Hey guys. Relative noob here on the forum. Been lurking pretty hard recently on this subject and am really looking for your opinions.
Will be opening a studio pretty soon here in Northwest Houston, TX (have blown a lot of cash for it to be nicely built from the ground up). I am looking for a trustworthy and ballsy sounding amp capable of modern metal and rock tones as well as some quality cleans. This is all for availability as an in house amp for reamps as needed.
In addition to owning a 6505, I have experience with several amps in the studio and live (Dual/Triple Rectifier, various Line 6, & Soldano SLO among others). I can play guitar decently, but am at heart a vocalist and drummer. I mention that because although I would like to think that as a producer/engineer I still have a good idea on tone, I am particularly interested in how producers/engineers who are more experienced guitarists feel about certain amps in the studio, and what their favorites are.
So here are a few of the amps I'm interested in, but they are by no means the only ones I am willing to purchase, so feel free to list any others
My cab of reference is a Mesa Oversized 4x12 with V30's.
1. ENGL Savage
I really like the sounds that have come out Studio Fredman over the years. I know that a lot the releases themselves are not really applicable to the mainstream metal trends happening here in the States, but I feel that the tone is/can be. This is the amp that I am leaning toward the hardest, especially after watching Ola's videos playing it. Unfortunately I have no personal experience with this amp, but I'm trying hard to find one around here to get my hands on.
2. Soldano Avenger
I know that the Soldano tone is supposedly akin to a more focused 5150 (I love mine and would never sell it), but I heard one recently in a session and liked it's sound a lot in the room, although it didn't end up being easily mixable in this particular circumstance. Probably my fault as an engineer, but maybe these amps just don't translate well in a mix? I'm pretty interested in it though. I've got a friend in Austin who can help me get a pretty good deal on one...I know that this amp is a single channel only (no cleans), but I'm willing to overlook that if is really worth the purchase. Also interested in checking out an SLO again.
3. Hughes and Kettner Triamp
This thing is fucking awesome looking, and has 3 channels which is attractive. Sounds nice in Ola's vids, but thats pretty much all I'm going on as I have no personal experience whatsoever.
4. Mesa Rectifer
I am largely against buying any form of Rectifier for few reasons. One is that I see them more than any other amp being brought into the studio. Another is that I dislike their perpetual need for a TS or other boost, and also feel that sometimes even with the TS, I have to do WAY more EQ compared to any other amp to make it sit. I also wouldn't have trouble borrowing one if I really wanted it's tone. Basically I see it as I great live amp, but its flabby in the low end/low mids which makes it sometimes tough as a studio amp. But I am still curious on you guy's opinions on this.
5. Axe FX II
Really wondering about yall's opinion on this one for the studio since it seems really nice for this type of application. Is this the holy grail of studio tone? To be able to "set it and forget it" seems highly convenient, but almost too good to be true. How do people who have the new one feel? The older Standards and Ultra's???
6. Framus Cobra, Fortin Natas, Laboga Mr. Hector.
These amps are pretty obscure here in the US, but I'm interested nonetheless. I know that Adam D uses the Framus Cobra. & The Fortin and Laboga seem pretty sick, but I'm just going on Ola's videos once again.
So let me know what you think about all of this... I am honestly pretty psyched about the Savage at this point, but of course nothing is set in stone at all, and if I was to hear that the Axe FX was a good idea to purchase/try, I wouldn't be against it. BTW, I know that the "try it and decide" answer makes the most sense in any application like this and I am of course willing to buy and return amps if they don't work out. But I'm mostly looking to hear your opinions on the amps in question (or other high gain heads) so I at least have some sort of frame of reference. Sooooo....what are they?
Will be opening a studio pretty soon here in Northwest Houston, TX (have blown a lot of cash for it to be nicely built from the ground up). I am looking for a trustworthy and ballsy sounding amp capable of modern metal and rock tones as well as some quality cleans. This is all for availability as an in house amp for reamps as needed.
In addition to owning a 6505, I have experience with several amps in the studio and live (Dual/Triple Rectifier, various Line 6, & Soldano SLO among others). I can play guitar decently, but am at heart a vocalist and drummer. I mention that because although I would like to think that as a producer/engineer I still have a good idea on tone, I am particularly interested in how producers/engineers who are more experienced guitarists feel about certain amps in the studio, and what their favorites are.
So here are a few of the amps I'm interested in, but they are by no means the only ones I am willing to purchase, so feel free to list any others
My cab of reference is a Mesa Oversized 4x12 with V30's.1. ENGL Savage
I really like the sounds that have come out Studio Fredman over the years. I know that a lot the releases themselves are not really applicable to the mainstream metal trends happening here in the States, but I feel that the tone is/can be. This is the amp that I am leaning toward the hardest, especially after watching Ola's videos playing it. Unfortunately I have no personal experience with this amp, but I'm trying hard to find one around here to get my hands on.
2. Soldano Avenger
I know that the Soldano tone is supposedly akin to a more focused 5150 (I love mine and would never sell it), but I heard one recently in a session and liked it's sound a lot in the room, although it didn't end up being easily mixable in this particular circumstance. Probably my fault as an engineer, but maybe these amps just don't translate well in a mix? I'm pretty interested in it though. I've got a friend in Austin who can help me get a pretty good deal on one...I know that this amp is a single channel only (no cleans), but I'm willing to overlook that if is really worth the purchase. Also interested in checking out an SLO again.
3. Hughes and Kettner Triamp
This thing is fucking awesome looking, and has 3 channels which is attractive. Sounds nice in Ola's vids, but thats pretty much all I'm going on as I have no personal experience whatsoever.
4. Mesa Rectifer
I am largely against buying any form of Rectifier for few reasons. One is that I see them more than any other amp being brought into the studio. Another is that I dislike their perpetual need for a TS or other boost, and also feel that sometimes even with the TS, I have to do WAY more EQ compared to any other amp to make it sit. I also wouldn't have trouble borrowing one if I really wanted it's tone. Basically I see it as I great live amp, but its flabby in the low end/low mids which makes it sometimes tough as a studio amp. But I am still curious on you guy's opinions on this.
5. Axe FX II
Really wondering about yall's opinion on this one for the studio since it seems really nice for this type of application. Is this the holy grail of studio tone? To be able to "set it and forget it" seems highly convenient, but almost too good to be true. How do people who have the new one feel? The older Standards and Ultra's???
6. Framus Cobra, Fortin Natas, Laboga Mr. Hector.
These amps are pretty obscure here in the US, but I'm interested nonetheless. I know that Adam D uses the Framus Cobra. & The Fortin and Laboga seem pretty sick, but I'm just going on Ola's videos once again.
So let me know what you think about all of this... I am honestly pretty psyched about the Savage at this point, but of course nothing is set in stone at all, and if I was to hear that the Axe FX was a good idea to purchase/try, I wouldn't be against it. BTW, I know that the "try it and decide" answer makes the most sense in any application like this and I am of course willing to buy and return amps if they don't work out. But I'm mostly looking to hear your opinions on the amps in question (or other high gain heads) so I at least have some sort of frame of reference. Sooooo....what are they?
