'Unforgiving' Amps

Ricky Roro · 10-03-2011, 06:45 PM

Hey guys, I just wanted to throw a question out there. I've heard some amps will more or less hide your mistakes, while others expose them. What I'm wondering is, what are some of the most 'unforgiving' amps out there? I've heard the VH4, and the Marshall Plexis, what else?

Oh, and while we're at it, what are the most forgiving amps?

pathos45 · 10-03-2011, 06:49 PM

most vhts are unforgiving, mesa mark series theres a bunch more that arnt comming to me right now

Chickenhawk · 10-03-2011, 06:56 PM

JC120.

Can't hide a mistake on the cleanest amp ever made.

But, talking about high-gain stuff (which I'll assume you are), VHT/Fryette's sound clinical and unforgiving. Part of their character, and they definitely keep you on top of your game.

warlock7strEMG · 10-03-2011, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricky Roro

Hey guys, I just wanted to throw a question out there. I've heard some amps will more or less hide your mistakes, while others expose them. What I'm wondering is, what are some of the most 'unforgiving' amps out there? I've heard the VH4, and the Marshall Plexis, what else?

Oh, and while we're at it, what are the most forgiving amps?

Kranks are very unforgiving amps. the Krankenstein and Revolution both have alot of gain but tend to be very tight to the point where they feel kinda stiff, this combined with the fact that their gain is very uncompressed make them pretty unforgiving but also insanely clear sounding. some people hate them because of these qualities, doesnt bother me tho!!!! using OD makes them feel less stiff and more fluid, also a little more forgiving, due to the compression added from the pedal.

the Peavey 5150/6505 is one of the most forgiving tube amps ive ever played, tho still not as forgiving as most solid state high gainers.

mikemueller2112 · 10-03-2011, 07:39 PM

Basically any amp that's going to really pronounce what you're playing. A forgiving amp just means it's masking something, and in that case, you'll have a lot less clarity.

Ribboz · 10-03-2011, 08:06 PM

Unforgiving is what people say when they can't handle an amp.
FREEDOM is what people say when they aren't held back by an amp.
My SLO is my freedom. XD haha

(I don't think people really say freedom specifically, but you get the point) haha

Stealthdjentstic · 10-03-2011, 08:09 PM

VHT hands down, super dry.

groph · 10-03-2011, 08:41 PM

I've heard that VHT's are unforgiving, yes. I'd also imagine that Mesa Rectos are unforgiving too, yes, they have a pile of gain but they seem to be pretty dependent on your pick attack for a lot of the tone. I've heard them sound like flubby garbage or like total sledgehammer awesome and the difference seemed to be in the pick attack.

Cheesebuiscut · 10-03-2011, 08:59 PM

Listening to any guthrie tracks conford seems to be the most unforgiving amp ever.

Except guthrie doesn't need to be forgiven xD

signalgrey · 10-03-2011, 09:12 PM

DARs are supposedly unforgiving

Mordacain · 10-03-2011, 09:23 PM

Anything that's tight and dry will be fairly unforgiving. (Insert your favorite sexist joke here

)

Unforgiving is good though, makes you step up your game something fierce; that is a rule for both women and amps!

Philligan · 10-03-2011, 10:01 PM

Fireballs and Powerballs are known for being pretty forgiving.

I've also been known for slightly understating things from time to time.

right_to_rage · 10-03-2011, 10:16 PM

I find many of the high gain amp sims on the Axe Fx to be unforgiving, especially while playing through headphones, you can hear every little nuance that shouldn't be there!

TemjinStrife · 10-03-2011, 10:49 PM

My Budda is pretty unforgiving, actually. Very sweet-sounding, but with the gain at reasonable levels you're going to hear everything.

155 · 10-03-2011, 11:15 PM

for me the vht's but when you are spot on all the time it sounds great...

renzoip · 10-03-2011, 11:57 PM

I thought my old Engl E530 was pretty unforgiving, compared to the 6505+ I had before that one.

Edika · 10-04-2011, 06:57 AM

My Triple Recto is very unforgiving. When I start playing it sounds like crap but after I warm up and get more focused it starts to sound a lot better. It's like another amp but actually it's just me playing better. No effects or pedals. If you can make an amp sound good with just the guitar plugged in then you are going the right way

. It depends to a point of the pickups. When playing with EMG's there is an "improvement" but switching to passive shows if it was true or not.

Edika · 10-04-2011, 06:58 AM

EDIT: Double post for some reason!

Scar Symmetry · 10-04-2011, 07:24 AM

Any Diezel.

walleye · 10-04-2011, 08:55 AM

mesa boogie stiletto. sloppy playing is obvious. clean playing makes you sound awesome

Chickenhawk · 10-04-2011, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scar Symmetry

Any Diezel.

I actually think that the VH4's that I've played are very forgiving. Almost as much as a Rectifier.

SirMyghin · 10-04-2011, 09:19 PM

Unforgiving = lots of clarity = sign of a good amp.

