First gig with Hayseed 30....

[tele_jas]

Well.... I got my Hayseed on Friday, gigged it last night (Saturday). Before I go too far, I've used/owned MANY botique amps: (6) Dr. Z's, TopHat, AC30ccX (not botique, but still AC30), and a Bad Cat..... this list doesn't count the Genz Benz Black Pearl, Mesa Boogie's, Marshall and Fender amps I've had. So, I've had a lot of different amps to compare it to.

How it'd do?? This may be the honeymoon period, but this is the BEST sounding amp I've EVER owned! I've gotten rid of every other amp because there was "something" that I didn't like...... The Hayseed 30 has nothing that I don't like. It's a perfect balance of mids, bass and treble. Cleans are not sterile at all, very 3-D, full and chimey. The overdrive is very nice too when you crank the amp. Some AC30 style amps sound fuzzy or just nasty when cranked (AC30cc2 was one), or just sound like they weren't made to overdrive. But the Hayseed is very nice and the Master volume is nicer than any attenuator, it's very natural sounding.

Over-all.... I was very impressed with the Hayseed, and I have no plans on letting it go. Usually when I get an amp, I'm already starting to look for the next "best" thing to trade it for. The last amp I kept for any length of time was my Stangray and I had that for 2 years...... I do like this amp better than my Stangray.

Just wanted to post this report.

Clips to come later.

Jason

 

[Griz]

Congrats on the new amp. The word on those is very positive.

Looking forward to hearing those clips.


Cheers.
:AOK

 

[thirsty one]

This is good to hear. The Hayseed is definitely on my list. I am about $200 short, but could swing it if the right deal came along. Is your amp a head or combo? How many and what kind of speakers do you use?

Thanks for the review.

 

[Gasp100]

Man, I'm getting excited. Mine is on the way. I can't decide if I will keep it in 2x12 form or get a head cab made and move the blues to my Avatar cab. Anyway, glad you dig yours bro - that is awesome.

 

[bobotwt]

So does this mean you've already ditched the Badcat Black Cat?

Josh

 

[tele_jas]

So does this mean you've already ditched the Badcat Black Cat?

Josh

Yeah.......

 

[bobotwt]

What did you not like about the Badcat?

Josh

 

[jerrymc1966]

Hayseed 30's are great amps. Sounds great with single or hums! Black Cat is not even in the same league. Tonally that is, the build is nice.

 

[tele_jas]

What did you not like about the Badcat?

Josh

The Black Cat seemed a bit sterile to me, until you cranked it pretty loud. I also didn't like the breakup as much on the Black Cat, seemed too "digital" or something? I know that's not possible, but it sounded harsh and brittle.... I even changed tubes (powe and pre). the EF86 channel was a bit more versitile, but when jumping them or running a Y cable (on the BC), it doesn't have to be too versitile. The Master volume on the Hayseed is more usable too and sounds less like a MV. The Hayseed is fuller, and sounds more "open"..... I'm just so much happier with the Hayseed.

 

[Mike Dickerson]

How is the headroom on the Hayseed's? I like the head room on my Vox AC30tbx but dont get quite enough on my AC30ccx. If the Hayseed has more than the CCX I would really think about trying to pick one up.

 

[tele_jas]

How is the headroom on the Hayseed's? I like the head room on my Vox AC30tbx but dont get quite enough on my AC30ccx. If the Hayseed has more than the CCX I would really think about trying to pick one up.

I wish I could help, but I'm not real sure how to compare the headroom on an amp I haven't played or at least haven't played in years? It has slightly more headroom, on the tbx side, than My Dr. Z Stangray had.... but the Stangray has an EF86 preamp only. On 30 wts, it doesn't seem to really break up until about 1:00-2:00 on the volume using a Telecaster with vintage style single coils (lindy fralin blues specials). I like running it around 1:00 and blending in a touch of the EF86 side to get a little "hair" to my tone.

 

[Yankee Univox]

Could you please elaborate on why you like it better than your TopHat?

 

[tele_jas]

Could you please elaborate on why you like it better than your TopHat?

I just didn't bond with the TopHat.... It always felt too stiff, for lack of better words, and too thin. It recorded nicely, but when playing live I felt like I was playing with a 1x8 combo behind me. I thought it was the speakers at first, but even after a speaker change it was still too thin for my liking. I REALLY wanted to like it, but just couldn't. It also seemed to have a mid-frequency that was kind of spikey and didn't like my Tubescreamer based pedals too much.