# Most ove/under-rated amp you've ever tried



## Allealex (Sep 2, 2013)

Hi guys, I think it could be interesting to know which is the most overrated and underrated amp you've ever tried!
For me:

Most overrated: Laney Ironheart. It sounded weak and not defined at all, really flubby and it wasn't as grwoly as some people said. I was just meh

Most underrated: Bugera 333xl. Some people say this amp is a complete disaster and not suitable for metal and stuff like that, but i think it sounds pretty thick and powerful, and the clean channel is really pretty!


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Sep 2, 2013)

Allealex said:


> Most underrated: Bugera 333xl. Some people say this amp is a complete disaster and not suitable for metal and stuff like that, but i think it sounds pretty thick and powerful, and the clean channel is really pretty!



Really? I've seen almost everyone praise it for it's sound. Main reason everyone bashes anything Bugera is the complaints of QC.

Two amps I think are overrated: The Orange Dark Terror and Blackstar HT series. The Dark Terror, I find, is way too damn fuzzy and dark for anything metal, which the amp was designed to do. Inb4 "BUT IT'S AN ORANGE!" I like other Oranges, but the Dark Terror (an to a lesser extent, the Tiny Terror and Dual Terror), are my least favorites. The HT series just sounds... not good. Too muddy and fizzy for my taste. It's weird... Sounds to stiff for low gain sounds and too flubby for high gain sounds.

Underrated: Not too sure... A lot of amps I like already get a lot of praise. I guess the Peavey Butcher, VTM, and Ultra Plus series. The Butcher and VTM are pretty much 6L6-loaded JCM800's (the VTM has extra controls), and the Ultra Plus is the predecessor of the XXX series. Awesome cleans and distortion. They go really cheap, too.

EDIT: Also, the Marshall Mosfet 100 and JCM900 MKIII. The Mosfet 100 is a solid-state amp Marshall made in the 80's that does a pretty damn good JCM800 sound, and the JCM900 MKIII is awesome if you want something similar to a hot-rodded JCM800 sound but can't afford one.


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## oniduder (Sep 2, 2013)

bugera-sucks i don't care what you say, jk i really don't know

overrated=idk f-in idk

underrated possibly bugera? or deliverance 120?? or shite, idk man this is a good thread, although might have been done prior, 

either way you've got me stumped why did i comment to begin with??

derp herp


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## Devyn Eclipse Nav (Sep 2, 2013)

Over-rated - I'll agree with the Dark Terror. Couldn't get a good tone out of it for beans, at least not for metal.

Under-rated- Jet City JCA series. They're basically mini Soldano SLOs, for a fraction of the price. I A/Bed the JCA22H against a SLO100, and the differences were minute.


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## MoshJosh (Sep 2, 2013)

I had the bugera 333xl and for being one of bugeras higher end amps I wasn't impressed could have been my cab. . . but I was not impressed


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## Nicki (Sep 2, 2013)

Over-rated: Any Orange amp... Seriously I hate those things... To me, they all sound the same. No definition in the tone, and they all sound completely muffled as if they were built out of parts from a ham radio.

Under-rated: More like, not praised enough would be the DV Mark triple 6... Those things have a great tone and deserve more recognition.


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## MrPowers (Sep 2, 2013)

Overrated - Low wattage heads in general. Especially the Mesa Mini Rectifier and the Orange heads. I really dislike the EL-84 tone and they just sound stiff and small. I don't see any reason to own one over their larger counterparts.  If I want quiet, I'd get a modeler.

Underrated - Krank Revolution. That head seriously kicks butt, especially for metal rhythm and has great cleans. It also has a unique sound which is something to be said these days.


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## ozzman619 (Sep 2, 2013)

Commencing argument.......


Over-rated: Axe-Fx


And.........GO!


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## dethFNmetal (Sep 2, 2013)

ozzman619 said:


> Commencing argument.......
> 
> 
> Over-rated: Axe-Fx
> ...


aaaanndd... you dont even own one


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## Alphanumeric (Sep 2, 2013)

Over - Blackstar - Woofy, muddy, not tight, nice high end though. Marshall - Haven't been relevant in metal since the late 80s, Cash Cows, they don't even try compete.

Under - Peavey Vypyrs, best combo I've ever tried, Carvin V3.


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## TheWarAgainstTime (Sep 2, 2013)

Overrated- I'll agree with the Dark Terror here. A friend of mine has one and neither of us has gotten a sound that either of us thought lived up to the hype without the help of a 31-band EQ and a boost

Underrated- Marshall JVM410. Seriously one of the most versatile modern heads available. I'm not sure if it's really underrated, but I don't see it mentioned a whole lot on here.


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 2, 2013)

Over: 

Blackstar HT Series: Not nearly as clear and articulate at low volumes, even though that's the main marketing point behind most of the series. The larger models sound pretty mediocre, like castrated Marshalls. 

Anything with EL84 tubes: Often seen in lower wattage amps, they are just terrible when cranked. 

Under:

Carvin V3: Incredibly versatile and surprisingly tight with tons of controls that are actually pretty responsive. Suffer from awful stock tubes (for the amp) and bias. 

Orange AD and OR series in a modern context: With a boost and the right cab these can be much tighter and meaner amps than the super sludgy doom machines they're known for. 

Krank Rev: Not bad amps at all, they just aren't Mesa or Marshall based so a lot of folks just don't know what to do with them. They saturate very well, with tons of usable gain, even at lower volumes. They're tight and loud. They kinda have a solid state vibe, and I mean that in the best way possible.