You want to play for real, dig out the single coils, humbuckers allow you to hide so much it is absurd.

TemjinStrife · 10-04-2011, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirMyghin

Unforgiving = lots of clarity = sign of a good amp.

You want to play for real, dig out the single coils, humbuckers allow you to hide so much it is absurd.

Not through a lot of the amps I play. Strat pickups are less "focused" than the midrangey humbuckers I like. Tele bridge pickups are closer though.

cardinal · 10-05-2011, 12:27 AM

I wouldn't say a VH4 is unforgiving. But, IMHO, I does have a weird/unique stiff feeling, particularly on Channel 3. That can take some getting use to, so I can see why someone might say it's unforgiving.

Hollowway · 10-05-2011, 12:54 AM

I was thinking I might find this when I opened this thread. I think the problem with the term "unforgiving" is that no technical player (which most people on this site are) wants to admit they play an amp that hides their mistakes. A lot of the amps listed here as being unforgiving have a lot of tube sag and saturation which is a huge factor in forgiveness. I think a better way to ask your question would be to say which amps are compressed, which are not, which have sag, which do not, and which have saturation, and which do not.

The Fryettes are regarded by everyone as having little compression, saturation and sag. They are widely known as being "unforgiving." Just about all of the other amps listed will divide people on the issue.

The other thing you could do is poke around at rig-talk and see what the guys over there are saying. They tend to like the more "fun" amps that have some sag and saturation. That will give you some more insight.

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10-03-2011, 06:45 PM	#1
Ricky Roro Christian Rocker Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: USA Posts: 54 Thanked: 0 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	'Unforgiving' Amps Hey guys, I just wanted to throw a question out there. I've heard some amps will more or less hide your mistakes, while others expose them. What I'm wondering is, what are some of the most 'unforgiving' amps out there? I've heard the VH4, and the Marshall Plexis, what else? Oh, and while we're at it, what are the most forgiving amps? Jesus loves you!! http://www.christian-oneness.org/tra...plegospel.html

10-03-2011, 06:56 PM	#3
Chickenhawk Freemanologist Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Misery Posts: 3,340 Thanked: 72 Feedback Score: 6 reviews	JC120. Can't hide a mistake on the cleanest amp ever made. But, talking about high-gain stuff (which I'll assume you are), VHT/Fryette's sound clinical and unforgiving. Part of their character, and they definitely keep you on top of your game. mikemueller2112 likes this. Liberty has never come from the government. Liberty has always come from the subjects of it. The history of liberty is a history of resistance. - Woodrow Wilson

10-03-2011, 08:06 PM	#6
Ribboz Enjoy Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 117 Thanked: 6 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Unforgiving is what people say when they can't handle an amp. FREEDOM is what people say when they aren't held back by an amp. My SLO is my freedom. XD haha (I don't think people really say freedom specifically, but you get the point) haha youshy, 155 and clark81 like this.

10-03-2011, 09:12 PM	#10
signalgrey Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Seoul, South Korea Posts: 3,535 Thanked: 26 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	DARs are supposedly unforgiving http://www.purevolume.com/citizenlusca http://www.citizenlusca.com

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10-03-2011, 06:49 PM	#2
pathos45 SS.org Regular Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 349 Thanked: 6 / 1 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	most vhts are unforgiving, mesa mark series theres a bunch more that arnt comming to me right now

10-03-2011, 07:39 PM	#5
mikemueller2112 SS.org Regular Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Regina, SK, Canada Posts: 529 Thanked: 10 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	Basically any amp that's going to really pronounce what you're playing. A forgiving amp just means it's masking something, and in that case, you'll have a lot less clarity.

10-03-2011, 08:09 PM	#7
Stealthdjentstic Banned Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canadia Posts: 19,984 Thanked: 338 Feedback Score: 10 reviews	VHT hands down, super dry.

10-03-2011, 08:41 PM	#8
groph surrounded by chairs Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 2,398 Thanked: 57 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I've heard that VHT's are unforgiving, yes. I'd also imagine that Mesa Rectos are unforgiving too, yes, they have a pile of gain but they seem to be pretty dependent on your pick attack for a lot of the tone. I've heard them sound like flubby garbage or like total sledgehammer awesome and the difference seemed to be in the pick attack.

