General Music Chat

I went by GC to check out an Adrian Smith Jackson guitar yesterday. Ive kinda been wanting to add a whammy guitar to my arsenal.

Didnt really care for it, played a couple of Ibanez's and honestly liked them more than a Gibson LP with a Kahler on it that I played on. But in the end, Im not sure if my playing style works with whammy guitars, I tend to rest the heel of my hand on the bridge when I play, and when I was doing fast chunka rythyms I was moving the tailpiece and getting out of tune.

So back to the drawing board on that idea, dont guess I needed to spend the money on a new axe, it was just a want.

Something I did find that really opened my ears was a Orange Tiny Terror amp. Just volume tone and gain, but this thing sounded huge to me, and I didnt even open it up. Just had great sustain.

I plugged into a Orange solid state modeling amp with effects at first, and they guy I know in the store said, man hook to this one. I fell in love with the Tiny Terror, so if some of you are looking for a real simple tube amp, it might be the ticket. It would clean up real good with the guitar volume control and then dirty up real quick. Plus like I said it was one of the more simple amps Ive played on in a while, I imagine it would push a cab pretty good for gigging situations, but it got a really good full tone to me at a low volume level.

Dont you guys hate going into a music store? It just makes me want so many things that I dont really need.

I did go home and play for an hour on my LP and Mesa and really love my own setup, especially when I go out and play on other equipment.

I saw Everclear last night, Art used a Mesa half-stack. The lead guitarist had one of those Marshall heads that lights up in blue light. Sugar Ray stole the show however.

Dont you guys hate going into a music store? It just makes me want so many things that I dont really need.

I did go home and play for an hour on my LP and Mesa and really love my own setup, especially when I go out and play on other equipment.

LOL ! Its like walking into a candy shop ...!

Going to stop into Sam Ash tomorrow.. I'm looking for a 50lb amp that cranks at max 40 watts.
The Blackstar seems to keep coming up. EL 34s yada yada yada.
Only $700. $350 after you walk out of the store.

Just looking, My Mesa 2/12 cab,weighs 90lbs. The 40 only weighs 50.

We'll see.

I love my Mesa, compromise can be a rough deal.

We'll see.

I recently received a used ( but mint ) Marshall Class 5

I've not had a chance to use it in the band setting as of yet but I am fully expecting it to do quite well.

In as much as it is a simple class A amp at only 5 watts, volume, treble, mid & bass controls it's appeal to me much as JW states for the OTT.

I told my wife before I ever unboxed it that I'd send it back for refund if it really did not just WOW me over a period of a couple of weeks.

This afternoon she as we sat at the table together she pushed the owners manual at me and said " Happy birthday, you need to keep that amp, it sounds sweet "

She's right. It did sound sweet with my ES339.
Still, I'll reserve judgment until I see how well it works in context of our music.

I got an email from the local GC about some promotion where metal heads could try out the wild and wonderful guitars used by guys like Mustain and Hetfield.

I just got slobber on my keyboard thinking about.

Talbot

That little Orange has a very good reputation for a killer sound. Never played one, but I'd like to some day...

Went into a local music store a while back and they had a 15 watt Vox Night Train amp. All tube, head style sitting on a 1 x 12 cabinet, Iasked if I could check it out, that's a good power range for club use at full tilt, since my Fender Champ at 6 watts won't quite cut it.

I was impressed. Great sounding amp, options for a couple of different sounds, loads of gain, sustain and feedback galore and plenty loud.

If you have a chance, check one of those out too, it's a very good sounding amp. Didn't sound like a small low watt amp, I really wish I could afford one...

http://www.voxamps.com/us/nighttrain/

As far as guitars go, I haven't been impressed by too many of the newer ones I've checked out the past few years, I usually lean more toward pawn shop deals and less expensive off brand stuff. Like my Cort...Best $200 I ever spent.

Glen if you are looking at amps and interested in another mesa, look at a Mesa 5:50 Express, killer little amp, can be bought in combo or head form.

Glen if you are looking at amps and interested in another mesa, look at a Mesa 5:50 Express, killer little amp, can be bought in combo or head form.

+1 on the 5:50 Mesa. It's a great sounding amp with classic Mesa tones in a manageable package. The head/closed back V30 setup sounds best IMO but the combo is pretty sweet too.

I have an Orange Tiny Terror and you are right it gets monster British tone at 15w and easily runs with a drummer. It is similar to Marshall tone and a bit of a one trick pony, but it's a pretty cool trick. I like it but seem to gravitate to the Mesa as a more versatile gigging amp so I am considering selling the Orange. It needs to get gigged regularly and not just sit in my studio.

You'll get more amp for the money from
Line6.

An amp is just a means to get your sound across, doesnt really matter what you use, as long as you are getting that feeling that you dont want to put your guitar down, then its all good.

Im amazed at all the little tube amps that are on the market these days.

Glen I read somewhere that Blackstar had gone out of business, dont know if that would play into your decision on an amp or not, but if so you might want to research it.

Every time I walk into a GC I walk out asking myself why I walked in.

I can't stand the place.

I haven't been to a music store in years. I get bored looking at the catalogs from Sweetwater, Musicians friend and the rest. It is good to be totally satisfied with what you already have.

Chinese made guitars are better quality than a few years ago... they are getting better at guitar making..

Yeah I know JW but I am just looking for a cheap little bang up amp I can drag out and not be that concerned. If I could find an Express, used, I would snap it up. New,,, you walk out of the store,,, and it looses half its value.
Yeah I know, they have to make their money too.

Funny, since you are a MESA guy, appreciate this....
Had a good jam with some older players yesterday. The Marshall amp the other guitar player loves didn't have any of the sound I love from Mesa.

Funnier he had a 78 Les Paul, I have a custom. Even he heard the difference between the two.

I hope they want to get together again. I had a good time. GOOD PLAYER.