I want a new guitar setup. Advice?

[AeternusEternus]

If you've kept up at all with the Nebula stuff, you know that I am a person who can appreciate having the preamp and power amp separate. I love using my power amp to accept a line signal straight from my computer, and I love using my preamp and/or amp software for direct recording. In addition to using the impulses and Nebula programs I've created with my direct tones, I can reamplify at any time by simply running to my power amp.

Trouble is, I think I've way outgrown my tone. I want something new. Preamp, power amp, entire head, cabinets, whatever.

I love hearing recordings of 5150s and Engls on here. I am fairly certain that Engl's the direction I want to go, based on their reputation, mainly. They've got awesome sounds, a diverse and ACTIVE rack line, and great features I can appreciate on a head. I'm also considering the Marshall JVM or even JCM800 route, but probably not.

Here's what I want:

-To continue making impulses and/or Nebula programs, I'd like to try to find a head with a power amp jack, so I can use the power section alone.
-I'd REALLY like the head to have a non-cab-emulated line out, so I can use impulses/Nebula. If that's not easy to find, though, TSS -> Wagner sounds good enough. Plus, I've got an X-Amp, so whatever.
-I want tight low end. I've always owned amps that had a flabby low end that just flopped around while I played. It's got to be TIGHT.

Something to consider, though, is that people here will benefit from this too. If I'm making impulses/programs with this head, what do you want me to make them with?

Does anyone have any recommendations they can throw at me? I'm not necessarily in a hurry to do this. This is just a brainstorm.

 

[NickL]

just throwing this out there. I've changed amps, cabs, speakers, pickups, pick material, string type, you name it. The biggest improvement I've ever had in tone came from getting a higher-end guitar. What kind of guitar are you playing?

 

[John_C]

Can't you use the FX loop for your ins and outs? The guitar thing makes a big difference, maybe every amp you've owned seems too flabby because your guitar itself is very bass heavy. As far as i can tell from messing around with eqs, lots of bass before distortion = flab

 

[AeternusEternus]

I own a Schecter C7 Hellraiser and a Gibson Faded V, both with EMGs in the bridge. I also have a 7-string Jackson with (you guessed it) an EMG in the bridge. Is that part of the problem?

Even if it is, by doing recordings and comparing to other recordings, I know what my amp is capable of. I used to have a Triple Rec, and it was a step in the right direction, but in the end, wasn't really what I wanted.

 

[006]

Engl FireBall is tight as fuck, has the Engl sound (duh) and has good deals on the used market. Has FX Loop as well IIRC.

~006

 

[AeternusEternus]

So an FX loop, that's going to give me the line out that I want, and a somewhat-colored power-amp-in, correct? I guess I never thought to try that.

 

[006]

Plus it's Engl And seriously the FireBall is tight as fuck, it doesn't even need a TS in front of it...

http://rocksolidamps.com/index.php?contain=description&ii=41&mid=2

~006

 

[John_C]

So an FX loop, that's going to give me the line out that I want, and a somewhat-colored power-amp-in, correct? I guess I never thought to try that.

Correct me if i'm wrong someone, but doesn't the FX return go straight into the power stage in most amps? ie no more coloured than any other way

Which EMGs are you using?

EDIT: and yes the FX loop will give you a line out without any problems

 

[Metaltastic]

Yep, an FX loop on any high-end amp is just a patch point between the preamp and power amp. As for amps, my two top choices (since you want tightness) would be a Krank Rev or Engl Savage 120 (or Fireball if you're on a budget, but from all I've heard that is one DIRTY fucking amp, for better or for worse - check out the tone on Scar Symmetry's first two albums for an idea of its sound).

 

[AeternusEternus]

Correct me if i'm wrong someone, but doesn't the FX return go straight into the power stage in most amps? ie no more coloured than any other way

Which EMGs are you using?

EDIT: and yes the FX loop will give you a line out without any problems

I do suppose you're right about the FX loop, though the FX return COULD have some coloration, depending on the design of course.

I'm using two EMG707s in the Schecter. In the Jackson, I've got a 707 in the bridge and the cheap stock passive humbucker in the neck. In the Gibson, I followed in the Jacksons footsteps, and have a EMG81 in the bridge and a 498T (or is it 500T?) in the bridge.

Active + Passive = Middle Switch Domination.

 

[006]

Marcus: R u srs? The FireBall is one of the tightest amps I've ever had the pleasure of playing on, and never felt it was dirty for a second.

~006

 

[Metaltastic]

Well yeah, when I say dirty I mean grainy and very raw sounding, not loose/flubby - I've never played one, unfortunately, but that's been my impression from all the clips I've heard (and considering how few knobs it has, I doubt it's capable of too much versatility ) - I really dig the tone on SS's "Pitch Black Progress" (and "Symmetric in Design" is good in a kind of disgustingly raw style hehehe), and those are all Fireball I'm pretty sure, so I'm not saying I dislike it, just that as I understand it it's got a pretty characteristic sound.

 

[006]

Ah yeah. I mean, it's got one EQ for two channels, whaddya expect? It does great distorted tone though, and it is tight. The grainy sound is easy to clean up though. I want one for myself. GAH SO MUCH FUCKING GEAR ON MY WANT LIST.

~006

 

[Metaltastic]

Ah yeah. I mean, it's got one EQ for two channels, whaddya expect? It does great distorted tone though, and it is tight. The grainy sound is easy to clean up though. I want one for myself. GAH SO MUCH FUCKING GEAR ON MY WANT LIST.

~006

I hear that! But a Rev. Jr. is next on mine

 

[worthingtoni]

I recently made the switch from Peavey 6505+ to Engl Savage 120. The low end on this is ridiculously tight! A couple of guys I talked to has made the opposite switch just because they thought the Savage was too tight in the low end. So yeah, it's tight but not too tight in my opinion. So all this talk about using a TS with the Savage; I can't really get what these people are after.

It's also very handy when coming to recording with impulses. Since the standby switch is after the preamp you won't need any dummy load. Just activate standby, feed the FX send to your mic preamps and hit record

Can't really tell you anything about the other amps in the Engl product line except that if you're going for some of the less expensive Engl amps, choose the Fireball over the Powerball!

 

[Metaltastic]

The sad thing is, here in the US the PB is only a couple hundred less than the Savage!

 

[worthingtoni]

Well, it's almost a good thing. Because you don't have to consider the PB

 

[worthingtoni]

I just compared the prices of Engl with musiciansfriend.com and thomann (which is the cheapest place to buy a new Engl in Sweden that I know of) and the price is pretty much the same. That's really unfair, since a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier would cost me about $3,300. What's the price for a new DR in US?

 

[John_C]

I'm using two EMG707s in the Schecter. In the Jackson, I've got a 707 in the bridge and the cheap stock passive humbucker in the neck. In the Gibson, I followed in the Jacksons footsteps, and have a EMG81 in the bridge and a 498T (or is it 500T?) in the bridge.

The 707's have quite a bit of low end flapping around, but if a setup sounds like it has loose bass with an 81 then well..........it has a loose low end, no 2 ways about it

I've never tried actives and passives together, did you do anything special with the wiring for that? or just use the EMG stuff?

 

[Metaltastic]

I just compared the prices of Engl with musiciansfriend.com and thomann (which is the cheapest place to buy a new Engl in Sweden that I know of) and the price is pretty much the same. That's really unfair, since a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier would cost me about $3,300. What's the price for a new DR in US?

~$1700