New head or new cab?

[mattisfrommars]

Ok, so my 18th is coming up and my parents said they'd give me £500 towards "anything that's not a tattoo or another piercing". So I guess that means it's new amp time as i don't want to change my guitar or do anything other than play guitar ever.

I currently have a Hughes and Kettner Matrix (SS) head and a Marshall 1936 2x12 cab.

Both of which are fine, serve purpose perfectly well complete working order etc. But neither of them are good enough to not need replacing eventually with something that wails harder.

£500 is more money than i normally see- but it wont get me a dual rec or anything... The options that i can think of are:

1. New Bugera amp & speakers for my existing cab (Pros, reviews sound good. Cons, possibly not very reliable)
2. Used 5150/6505/XXX & no new speakers (Pros, we all know that all of those amps are awesome. Cons, used amps possibly not very reliable)
3. Hughes and Kettner/Framus Cobra 4x12 cab, both around the same price, both with greenbacks, but the framus probably looks cooler (Pros, bigger, badder and louder sound. Cons, not as exciting as a new head, and it means i have to carry twice as many speakers to gigs.)
4. Marshall 4x12 Cab (pros, a lot cheaper than the H&K or framus cabs. Cons, the same as the framus & h&k ones but maybe the speakers aren't as good.. i haven't tried both so i don't know)

Can anyone help me choose between these options or maybe suggest some more?

 

[Metaltastic]

I'd say 2) with new speakers, cuz I think you could afford it - used 5150 and a pair of (or even just one) Vintage 30(s) for your cab would be gold, and Peaveys are truly indestructible in my experience owning two, both used

 

[mattisfrommars]

Where can i find amps this cheap? I'm trying eBay at the minute.. I think i'd prefer either a 5150II or a 6505+ (i'm not too fussed which one) because of the greater amount of knobs to twiddle.

I wish i was living in the US, peaveys are so cheap over there!

 

[Baron of Norsworthy]

Ok, so my 18th is coming up and my parents said they'd give me £500 towards "anything that's not a tattoo or another piercing". So I guess that means it's new amp time as i don't want to change my guitar or do anything other than play guitar ever.

I currently have a Hughes and Kettner Matrix (SS) head and a Marshall 1936 2x12 cab.

Both of which are fine, serve purpose perfectly well complete working order etc. But neither of them are good enough to not need replacing eventually with something that wails harder.

£500 is more money than i normally see- but it wont get me a dual rec or anything... The options that i can think of are:

1. New Bugera amp & speakers for my existing cab (Pros, reviews sound good. Cons, possibly not very reliable)
2. Used 5150/6505/XXX & no new speakers (Pros, we all know that all of those amps are awesome. Cons, used amps possibly not very reliable)
3. Hughes and Kettner/Framus Cobra 4x12 cab, both around the same price, both with greenbacks, but the framus probably looks cooler (Pros, bigger, badder and louder sound. Cons, not as exciting as a new head, and it means i have to carry twice as many speakers to gigs.)
4. Marshall 4x12 Cab (pros, a lot cheaper than the H&K or framus cabs. Cons, the same as the framus & h&k ones but maybe the speakers aren't as good.. i haven't tried both so i don't know)

Can anyone help me choose between these options or maybe suggest some more?

There should be plenty of Peaveys about I am sure another UK member can point you in the direction of a official peavey dealer I know there used to be alot sold in nottingham a few years ago but I have not hung out in music stores for a while.

 

[MetalJonesy]

I got myself a peavey XXL head a few years back for around £370, and its a great sounding and versitile SS amp. I also second the V30s option, they make such a difference to the standard G1275ts in the marshall

heres a clip of my peavey

http://www.esnips.com/doc/02fea103-cf9e-4fe2-8f42-fd375c081109/riff-in-A

 

[006]

Yeah, I just traded my Marshall 1936 2x12 cab. I loved that thing for recording but I got a Mesa oversized 4x12 to replace it In my Marshall I did have a V30 and the stock G12-T75 in it, most of the time I believe I was mic'ing up the V30 but I forgot which side had which speaker. I took the V30 out when I traded it and it turns out I was always mic'ing the T75. Haha. Anyway...get at least one V30 and a Peavey head, 5150 or 5150II...or look into a Bugera 333, I love mine - raw as FUCK and sounds really good. I was surprised, I wanted that thing to fail...no dice though, sounds great.

Bugera 333 Crunch channel clip
Bugera 333 Lead channel clip

~006

 

[mattisfrommars]

To the XXL- I haven't played that amp, but i've played it's little brother the XL supreme and while i was impressed by it, it didn't seem like a step up from my Matrix head

I was thinking about the 333, but as it's a landmark birthday (hell, all my drinking will finally be legal!) i want the present to be something i'd keep hold of until hell freezes over. And i hear the Bugera has plastic decals and knobs etc- maybe at home it's "all about tone", but i gig/have band practice usually twice a week and i don't think the Bugera could stand up to it. In a couple months i might get a bugera as a practice amp or just a contrast for double tracks while recording.

 

[JBroll]

Save for a little or work, get enough to get a 5150 and a single V30. The V30 and 75 sound great together in the room, and you can always just mic the V30 if you don't like them both.

Jeff

 

[Metaltastic]

+1 to Jeffrey, and myself in my first post. Oh, and ebay rules for used. And only get the 5150II/6505+ (exact same amp) if you need a clean tone, otherwise get the 5150/6505 cuz popular opinion is it sounds slightly better

 

[Disconnekt]

I have a 5150 combo and a 5150 head, both used, and they obviously suffered some abuse before I got my hands on them. Except for the fact that the Rhythm Master pot on the 5150 head took a pretty serious direct hit that broke the shaft and messed up the connection on the inside a bit, they both work fantastically despite whatever may have happened in their past. Peavey does indeed build their amps like tanks, and as long as you're buying from a seller with a reliable history, you probably won't get a dud... so +1 for whatever variety of 5150/6505 you think you'd like best!

P.S. My combo is just taking up space and not being used since I got the head, so if anyone in the US is interested in buying it, PM me... I'll probably post this in a separate thread too.

 

[hoehlentroll]

I would suggest to buy a e530 and HARLEY BENTON G212 VINTAGE for 519.14 gbp.
both are great for recording + u can use the h&k as a power amp for live gigs. the harley benton is great, check out the impulses. with both 2x12 you have a good&loud live setup.
best is you have 3 years of warranty!

 

[Sloan]

I actually recorded a band that used the H&K Matrix head with the matching cab. I got some usable sounds after some tweaking and stuff.
Epiphone LP Standard bridge pup > H&K Matrix - http://bestnetworx.com/uploader/files/52/sloan_hkmatrix.mp3

I would say that it would be a good head to keep around for a backup or just to take to practice or wherever you don't really need the tube tonez.