Have you found YOUR tone? I haven't.

[jamiefbolton]

So i've got a couple of amps, modded AC30CC (Sozos and Heyboer OT and Weber speakers) and also a Matchless Spitfire clone. Both sound great for what they do, but i've come to the conclusion that neither are MY tone.

The AC30 is too chimey. I used to want to sound like the Edge and I sill love the Edge, but the AC30 doesn't give me what I hear in my head. Nor does the Spitfire.

I am looking for thick, but not muddy lower mids, strong high mids without too much bite on the top end, and of course a tight low end.

So, kinda marshally?? Hiwatt?? I don't use much gain. Just a little tube breakup.

And I have to have the power tube compression, so the Master Vol will be turned up. I'll use the attenuator if i have to, but I MUST have the power tubes cookin'.

Any ideas, comments, concerns.

Share your thoughts.

 

[scottlaned]

I find my tone quarterly.

I have found some resolution recently, however, and have been sticking to my Allen. I believe with this Scumnico in it, it might end up being my personal Hey Zeus.

 

[localmotion411]

I think I like a little more gain than you do, but I have found my tone in the Komet Concorde and Louis Electric KR12.

 

[Dave]

I think I'm looking for the same amp you are. You might want to hold your GAS for another couple of months and see if the new Badger 30(2x EL34s, SS rectifier and Power Scaling) does anything for you, I know I am.

 

[sf audio]

I haven't found mine either. I have several rack preamps, a fender 67' pro reverb, and a black pearl. All these are keepers - gives me tones I like.

I can't tell you how many amps have come and gone because I shrugged my shoulders when I fired em' up.

I really believe that each amp has a certain "texture" or "color" or whatever you want to call it. The tone knobs, power switches, sliders, or buttons can affect it, but that basic core sound makes the amp what it is.

Still looking for that color - you'll know when you find as you won't be able to stop playing.

 

[yellowecho]

sounds like youre describing Hiwatt

 

[teleman55]

I got other amps I love but mine's a SFDR.

 

[slipslick]

I have found mine several times but it tends to be a moving target. Besides that, it seems "the grass is greener" a lot of the time.

 

[Serious Poo]

I found my lead voice a long time ago, but only recently became aware of it.

I noticed that no matter what amp / pedal / cab combo I'm using at the time I'm always trying to dial in the same tone. It's been this way for 25 years. There's a tone (voice) I hear in my head, and it's like true North to me. I always find myself heading towards it. I eventually manage to get pretty close to it regardless of what gear I'm playing through, but the rig I've owned for the past 3 years just nails it. Took a lot of work to get to this point, though.

 

[calieng]

Simple - Orange Amplifiers.

I just got a Rockerverb 50 head and have a Rocker 30 combo on the way.

I wish I had tried them years ago and I have tried most everything else.

Not saying they are better than everythng else - just the tone I was looking for.

Cheers.

 

[EADGBE]

I'm thinking a Marshall 50 watt master volume half stack tube amp. If you want more distortion you could use a good pedal.

 

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

I've been on a massive tone search for the last couple years and I've been fortunate enough to try a bunch of different guitars and amps.

After all that, there is no single tone that does it all, so I've come up with a few favorites that fit my style well.

I like the Marshall non master and early JCM800 amps where you can play clean but easily overdrive the amp into a rabid crunch with the pick attack. This is such a cool tone and is best served through a 4x12 cab with either Greenbacks or G12H30s ( Vintage 30s work sparingly too ).
A Les Paul Custom is my top choice here, with a P90 SG not far behind.

Dr. Z Prescription. It's an EL84 amp with a EF86 front end and it's got charm and sparkle galore I love a P90 Gibson SG or a Strat with this amp. You have to run some wide band, high quality pedals for the boost, but it's a great over all amp and plenty loud at an under rated 45watts.

Mesa Boogie Mk III I think Mesa makes a lot of thin and fizzy sounding, loose amps, but the Mk III is one that was smooth and creamy before the fizzy amps showed up. It's a tweeker amp, but it has a bunch of different cool tones in it that can make you sound like a million bucks. The clean channel is almost Fender like! and is the icing on the cake. You can play tight or sloppy with any kind of guitar into the MKIII and it doesn't care.

So ......... over all, the big power house amps to me sound the best, even cranked down low they have some nice headroom and sound great! The Gibson Les Paul Custom is the most Powerful guitar in the world! I haven't found a guitar that's ever sounded meatier and beefier.

That's my tone.

 

[gregory49]

Even though I love Fender Amps. I found my Tone When I plugged a Strat Into a Marshall! , even though I don't own a marshall amp right now I'll be getting one again.

Oh and I knew it felt right when i switched on the Landgraff dyanamic overdrive for the first time.

 

[Caretaker]

As far as guitars, it`s Les Pauls and Wolfes for me. Amps on the other hand, I found that my Carvin Vintage 30 is THEE amp for me. I`ve owned amps that were 5 times as much as this. It`s not the cost. It just has to do what you want it to. Most people`s tone is in their hands for the most part. everything else just "tweaks" it.

 

[rob2001]

Yep, For hard heavy tones... Jackson Soloist w/Duncan Custom Custom and Lil' 59 equipped with a Jackson J-2000 active mid-boost circuit. OCD, SD-1, into a JCM 800 4104 2x12 combo, RFT pre tubes, Seimons Power tubes, running a 4x12 greenback cab wired for series/parallel at 16 ohms. ( I think thats how I wired it, not sure but it matters) I'll throw in the occasional delay/verb and chorus. It took a few years of experimenting to put it all together but EVERYTHING mentioned matters... forgot to add the Lava cables.

For cleans to dirty blues... same rig but with a Tele or a strat.

If things are sounding off, I know it's me and not the rig.

 

[John Thigpen]

Check out a Dr Z Maz 38 as well.

John

 

[supar6]

After many years and lots of $$$ later I've found my tone preference has a case of split-personality. I love that Marshall plexi tone but need some screaming clean tone every so often w/ some added reverb.

So far I use a Top Hat Emplexador and Fender '69 Pro Reverb. In my opinion these so far are the best of both worlds. At least for this month!

 

[3 Mile Stone]

I would have no reservations recomending an Egnater MOD 50. I'd go with the following modules to get the sounds your after. It has a half power switch on it already, no attentuator needed.

Bassman
Vox
SL
COD

Love it and see no need for any other amp for years now.

 

[ahardmark]

I haven't found mine yet, although I'm getting closer in my search. I can hear the tone I want to get in my head, but I haven't quite gotten it yet.

 

[steadygarcia]

sounds like youre describing Hiwatt

I'll never forgive myself for having sold my '77 Hiwatt Custom 100 and matchng 4x12 cab back in 95 or so. Traded it for a Hot Rod Deville. I thin I may have also got some money back. I can't quite recall. What the hell was I thinking??