Warm and full sounding 'pedal platform' amps?

NickB

I’m selling a VHT D-50 in the classifieds. It’s absolutely ideal for your use! Cheap as chips hand wired goodness. 

RandallFlagg

Thanks al, lots of suggestions to ponder there

victorludorum

Matamp?

fretmeister

I like Marshall cleans far more than Fender, so I'd say a JTM45 type. Maybe even the new Mini version if there is enough headroom.

Demos sound really nice.

mo6020

fretmeister said:

I like Marshall cleans far more than Fender, so I'd say a JTM45 type. Maybe even the new Mini version if there is enough headroom.

Demos sound really nice.

Not enough headroom in the Studio version imo, but I'd agree that JTM45 cleans are lovely. 

fretmeister

mo6020 said:

fretmeister said:

I like Marshall cleans far more than Fender, so I'd say a JTM45 type. Maybe even the new Mini version if there is enough headroom.

Demos sound really nice.

Not enough headroom in the Studio version imo, but I'd agree that JTM45 cleans are lovely. 

The JCM800 low input is very very good too. I ignored it for years, but then after suggestions on this forum I gave it a go and it was excellent.

Quite a big and chunky amp for just being a pedal platform though!

ryanverbena

RandallFlagg said:

Thanks al, lots of suggestions to ponder there

Huge number to ponder! I wish we had a poll option on this forum, would be great to collaborate such a diverse opinion. 

Nerine

I’ve got a Two Rock CRS for sale in the classifieds. That’s end game for pedal platform amps. Apparently the price is very good too. 

Littlejonny

fretmeister said:

mo6020 said:

fretmeister said:

I like Marshall cleans far more than Fender, so I'd say a JTM45 type. Maybe even the new Mini version if there is enough headroom.

Demos sound really nice.

Not enough headroom in the Studio version imo, but I'd agree that JTM45 cleans are lovely. 

The JCM800 low input is very very good too. I ignored it for years, but then after suggestions on this forum I gave it a go and it was excellent.

Quite a big and chunky amp for just being a pedal platform though!

I recently did some recording through a JCM900 (ex Bernie Marsden’s) and really liked the clean channel. Those are great sounding amps too. 

I presume if you’re used to a Boogie, a Fender Hot Rod or Peavey Classic ain’t gonna cut it. You’re already on another level. 

I’m surprised so many amp manufacturers bother with drive channels these days. So few players seem to actually use them (outside the metal fraternity).

I can’t remember the last time I saw a channel switcher on a pedalboard!

Petepassion

Whereabouts are you? If you’re down South you’re more than welcome to try my Fargen or Wienbrock 

monkey42

Suhr Bella 

ICBM

Littlejonny said:

I can’t remember the last time I saw a channel switcher on a pedalboard!

If you mean on professional rock star pedalboards - the reason for that is that, even if they use channel-switching amps and even if they use both channels, they don’t actually switch channels on stage - they use two amps, one set to each. This is so the soundman can mic both amps and give each its own channel on the desk - then both can be EQ’d and levelled independently for the FOH mix, and don’t need to be readjusted when the player switches. If they used one amp and switched channels, the chances are that one setting wouldn’t be quite right in the FOH mix when the other was, so the soundman would need to adjust the desk every time the player switches channel, which would be a massive pain. (And is, at small gigs where that happens!)

fretmeister

ICBM said:

Littlejonny said:

I can’t remember the last time I saw a channel switcher on a pedalboard!

If you mean on professional rock star pedalboards - the reason for that is that, even if they use channel-switching amps and even if they use both channels, they don’t actually switch channels on stage - they use two amps, one set to each. This is so the soundman can mic both amps and give each its own channel on the desk - then both can be EQ’d and levelled independently for the FOH mix, and don’t need to be readjusted when the player switches. If they used one amp and switched channels, the chances are that one setting wouldn’t be quite right in the FOH mix when the other was, so the soundman would need to adjust the desk every time the player switches channel, which would be a massive pain. (And is, at small gigs where that happens!)

And amusingly - the big acts with Kempers / Fractals etc even do this with them.

The last big Rig Rundown with Metallica was an eye opener. They have 1 Axe FX unit per basic sound. Clean / Dirty / Solo etc and swap between them. Then they have another set or 2 for spares for everybody.

Gives them even faster switching, better FOH control, and loads of spares. Hetfield would have to lose 5 of the units before having to deal with just a single working unit!

