Well its time for me, to stop using my Pod as an amp and buy myself something (its too much of hassle to carry it around week after week). Problem is, I am on really short budget. On the other hand, I dont really need stack or even valvestate.. I just want it to have a nice distorted tone.

Are there any options?

There is the perfect, I would say the one and only option coming out this month!

The Peavey 6505 112 60 Watt combo!!!

http://www.thomann.de/de/peavey_6505_112_combo.htm

The 6505 (previously 5150) is a metal weapon and nearly every Metal(core) band uses them! The distorted tone is just Insane!
This amp will now be available as a really cheap (considering the value for money) 1x12 combo with 60 watts, which is a bit much for homeuse but perfect for small gigs and rehearsals!

It's a bit over your budget but considering how good this offer is, I would rather sell my organs then settle for a cheaper Bugera or Line 6 if I was in your position.

Did I mention that I will buy one if I find someone to sell my liver to?!? (I am broke -.-)

This post has been edited by ZakkWylde: Jan 6 2010, 08:07 PM

yea i would say try out some peavey's, i really like them. Maybe the Peavy vypyr 30, 75 or 100. but thats just my preference!!!

peavy vypyr 30

http://www.samash.com/p/VYPYR30%20Modeling...20Amp_-49955403

peavey vypyr 75

http://www.samash.com/p/VYPYR%2075%20Model...20Amp_-49955402

peavey vypyr 100

http://www.samash.com/p/VYPYR%20100%20Mode...20Amp_-49955401

Hmm do you think that 30W will be enough to outscream drummer and other band members (another guiter, bass and vocals)? Note that we play loud music

Maybe 30 watt tube in a Blues or Jazz Band but certainly not 30 watt solid state in a Metal band

You will need atleast 50 watt tube amp or 100 watt solid state power to compete with a loud metal drummer

Also tube distortion>Digital Modeling

yeah, sure I know, that tube distortion is better, but I cant really choose... we are gonna hit the stage in two months so I'll try to fundraise as much money as possible but still... the vypyr looks like solid solution - at least for now

This post has been edited by Jakub Luptovec: Jan 6 2010, 09:11 PM

What's your budget Jakub ??

The viper is the cheaper solution for now but you won't be happy with a digital modeling combo for too long, especially not if you are going to gig soon and you are going down in the mix between all the others instruments (not to mention other guitarists and their halfstacks^^).

If you spend some more money on the 6505 combo or a similiar tube combo you get an amp that will satisfy you for years as it sounds really good, it will give you a professional tone for the gigs and future recordings. You will propably not even need a halfstack later because this combo is basicly a smaller 6505 head that can be used with a 4x12 cab!

Better to scrape together some more money now then getting frustrated over an amp that you will propably sell anyway if you continue to play concerts!

To Ivan:

As I said around 500$, but really, the less the easier it will be for me




Well this other guitarist has ENGL Blackmoore signature with Marshall 4x12 Well I might sell my pod... that would give me enough funds for that 6505.. but will leave me with crappy behringer 10W amp :-/

This post has been edited by Jakub Luptovec: Jan 6 2010, 09:41 PM

Here is what would happen when you play a modeling combo and the other guitarist has a Engl Stack:





You might aswell stay with your pod into the pa because honestly, the viper is nothing more than a pod with a speaker!


With a 60 watt tube combo you can easily compete with a Engl stack. Ofcourse the 4x12 will have a fuller and bigger sound but 60 watt tube are almost 90% as loud as 100 watts so the loudness is not the problem (because nobody cranks 100 watt^^)

Also the peavey sounds middier compared to the more scooped sounding Engl so you will cut through the mix very well!


You are 19 years old, can't you ask your parents to give you a little credit that you will pay off later?

This post has been edited by ZakkWylde: Jan 6 2010, 09:50 PM

Well this is what I am gonna most probably do... try to ask my parents, if nothing, Ill try to find some part time job and if nothing, Ill try to sell my Pod... but it will hurt :-/

The Peavey sounds like a good suggestion. Just wanted to add another suggestion more based on your budget issue.

A solid state amp where you don't have to worry about maintenance costs. I'm more of a tube purist myself but anyway, how about the new Line6 Spider IV combo?

Yeah I was considering some line 6 too.. I play two and half years, so I dont feel the need to have tube amp right now... but maybe it would be better... I will check that Spider IV

Well theoretically speaking, I could sell my pod, buy 120W Line 6 Spider IV (120w should be enough I guess...) and Ill have money left for some decent home practice amp

This post has been edited by Jakub Luptovec: Jan 6 2010, 10:16 PM

I have to agree with Zakk here
The 6505 is a great amp with a solid metal tone,
and you'll be able to compete with the Engl and a loud drummer

Sorry, I didn't see the budget limit in the topic title. I can recommend Randall RG75DG3. I know that you may feel that the brand is not that famous, but I've recorded my first album on that amp, it's a hybrid and it has awesome tones. Crank it, and you will get a great roar, it has plenty of drive. Even the smaller 50W version is great, but this one is really one of the best metal amps I've heard in that price range.

Duuuuude Randall? Man Dimebag Darrel played those beasts! Kirk Hammet has signature Randall Ill check that one out! Btw. hybrid is more like tube or more like valvestate? I know they have one or two tubes in preamp, but I don really know, how much does that matter and how much does it actually do...

Randall yeah, many great players used it, Dimebag being on of the most famous. It's a great brand, metal oriented, but the amp can pull out great clean sounds.

Hybrid means it has one 12AX7 tube in preamp section. So very much like valvestate. Valvestate is term used by Marshall, Randall calls it ValveDynamics (VD).

In general it is better for the amp to have 2-3 preamp tubes if the amp has two channels for example, this way less diode clippin is being used and more of the signal is being clipped with the tubes. But usually they just put one tube that is being used for all channels cause they want to cut down the price probably.
More tubes is not always better, but in a good tube 100W amp you need at least 2 preamp (or even 1 - not sure?) tubes and 4 power tubes, and transformers to support them with current, but in general all components in the circuit affect the tone, poor connections, cheap caps, transistors, clipping diode circuits, transformers, tubes, FX loops, reverbs etc.. everything affects the signal coming through. In general you don't have to worry about it, usually hybrid amps have 1 preamp tube and that's it. It's good to have a hybrid amp over solid state, the tone is indeed a bit warmer, if you don't crank it. When you crank it, solid state power amp section will start to buzz, how much, it depends on the particular model and brand, and other mentioned factors in the box itself. Tube amps are better in terms of response and creating a softer and more pleasant sound, but they cost more, and it's better to get a good hybrid amp then a bad tube amp for the same money.

This post has been edited by Ivan Milenkovic: Jan 6 2010, 11:38 PM

i think it will because i have a 15 watt and i have to keep volume on level 1 and if i put it on 10, i am pretty sure i could break a window or somethin. and thats just the 15 watt viper, it would be alot louder if i had the 30 or 75 watt viper.

doesnt 500$ buy a PEAVEY VK212???

30W amp is not enough to compete in the club, I've gigged with 25W all tubber once in a small club, and it worked miced, but I could barely hear myself, and the amp didn't have any headroom, it was cranked.

On the other hand, I have a wish to play with one of these on the gig just to see if it works, mic it and let it in monitors



This post has been edited by Ivan Milenkovic: Jan 7 2010, 01:07 AM