Guitar Questions

[futuresoptions]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

100w is way, way overkill for home playing. It's actually overkill until you get to mid-size theatres.

I have owned a 100w 2x12 in the past, can't remember what brand... it actually may have been an older Peavey or Crate... It did have a power squeezer function built in that made it okay for home practice... I could turn it up to one or two and then hit the power squeezer to activate the artificial tube effect as if I had it cranked. I agree with you though that a 100w amp without that function is worthless as a home practice amp...

[futuresoptions]

Picked this up of CL the other day... It's an Ibanez RG... I was getting a tinny / brass sound out of it with no low end to speak of... adjusted the pickups again and all is good... Now I just need to loose the strat tremolo bar and I will make this edge III tremolo a hardtail....

[LSA]

xD when I bought it I had no idea how loud 100w was, I would have been more than fin with the 75 or even the 30w.

I use it at home the majority of the time. It does have the power sponge feature which I usually just leave at the minimum and volume around 1 is loud enough to hear but you won't piss everyone else off... 3 and above I think my neighbors start to hate me. I'll think about it and let you know.

Are those the inf3 & 4 pickups in that rg? I have the same in an rg of mine and they are awful, not a very good pup really killed that guitar for me. Swap them out for something that will scream!

[scottmandue]

I can't confirm this but I was told there a very few guitar string manufactures (D'Addari being the big one) and they make strings for the other companies.

And yes 100 watts should be plenty unless you are going to play heavy metal.

[Rick Lee]

Do they even make anything above 100w other than the Peavey 6505, formerly 5150, which are 120w? If you want much more than that, you can get into power amps and variacs, but I can't imagine a real use for it. 100w is more than you could ever use.

[futuresoptions]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Do they even make anything above 100w other than the Peavey 6505, formerly 5150, which are 120w? If you want much more than that, you can get into power amps and variacs, but I can't imagine a real use for it. 100w is more than you could ever use.

As far as I know, the only one is that Peavey Vypyr 120 Tube amp that I am looking at... unless someone else more familiar than me can chime in...

[nostatic]

Elixer string. I run them on my Martin OM21 and they last a long time. Yes, more expensive but they will sound good forever and feel smooth. http://www.juststrings.com/elx-16027.html

100W 2-12 is overkill for almost every situation. I gigged for years with 22W 1-12 amps. Almost every guitard I play with is too loud and doesn't understand the basics. Here's my short list:

1. Don't play your music for your ankles. Either put the cabinet on a chair or angle it towards your head. Most people are way too loud because of this. Also, if you're sitting on your speaker you also can't hear how loud it is.

2. When playing in a band, re-eq your sound - mostly, cut the damn bass. A guitar tone that sounds great in the bedroom by yourself will likely sound like crap in a full band situation. The most common mistake is cranking up the low end to sound more "full". That's great, but it fights with the bass and kick drum and ends up making things like mud, leading to volume wars.

3. A low power tube amp cranked sounds infinitely better than a high power amp on 1. Guitars cut naturally - you don't need a ton of power to be heard. Oh, and wear ear protection when you play in a band situation.

[Cajundaddy]

Originally Posted by futuresoptions

As far as I know, the only one is that Peavey Vypyr 120 Tube amp that I am looking at... unless someone else more familiar than me can chime in...

That VYPYR should be plenty of amp for rehearsal or gigs. I'm old school and not really much of a modeling amp guy but it looks like a nice one.

[nostatic]

Mesa Boogie Express Plus 5:25 Guitar Amplifier

[Cajundaddy]

Originally Posted by nostatic

Mesa Boogie Express Plus 5:25 Guitar Amplifier

Welcome to my world.

[nostatic]

Modeling - hate it, hate it, hate it. They sound cool for the first 5 minutes, but then...

[nostatic]

I gigged Studio 22 amps for many years. The last gigging amp I had was a Bogner Shiva. Seriously awesome amp with incredible touch sensitivity.

I have one of these on order. While bass is a different beast with different needs, those glowing bottles still provide some magic.

[Cajundaddy]

Originally Posted by nostatic

Modeling - hate it, hate it, hate it. They sound cool for the first 5 minutes, but then...

Meh, I don't hate modeling amps, I know a bunch of pros in Vegas that use them effectively for shows like Blue Man. (Oz Fox of Stryper often goes ampless and runs a POD Pro direct to the PA).

I just feel disconnected from them somehow and prefer a simple quality tube circuit to let my guitar's voice sing through. Personal preference but Mesa, Fender, Orange and Marshall all work well for me. Soldano and Bogner certainly work well too but I don't take precious boutique amps to street fairs or clubs with drunks.

[futuresoptions]

Man, that Mesa Boogie sounds awesome! Very clean sounding tone... Little out of my price range, but man, something to ponder...

[Cajundaddy]

Originally Posted by futuresoptions

Man, that Mesa Boogie sounds awesome! Very clean sounding tone... Little out of my price range, but man, something to ponder...

New ones are expensive but you get what you pay for. It is hand wired quality that will last a lifetime. I nearly always buy used and Studio 22, F-30, 22 Caliber are all great amps that can be found for $400-$600 in very good condition. This is often the seasoned pro guitarist's choice who doesn't need a stack for the 80s rock image. Best bang for the buck IMHO and your whole gig rig will fit in the 914

[futuresoptions]

Originally Posted by LSA

Are those the inf3 & 4 pickups in that rg? I have the same in an rg of mine and they are awful, not a very good pup really killed that guitar for me. Swap them out for something that will scream!

Yep, Not crazy about the sound as well... For it to be a higher end RG, I have cheaper Ibanez's that have the bottom of the barrel pickups in them that sound way better. I do notice that this RG for whatever reason has twice the sustain as my cheaper Ibanez's though...

[futuresoptions]

Thanks for all the input guys... will be window shopping...

[Nostril Cheese]

Line 6 makes some good "GASP" modeling amps as well.

You dont need a stack.

ALso check out the Fender Hot Rod Deville

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

Line 6 makes some good "GASP" modeling amps as well.

You dont need a stack.

ALso check out the Fender Hot Rod Deville

The DeVille is a fabulous amp, great for any situation. Line 6 not so much, for live situations anyway. I guess they're fine in the bedroom, but I gigged with a guy who use that setup live and it sounded so thin and amateurish.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

+1 on the Deville. My next combo, if I ever get one.