All my opinion of course.


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## celticelk (Sep 2, 2013)

StateOfSerenity said:


> Marshall - Haven't been relevant in metal since the late 80s, Cash Cows, they don't even try compete.



That depends to some extent on what you consider "relevant" and "metal" - you're not going to find brutal tech death bands using JCM800s, but for a warm and weighty doom or sludge tone, Marshalls work just fine, thank you very much.


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 2, 2013)

StateOfSerenity said:


> Marshall - Haven't been relevant in metal since the late 80s, Cash Cows, they don't even try compete.



Not relevant? Where have you been? Tons of players have been using JCM800s (stock and modded), the 2203KK was one of the better selling, widely used production Marshalls in recent history and not just by Slayer fans. The DSL series has had quite the cult following as well. Though, it's not like Marshall has been after the metal market, they're catering more to straight up rock and blues, which isn't a bad thing as they're pretty much the staple amp for those genera. 

Price wise they're not even that expensive, $2k isn't bad for a professional level, tube guitar amp. Their super simple circuits are also really easy to repair, modify, and upgrade as well, hence why the JCM800 and Plexi are so widely used and the basis for the majority of amps out there. 

Not sure where you're getting their complacency from, yeah they're not jumping on the tech metal/djent/let's-just-call-it-proggy bandwagon, but I think that's a good thing. They stick to what they do best, which are straight forward amps with a certain sound. They do release new stuff from time to time, more recently the Vintage Modern, JVM, new DSL models, and the lower wattage Class 5, Haze, and "1" series. What amp company is always coming out with new models? Mesa has been pretty steady, Peavey is still on a renaming spree for their old amps, ENGL hasn't done much since the FB100, etc. 

In the context of extreme metal, Marshall isn't doing much, but that's because they just don't want to. They've seen the genera come and go, so I doubt they thing they're missing out.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Sep 2, 2013)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Carvin V3: Incredibly versatile and surprisingly tight with tons of controls that are actually pretty responsive. Suffer from awful stock tubes (for the amp) and bias.
> 
> Orange AD and OR series in a modern contextr.



Whats your opinion on the V3M? Take it you're not a fan because of the EL84s?

And I dig the OR series Oranges the most. They sound like extremely ballsy JCM800s.


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 2, 2013)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Whats your opinion on the V3M? Take it you're not a fan because of the EL84s?
> 
> And I dig the OR series Oranges the most. They sound like extremely ballsy JCM800s.



I haven't tried the V3M, I lost all interest after I got my THD Flexi 50. Thing does freakn' everything.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Sep 2, 2013)

Put that on your underrated list, then. I never hear about them THD amps.


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 2, 2013)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Put that on your underrated list, then. I never hear about them THD amps.



Eh, very few on here will probably appreciate them, and minus the Flexi I've tweaked, they don't really do metal rhythm much. I can get it sounding pretty brutal, but that's with a little outboard gear so it doesn't really count in my mind. The Uni-Valve, Bi-Valve, and Pico-Valve (Jet City branded, simplified Uni-Valve) are great amps, and I own one of each. The cleans are amazing and they do low and medium gain like no other, they can even get doomy and sludgy, plus the leads on the Flexi and BiV are to die for with a good delay pedal and a dirt pedal. 

I could list dozens of amps that no one hear has heard about, as they aren't in the metal market really, but I wouldn't say they're underrated. Underrated and unknown are two separate things in my mind.


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## incinerated_guitar (Sep 3, 2013)

What I'm about to say has been said millions of times..

Overrated: All micro/lunchbox amps.

Underrated: Orange OR (awesome amp even when I played an SCT-607b through it)

Jet City JCA

Peavey Triple XXX...I love mine when paired with the right cab 

This last one is gonna shock some people...Line 6 Spider III. Why? Because, when you actually REALLY sit with one, and get really in depth with tweaking, they're not half bad at all actually. I really don't see why they get so much hate honestly. Don't bash them just because you can't get them to sound right with your 8 string in the 15 minutes you spend playing one at guitar center.


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## Chuck (Sep 3, 2013)

Overrated: Mesa Rectifiers. I've never gotten a tone I like from Dual and Triple Recs. incredibly flubby, undefined and obnoxious. Without any outboard gear of course. 

That being said, tons of records I listen to frequently have a dual rec or two on them and they sound huge. So...


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 3, 2013)

Chuck said:


> Overrated: Mesa Rectifiers. I've never gotten a tone I like from Dual and Triple Recs. incredibly flubby, undefined and obnoxious. Without any outboard gear of course



Sounds like you've got a classic case of the not-knowing-to-EQ-Rectositis, it's very common as the EQ on these things is pretty quirky compared to most other amps, very interactive with each other. 

You really have to play with the Mid, Gain, and Bass knobs together to get them singing. I swear, Mesa needs to put that on a placard on top of every Recto they ship, or better yet: screen it on the front panel.  

I've heard this a lot, and it was even why I sold my first Dual Rec about a week after owning it. It wasn't until a friend of mine who was a total Mesa nut sat me down and educated me on how to dial in the EQ.


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## Chuck (Sep 3, 2013)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Sounds like you've got a classic case of the not-knowing-to-EQ-Rectositis, it's very common as the EQ on these things is pretty quirky compared to most other amps, very interactive with each other.
> 
> You really have to play with the Mid, Gain, and Bass knobs together to get them singing. I swear, Mesa needs to put that on a placard on top of every Recto they ship, or better yet: screen it on the front panel.
> 
> I've heard this a lot, and it was even why I sold my first Dual Rec about a week after owning it. It wasn't until a friend of mine who was a total Mesa nut sat me down and educated me on how to dial in the EQ.



