes any sense). I've played a couple of the Marshall DSL amps and they have the feel and tone that I like - albeit at volumes that I can't use...

Thanks for the comments.

Mike

You can have someone build you a power attenuator (power soak, big resistor bank) if you want to keep your tone. If you cant find an amp shop to do it, shoot me a PM and I'll give you the contact info for a local shop that can either do it or point you in the right direction to get it done.

How easy is it to find a Vibroverb these days? I know guys like Clapton and SRV used them, but when I was really into the vintage gear, those were the only types of people who had them. Isnt a Vibroverb more costly than a Dumble?

If you are really serious about tone find a used Komet on ebay or cough up the $3500 for a new one. The guys that manufacture these for Ken Fischer have been in Baton Rouge for a while now. I used to hang out in their shop when they were tuning the prototypes and sending them out to guys like Joe Perry, Billy Gibbons, and Lenny Kravitz. The amp is a Ken Fischer circuit, obviously handwired, using all military grade transistors and componets and based heavliy on a prototype Marshall JTM45 (1 of the first 5 amps built). Ive owned old and new Marshalls and Fenders (including a real JTM45) and have played through Naylors, Trainwrecks, as well as the prototype JTM45 that this amp is based on. I am a freak about guitar tone. The Komet is without a doubt the best sounding amp Ive ever played through. The build quality is like nothing Ive ever seen.

Well, for sure, given unlimited funds there are some nice choices out there. A Diezel for one. One attraction of the Univalve is that Avatar cabs has a deal where you buy a cab and get the Univalve for $659. I've some pcar stuff I need to do, too, so I'm looking for some better tone at a decent price.

I've heard that many attenuators (like Marshall's PowerSoak) really suck the tone out. Any truth to that?

One problem I have is that my "holy grail" of tone evolves over time. Back in the '80s, I thought a Sunn Beta Lead was the best sounding thing I'd ever heard. :>) Now, it's more of a Marshall crunch with some nice warm sustain, overdrive and harmonics as the chord trails off...

Mike

I'm very impressed with my Mesa Road King head and cab. Little pricey at $3300.00 for both, but boy, worth every penny for me. Playing through it with a LTD Studio Les Paul, A faded Gibson V, my ltd #73 of 200 first run Jackson RR, Music Man / Ernie Ball John Petrucci Sig model, and an Ibanez RG270DX, all of course running different pick ups. Tubes are such a warm, beautiful sound.

The amazing thing about this head, is not only do I get the warm Mesas tube cleans and crunch, but one flip of a switch, I can pull the cleans and crunch of a Marshall non tube, along with getting sounds of many other amps. The back of this head has just as many knobs and switches as a small airplane cockpit, lol.

Mike- I am not impressed by Line 6 either. A friend had a Line 6 modelling amps and I thought it was rubbish. Which is why the Behringer impressed. Even if you dont use it in an amp, its pretty damn goodas a headphone amp. Cant go wrong for the price- ive seen them on ebay for a $100.

I still run the V-Amp into my class A valve Laney (which is a Vox Ac30 ripoff) Its pretty easy to drive. Ive simply doctored a couple of the preset sounds to suit, and I have a bank of sounds for Strat and LP as required. I hate things with buttons and knobs and lights. Shutup n'play yer guitar, I say.

Regarding Power Soaks. I have an original 80's , one owner (me) Tom Scholz Power Soak. Run yer Marshall Death Machine on 11 in yer bedroom. Any one ineteretsed?

Mike,

Didn't remember you played. If you get tired of swapping amps you can always start the search for the ultimate tube for the amp you already own (assuming it's not solid state). What type are you using, EL34's, 6550's?

Oh I almost forgot.
We're putting the band back together..................

THD makes the Hot Plate Attenuator. 279.
Marshall makes the PB 100 Power Brake.
I have both, they both do the same thing. Plug your amp in crank it to 10 and set these devices to a non ear bleed level. Works every time

Well, I hack away at it - using the term "playing" is a stretch sometimes. :>)

Anyway, the amp I have now only has a tube pre-amp, the power section is solid state. The Univalve allows you to "search for the ultimate tube" as you can swap 'em out.

Sorry I missed Trackaholics - I'm covered up doing testing here at work.

Mike

Just get a Fender twin....last amp you will buy. Lots of power if you decide gig in the end, They travel well, unlike Mesa. But hey, I'm a bass player what do I know about it. I just know that for all the guitar players I've played with in my 40 odd years of gigging, the most versital, and reliable amp is the old standby Fender twin.

Mike, If you haven't already, also join this BBS:

http://vintageamps.com/PlexiPalaceUBBcgi/ultimatebb.cgi

Plenty of expertise on guitar tone / amplification / signal chain there.

I'll check this out. I hung out (lurked mostly) on Harmony Central's amp forum for awhile, but the "signal to noise ratio" is horrible there. I'll check this one out...

Mike

Plexi Palace is all good. No teenagers asking how to sound "nu-metal" through a 10 watt amp / bragging about how much they "shred".

The OT forum is pretty neat too. Nice and civil.

Ive got a 1966 Fender Deluxe Reverb.. restored it a few years ago to factory spec. Im using 6V6's in there although I've heard you can modify it to use 6L6'S, although im not too interested in doing that.

Does the job really well I think... Sounds really good with my Tele.

What about the Peavey XXX? Doesnt that allow you to use EL34's, 6L6's and other tubes?

Peavey uses those dipped circuit boards instead of hard wiring. i have smoked a bunch of their bass amps. They just shake apart. You have a gem there Jared

Bogner is still my favorite. The Shiva gets a killer Marshall tone...sweet plexi vibe, plus the other channel will fender it too. There are a lot of other boutique amps out there though. Bad Cats are nice as is Dr. Z. For Marshall land though I'd stick with Bogner, Top Hat, or Guytron, but Guytron needs to be cranked. I could get a pretty good tone out of my Shiva at low volumes, and Top Hat makes some low power amps.

Peavey is evil.

Peavey = crap
Carvin= kids stuff

I'm with Static on that one. Static, man you use the most bizzard brands of equipment! Where DO you find this stuff? i'm just happy with my Ampeg ..bulletproof.

yeah i know. I love this amp. I'll never sell it. If you ever find one, GRAB IT.

I see them sometimes in Guitar center, total beat up models going for $2000, mine's nearly perfect. Even got the original fender tolex to recover it and the original speaker.

I cant believe how damn loud it is for only a 1 x 12....

I had a Peavey 5150 half stack for a short while. I was not impressed... could never get it to sound good. Tried everything, got the supposedly good tubes from Russia, etc... Just couldnt get it to sound good... eventually sold it.

Also had a Peavey Mark IV bass cab, didnt sound good either....

Peavey stuff is indestructable though...