Higher Gain 6v6 amps in the $1500 - $2000 range

Mr.Woody

Mr.Woody

Member
Messages
1,522
So i just got my Reinhardt MI-6, which i've waited a year to buy, and i'm not sure how happy i am with it. However, let me also say that i haven't really had a chance to crank it up in my apartment.But, the problem is, at this point in my life, 90% of my playing IS in the apartment (unless i take a new Worship Leader position soon). I find myself wishing it had more gain on ta because I mainly use a strat. On occasion i will use my Godin (dual humbuckers) but not very often. I know i have pedals, but i really want an amp i can just plug and play and have all i need. So, i'm looking for something higher gain with a master volume (or really good power scaling). Also, 2 channel would be nice so i can switch using my a/b/y.

Also, I like the tone on the Reinhardt until i switch to my bridge pickup then there's this stinging/sizzling quality to it i'm not used to (almost el84 sounding). When i switch back over to my Gibson amps, i don't have it (american voiced amps). On the neck Pickup, it's not there either. I know the Reinhardt it a lot brighter amp than the gibsons and when i switch back and forth, it's like someone put a quilt over my Gibson by comparison.....but i still like the overdrive qualities better.

I looked at the Reinhardt Sultan, but haven't seen any clips and i despise el84's.......despise (although i have heard tell of some that let the 6v6 side run at full power instead of just half). I also looked into the Reinhardt SHG and actually played one at the Amp House, but it's 50 watts and will be just way too loud for my home use. I looked at the 65 Amps "Empire", but it's about $1k out of my range just for the head. I know that 3rd Power amps has the "Dream Solo 4" coming out which takes my favorite part of the best sounding amp i've ever played (British Dream '68 Plexi side) and makes it more affordable. They will ship in around 5 weeks and it's a good possibility i might just have to pick one up.

Any other amp suggestions out there?

Basically, i'm looking for an amp that can do the cranked sound at the opening of the Greg V. demo of the MI-6 except with a Strat and no pedals: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-fr...xt=C36ec276UDOEgsToPDskJxTSqvWv7Sb2_UVrhnCIZh


Thanks,
Woody
 
wedewer

wedewer

Member
Messages
2,438
Bogner golfinger. 6v6 swiss army knife. Plexi tones and modded marshall tones. 3 power options. Can go from 45 watts down to 9 watts.
 
splatt

splatt

david torn / splattercell
Platinum Supporting Member
Messages
25,809
greg's clearly playing a mahogany, set-neck, humbucker-equipped SG, there.
he's also playing a closed back 1x12 cab loaded with a custom R65H speaker;
and the cab is set-up in a corner, which naturally increases low-end & low-mid projection, even when close-mic'ed.

is your amp properly biased?
are you using the power-section, at all?

1) try using the tone controls on your bridge pickup.
2) try dialing-in the amp for your bridge pickup, first.
3) try dialing-in the amp to make good use of the power-section, ie: turn it up.

otoh, if you've already investigated all possibilities,
the bogner goldfinger 45 sounds fantastic w/a strat: round, punchy, warm, clear & full of responsive character.
 
Mr.Woody

Mr.Woody

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Messages
1,522
not sure if it's properly biased. i'll have to go watch the biasing video on the Reinhardt site. My cab is a 2x12 reinhardt cab closed back with R65-H's and set up in the corner. I am making use of the power section (while also using the power scaling for obvious reasons), and its only when the amp is really cranked that i don't like the sound. With the gain set around 3-4 o'clock and the volume set around 9-10, it sounds luscious, but when i crank the volume (and ultimately have to turn the scaling down over halfway) It starts sizzling and is also much more percussive. Now, I'm not sure how much the scaling affects the tone, but i know i don't care much for what i hear, especially when jumping back to an american voiced amp. I'll def try setting up the controls for the bridge pickup. don't know why i hadn't even thought about that. lol

it's also funny that i don't really care for how my humbucker equiped guitars sound through this amp either. Again, i know it's kinda rediculous to compare an american voiced amp to the reinhardt, but they sound so much better through the Gibson.

In fact, the whole tone i was looking for was just a louder/brighter version of my little '51 gibson. it sounds like a cranked Marshall, but you can have a conversation over it when it's at full bore. I've got a couple videos of it posted on my youtube. if it was about twice as loud as it is, i would not be looking for another amp. One of my friends told me he thought it sounded kinda like a cranked JCM800, and that set me on a Marshall-esque tone hunt.

ANYWAYS, i'll play some more later, and maybe call our music guy at church and see if he'll let me come set up there so i can crank it up. it could just be the scaling adding a little extra bite, because it's not that bad on the Vol/Tone channel.

I'll also check out the Jim Kelley and the VAC amps.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Keep them coming, i really appreciate it, especially since i know NOTHING about Marshall type tones.

Thanks,
Woody
 
flcmcya

flcmcya

Silver Supporting Member
Messages
3,435
Powerscaling definitely brings the sizzle if your less than 3/4 throttle ....

Move to a cabin in the woods and crank it ! :p
 
Mr.Woody

Mr.Woody

Member
Messages
1,522
anyone compare a fargen mini-plex to an MI-6? Maybe i should be looking for a JCM800 style amp rather than a plexi......not sure. I don't want modern scooped mids style gain, though. I'll check out the dual rec as well.
 
B

Birdy

Member
Messages
1,111
A few hundred over your budget maybe, but it's all happenin' here IMO.
EL84 and 6V6 together or seprate with an attenuator.
@ 1:47.......:omg
My next amp I think.


 
Justis

Justis

Member
Messages
85
Have you e-mailed or called Bob and asked him his opinion on which tubes might give you more of the sound you're after? I e-mailed him with a question and he got right back to me. He could tell you if there is a way to get the sound you want out of this amp or not. He said you can run a 5U4GB rectifier in the MI-6 for "just a little bit more squish and sag" than the tighter gz34. Maybe try a lower gain preamp tube than a 12ax7 to try get rid of the sizzle. I'd think trying these changes would be well worth your time before moving on to another amp.:beer
MarcJ is correct on it being cathode biased.
 
Last edited:
Mr.Woody

Mr.Woody

Member
Messages
1,522
I just emailed Bob, so hopefully he'll have some suggestions.
Just so i know, how much for the Rivera?

I'm also having to remind myself that i already have an amp whose tone i LOVE at apartment levels, so if the MI-6 will sound like my old Gibson when i DO get to crank it up, then i'll just live for the days when i can :)

also, just for kicks and giggles, here's a pic of my living room:



And one of my little gibson:
 
Mr.Woody

Mr.Woody

Member
Messages
1,522
oh, i TOTALLY forgot about the Reinhardt Mini-Me......how could I?!?!?
I just wish it looked nicer......to go from the MI-6 with the nice swoosh and Gold piping to the mini-me with sharpie writing and no piping would kill my wife since she's already commented so many times about how nice it looks.........
 
Crash-VR

Crash-VR

Silver Supporting Member
Messages
5,091
Man, you really need to look into a Nolatone Rotten Johnny... Premier guitar did a great review you can search for on line. It's made to have lots of gain at lower volumes and they look great too. I just picked one up for $1000 and am really surprised how much I like it.
 
Mr.Woody

Mr.Woody

Member
Messages
1,522
you have any clips of your Bogner?
The Rotten Johnny seems too.....muffled? not sure, but i've only listen to the clip on the site. The blues clip sounded great, but the rock clip i didn't really care for.
 
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