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GMC Forum _ GEAR & PRODUCTION _ Recommendations For An Amp

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Aug 1 2009, 11:10 PM

hey guys, wanted to hear some experiences and opinions about guitar amps and heads. I sold my TSL601 in search of something more cleaner and better. I was eyeballing ENGL Screamer Combo 50 in the store for quite some time, and now it's time to get it. I've tried it but it sounds cold. It's awesome I like the sound, clean is solid, overdrive is great too, reverb is great as well, but it's a bit cold to me.

I must get something from the store, ordering online is not an option here. What are your opinions with ENLG amps, combos, heads anything? What worked well for you. I would get a head probably, it's not here now, but the store can possibly order it. This would mean I cannot test it properly anywhere, so it's kinda risky. What do you guys think of ENLG tone?

Posted by: Staffy Aug 1 2009, 11:14 PM

I didn't try the Engl's but I owned Mesa Boogies, Vox amps, Peaveys and a lot of others but I'm always been returning to Fender and Marshalls for some reason....

//Staffay

QUOTE (Ivan Milenkovic @ Aug 2 2009, 12:10 AM) *
hey guys, wanted to hear some experiences and opinions about guitar amps and heads. I sold my TSL601 in search of something more cleaner and better. I was eyeballing ENGL Screamer Combo 50 in the store for quite some time, and now it's time to get it. I've tried it but it sounds cold. It's awesome I like the sound, clean is solid, overdrive is great too, reverb is great as well, but it's a bit cold to me.

I must get something from the store, ordering online is not an option here. What are your opinions with ENLG amps, combos, heads anything? What worked well for you. I would get a head probably, it's not here now, but the store can possibly order it. This would mean I cannot test it properly anywhere, so it's kinda risky. What do you guys think of ENLG tone?


Posted by: audiopaal Aug 1 2009, 11:25 PM

If you can, try out a Framus or a Bogner amp!
They're amazing, at least the Framus Ruby Riot and the Bogner Duende smile.gif

Very nice cleans and overdrive/Distortion smile.gif

I just posted a metal clip with the Bogner Duende, http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=29341&st=0&p=407298&#entry407298

I can make some clean and overdrive demos as well if you want smile.gif

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Aug 1 2009, 11:30 PM

Thanks a lot guys!

Paal the only things I have available here right now are 3 amps that I would take into consideration and one of them is a desperate choice cause there are no other ones available:

ENLG Screamer 50 combo


Fender Deluxe Wine Red


Marshall DSL60 head


This are the only things I would take into consideration, and I don't really lead towards DSL cause I've used TSL and it will be very similar. I would consider Vintage Modern 50W head or vintage Marshall it if is any good but this no.

So any opinions on ENGLs, comparisons to other amps, honest impressions.. etc..

Posted by: MickeM Aug 1 2009, 11:41 PM

An Engl that doesn't cost a fortune and isn't a metal monster though you can dial in anything from clean to brootalz is the Blackmore signature. So the day I'm jumping onto the Engl train it's going to be one of those.

For a blues and rockman who doesn't need the most brutal tones, Blackstar Artisan 30W. The guys at "my" musicstore swear by this brand and I trust them. There's also a new from Blackstar called "Series one", supposed to seriously kick some Marshall groin.
My guess is an Artisan or Series one would be a life companion. wink.gif

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Aug 1 2009, 11:47 PM

Hmm, Blackmoore head is very interesting, I don't think they have it in the store here tho sad.gif They do have it on the site, it's around 1150e which is pricey for that head, but I will see how it is. Thanks a lot Micke

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Aug 2 2009, 12:07 AM

Hmm I think I saw few Bogner amps in stores here, it could be nice to try them out! I also remembered that Lyra Style shop offers "special orders" at fair price. I asked them for a bass cabinet. They order them from Hungary so they arrive fast.

Posted by: ZakkWylde Aug 2 2009, 12:08 AM

Just a question: Why isn't online ordering an option? Muris bought his Engl in Germany and the store delivered to Bosnia so I think they will also ship to Serbia!

I could not stand the position you are in right now; looking for an amp but there are only three to choose but none of them is 100% right for you but you HAVE to settle for one because nothing else is available...

There are tons of amps for you're style like the Marshall vintage modern or the JVM series, the bogner alchemist series, the new Blackstar series one amps, the classic Fender tube amps, Hughes & Kettner amps or Orange Amps - the list is endless!

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Aug 2 2009, 12:35 AM

Ah and yes maybe Hughes & Kettner are worth trying...They have a pretty nice stock of them, and I saw them in different stores too smile.gif

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Aug 2 2009, 12:47 AM

Ordering is not an option simply because I have to try the amp myself. I suppose I will scan the store and ads for a while...

Posted by: Toroso Aug 2 2009, 12:50 AM

I couldn't possibly recommend anything, but what bugs you about the amp you had?

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Aug 2 2009, 01:02 AM

I sold the Marshall for several reasons, one having parallel FX loop that was a bit quiet, it was poorly designed in general I didn't like it. The sound was good on the crunch channel and even clean was very good, but now I'm in search for something different. Maybe even completely different.. Not sure what tho.. not too many options...

