Help me choosing an amp

I found a guy who was selling his Invader, he seems to be swallowed by the earth and he does not reply emails anymore.
I don't know why but some strange powerful GAS force is leading me towards ENGL...

Some questions, if someone can answer...

About the Invader
1) 100 watt version is tight enough? I've read some few negative things about the 150W
2) Is it true that is an amp hard to cut in a mix ?(both live and stuio situations)

About the Savage120
3) Many albums were recorded, is it that good?
4) I played some times with an Blackomore, is it similar? As I know BM is based on savage but don't know it they sound close.

About the EVHIII
5)Can I have the tones of the 5150/6505 series or better?
6)Is it aggressive enough if suddenly i wanted to play death metal?
7)Will I need to boost it with a TS?

Sorry for being so fucking pain in the ass, but these things are expensive and I want to be sure what I'm buying... and recently I moved to a bigger house and had a son, so all my job and gigs money goes to pay the flat and diapers!
 
I can only speak to the 5150iii, which my co-guitarist has (I play through a first-gen 5150).

1. The high gain channel distorts about as much as the old Peavey, but the tone doesn't have as much midrange honk. It's a little smoother, with a slightly tighter low end.

2. If you suddenly decided to play death metal, the high gain channel will easily do it.

3. It doesn't need a TS, at least not as much as the original 5150. I believe the latest Testament was recorded without a TS in front.
 
Jevil said:
About the EVHIII
5)Can I have the tones of the 5150/6505 series or better?
6)Is it aggressive enough if suddenly i wanted to play death metal?
7)Will I need to boost it with a TS?
Click to expand...

1. It definitely has the 5150 character, but just sounds a bit more refined.
2. Yes. The red channel has shittons of gain, just like the Peavey versions. Way more than you'll ever use.
3. I don't ever use a TS with mine. It gets plenty tight enough without one, and I find that the TS thins it out a bit too much.

Some other things that I love about mine:
It sounds really good at bedroom volumes.
Great cleans.
The blue channel is pure sex for rock type sounds.
It's really hard to make the amp sound bad.

It hasn't replaced my Dual Rectifier, but between the two amps I'm pretty content with the amount of ground I can cover.
 
kaomao said:
sorry but I'd rather play an used (new is more that 2000 €) dual recto for power and thrash.
Power: listen to Blind guardian (live) and masterplan (studio)
Thrash: as you know there are plenty of examples about thrashy dual recto tones ;)
Click to expand...

Blind Guardian live uses Engl SE. The same as in studio.
Yeah, you are right on Masterplan, nice studio sound.

Maurizio, I once played a dual recto live. It was hired backline and it was the worse and more unpleasant show I've played ever. No tightness, gain was grainy and loose... I have no words in english to describe that tone. Since then I don't want anything related with rectums.
 
I didn't like the Invader much when I tried it. Cool amp, but not worth the price IMO.

The Savage is an absolutely beastly amp though, same with the SE. Would much rather have either of those over the EVH.
 
Jevil said:
Blind Guardian live uses Engl SE. The same as in studio.
Yeah, you are right on Masterplan, nice studio sound.

Maurizio, I once played a dual recto live. It was hired backline and it was the worse and more unpleasant show I've played ever. No tightness, gain was grainy and loose... I have no words in english to describe that tone. Since then I don't want anything related with rectums.
Click to expand...

Ouch ok you don't like it ;)
If you like it tight then engl, never heard somethig as tight as an engl or the other amp Ola from the forum played, the one that seems a shuttle/spaceship with all those lights lol
Blind Guardian: Anyway Marcus uses a recto live, in studio I don't know, but whenever they were over here I've always seen him with a "rectum" even on the live dvd (maybe they reamped but live on stage there was a triple rectifier)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Siepen
 
Jevil said:
Some questions, if someone can answer...

About the Invader
1) 100 watt version is tight enough? I've read some few negative things about the 150W
2) Is it true that is an amp hard to cut in a mix ?(both live and stuio situations)

About the Savage120
3) Many albums were recorded, is it that good?
4) I played some times with an Blackomore, is it similar? As I know BM is based on savage but don't know it they sound close.

About the EVHIII
5)Can I have the tones of the 5150/6505 series or better?
6)Is it aggressive enough if suddenly i wanted to play death metal?
7)Will I need to boost it with a TS?
Click to expand...


