Krank VS Mesa

[lost_within]

Hmm, never played one, but I can't think of a single album I've heard a VHT on, and they cost an absurd amount of money, so that's a pretty big pair of "passes" right there for me

After your nOOb comment, don't write them off before trying them man! I heard great things about VHT's.

 

[Machinated]

Again with any amp, I'm not going to decide if I like it or not untill I have heard it in person (and preferably played through it). Sure amps such as VHT, Bogner, Diezel etc get a great rep, but if you spend that much money on something that most people won't even be able to afford then of course you have to justify it.Don't really ever hear many clips either, its just people posting stuff on forums. I went through a phase of really wanting one of those amps, and now when I think about it I'm not even sure why - I'd rather have a Dual Rec or a 6505 than those amps in all honesty. Not saying that those amps are bad, I'm sure they are actually really good....

 

[Metaltastic]

Well the difference is I'm not writing them off like Krank haters, but rather generally voicing my skepticism about >$2500 amps sounding proportionally better than their less expensive counterparts - I genuinely cannot think of an album with a highly respected guitar tone that wasn't done with a 5150, Marshall, Rectifier, and/or Engl Savage, all sub-$2500 amps (in fact, the first three can all be had for under $1500).

 

[Metaltastic]

Again with any amp, I'm not going to decide if I like it or not untill I have heard it in person (and preferably played through it). Sure amps such as VHT, Bogner, Diezel etc get a great rep, but if you spend that much money on something that most people won't even be able to afford then of course you have to justify it.Don't really ever hear many clips either, its just people posting stuff on forums. I went through a phase of really wanting one of those amps, and now when I think about it I'm not even sure why - I'd rather have a Dual Rec or a 6505 than those amps in all honesty. Not saying that those amps are bad, I'm sure they are actually really good....

HUGE +1 to all of that, I went through the exact same phase except Engl was the object of my affections (since subsided, though I still do someday want a Savage 120, the rest I couldn't care less about)

 

[Machinated]

Well the difference is I'm not writing them off like Krank haters, but rather generally voicing my skepticism about >$2500 amps sounding proportionally better than their less expensive counterparts - I genuinely cannot think of an album with a highly respected guitar tone that wasn't done with a 5150, Marshall, Rectifier, and/or Engl Savage, all sub-$2500 amps (in fact, the first three can all be had for under $1500).

Bang.

The more expensive amps WILL NOT sound better than the ones that are in the cheaper bracket (Peavey, Krank, Mesa, Marshall), they will just sound different. I think to start with you should have Peavey, Mesa and Marshall amps to have your general grounds covered, and then start supplementing with your more boutique, expensive, unique sounding amps

 

[TheDude]

Not sure why they all left (probably offered better deals from other manufacturers), and the bashing is mostly from idiots who never played them. I'll say that the sweep knob can affect the tone massively and if you don't know whats going on there then you will get some funky sounds. Seriously, Kranks are good amplifiers and have been used on enough records to prove that they can sound great.

Yeah the Sweep knob is pure fucking genius IMO. That can make the sound "neighbor subwoofer" or icepick in a second. I really like them both. Rev+ and Stein+ that is. Maybe I should do a video....

 

[Jackal_Strain]

A video demonstrating the sweep on both the rev and the krankenstein would be greatly appreciated!

 

[lost_within]

HUGE +1 to all of that, I went through the exact same phase except Engl was the object of my affections (since subsided, though I still do someday want a Savage 120, the rest I couldn't care less about)

I understand your point now, I assume the reason they're so pricey (the Diezels, Bogners etc) is because they're hand made, and a lot of bands don't endorse them becuase they're too expensive to give away (as the case with James Hetfield I heard, when he wanted a free Diezel VH4, and they said he'll ahve to buy it).
I really wanna try the savage! One dealer around here told me the don't stock them because they don't sell anywhere near as well as the powerballs or even invaders do, but they can probably order them in. Oh well.

 

[Machinated]

The sweep knob is really cool - I normally have it around 4-5/10 which gives a kind of modern metal sound - I should really experiment with more extreme settings and then compensating with the other tone knobs.....

I can't wait to get back home from Uni and play around with the bastard a bit more.

In terms of ENGL's......I'm still really undecided about all their stuff. It seems to be a "cool" kind of "in" amp at the moment. I used to really think highly of the Savage, having heard some nice clips - then when I actually played on there was stuff inherent in the tone of it that I wasn't feeling and since then any time I listen to a Savage clip I can hear it in there. I found it to be more of like a crunchy amp (like a Marshall) than your Mesa/Krank/Peavey kind of distortion. That said, everyone likes a different tone, so I'd definitely recommend trying one out and seeing if its for you. That said, it was definitely the best sounding ENGL I have played....