Yeah it wouldn't surprise me. Anyway I tried most of the common metal EQ patterns but never heard anything I liked.


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 3, 2013)

Chuck said:


> Yeah it wouldn't surprise me. Anyway I tried most of the common metal EQ patterns but never heard anything I liked.



That's what I'm getting at, those patterns just aren't made around an amp with interactive EQ like the Recto.


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## Chuck (Sep 3, 2013)

MaxOfMetal said:


> That's what I'm getting at, those patterns just aren't made around an amp with interactive EQ like the Recto.



Well yeah I get that now


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## MoJoToJo (Sep 3, 2013)

*Over :::: Jet City JCA . Shop gave me JCA-20H to play with for a week & I did not Jell with it at all.
Egnater Tweaker 15 had one for a year & retubed with everything I could find.

Under ::::: Marshall JVM 410 these things are pure magic
Blackstar HT-1 Head. Fantastic home practise amp & I know their is not a lot of love for them on sevenstring, but throw pedals at them & they sing....*


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## Leuchty (Sep 3, 2013)

Overrated: Mesa Dual Rec

Underrated: Marshall DSL


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## Nicki (Sep 3, 2013)

incinerated_guitar said:


> This last one is gonna shock some people...Line 6 Spider III. Why? Because, when you actually REALLY sit with one, and get really in depth with tweaking, they're not half bad at all actually. I really don't see why they get so much hate honestly. Don't bash them just because you can't get them to sound right with your 8 string in the 15 minutes you spend playing one at guitar center.



I would not disagree with you. I've owned the SIII HD150 head for 4 years now and I've really gotten to know that amp head and how everything works. You're right you can get some killer tones out of it. Hell, my favorite tone was the "Whombellstoll" preset that came stock on the thing...

However, since I now feel limited by the head, I'm selling it and funding rack gear for my Pod HD Pro.


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## vick1000 (Sep 3, 2013)

Over: Peavey 6505+

Under: Peavey JSX

Mainly from a standpoint of higain modern metal tones. The 6505+ just felt loose and dead, the JSX can get just as much gain when boosted (usable gain), and can get tighter than anything I have played, or loose if you want it. And the JSX retains some great dynamics with E34Ls even at low volume. The 6505+ 112 combo is better than the head to me.


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## Mega-Mads (Sep 3, 2013)

Personal opinion here:
Overrated: Peavey rockmaster, orange amps

Underrated: Solid state amps in general


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## Haunted Cereal (Sep 3, 2013)

Hmm, I can't think of anything that's really overrated. I feel like every amp gets the attention it deserves out of the niche it was made for. I kinda feel like the 6505 and dual rec comments are a bit silly, there's a reason they're industry staples. I own both as well as several other heads and I have no trouble getting very satisfying tones without anything outboard. Remember, most of your tone really comes from your fingers. If you can't get an amp close to doing what you want, it might be your technique. Spend some time tweaking and learning an amp and I'm sure you can find something usable. I've used a fender champ for death metal rehearsals... not that it would be my go to for recording but it's usable. When the axefx first started popping up it made me vomit a bit. The third Born of Osiris album sounded like shit to me and I wasn't particularly fond of Danzastravaganza's or Meshuggah's last album tones. They weren't BoO bad, but they weren't amazing to me. They were happy with it though, which is what matters. Lately though I've been hearing more tones coming out of them from smaller bands and soundcloud profiles that are changing my mind. I've been considering snagging one even. 

As far as underrated, I'll agree with the Line 6 comments. I got to spend a lot of time rehearsing and recording with the Spider series when I was a teenager and they're really not bad at all if you're not a snob about solid state. I honestly still kinda prefer it for my 8 string, just because it's tighter on the low end than a tube amp without a ton of tweaking and outboard stuff. 
Another thing I feel is a little underrated are Fryette amps, or rather unknown. They're beautiful but I rarely hear about them. The few other guys I've met that own them love 'em to death but there's not many of us. I do hear things about the deliverance more often though, which is encouraging.


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## incinerated_guitar (Sep 3, 2013)

Mega-Mads said:


> Underrated: Solid state amps in general
> Solid state amps in general
> in general


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## Mega-Mads (Sep 3, 2013)

incinerated_guitar said:


>




One of my favourite albums was recorded on that thing


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## incinerated_guitar (Sep 3, 2013)

Mega-Mads said:


> One of my favourite albums was recorded on that thing




Yeah, that does sound like an MG. Through a decent cab though.

I hope I didn't come of as a dick with that original reply btw


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## Quitty (Sep 3, 2013)

Haunted Cereal said:


> Hmm, I can't think of anything that's really overrated. I feel like every amp gets the attention it deserves out of the niche it was made for. I kinda feel like the 6505 and dual rec comments are a bit silly, there's a reason they're industry staples. I own both as well as several other heads and I have no trouble getting very satisfying tones without anything outboard. Remember, most of your tone really comes from your fingers. If you can't get an amp close to doing what you want, it might be your technique. Spend some time tweaking and learning an amp and I'm sure you can find something usable. I've used a fender champ for death metal rehearsals... not that it would be my go to for recording but it's usable. When the axefx first started popping up it made me vomit a bit. The third Born of Osiris album sounded like shit to me and I wasn't particularly fond of Danzastravaganza's or Meshuggah's last album tones. They weren't BoO bad, but they weren't amazing to me. They were happy with it though, which is what matters. Lately though I've been hearing more tones coming out of them from smaller bands and soundcloud profiles that are changing my mind. I've been considering snagging one even.



