Hi everybody.
I've been doing some money counting and reckoning yesterday and I realized that in a few months' time my bank account will finally break the 1300 dollar mark (converted from SIT, of course). And then it occured to me that I'm getting to the point where buying an actual tube amp (or preamp, or whatever) is no longer just wishful thinking. However, seeing as stompboxes have come a long way nowadays, I've not ruled them out just yet as a distortion devices - price matters a lot to me. Now I'm confronted by some serious decisions (again)...
I've already got a Peavey bandit - the old one, not the new transtube series - and I really like it, for a SS it's fantastic, but I've found that the distorted ch. actually isn't all that great. I've got the metalzone, but... meh. I searched the net far and wide for a decent analogue distortion stompbox but although there are a couple interesting options, none of them retail here in slovenia. I'm kinda afraid to take the plunge and buy something without trying it out first, however sweet the sound samples are. I've been thinking about those:
MI Audio Tube Zone (www.miaudio.com click on products, then tube zone)
EMMA ReezaFRATzitz (no, really, check it out on google)
Marshall Jackhammer
Tonebone Hot British (http://www.tonebone.com/tbone_hotbrit.htm)
Now, if anyone of you uses/has used stompboxes, or knows anything useful about them, I'd really be glad if you gave me some advice. What I'm looking for is a pedal which:
-has enough gain for the more extreme styles
-is versatile enough to do mellow stuff as well
-retains note definition and clarity (unlike the metalzone)
-DOESN'T BUZZ (unlike the metalzone)
So much for that. Now, about those tube amps... (I'd really dig having one).
By the end of this year my budget will be... (hmm, let me see) ... 1700$
What would you recommend me? I need a versatile amp capable of going from rather tame to an all-out skullfuck. I'd prefer a combo -112 or 212- because I don't feel like spending a fuckload of money on a cabinet which I'l never be able to crank anyway. I'll be using it mainly for recording and small gigs, so I really don't need anything stronger than 50 watts. In that category, I've set my eyes on the ENGL's Screamer 50 112 combo. it's around 1200 brand new AFAIK. I also wouldn't mind a used Mesa Mark IV. I've see some sold on ebay for less than 1500 but it's hard to find anything on ebay that ships overseas, and then the postage is wild too, so... Anyway, I'm open to suggestions.
I've also been contemplating about a rack solution. I'd certainly have to look for used stuff, otherwise it would get too expensive. I was thinking about a Mesa Triaxis preamp - lots of people really dig it, and it's supposed to be really versatile - anyone has any experience with it? I'd probably try to get one for around 800 - 1000$ used. I'd then go for a used 20/20 or 2:50 power amp and a cab for up to 1000$ combined... do you think it would be possible? There were some deals on the ebay which, if I'd been in the USA, would have got me everything for 1800...
Sure enough, I could probably just plug it into the preamp jack on my bandit, but I have doubts about that method. A 1700$ tube preamp running a 500$ solid state combo? heh...
Shit, I don't even know anymore where my head's at... thanks in advance.
I've been doing some money counting and reckoning yesterday and I realized that in a few months' time my bank account will finally break the 1300 dollar mark (converted from SIT, of course). And then it occured to me that I'm getting to the point where buying an actual tube amp (or preamp, or whatever) is no longer just wishful thinking. However, seeing as stompboxes have come a long way nowadays, I've not ruled them out just yet as a distortion devices - price matters a lot to me. Now I'm confronted by some serious decisions (again)...
I've already got a Peavey bandit - the old one, not the new transtube series - and I really like it, for a SS it's fantastic, but I've found that the distorted ch. actually isn't all that great. I've got the metalzone, but... meh. I searched the net far and wide for a decent analogue distortion stompbox but although there are a couple interesting options, none of them retail here in slovenia. I'm kinda afraid to take the plunge and buy something without trying it out first, however sweet the sound samples are. I've been thinking about those:
MI Audio Tube Zone (www.miaudio.com click on products, then tube zone)
EMMA ReezaFRATzitz (no, really, check it out on google)
Marshall Jackhammer
Tonebone Hot British (http://www.tonebone.com/tbone_hotbrit.htm)
Now, if anyone of you uses/has used stompboxes, or knows anything useful about them, I'd really be glad if you gave me some advice. What I'm looking for is a pedal which:
-has enough gain for the more extreme styles
-is versatile enough to do mellow stuff as well
-retains note definition and clarity (unlike the metalzone)
-DOESN'T BUZZ (unlike the metalzone)
So much for that. Now, about those tube amps... (I'd really dig having one).
By the end of this year my budget will be... (hmm, let me see) ... 1700$
What would you recommend me? I need a versatile amp capable of going from rather tame to an all-out skullfuck. I'd prefer a combo -112 or 212- because I don't feel like spending a fuckload of money on a cabinet which I'l never be able to crank anyway. I'll be using it mainly for recording and small gigs, so I really don't need anything stronger than 50 watts. In that category, I've set my eyes on the ENGL's Screamer 50 112 combo. it's around 1200 brand new AFAIK. I also wouldn't mind a used Mesa Mark IV. I've see some sold on ebay for less than 1500 but it's hard to find anything on ebay that ships overseas, and then the postage is wild too, so... Anyway, I'm open to suggestions.
I've also been contemplating about a rack solution. I'd certainly have to look for used stuff, otherwise it would get too expensive. I was thinking about a Mesa Triaxis preamp - lots of people really dig it, and it's supposed to be really versatile - anyone has any experience with it? I'd probably try to get one for around 800 - 1000$ used. I'd then go for a used 20/20 or 2:50 power amp and a cab for up to 1000$ combined... do you think it would be possible? There were some deals on the ebay which, if I'd been in the USA, would have got me everything for 1800...
Sure enough, I could probably just plug it into the preamp jack on my bandit, but I have doubts about that method. A 1700$ tube preamp running a 500$ solid state combo? heh...
Shit, I don't even know anymore where my head's at... thanks in advance.
. Is there any other similar service besides ebay? Perhaps european? I'm still open for suggestions about amps of course.
