Best combo for metal @ around £500

[IbanezMetal]

I know i'm probably limiting myself here, but i'm looking to get a guitar combo for use in a band. The style is metal - like Fear Factory/pantera/the haunted etc. What is the best combo for around the £500 mark? i.e. the best metal distortion that'll blow my socks off. I know rectifiers are the way to go, but for now i can only afford a combo.Please help me, thanks..

 

[Brooks]

try a used 5150 combo, I'd say.... dont know why this is in the Andy forum though

 

[TimPhallicide]

See if you can get one of those new Carlsboro blue and yellow jobbies. You might hear the name 'Carlsboro' and spit, but I've tried one of these babies and they sound amazing!

 

[swallowyoursoul]

MAke sure you guitar doesn't have stock pick-ups in it. TRy some seymour duncans HD-1's....they have a really heavy sound that is still tight(good for metal) or get some EMG active pick-ups(I personally doen't like using anything in my set-up that requires a battery). THis will make all the difference in the world 'cause your sound starts at the guitar.

FOr an amp.....it;s all about preference. If you fix your guitar any Peavey tube amp 2x12 will be loud and heavy enough. Besides Peaveys are relativley cheap and the tubes make a big difference.
If you're felling adventurous take a look Sovtek amps. They may look silly and cheap but these things are work horses and built like tanks. And they make the best tubes...in my opinion..farely cheap too.

 

[Andy Sneap]

EMG's all the way for this type of stuff, though seymours are by far my fav passive pick ups.
Look for a s/h 5150, the ENGL stuffs pretty good also.