If tone is in the fingers, you're in the wrong subforum, dude. 
Sorry, but i just have to get this out of my system - my E chord sounds just like anybody else's. We're not talking dynamic subtleties here.

The 6505 and Dual Rectifier are vastly overrated in my opinion as well. It doesn't make them any less of an industry standard, but yeah, they are way too common for what they do IMO.

Underrated: Carvin. Tremendous value for money and the older ones can do just about anything.


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## Mega-Mads (Sep 3, 2013)

incinerated_guitar said:


> Yeah, that does sound like an MG. Through a decent cab though.
> 
> I hope I didn't come of as a dick with that original reply btw



nah, you're cool bro =)


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## Allealex (Sep 3, 2013)

Oh, I forgot to mentio the Engl screamer combo! That thing is muddy! Cleans are super cold, and it's damn pricey..


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## wakjob (Sep 3, 2013)

Overrated: 
The market is saturated with 'vanilla' sounding amps. I'll refrain from naming names because I still have respect for the designers of those amps.

And yep, small amps sound small. And narrow. And boxy. And nasally. And one dimensional. 
Why even use an el84 ect... An ECC82 at 1 or 2 watts will work and sound the same for the volume levels that people are buying these amp for.

Underrated:
I see the Orange, Mesa, and Peavey thoroughbreds being listed as 'Overrated'... ok.
But what they do have that most amps don't, is an immediately recognizable, or distinctive character in their tone that sets them apart.... non-vanilla if you will.

Great for layering guitar tracks and adding texture.


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## Vostre Roy (Sep 3, 2013)

Since its down to personnal preference, I'm going to shoot my choices 

Overrated: Mesa Rectifiers and Peavey/EVH 5150/6505. I don't think they're bad amp or anything, but for a good while they were about the only amps that I'd see on stages (beside a couple of Marshall and Engl) and even though I see them as modern metal references, I believe that there are other good amps in their price ranges.

Underrated: Without a doubt the Peavey 3120. That amp is mean, huge and can handle cleans pretty decently. Also, the Fender Frontman serie, I know those amp are more popular on other boards, but I still miss my FM212, the cleans in that amp were pristine


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## r_adkins80 (Sep 3, 2013)

Never really played one that I could call underrated, but I have played a while slew of over rated amps that were black/gold and said Marshall on the front. At least for my style/tastes. The only one I have ever played that got me in a comfortable ball park was the JCM Slash my buddy has. That thing is just brutal.


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## Mega-Mads (Sep 3, 2013)

wakjob said:


> Overrated:
> The market is saturated with 'vanilla' sounding amps. I'll refrain from naming names because I still have respect for the designers of those amps.
> 
> And yep, small amps sound small. And narrow. And boxy. And nasally. And one dimensional.
> ...



I was surprised when i got a marshall roar our of my orange channel the other day  It is possible!


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## myampslouder (Sep 3, 2013)

Most underrated amp
Randall V2. I tried a friends and was blown away. It sounds huge but stays insanely tight and clear. Every channel sounds great and is super versatile. I was so impressed I ended up buying his V2 as soon as it came up for sale. It easily keeps up with my VHT Pittbull UL.

Also
Blackstar Series One 200. I had one for a bit and I was very impressed. Like a cross between a Marshall and a Mesa. Very clear and capable of a huge variety of sounds. Also an extremely simple amp to use with a very useful feature set. 


Overrated
Mesa Mark V. I've tried to like this amp but after owning a Mark IV I just can't get into the Mark V. I've used them on multiple occasions and everytime I just feel underwhelmed. AThe best way to describe this amp is a jack of all trades but master of none. It's capable of producing a huge variety of tones but all of them just seem a bit...meh. I'd take an old Mark IV over a Mark V any day.


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## troyguitar (Sep 3, 2013)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Over:
> 
> Anything with EL84 tubes: Often seen in lower wattage amps, they are just terrible when cranked.
> 
> ...



This guy knows what he's talking about. 

Additional underrated amps: Peavey JSX and Mesa Mark III. Both sound about as good as anything else in the world for damn near any rock or metal style and can be picked up for well under $1000.


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## troyguitar (Sep 3, 2013)

MaxOfMetal said:


> The Uni-Valve, Bi-Valve, and Pico-Valve (Jet City branded, simplified Uni-Valve) are great amps, and I own one of each. The cleans are amazing and they do low and medium gain like no other, they can even get doomy and sludgy, plus the leads on the Flexi and BiV are to die for with a good delay pedal and a dirt pedal.



Is the Pico-valve capable of decent completely clean tones with the right tubes/settings? I was thinking that might be a great amp for me now that I basically only play at my house.


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## spawnofthesith (Sep 3, 2013)

Overrated: Axe FX

Underrated: Fryette Pittbulls, Laney GH and aor models, peavey vtm


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## redstone (Sep 3, 2013)

Over : any great sounding amp

Under : any great sounding cab


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 3, 2013)

troyguitar said:


> Is the Pico-valve capable of decent completely clean tones with the right tubes/settings? I was thinking that might be a great amp for me now that I basically only play at my house.



