Favorite # Amp types

That's a great list Yek! I'm in agreement with 90% of it... I have to add the Dumble ODS, but you have to dial it in just right and it is not for everyone I know. Also really partial to the new Twin for certain clean things, you have to tweak it and warm it up with an FET boost and there is this gorgeous vintage warm clean tone.... Really really really like the JM 45, even over the Plexis (although the Brown is fun), the JM 45 under-rated by many, but really marries so well with a good Strat, boost pedal and/or fuzz, and dial in the gain just right (I use a foot pedal). Big Big Tone/fundamentals... Just listen to Doyle Bramhall II (yes, his is technically a Super Bass Marshall, but this close as you get for AXE II). The Shiva Clean just needs the bright switch on and the bright cap value increased to about 120 wake it up, and the Shiva Lead is pretty sweet too. And let's not leave the Fryette off the list, although the HBE maybe inches it out... LOVE the Bogners, my go-to rock amps....ok, see we have to change the list to top 20 amps!
 
  • Like
Reactions: yek
Really good post yek. I copied and pasted your OP and a bunch of the replies into a word doc, so when I want to try some new amp/cab combos I can look at it for guidance.
 
  • Like
Reactions: yek
I pretty much just use the BE paired with a 412 Basketweave G12M25 RW and the RE16. With various combinations of gain and master I can get pretty much everything I want out of that one model.

I found that model and just stuck with it....too busy playing I guess!
 
austinbuddy said:
That's a great list Yek! I'm in agreement with 90% of it... I have to add the Dumble ODS, but you have to dial it in just right and it is not for everyone I know. Also really partial to the new Twin for certain clean things, you have to tweak it and warm it up with an FET boost and there is this gorgeous vintage warm clean tone.... Really really really like the JM 45, even over the Plexis (although the Brown is fun), the JM 45 under-rated by many, but really marries so well with a good Strat, boost pedal and/or fuzz, and dial in the gain just right (I use a foot pedal). Big Big Tone/fundamentals... Just listen to Doyle Bramhall II (yes, his is technically a Super Bass Marshall, but this close as you get for AXE II). The Shiva Clean just needs the bright switch on and the bright cap value increased to about 120 wake it up, and the Shiva Lead is pretty sweet too. And let's not leave the Fryette off the list, although the HBE maybe inches it out... LOVE the Bogners, my go-to rock amps....ok, see we have to change the list to top 20 amps!
Click to expand...

I have 5 slots on my MFC reserved for 'amp' presets.
Using XY this gives me 10 amps.
I limit myself to these on purpose, to keep things under control for live playing.

The JTM45 was in one of those slots untill recently.
Great amp esp. when used with an OD.

But this is how it works with me: if I notice I don't use a certain amp regularly, I remove it. Even if it does sound very good. The JTM lost ... Same with BE and HBE, I tend to preter the XTCs. Fryette is great, a sleeper, but it lost out to XTC Red, Uber and Recto. :) It's a real Survival of the Fittest over here.

Your post and others do make me wanna revisit some types though. :)
 
Last edited:
After playing from Monday when my 2 arrived, my initial 10 favourites:

Delux Reverb - strange this as I prefered the Brownface on the standard but think the delus on the 2 is more dynamic.
Shiver Clean - for a warmer tone than the Delux
AC30 TB
Marshall 1987x normal
Hi Power normal
Cameron channel 1 - Thick Thick Thick
Fryette High
Carol Ann - prefere it just over the ODS for "those" tones
Soldano SLO Lead
Recto Modern Red
 
Notes (really hate not being able to edit from work !!)

I like the Orange and it was a favoyurite in the Standard, but for the the Cameron channel 1 is better for that tone.

The Fryette - strange. Works with higher output ceramic PUs for an 80s hairy tone BUT - stick a strat in front of it and its a FANTASTIC driven blues tone.
 
This was a difficult list. Lotsa good ones, 1-4 are my go to sounds, but 5-10 are fun too. Sometimes it depends on my mood!

1. JVM
2. Fender Twin
3. Das Metal
4. Shiva Clean
5. Freidman HBE
6. Mesa Mark IIC+
7. Vibroverb
8. Bogner Uberschall
9. Vox AC30TB
10.Bogner Ecstasy Blue
 
Messing around with some of the suggestions in this thread. Some comments...

Cornford:
Remarkable, with all controls at default it sounds so much better than when tweaked. I need to learn to not turn up Presence automatically. Keeping Presence at 0 prevents this sim from becoming awfully harsh.

Soldano:
The X99 Lead is too fuzzy for me. Better results with the SOLO 100 Lead. Here too: Presence down = better tone. I notice the "impact" of the Soldano tone here, nice.