1)Yes
2)Yes
3)one of the better Engl amps for sure
3)I like the Blackmore better, there are some similarities but the BM sounds "more open"/less processed/flat (still a bit sterile, but that's part of the engl trademark of course, so not necessarily a bad thing)
5)very similar in character, yes (not EXACTLY the same though)
6)FUCK YES
7) not necessarily, I like every amp better with a TS though.

for some good 5150III tones check out:
Testament: formation
Accept: BOTN
Gojira: TWOAF
 
kaomao said:
Ouch ok you don't like it ;)
If you like it tight then engl, never heard somethig as tight as an engl or the other amp Ola from the forum played, the one that seems a shuttle/spaceship with all those lights lol
Click to expand...

Haha, the DAR I guess... it seems like a time machine.

kaomao said:
Blind Guardian: Anyway Marcus uses a recto live, in studio I don't know, but whenever they were over here I've always seen him with a "rectum" even on the live dvd (maybe they reamped but live on stage there was a triple rectifier)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Siepen
Click to expand...

Andre uses Engl, I thought Marcus too.


Lasse Lammert said:
for some good 5150III tones check out:

Testament: formation (checking clips in YT)
Accept: BOTN (checked, rechecked, overchecked, amasing album and tone)
Gojira: TWOAF (checking)
Click to expand...

I will have to find a store to try it before buy.



Considering also Engl SE.
I could even consider getting an E570 (Engl SE's preamp) and use it with my Mesa2:90 poweramp, but believe me that in 18 years I've only used combos and then switched to racks... never had a fucking head.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I'd also go 5150III

Cleans are really nice, and I think it would also be tight enough live without a TS (I play my 6505+ without one)

I'm not really an Engl fan, didn't like a single one I tried, haven't tried the savage yet.
Strange, cause at some clips I like how they sound if it fits the music, but I dont like playing through them...always feels a bit "flat" and "scratchy" no matter how loud the master is.
 
Mago said:
I'd also go 5150III

Cleans are really nice, and I think it would also be tight enough live without a TS (I play my 6505+ without one)

I'm not really an Engl fan, didn't like a single one I tried, haven't tried the savage yet.
Strange, cause at some clips I like how they sound if it fits the music, but I dont like playing through them...always feels a bit "flat" and "scratchy" no matter how loud the master is.
Click to expand...

Yes, there are a lot of Engl haters (usually Mesa lovers). I used to be one of them. But tastes also change with the age.
I only tried Savage 60W, Blackmore and Invader and they sounded great to me.
 
From all the amps I have, the 5150III is one of the amps that gets more use.
I actually prefer it to the 5150. I also have a 5150 Voodoo modded that although I prefer it to the 5150 sometimes it doesn't sound as good as the 5150III.
And the 5150III is a quite versatile amp.

Having said all this I don't have any Engl (as strange as it may seem) so I can't compare it to the 5150III.
 
Jevil said:
Yes, there are a lot of Engl haters (usually Mesa lovers). I used to be one of them. But tastes also change with the age.
I only tried Savage 60W, Blackmore and Invader and they sounded great to me.
Click to expand...

I'm not exactly a Mesa lover, altho I think that the Dual Recto is a great amp.
For me there are just more fitting alternatives that don't need a TS in front to be useable (without it only farts loose low end stuff imo)
What I LOVE about the dual recto is it's crunch sounds! they even outrule most marshalls for me.
But I usually don't play a lot with crunchy sounds ;)

All I can say is that even years ago when I was a guitar noob and wanted to get my first head I tried out the powerbawl and the firebawl and both were blown away by the 6505+ (which I ended up buying) and the other contestants.
The Invader was kinda "ok" but nothing special from what I can remember...as said I'd really want to try out a savage, cause I think when I saw nevermore and Symphony X on the power of metal tour they both played through one and it sounded pretty awesome.
I think I could really like the Blackmore if I once get to try one out.

The Thunder I once played also sucked ass.

But yeah, Engl is indeed a love or hate thing I think, which showes quite well that they have an own, unique sound.
 
One second hand Savage is waiting for me to try... I don't know how much is asking yet.

The guy has also on sale Dual rect, Roadking and VHT Pitbul. I'll give Mesa another chance and see if that dual recto i hated was just a fucked unit.
 
Goddamn Guitar said:
I'm late to the party but it sounds like you want either the Savage or the EVH5150. If you want to be able to get a tad more modern sound then Savage > EVH
Click to expand...

Yes, you are right, now I'm between the Savage and the EVHIII unless another competitor give me a good boner. Mainly 95% for live purpose.

I need to try both by myself cause most of the clips I've listened to on YT are crappy sounding or played buy awful guitarists whose daddys bought them big amps to play in their bedroom. :mad: Sons of bitches!
 
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