It certainly is, look up THD Uni-Valve vids on YouTube if you can't find any good PicoValve ones. They're the same amp, only the Uni-Valve is made in the US and has a built in attenuator. 

At the five watt setting you get a surprising amount of clean headroom so long as your pickups aren't super hot and you're not absolutely hammering your strings to death. 

Put a JJ EL34L in the power section, it's naturally going to be cleaner compared to other tubes from my experiments. A KT88 works as well, if you just want to keep things clean, but it kinda kills some of the warmth which I feel is counter-intuitive to going clean in the first place, just too clinical in an amp like this. If you happen to have a 6L6GC/5881 sitting around, especially of the Groove Tubes, JJ, or RCA variety it'll do the job pretty good, too. 

Preamp wise, stay away from most tubes marketed as "high gain", those are just going to give you tons of non-usable, mushy gain in this amp and limit your overall headroom by as much as a full increment on the gain knob. My favorite pairing for clean was a JJ 5751 in V1 and an EH 12AX7-Gold in V2, lowers the overall gain but expands the usable clean volume range, and still sounds really good for some slight dirt. 

Play around with tubes, that's the point of these amps, there's no wrong setup just tons of different ones, the circuit is simple and straight forward so you can really tell what the tubes are bringing to the table. I was surprised to see that some of the cheaper tubes I own sounded the best in this thing, as do a lot of other folks, so it's worth playing around with what you have on hand before spending $$$ on tubes. 

Let me know if you pick one up, or feel like trading tubes.


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## Yo_Wattup (Sep 3, 2013)

Overrated: mesa dual recs. Yeah I said it. 

Underrated: Randall V2... did someone say tight?


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 3, 2013)

It's kind of a bummer this thread has turned into:

Overrated: Everything other people like. 

Underrated: Everything I like.


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## troyguitar (Sep 3, 2013)

MaxOfMetal said:


> It's kind of a bummer this thread has turned into:
> 
> Overrated: Everything other people like.
> 
> Underrated: Everything I like.



Overrated: Things I want to buy.

Underrated: Things I happen to have for sale.


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## Haunted Cereal (Sep 3, 2013)

Quitty said:


> If tone is in the fingers, you're in the wrong subforum, dude.
> Sorry, but i just have to get this out of my system - my E chord sounds just like anybody else's. We're not talking dynamic subtleties here.
> 
> The 6505 and Dual Rectifier are vastly overrated in my opinion as well. It doesn't make them any less of an industry standard, but yeah, they are way too common for what they do IMO.



Not all tone certainly, why would there be more than one amp/guitar/pickups/etc otherwise? My point was that you can get something usable out of any amp if you spend time with it. I promise, your E chord sounds like no one else. It sounds like your hands, the pick your holding and the way you hold it, your strings, pickups, your gitter, your cable/wireless, your amp/cab/speakers. Everything. Whether or not you or anyone else listens to these things is another matter entirely. What's overrated about them? They're great sounding amps for what they do and they're not overly expensive, so a lot of younger players, who play the music they're stereo-typically associated with go for what they know is gonna get them what they want. I did the opposite and got a Sig:x when I was 18 for my first real amp and as much as I love it, I was always a little perturbed because I really just wanted a dual rec. Now that I have one, I'm happy as a clam and I use it where it's needed. I don't rant and rave about it and I honestly don't hear many people doing so. They're just used commonly because they're gratifying to play through for a lot of people. Both those heads were the real go-to amps for metal for a long time, just like everyone had to have a Marshall for the better part of 30ish years. If someone has different taste, they should use the equipment that works for them. It just so happens that those produce what a lot of people like to play with.


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## Nicki (Sep 3, 2013)

troyguitar said:


> Overrated: Things I want to buy.
> 
> Underrated: Things I happen to have for sale.



Luckily I didn't state in my original post that the SIII was underrated. I just happened to agree with him because of how much use I got out of mine before deciding to sell it 

Also, I have no desire to buy anything I listed as overrated... The DV Mark triple 6 I would buy in a heartbeat if I had the cash.


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## groverj3 (Sep 3, 2013)

Underrated: Digitech GSP 1101 - This thing has been a great bedroom practice rig with an Alto active 12in. PA speaker.

Overrated: Most Marshalls. They all sound too harsh and trebly to me. Like nails on a chalkboard. Unless Satch is playing one, then he somehow makes them sound pretty good. I still prefer his tone with his JSX's though.


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## karjim (Sep 3, 2013)

under : -Laney VH/GH these are monsters 
-90's Randall Solid States RH: Damned that tight sound with so much gain...definitely for the "Regular People"  
I saw a RH100 for 150 euros...
- Engl Savage 60: It's the best rythm chuggah tone I've herad with a maxon...It's very hard to find one, but folks if you see one ...jump ! 


over: 5150IIImini, it's a good one, I like it, but come on it's not That good as everybody says...it has a solid state flavor in the middle range compared to the original 5150 and the clean are not so pure like a Laney or a real Fender
-Engl Powerball MKI: I remembered everybody wanted to play it in 2005 and in live situation it's not a good tone for sure. "Where am I?" syndrome 
-Laboga The beast: it's a metal zone + a big Muff....tasty
- Laney Ironheart: a bad copy of Engl and Mesa...very dark, tight but not clear, zero personality

I forgot one but it's not an amp
- BKP: Come on ! That price for a pickup? seriously, it's a pickup like DM SD....100$ max please


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## Robby the Robot (Sep 3, 2013)

Over: I agree with the tiny terror/dual/dark terror series. High and low volumes left much to be desired. 