10-03-2011, 08:59 PM	#9
Cheesebuiscut Loves his Q-tuners Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: NJ Posts: 4,075 Thanked: 45 Feedback Score: 2 reviews	Listening to any guthrie tracks conford seems to be the most unforgiving amp ever. Except guthrie doesn't need to be forgiven xD

10-03-2011, 09:23 PM	#11
Mordacain Selling the extras! Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Lexington, SC Posts: 4,028 Thanked: 38 Feedback Score: 28 reviews	Anything that's tight and dry will be fairly unforgiving. (Insert your favorite sexist joke here ) Unforgiving is good though, makes you step up your game something fierce; that is a rule for both women and amps! right_to_rage, cwhitey2 and TRENCHLORD like this. Currently in progress of replacing every guitar I have...piece by piece - "Unfortunately, our ability for rational thinking is inversely proportionate to our desire to stick our dicks into orifices." - pink freud - "I don't have all the answers to everything, I'm not God, when I get girls pregnant they aren't virgins anymore." - scottro202

10-03-2011, 10:01 PM	#12
Philligan The White-Knuckler Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Sarnia, ON, Canada Posts: 4,325 Thanked: 43 Feedback Score: 6 reviews	Fireballs and Powerballs are known for being pretty forgiving. I've also been known for slightly understating things from time to time. petereanima likes this. "it blowed the emg's in the dirt" - De Vries "Richlite is to Paper Mache as Carbon Composite is to charcoal briquettes." - Max

10-03-2011, 10:16 PM	#13
right_to_rage Avant Temporal Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,396 Thanked: 19 Feedback Score: 4 reviews	I find many of the high gain amp sims on the Axe Fx to be unforgiving, especially while playing through headphones, you can hear every little nuance that shouldn't be there! Avant Temporal

10-03-2011, 10:49 PM	#14
TemjinStrife Power Metal Cellist Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Manhattan, NY Posts: 4,015 Thanked: 27 Feedback Score: 6 reviews	My Budda is pretty unforgiving, actually. Very sweet-sounding, but with the gain at reasonable levels you're going to hear everything.

10-04-2011, 06:58 AM	#18
Edika SS.org Regular Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Londonderry, N.Ireland, UK Posts: 1,338 Thanked: 13 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	EDIT: Double post for some reason! New songs from my band Semic Stains up at: http://www.myspace.com/semicstains Check 'em out!

10-03-2011, 11:15 PM	#15
155 SS.org Regular Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: ct Posts: 537 Thanked: 7 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	for me the vht's but when you are spot on all the time it sounds great...

10-03-2011, 11:57 PM	#16
renzoip I Am the Table Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Ihate, FL, US. Posts: 2,468 Thanked: 19 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I thought my old Engl E530 was pretty unforgiving, compared to the 6505+ I had before that one. DARK LEGACY - Progressive Power Metal from South FL!

10-04-2011, 06:57 AM	#17
Edika SS.org Regular Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Londonderry, N.Ireland, UK Posts: 1,338 Thanked: 13 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	My Triple Recto is very unforgiving. When I start playing it sounds like crap but after I warm up and get more focused it starts to sound a lot better. It's like another amp but actually it's just me playing better. No effects or pedals. If you can make an amp sound good with just the guitar plugged in then you are going the right way . It depends to a point of the pickups. When playing with EMG's there is an "improvement" but switching to passive shows if it was true or not. New songs from my band Semic Stains up at: http://www.myspace.com/semicstains Check 'em out!

10-04-2011, 07:24 AM	#19
Scar Symmetry Ex Whiny Bitch Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bristol, UK Posts: 15,686 Thanked: 377 Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Any Diezel. Ever noticed how some people are real dicks on the internet, but when they post something involving their band, they make the effort to be nice? Funny that...

10-04-2011, 08:55 AM	#20
walleye SS.org Regular Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 373 Thanked: 2 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	mesa boogie stiletto. sloppy playing is obvious. clean playing makes you sound awesome www.facebook.com/audemia

10-04-2011, 09:19 PM	#22
SirMyghin The Dirt Guy Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Anywhere but here. Posts: 7,163 Thanked: 41 Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Unforgiving = lots of clarity = sign of a good amp. You want to play for real, dig out the single coils, humbuckers allow you to hide so much it is absurd. Mordacain and Darkstar124 like this. Guitar techs are for sissies. Learn some damn music theory, don't complain, and you'll be a better person. -Schecterwhore Show me a truly awesome guitar for under $1000 and I'll show you hateful lies.

10-05-2011, 12:27 AM	#24
cardinal SS.org Regular Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: CA Posts: 614 Thanked: 6 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	I wouldn't say a VH4 is unforgiving. But, IMHO, I does have a weird/unique stiff feeling, particularly on Channel 3. That can take some getting use to, so I can see why someone might say it's unforgiving.

10-05-2011, 12:54 AM	#25
Hollowway SS.org Regular Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: California Posts: 6,223 Thanked: 105 Feedback Score: 4 reviews	I was thinking I might find this when I opened this thread. I think the problem with the term "unforgiving" is that no technical player (which most people on this site are) wants to admit they play an amp that hides their mistakes. A lot of the amps listed here as being unforgiving have a lot of tube sag and saturation which is a huge factor in forgiveness. I think a better way to ask your question would be to say which amps are compressed, which are not, which have sag, which do not, and which have saturation, and which do not. The Fryettes are regarded by everyone as having little compression, saturation and sag. They are widely known as being "unforgiving." Just about all of the other amps listed will divide people on the issue. The other thing you could do is poke around at rig-talk and see what the guys over there are saying. They tend to like the more "fun" amps that have some sag and saturation. That will give you some more insight.

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