 

[thefyn]

In my experience ears hate Kranks but mics like them. Kranks are better for 7 string tunings etc.

If you play standard I would go with a recto for the thickness.

But I would use a JCM 800 before either. And I am a Mesaholic.

JCM 800's are great for live, rehearsals and with a boost low level jamminating.

 

[Shredfiend]

Keep jugging your Dual Rec you fucking noobs.

00 11 00 11 000

what a joke.

 

[TheDude]

Another cool feature with the KranK is that the Line out is after the poweramp, so it's great for impulses.

Keep jugging your Dual Rec you fucking noobs.

00 11 00 11 000

what a joke.

 

[RockGuitarX]

It seems everyone agrees that the Mesa is very versatile and records very well so how is it live? As I mentioned earlier, the Dual Rec and Krankenstein are at my local GC but they both have bad tubes! I like the simplicity of the Rev but have never heard one and I've read you have to really "Krank" it up to get a good tone? If I were to get a Mesa I would only need 2 channels. I really liked the mids and bottom end of the 6505 but I'm looking for more clarity and as Metaltastic put it less "fizz". BTW nice quote from Mr. Obi-Wan. I'm liking the post so far, thanks guys.

 

[Machinated]

For simplicity the Krank reminds me of the 6505 - Few controls and switches. The Mesa has a TON of stuff you can do to it (Bold/Spongy, Silicone/Tubes, Vintage/Raw/Modern), as well as the active EQ. That said, I pretty much just use it on bold, silicone and modern for each channel and go from there. The Mesa probably takes a bit more time to get your head around (although I didn't find it THAT hard at all).

With a tubescreamer the Mesa can get surprisingly tight as well as giving a huge low end and retain clarity. Without a tubescreamer it can be a bit messy though......

You should tell the store that they have a much better chance of selling the amps if they actually work. Maybe tell them that you will buy one from them if they get the tubes sorted?

 

[kaomao]

(it still makes me cry what I gave the VHT away for though....and no, I won't tell you )

for the micro marshall stack ? lol

 

[kaomao]

For simplicity the Krank reminds me of the 6505 - Few controls and switches. The Mesa has a TON of stuff you can do to it (Bold/Spongy, Silicone/Tubes, Vintage/Raw/Modern), as well as the active EQ.

eh? no I don't think mesa got active eq

 

[colonel kurtz]

I'll say that the sweep knob can affect the tone massively and if you don't know whats going on there then you will get some funky sounds.

yea, i noticed right off the bat with my rev jr. that the sweep knob is the key to getting the sound you want out of that thing...it's amazing how much you can alter the entire voicing of the amp with that shit

A video demonstrating the sweep on both the rev and the krankenstein would be greatly appreciated!

i'm too lazy to make/upload a vid, but it works by changing the frequencies of the lo/mid/hi controls of the EQ section. at first i thought it was just some sort of sweepable midrange boost...but then i actually read the manual, and learned that it changes the frequency of the other knobs. this, of course, gives shitloads of tonal options, and i constantly find myself changing the settings on the sweep knob depending what guitar/pickups/tuning i'm using.

and metaltastic...the VHT's might not make it onto a lot of albums, but i've seen them used live by both suicidal tendencies and isis, and i can tell you that they sound fucking great

 

[Metaltastic]

Keep jugging your Dual Rec you fucking noobs.

00 11 00 11 000

what a joke.

This does not even justify a response.

 

[TheDude]

Here's a video of the krankenstein+ with a maxon od808 in front.

 

[MetalJonesy]

yea, i noticed right off the bat with my rev jr. that the sweep knob is the key to getting the sound you want out of that thing...it's amazing how much you can alter the entire voicing of the amp with that shit



i'm too lazy to make/upload a vid, but it works by changing the frequencies of the lo/mid/hi controls of the EQ section. at first i thought it was just some sort of sweepable midrange boost...but then i actually read the manual, and learned that it changes the frequency of the other knobs. this, of course, gives shitloads of tonal options, and i constantly find myself changing the settings on the sweep knob depending what guitar/pickups/tuning i'm using.

and metaltastic...the VHT's might not make it onto a lot of albums, but i've seen them used live by both suicidal tendencies and isis, and i can tell you that they sound fucking great

yeah i have days on end just slightly moving the sweep knob on my rev jr and messing with everything else, ive got a pretty nice tone going on at the mo, but im never satisfied.

as far as the thread title, ive played on dual recs, kranks and peaveys, out of them all its a toss up between the krank and peavey, the mesa really doesnt do it for my playing, i struggled to dial in a tone to my taste :-/