Under: Every modeling amp ever. You can get great tones out of a Spider 3 if you want, you just have to EQ each model differently and with non conventional settings.


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## Yo_Wattup (Sep 3, 2013)

MaxOfMetal said:


> It's kind of a bummer this thread has turned into:
> 
> Overrated: Everything other people like.
> 
> Underrated: Everything I like.



Well yeah.. that's pretty much what the op asked for, opinions.


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## cGoEcYk (Sep 3, 2013)

Over: Ampeg SVT-3 / SVT-4. I owned the 4 for a number of years. These amps basically have high power ratings but dont quite deliver. You can get a nice tone out of them but it's a generic tone (other people might call it "classic" though). A range of other options at the same price are better presently, IMO.

Under: Ibanez Thermion. For ~$350 used it's a very high quality amp with nothing "cheap" about it (example of cheap is the B52 AT-100 where everything feels like it's about to fall apart). The Thermion basically just requires being turned up to a quite loud stage-level volume before it reveals itself which is probably why many who have tried it give it a low "rating." I find this amp has a unique snarly kind of voice and pretty cool dark sounding cleans. You can also put 6550/KT88's in the power for the earthquake.

I think it can be hard to "rate" an amp just by "trying" it. I've found that many amps take some time to get to know. Sometimes even a few years.


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## revclay (Sep 3, 2013)

Overrated: Mesa Mark IV. I just couldn't get along with it. I have a Mark III and used to own a Dual Recto and have a good sense of how dial in Mesas but just couldn't figure out the Mark IV. If given more time with one, I could probably get some nice tones but it just didn't click for whatever reason.

Underrated: Anything by Peters. People who own Peters amps love them but they are still not nearly well known enough.


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## sage (Sep 3, 2013)

Over: Mesa Road King. Maybe I didn't spend enough time with it. Maybe I have no idea how to dial it in. I love the Single and Dual Rectifiers, and even the Roadster, but the Road King seemed over refined. 

Under: Can't disagree with the mention of the Thermion above. What a killer amp. Krank Rev+ is far better than most give it credit for.


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## TheWarAgainstTime (Sep 3, 2013)

myampslouder said:


> Most underrated amp
> Randall V2. I tried a friends and was blown away. It sounds huge but stays insanely tight and clear. Every channel sounds great and is super versatile. I was so impressed I ended up buying his V2 as soon as it came up for sale. It easily keeps up with my VHT Pittbull UL.
> 
> Also
> ...



Agreed on the V2. I used one at a show when my Rectifier blew a fuse and I was impressed by it 

Also, I love my Mark V  though I haven't been able to get as many usable sounds from Channel 2 as I had hoped. Love 1 and 3 to death though


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## Jzbass25 (Sep 3, 2013)

I'm going to be called crazy but the Carvin Legacy 1 is underrated imo, but then again it took me a pretty long time to figure the thing out, after messing with preamp tubes (and swapping all the tubes in general w/e rebiasing) the amp is way better than stock. The cleans are great and the lead while not being tailored to heavy playing like a recto or 5150 is smooth and buttery. But it does show my mistakes like a bastard haha. 

I do however plan on doing a few mods to it like adding a master volume and possibly changing the choke/transformer but mainly just because I can, the amp was cheap as hell and sounds great as hell so I figure why not try and get even more out of it for a few extra bucks. Plus I can swap it all back (or turn the ppimv up to 10) to turn it back to stock.


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## Wrecklyss (Sep 3, 2013)

Overrated: hard to think of anything specific, but there's a lot of pretty popular amps right now that just don't do it for me because they lack versatility

Underrated: Vox AC50CP/AC100CPH. The stock tubes in them are garbage, and they are kind of tempermental as to what tubes they play well with, but re-tube with JJ ECC83s and KT77s and you have a clean channel that goes from jangly to creamy and a crunch channel that i would put toe to toe against any Marshall i've ever heard. Very British sounding, but that works well with my style of playing.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Sep 3, 2013)

THOR HAMMER said:


> Over-Rated? By far the Egnater vengeance. Horrible amp. Whoever owns one needs their hearing checked. Amp totaly blows for metal. Amp is dark, noisy and has zero balls. Sounds like a neutered jcm900



This sounds familiar.


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## Given To Fly (Sep 3, 2013)

I'm a big fan of Mesa Boogie but I would be saying they were overrated if I hadn't played a properly dialed in Roadster years and years ago, so basically sheer luck. People always say "Use your ears!" to dial in tone, but with Mesa's its the opposite; you need to read the manual, learn how the tone controls work, copy other peoples settings, and then start using your ears. As for the amps mentioned, the Roadster, Road King, Mark IV, and Mark V, I would say these are the 4 most complicated amps Mesa has manufactured. I would be amazed if anyone simply sat down and had the amp sounding just like they wanted in 15 minutes. Also, I own a Roadster and a Mark IV but couldn't get a decent sound out of a Triple Rectifier this past weekend. I'm positive it was the user and not the amp.

Its fine if you think Mesa's are overrated, many people do, but a common theme has been "maybe I didn't spend enough time with it" and that is probably true; you have to spend days/weeks/months with these amps to really get a handle on them.