Still massively cheaper than transporting a truck of Mesa / Diezel heads all over the world.

richardhomer

RandallFlagg said:

I've had my Mesa Boogie Mark V 35 combo for some years now and these days rarely use the drive channel, which is quite fussy to dial in, I tend to only use the clean channel. I'm fancying a change to see if there's a better sounding simpler, single channel clean/edge of breakup pedal platform amp. Thing is it needs to be warm and full sounding, many of the usual contenders seem to get reported as being a bit bright and potentially harsh on the top end.(such as DRRI or Tone King Imperial MK II)

I don't dislike the fat mode on the Boogie clean channel just wondering if there's a nice alternative in the 30-40 watt range, or do I need to remortgage up to a Two Rock?

 

I have a Mark V 25 - and agree they take some effort to dial in but they can sound superb.

Have you properly explored the ‘Crunch’ mode? With a Les Paul there are some superb edge of break-up sounds in there.

My personal experience of Two Rocks hasn’t been great. If find them ‘stiff’, if that makes sense? Dynamically I want something with more ‘sag’, or ‘give’ than they seem to provide. Obviously there’re very popular and are used by some great players - so it’s probably a failing on my part, rather than the amps.

Littlejonny

ICBM said:

Littlejonny said:

I can’t remember the last time I saw a channel switcher on a pedalboard!

If you mean on professional rock star pedalboards - the reason for that is that, even if they use channel-switching amps and even if they use both channels, they don’t actually switch channels on stage - they use two amps, one set to each. This is so the soundman can mic both amps and give each its own channel on the desk - then both can be EQ’d and levelled independently for the FOH mix, and don’t need to be readjusted when the player switches. If they used one amp and switched channels, the chances are that one setting wouldn’t be quite right in the FOH mix when the other was, so the soundman would need to adjust the desk every time the player switches channel, which would be a massive pain. (And is, at small gigs where that happens!)

No, I meant at any gig, period. I usually have a peek at the pedal boards. Maybe it’s the circles I move in. 

rsvmark

Two rock or matchless. Yes expensive but worth every penny. TR can be ‘stiff’ but cranked they are wonderful. They require you to play better and be precise but once you are used to it, they are great. 

RandallFlagg

richardhomer said:

RandallFlagg said:

I've had my Mesa Boogie Mark V 35 combo for some years now and these days rarely use the drive channel, which is quite fussy to dial in, I tend to only use the clean channel. I'm fancying a change to see if there's a better sounding simpler, single channel clean/edge of breakup pedal platform amp. Thing is it needs to be warm and full sounding, many of the usual contenders seem to get reported as being a bit bright and potentially harsh on the top end.(such as DRRI or Tone King Imperial MK II)

I don't dislike the fat mode on the Boogie clean channel just wondering if there's a nice alternative in the 30-40 watt range, or do I need to remortgage up to a Two Rock?

 

I have a Mark V 25 - and agree they take some effort to dial in but they can sound superb.

Have you properly explored the ‘Crunch’ mode? With a Les Paul there are some superb edge of break-up sounds in there.

My personal experience of Two Rocks hasn’t been great. If find them ‘stiff’, if that makes sense? Dynamically I want something with more ‘sag’, or ‘give’ than they seem to provide. Obviously there’re very popular and are used by some great players - so it’s probably a failing on my part, rather than the amps.

It's only the drive channel I struggle with at times. I mainly stay of the clean channel in fat mode and use overdrive pedals. I do like the crunch mode but find that it can be a bit fussy with some boosts or overdrives.

There's not much to dislike about the Mark V 35 clean channel fat mode, so I may stick with it.

I have heard what you mean with Two Rock in some online demos, maybe they need to be turned up a bit to come alive.

thomasw88

HAL9000 said:

Blackstar Artist (not Artisan) was designed as a pedal platform amp. Only ever heard one once and thought it sounded pretty decent.

Had one.  Was dreadful in a band situation.  Just sounded weedy and there was some weird EQ couldn't dial it out.

Pedal platform -  Fender Hotrod iv...   Appreciate it's not boutique but it does the job fantastically well. 

rockmonster

I tried the pedal platform thing for a while. I used a Friedman Buxom Betty but in the end nothing replaces the sound of a cooking valve amp for me. I can’t understand the mentality of buying a really expensive valve amp and relying on boxes of transistors to get all your best tones. I do understand the Fender hot rod approach though.

Alex2678

rockmonster said:

I tried the pedal platform thing for a while. I used a Friedman Buxom Betty but in the end nothing replaces the sound of a cooking valve amp for me. I can’t understand the mentality of buying a really expensive valve amp and relying on boxes of transistors to get all your best tones. I do understand the Fender hot rod approach though.

If pedals though a valve amp sounds good, it sounds good. I do think there’s more to valve amps than the way they overdrive