Posted by: audiopaal Aug 2 2009, 01:10 AM

In that case I'd go for the Engl or the Marshall Vinatge Modern smile.gif
Both are great amps but very different.

If you think the Engl sounds cold, you can always buy a good boost pedal (one that colors the sound),
like the BB Preamp. That would warm things up and smooth things out smile.gif

The Marshall Vintage Modern is a very warm and perfect amp for cleans and overdrive,
but you'll need a pedal for heavier stuff and/or solos smile.gif

I've owned both Engl and Vintage Modern, great amps smile.gif

Edit:
Hughes and Kettner also have some great amps!
Worth checking out as Bogdan said smile.gif

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Aug 2 2009, 01:18 AM

Thanks Paal, good to hear that. VM and ENGL Screamer that I've tried are completely different amps, and I do like them both. The problem is, there is no VM heads or combos here atm, and the only ENGL amps I can find are two combos, Raider 100 and Screamer 50. I've found Screamer 50 a nice little combo, but.. not good enough really. I'll check H&K and compare it to that on Monday wink.gif

Posted by: Muris Varajic Aug 2 2009, 01:19 AM

QUOTE (ZakkWylde @ Aug 2 2009, 01:08 AM) *
Just a question: Why isn't online ordering an option? Muris bought his Engl in Germany and the store delivered to Bosnia so I think they will also ship to Serbia!


Not exactly, my friend bought it for me in Germany
and he brought it here. smile.gif

Posted by: sted Aug 2 2009, 08:20 AM

Hey Ivan!

Funny you should mention Engl coz I came across this demo on a forum and i was shocked at how good the clean sounds on here, check it out................




Also on the Fender deluxe I think these are very underrated amps, so much that I made an enquiry to a shop to possibly get one next week, although I have opted for the blues reissue which has a bit more of a vintage voicing and vibe, the drive is nothing special but the clean channel is the best Ive ever heard with a strat, I think with a nice BB preamp this would be the ultimate blues/funk machine (Not metal though!).

This isnt a bad demo of the one I want:



I know what you mean about marshall atm, they dont seem to have any direction and are just relying on their huge artist list to sell amps, I mean the "The Zakk Wylde MG10" who wants that piece of junk? The Marshall Haze endorsed by Doug Aldrich, yeah right! I think blackstar have seriously scared them by making the amps that Marshall should have made all along, its a pity you cant try an Artisan 100 head, they are real high spec hand wired jobs and have all the old plexi refinements with modern appointments.

Posted by: Muris Varajic Aug 2 2009, 12:08 PM

Speaking of Engl, I really love my Souvereign 2x12,
people have different opinions about Engl's clean (and OD as well)
while everyone pretty much appreciates its gain, high gain.
But to be fully honest, I enjoy clean and OD on my Engl
far more than high gain stuff. smile.gif

Posted by: Janos Kallai Aug 2 2009, 01:21 PM

Hi Ivan,

I use an Engl Richie Blackmore head and an Engl cab.
I used to have Marshall amps, and I played with different amps, with a lot of effect pedals on gigs, but since I bought this one, I don’t need anything else just a cable.

I think the Marshall sound is really great of course. Tom Morello, or Zakk Wylde they have amazing sounds and I like these very much.

I think it is so hard to talk about the feeling what We feel exactly when we play with a great amp. And I think it’s so subjective, cause every guitarist have a diffrent opinion about the „perfect sound”

So I think If You have no opportunity testing the amps that You would like to buy, check the list of the endosers on the site of the company (www.engl-amps.com). If You find a guitarist who's close style You like, listen to his albums, or much better, if You have opportunity to see his live gig.
It can helps You I hope, becouse I did it, and it worked well for me.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Aug 8 2009, 12:49 PM

Thanks a lot for these advices my friends, I will continue searching. I've tried couple of more heads from Marshall few days ago, and they are all pretty bad sounding for me. JVM 100W, DSL50 were not that good, JVM had too grainy gain, DSL had thin cleans... The only thing that I liked is JMP MKII 100W head, but that is a monster and I will need something more like a 50W tops.
Janos thanks a lot for info on that Blackmoore head! smile.gif I will try to hear more about the Blackmoore head since I see it is made to sound simple and raw like vintage Marshalls used to have. Can you tell me how does it handle clean sounds?

Posted by: Mitch Roberts Aug 13 2009, 07:18 AM

As far as a clean amp goes, you might want to check out the tone king imperial, one of the best cleans i've ever heard. Also i've been a big fan of the AC30 cleans lately, I have a friend that runs a ac30 with a boss me-5 that has one of the best clean tones ive ever heard.

Posted by: mhskeide Aug 20 2009, 08:04 PM

I see you got plenty of answers, but no so many regarding the screamer.

I`ve been strongy considering it myself. both of the guitar players in of my band has one, my guitar teacher has one, my friends guitar teacher has one and really, a lot of GOOD players seems to have it in my town for some reason smile.gif

I think it`s a great amp for the price. You`ll get crystal clear clean, beautiful low-gains/crunch sounds, some classic rock tones...and as the impression I have of your style after seeing you at GMC, I think it got more gain than you ever need biggrin.gif

Hope this was to some help smile.gif

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