Overrated: Roland Cubes, I must be missing something...
Underrated: Tech 21 Trademark amps


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## Iron Beard (Sep 3, 2013)

over: engl powerball

under: carvin v3


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## tedtan (Sep 4, 2013)

sage said:


> Over: Mesa Road King. Maybe I didn't spend enough time with it. Maybe I have no idea how to dial it in. I love the Single and Dual Rectifiers, and even the Roadster, but the Road King seemed over refined.


 


The Roadster is a Road King minus the:

Progressive Linkage - power tube switching that lets you switch between 6L6 and EL34 (or both), assignable per channel,
Cabinet switching that lets you run, for example, an open back cab for your clean channel(s) and a closed back cab for your dirt channels, assignable per channel, and
one of the effects loops
So if you like the Roadster, I would think you would like the Road King, too - it just has a few more things to tweak than the Roadster.

That said, I bought one a month or so back and can confirm what Given To Fly said above - they do take some tweaking to dial in, but once you get a feel for how the controls interact, there are a ton of cool tones to be had, and I don't regret the purchase at all.


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## RV350ALSCYTHE (Sep 4, 2013)

Old story, haven't tried anything else that has either been impressive or complete garbage in comparison.

Overrated - Line6 spider 3...make that any line6. Old friend was forced to sell his combo for a spider 3 head or get kicked out of that band...then they kicked him out because his Line6 tone was garbage, even though they suggested the junk 

Underrated - Rivera knuckleheads, never heard of it, ordered on online because I was bored of what the stores offered. Blew away everything I've tried before and after it.


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## RustInPeace (Sep 4, 2013)

Overrated: Blackstar HT-5, Orange Terrors (of any kind), almost all Rectifiers (save the Rev. F dual rec)

Underrated: Blackstar HT-100, Marshall JVM's, Randall anything, Laney Iommi, Mark V


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## KAMI (Sep 4, 2013)

Not strictly speaking an amp, but my Line 6 PODxt pro is very underrated!


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## op1e (Sep 4, 2013)

Over; any of the Dual Recs I've heard in person last few years. Yes they punch, but no life or edge to them (I guess cause no one around here boosts?).

Under; Another GSP 1101 vote. Almost 4 years later still learning more tricks. Worth it for rack mount overdrive and EQ alone. Got it to activate effects in my G Major stompbox style. Also lately the Blackstar HT-Dual has edged out my Rockmaster. The 1st channel with crunch engaged and ISF all the way to British (red channel seems too thick). Has a greasy raunch and cut to it that pairs well to my Marshall 9005 OR my Ultra 120's power sections.


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## cGoEcYk (Sep 4, 2013)

I am surprised the Orange Terrors are "rated" so overated. I've never had any inclination toward the "mystique" of the brand or anything but on tone alone I've been impressed DT. Amazing cleans! Sure, they only go to quiet stage volume...


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## Yo_Wattup (Sep 4, 2013)

THOR HAMMER said:


> Over-Rated? By far the Egnater vengeance. Horrible amp. Whoever owns one needs their hearing checked. Amp totaly blows for metal. Amp is dark, noisy and has zero balls. Sounds like a neutered jcm900
> 
> Under-Rated? Randall RM100. That amp is throaty, tight, mean, and balls for days.
> 
> Best Amp? Fortin Meathead. Zero competition.



Are you that dude that got banned for being a douche?


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## Randy (Sep 4, 2013)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Krank Rev: Not bad amps at all, they just aren't Mesa or Marshall based so a lot of folks just don't know what to do with them. They saturate very well, with tons of usable gain, even at lower volumes. They're tight and loud. They kinda have a solid state vibe, and I mean that in the best way possible.



Plus freakin one 

I never touched a Krank, because of all the drama surrounding the post Dime anti-Dean, anti-Krank stuff that was floating around. I was looking for a new amp and the local store had a Rev+ for ~$550, so I decided to give it a try and I was blown away.


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## TheWarAgainstTime (Sep 4, 2013)

Forgot to mention it earlier, but the Egnater Tweaker 88 and 40 heads are pretty awesome/underrated as well


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 4, 2013)

Yo_Wattup said:


> Well yeah.. that's pretty much what the op asked for, opinions.



Though, it would be nice for folks to look beyond that and think what the terms themselves mean. 

If a common amp is used to record tons of legendary tones, it's not overrated. If an amp caters to an incredibly small niche and thus isn't common, it's not underrated.


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## Spaced Out Ace (Sep 4, 2013)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Two amps I think are overrated: The Orange Dark Terror and Blackstar HT series. The Dark Terror, I find, is way too damn fuzzy and dark for anything metal, which the amp was designed to do. Inb4 "BUT IT'S AN ORANGE!" I like other Oranges, but the Dark Terror (an to a lesser extent, the Tiny Terror and Dual Terror), are my least favorites. The HT series just sounds... not good. Too muddy and fizzy for my taste. It's weird... Sounds to stiff for low gain sounds and too flubby for high gain sounds.



I agree, but I also don't care much for Blackstars and could only see myself using one or two of the Oranges for a pretty specific sound which wouldn't work for me.


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## Spaced Out Ace (Sep 4, 2013)

Overrated - Anything that's had a really obsessive trend based around it and then forgetten five years later. Difference between something that is awesome and work [jcm800, 5150/6505, etc.] and shit that came and went that only the people involved in the hype remember it. 


Underrated - Fryette stuff, a lot of the more custom shop stuff [well, the one's that don't scam you that is.]