Deluxe Reverb:
Hmm, this might a candidate to replace my Vibroverb. When compared directly the Deluxe has more chime for sure. Gotta try this at rehearsal with the volume turned up.
 
Last edited:
yek said:
I have 5 slots on my MFC reserved for 'amp' presets.
Using XY this gives me 10 amps.
I limit myself to these on purpose, to keep things under control for live playing.

The JTM45 was in one of those slots untill recently.
Great amp esp. when used with an OD.

But this is how it works with me: if I notice I don't use a certain amp regularly, I remove it. Even if it does sound very good. The JTM lost ... Same with BE and HBE, I tend to preter the XTCs. Fryette is great, a sleeper, but it lost out to XTC Red, Uber and Recto. :) It's a real Survival of the Fittest over here.

Your post and others do make me wanna revisit some types though. :)
Click to expand...

That's an excellent methodology. It's sort of like your closet. Every wears 20% of their clothes 80% of the time. If you use the patch, it's a keeper. I must say I left out the Tweed and that was a BIG omission, because I use that amp all the time. The way I dial it in is unorthodox (all tone controls zero except treble on like 2, and heavy boost into the amp), but it sounds good on everything. use the RedWirez Ribbon 1" Tweed IRs.
 
I don't really think there ANY sims that I couldn't manipulate to get "my" sounds...and I'm certainly not using 10 different amps! I generally find a few I really like and stick with 'em.

1. Fender Twin/BB Pre with the 2x12 Tweed that Cliff was nice enough to convert for the Axe II and post.
2. Trainwreck
3. US Clean or Bassman set to be really clean
4. Boogie

I am gonna fiddle with Buttery when I get some of this jingle work out of the way and have 2 seconds to breath!

Boring, I know, but they are my workhorses...I can get just about any tone I need from those 4!
 
1. Friedman BE
2. Friedman HBE
3. CAE+
4. Recto Orange
5. Brit 800 Mod
6. USA Clean 1
7. Double Verb
8. SLO 100 Lead
9. Corncob
10. ODS-100 Lead (as long as there's a driver in front of it)
 
yek said:
Let's waste time: let's make lists. Here are my current "Favorite Ten".

"Clean"
  • Vibroverb (Brownface)
    Why: more character than Mesa clean or Shiva clean, more body than Twin or Deluxe.
    Which cab: EVM, Showman, Thunderbolt, 1x10 Gold.
  • Vox AC30TB (Class-A 30W TB)
    Why: because it's a Vox. It improves with every firmware upgrade (just wait till you hear 5.0). Instead of using traditional Alnico speaker cabs, try it with greenbacks.
    Which cab (Vox-type): 1x12 Blue, 2x12 Brit, 2x12 TopBoost Blue or Silver, 4x12 Blue.
    Which cab (Greenback-type): G12M, M75, G12M25.
"Inbetween clean and crunch"
  • Budda (Buttery)
    Why: keep it low gain and you'll hear why.
    Which cab: G12M, G12M25, M75.
"Crunch"
  • Bogner Ecstasy Blue (Euro Blue)
    Why: just listen to a couple of recent recordings with this amp type. Beats Friedman BE by a little.
    Which cab: V30 (Bogner or Marshall) or try a greenback.
"Rock"

  • Cameron (Cameron ch 2)
    Why: a fast grower in popularity and a favorite among the beta testers. Try adding some Depth and disabling Bright.
    Which cab: G12H30 or H75
  • Bogner Ecstasy Red (Euro Red)
    Why: woody, thick and body. It's Blue multiplied by 5.
    Which cab: V30 (Bogner or Marshall) or Uber T75V30 or H75. Or try a greenback.
"High-gain/metal"

"Lead"

  • Mesa Mark IIC+
    Why: defines "liquid" recognizable lead tone. Experiment with adding boost / input trim.
    Which cab: EVM or Recto V30 or Cali.
So you can't spot no. 10? Yep, that spot isn't filled yet.
Click to expand...

A month later ... and already things have changed.

I replaced the Vibroverb with the Twin. More sparkle, cuts better. Very satisfied with this one!

I replaced the AC30 with the Matchless (Boutique 1). Similar yet more balanced, and easier to dial in.

Added Plexi Treble, a higher-gain alternative to the Budda.

Recto and Uber are out. I'm simply not using that much gain in my bands.

Added Legacy for lead tones.
 
I use a power amp and two Marshall cabs, so these are what I like going into that setup:

- Cameron (either one just smokes)
- JVM
- Any of the Fenders
- Orange Recto (love this one!!)
- Marshall Mod

I like to use the Mod Tubescreamer as a boost with alot of the amps but some (like the Cameron) don't even need it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom