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#1 |
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: NH, USA
Posts: 2,489
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What's the best low wattage / small amp for hi-gain
I think I'm finally happy with my live setup (for the time being), and I'm looking for a low-wattage, small amplifier that will still have a good hi-gain tone at lower volumes, and has a good enough tone that it could potentially be used for recording. It also has to be within a reasonable budget, so don't bother telling me how nice your Bogner Duende sounds. I'm okay with having to boost the amp if necessary... I can't think of many amps that don't sound better with my trusty ZW-44 in front of them.
These are the amps I've found that I'm interested in so far, but almost none of them are available locally for me to try out. I tried YouTube, and was floored at how many people can play emotionless blues riffs and bad Metallica covers. Needless to say, I really couldn't find anything that told me whether or not these amps were decent for hi-gain tones. So, have you tried these out, and if so, what did you think? Any recommendations, or amps I'm missing? In no particular order: 1) Ibanez ValBee 2) Laney Lionheart 3) Bogner Alchemist 4) Blackheart BH5H 5) Egnater Rebel 6) Krank Rev Jr (& Pro) 7) Hughes & Ketter Cream Machine 8) Hughes & Kettner Metal Shredder 9) Orange Tiny Terror 10) Zvex Nano 11) Epiphone Valve Junior Within that list, I've been able to try the Cream Machine, the Alchemist, and the Tiny Terror so far, and I particularly liked the Alchemist. Any help will be much appreciated... thank you!
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![]() --------------------------------------------------- - Oni 8 - Engl E570 - Peavey 5150-212 - Texas Dragon CS 212 (OS) --------------------------------------------------- THEMAMMONMACHINE PUTRESCINE |
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#2 |
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Guiterrorizer
![]() Join Date: Jan 2007
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i've only heard PSP's rebel clips out of the lot (havent hit up the TT thread..) and that thing very well may do what you ask!
although i do recall a Rev Jr video from soooomewhere - and i was impressed. how low wattage are we talking about? boost (or double-boost?) an 18W plexi clone and go nuts...? haha
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#3 |
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ss.org Regular
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 549
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ive heard some brutal tones from a tiny terror somewhere, thats pretty much the only one i can think of at the top of my head that i've heard from that list of yours
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#4 |
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: NH, USA
Posts: 2,489
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The 2 H&K's are 1w a piece, so pretty low. Doesn't need to be that low, though.
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#5 |
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Guiterrorizer
![]() Join Date: Jan 2007
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I think an 18W plexi boosted and EQ'd to be at least mostly metal would be pretty awesome - and then, i think about how much that 18W plexi copy might cost
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#6 | |
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ss.org Regular
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: baton rouge, louisiana
Posts: 362
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Quote:
if you really want a good high gain low watt all tube monster, definately check out the Krank Rev Jr Pro. i was seriously blown away by this little fella. the Kleen channel has a very nice chimey super clean sound to it and the Krank channel is aggressive as fuck; has gain and clarity for days, not to mention it can get loud as fuck, but still sounds good without havin to be cranked up a ton(thanks to bein 20 watts). has a nice full but tight sound and handles 7 strings/low tuning very well. also has the EQ sweep knob for the Krank channel just like the 100 watt and newer 120 watt Revolutions do, which is very useful for fine tuning your tone. bein that both the head and matchin cabs are pretty small, its pretty portable if need be and doesnt take up much room. and while it sounds great on the matchin 1x12 cabs, i even tried it on a 320 watt 4x12 cab and it sounded amazing!! it pushed the fuck out of that 4x12 cab if need be without sounding the least bit weak or underpowered. i played both the Rev Jr Standard and the Pro and the Pro wins on every front. the Pro has more gain on tap and just sounds better, also has footswitchable channels with seperate EQ for both channels, whereas the Standard has shared EQ for both channels and is not footswitchable. so definately make sure you check out the Pro version. im plannin on gettin one myself in the next few months. |
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#7 |
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President / RHLC Š
![]() Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Montreal, Quebec, CAN
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I can't tell you how much i love my Egnater Rebel. So much features for the price... Only downside, imo, is that it's a single channel amp. Otherwise, it f*ckin' rocks!
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#8 | ||
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: NH, USA
Posts: 2,489
Thanked: 45
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Quote:
Quote:
I really appreciate the feedback!