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## Dawn of the Shred (Sep 7, 2013)

Under/ Randall Warhead that amp is a beast with mids boosted and a good od in front of it. Randall V2 tight and mean. Soldano SLO.
Over/Marshall, Orange, Blackstar, They just dont do anything for me


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Sep 7, 2013)

Another underrated amp: Crate Powerblock. It's somewhat well-known for being a good power amp for it's portability, but on it's own, it's capable of a pretty good Marshall-esque crunch or some really nice cleans.


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## Allealex (Sep 7, 2013)

arkansasmatt said:


> Under/ Randall Warhead that amp is a beast with mids boosted and a good od in front of it. Randall V2 tight and mean. Soldano SLO.
> Over/Marshall, Orange, Blackstar, They just dont do anything for me



Soldano SLO underrated? I don't think so


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## clopstyle (Sep 7, 2013)

Most overrated - Engl Savage 120 and Fryette Sig X

Most underrated - Carvin X100 and Rivera Knucklehead


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## Spaced Out Ace (Sep 7, 2013)

clopstyle said:


> Most overrated - Engl Savage 120 and *Fryette Sig X*
> 
> Most underrated - Carvin X100 and Rivera Knucklehead





It's not overrated when it kicks ass. Then again, I had some wimpy wristed child give me neg rep for talking down Engl and he said, "kt88 vhts have no gain - owned two". What a ....ing joke. 


I'll repeat in bigger letters to emphasize the stupid:


*KT88 VHTS HAVE NO GAIN - OWNED TWO*


I can't even chalk that up to user error; VHT's have a SHIT TON of gain and are perfect for modern playing styles.


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## welsh_7stinger (Sep 7, 2013)

Hard to think of anything overrated amp wise. But if I had a gun to my head i would say blackstar amps. they just don't do it for me tonally. 

Underrated I'd have to say Digitech GSP 1101. Its a brill piece of kit for the price of it. I am embrasing for flaming but the Orange micro terror amp head. I've got one and some of my mates have had to borrow it for gigs and they were blown away by it's sound. small but loud and in my personal opinion really nice sounding, yes not the tightest of amps nor the gainiest but still awesome sounding little bugger.


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## TheWarAgainstTime (Sep 7, 2013)

Spaced Out Ace said:


> I'll repeat in bigger letters to emphasize the stupid:
> 
> 
> *KT88 VHTS HAVE NO GAIN - OWNED TWO*
> ...





I'm seriously confused as to how anyone could think that...unless he was full of shit and had actually just watched two cellphone quality crappy demos on YouTube or something


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## Spaced Out Ace (Sep 8, 2013)

TheWarAgainstTime said:


> I'm seriously confused as to how anyone could think that...unless he was full of shit and had actually just watched two cellphone quality crappy demos on YouTube or something



He just wanted to be a sea unt, most likely.


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## feraledge (Sep 8, 2013)

Overrated: Another vote for Orange. I don't get it. Their cabs are the best I've ever heard, but those heads do absolutely nothing for me. 
Underrated: I personally liked the Randall RMs, but I'm not sure how they held up. I love the Pitbull, but that thing is too pricey to consider. 
Appropriately rated: 5150 lineage and Rectifiers. They clearly have the history to show what they can do. 5150 line are workhorses. If my Dual Rec didn't just dump into the low end over 50% volume I probably wouldn't have ditched it. Those two heads combined though? Heavenly.

Severely underrated: Karl Sander's ability to EQ a Marshall.


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## will_shred (Sep 8, 2013)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Over:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Now I regret returning mine. If the tubes and bias are as bad as you say, that might explain why I hated it so much. I fiddled with the damn thing for HOURS and no matter what I did the tone came out cold and fizzy. I love my Egnater, but maybe, just maybe if I took the Carvin to my local amp tech I could now not be lugging around a 60 pound 120 watt monster.


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## Wrecklyss (Sep 8, 2013)

will_shred said:


> Now I regret returning mine. If the tubes and bias are as bad as you say, that might explain why I hated it so much. I fiddled with the damn thing for HOURS and no matter what I did the tone came out cold and fizzy. I love my Egnater, but maybe, just maybe if I took the Carvin to my local amp tech I could now not be lugging around a 60 pound 120 watt monster.



I can confirm this. Equipped my V3 with a set of JJs and adjusted up the bias (was very cold from the factory) and all of the sudden i understood all the praise it had been getting. Stock it was less than spectacular. Did take a while to get the tone dialed in, as the EQ is different than the what i'm used to, but it had 3 very usable channels once i got it set up properly.


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## rectifryer (Sep 8, 2013)

Overrated: anything I own at the moment because the grass is always greener on the other side for me. 

Underrated: the Diezel vh4 because hnnnnnnnngggggggg anything you do sounds like heavy ass Tool-esque riffage even if your trying to "agressively palm mute open strings".


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## greendog86 (Sep 8, 2013)

overated: any "launch-box" amp out there... i really dont like these el84 loaded
little heads, fizzy as hell.

underated: genz benz el diablo... the most unerated amp on the planet!
i think genz benz did a huge mistake by selling this amp loaded with shitty el34
tubes and having it plugged in stores to their even shittier g-flex cabs,
it just sounds bad, and i think this is the reason why many people dislike
this amp so much. the el diablo should be played through a good V30 cab
and be loaded with some good kt77, e34l or 6l6 tubes, it makes a
!!huge!! difference... i own this amp for 4 years right now and I'm very
satisfied.


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## Wizard of Ozz (Sep 8, 2013)

Over: Bogner Uberchall (all versions: original, second, and Rev/. Blue)

Under: Engl Fireball 100


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