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#9 |
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The Dragonrider
![]() Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Boston, MA // Northern VA
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I got to play around with TemjinStrife's Tiny Terror (wow, that sounds wrong, taken out of context
), and I thought it was surprisingly cool...in fact, I even liked it better than JJ's Framus Dragon
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#10 | |
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: NH, USA
Posts: 2,489
Thanked: 45
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Quote:
I'm actually thinking I might just try to acquire a number of these and compare them head-to-head, and then keep whichever I like best. I've done a lot of research, and I think it really comes down to these (and in this order): 1) Bogner Alchemist 2) Egnater Rebel 3) Krank Rev Jr Pro 4) Orange Tiny Terror <--5) Laney Lionheart--> <--6) Blackheart BH5H--> The last 2 are questionable... I wouldn't mind adding the Lionheart to the list, but it's a little pricy for this experiment, and I didn't hear enough good soundclips to justify the price. Although the Alchemist is in a similar price range, it makes up for it by sounding incredible. And the Blackheart also seems pretty questionable in terms of it's ability to really get a good metal tone, but if I find one cheaply enough, I may still give it a try.
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#11 |
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The Crimson Comedian
![]() Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Syracuse, NY
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I had a good run with both the 112 and 212 Alchemists on monday. they are really cool amps. They are "low wattage" but you could easily play a small gig with them. I think if Matt Pike were to ever play one, he would want one. They aren't really tight and the mids are really wooly over about 3 or 4, and the highs sound a bit fuzzy. This may be a huge turn off for some of you but it made me like the amp more. The G12H30 112 and G12H30/Greenback combo in the 212 have a lot to do with some of that I'm sure. I was playing it with a LP classic, and no boost. The onboard boost just adds a touch of mids and gain w/o really effecting any thing else. The clean channel was really nice too.
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#12 |
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ss.org Regular
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Israel
Posts: 364
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you can get some cool stuff with Orange Tiny Terror with a big boost and an EQ.
i would look for the blackheart BH15H AKA the Handsome Devil,15 watts,and has EQ unlike the tiny terror,and has gain control also. BTW,hows the rebel really for high gain metal stuff? |
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#13 | |
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: NH, USA
Posts: 2,489
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Quote:
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![]() --------------------------------------------------- - Oni 8 - Engl E570 - Peavey 5150-212 - Texas Dragon CS 212 (OS) --------------------------------------------------- THEMAMMONMACHINE PUTRESCINE |
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#14 |
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Giant Fridge Magnet
![]() Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Paris, France.
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I'm toying with the idea of getting the 5/3w Blackheart combo with a good distortion pedal in front like a Blackstar Dual or DistX... Maybe not
(or latter )
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Bloody Murder #5 Current rig : Agile Intrepid Pro with ONI Custom pickup -> ISP Decimator -> Hardwire CM-2 -> Rocktron Piranha -> TC Electronics G-Major -> Marshall 8008 -> Framus 212CS with Celestion G12 Century's |
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#15 |
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Guiterrorizer
![]() Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: London ONT
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Jason, you're aware you could gig with a 1W 112 combo right? wattage doesnt dictate gigability...
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#16 |
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Maelsthorn
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Québec, Canada
Posts: 69
Thanked: 3
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This world needs a 5w Mesa Rectifier
![]() sorta Tiny Rectifier ?
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#17 |
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Pseudo Intellectual
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Assland
Posts: 1,583
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Already workin' on it.
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#18 |
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Doom man of Doom.
![]() Join Date: Sep 2008
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#19 |
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ss.org Regular
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Posts: 33
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What about Blackstar HT-5? I just ordered one along with an Orange 112 for home use.. Could post something when I get the package.
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#20 |
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Ping-Chan <3s Pie
Join Date: May 2006
Location: T3H 1NT@RW3BZ!!!!1!11!!
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![]() Or a mesa belt clip amp. That would seriously pwn.
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#21 |
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ss.org Regular
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Israel
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the world needs a 5 watt ENGL/Mesa or just something high gain.
but yeah,you can get along pretty good with a Tiny Terror and a boost with some distortion from it. and Fiz,as you get the HT-5 please post some brutal stuff,id like to hear what is it capable of. |
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#22 | |
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Decibel Guitars
![]() Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Greater Toronto Area, Canada
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Quote:
Trinity Amps - Trinity 18 And if you're handy with a soldering iron, they're available in kit form as well. I heard a guy in a club play through a head + 212 Trinity 18w Marshall clone that he and his brother built, and it sounded absolutely spectacular. Definitely not a metal amp, but it had some of the best rock tones i've heard, for sure. |
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#23 |
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: NH, USA
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Sure, I'd love to hear it. Definitely aim for high-gain
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#24 |
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Guiterrorizer
![]() Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: London ONT
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*a dimed 18W amp is NOT gonna be much quieter then a cranked up 100W amp...*
darren, the Trinity's are Canadian made . but for cost for a completed amp, Ceriatone is the way to go.
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#25 |
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cincidonkeypunchers
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: sinsi ohio
Posts: 3,406
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im a peavey fan
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