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New Members! Heavy Metal Amp Guide

69K views 60 replies 53 participants last post by  iamneff 
#1 ·
It seems as though we have a lot of new members who are asking the same question, "I'm new to expensive amplifiers, and I want something that will sound great!" Well, I've found that more often than not, each member will give his own take on what he feels is the best amp out there, either based on the information you give, or lack thereof, and it tends to be the same good advice. So, why not have it in one place?

I want to have everyone post up their own short Heavy Metal Amp Buyer's Guide. Just a few quick words on what you've used in the past, how you arrived at the gear you're currently using, where you want to go, and why you've taken the path you have.


Whether you want a classic metal sound, something darker, or something tighter, we've got a lot of pooled experience to set you on the right path.
 
#57 ·
I had a tweed Peavey Delta Blues amp with a 15 inch speaker and used it for approx 10 years - never did anything to it and sold it with the original tubes still inside - one of the best amps I ever had.

Also have a 1968 siverface Fender twin reverb in my living room - last time I did anything to it was a tube change probably around 1971 but it farts at any volume over 4 and if I could carry it I would have a tech do work but it never leaves my house anyways. Guess it needs capacitors and tubes maybe new speakers but it's fine at low volume.

My attitude is that I never do work unless I have to but I guess you should change your tubes when you see blue gas inside or depending on how much use you give it - other people here have more knowledge about these things than I do.
 
#58 ·
My last post to this thread was 4 years ago and I've had a few amp changes, so figured it was time to add again. My old amps were embarrassing :lol:

Peavey 5150 II:

I had the 6505+ 112 for about a year first and loved it, 6505/5150 are still my favorite metal tone and 90% of what I play is metal. The clean is pretty stale and sounds like solid state. I did red channel with the gain cranked for a while, but now find the green channel better with the gain around 6. Either way, you get two kick ass metal channels. The effects loop stinks though. It adds extra noise and I have to turn up the output on some pedals more than I do with other amps. The amp is pretty noisy as it is and a noise gate is essential. I fought with this for a while until I realized it's just a noisy amp and I got used to it. The volume is super sensitive. It goes from muffled to blasting with a nudge of the knob. It still sounds good for weekend bedroom volumes, but maybe not late night in an apartment. Overall, it sounds amazing though.

Mesa Boogie Mini Rectifier:

I don't think I would have ever bought this amp at full price, but scored it on a good deal I couldn't pass up. I much prefer the 5150 metal tone over almost any Mesa, but that's just personal preference and nothing against Mesa. This amp is a beast for the size, has a lot of options, sounds great with pedals, and covers a big variety of tones. This one I go to for everything non-metal, although the 80s metal and modern metal tones are still good too. It's well built and I haven't had any problems with the amp at all. I swear this amp sounds different every day though. Some days I'm loving it, sounds great, etc. Then suddenly another night I won't be into it. It's definitely a good amp and very versatile though.

Orange Micro Dark:

I only had this for a week and was conflicted about it, so I returned it while I had the chance. I thought it sounded great with my passive Fender for doing clean and bluesy stuff. However, all my other guitars are active and I thought they sounded bad through this amp. There's little headroom as it is, and virtually none with active pickups. There's a single EQ knob that changes your tone from ok, to bad, to worse. I really couldn't get into any good higher gain metal tones from the amp, even with an OD. Overall, it was fun for a few tones with one guitar, but not for me on everything else. The power amp kept going out too unless something was plugged into the effects loop.

Yamaha THR10X:

This amp is a lot of fun. It has built in effects and an option to run off batteries if you ever need to. I've been running an OD into it which works pretty well. There's not as many tone options as say a POD HD or something, but there's plenty to play around with. I don't really like how it sounds directly recorded, but it's been perfect for using as monitor while recording DI tracks. This is a good grab and go, plug in a jam, bedroom amp.
 
#59 · (Edited)
I started with Amplitube using that with a sampled guitar for my keyboard so I learned how to do good tone before I could play a guitar. Now I have a real guitar and after weeks of research settled for the Laney IRT Studio it's got that distortion as much as you want with 3 preamp valves/tubes +two output and it's designed for a home studio or pro studio it's a rack unit with 1W or 15W too low for a gig in a hall but just right for a studio with USB for your computer or XLR out to an interface, 3 channels and a foot switch for each channel + it's built in boost and reverb. Really great tone distorted or clean, Toni Iommi of Black Sabbath uses Laney's.
 
#60 ·
Hi everyone, I have a small question, I recently bought a 7-string guitar "Cort kx500ms sdg" and slowly started to buy equipment for it. one store was recommended to me AMP "Peavey 6505+". However, it did not meet my expectations, and I am forced to return it.
I sent them exactly a video of what sound they i looking for. I know there are many aspects, I also didn't want the sound to be exactly like that. So could anyone advise me which guitar head to buy for a 7-string guitar. I'm looking for a sound similar to the one they play (Brink me the horizon, KoRn aor Love and death) and yes I know, it's not just about the guitar head.
Price max up to 1157 euros, best up to 970 euros.
 
#61 ·
Currently 27, started playing guitar at 5, started electric at 9, got into metal at 11 or 12. I like almost all metal, but I'm mostly drawn to doom/drone/stoner (Sleep, Slomatics, Conan, Monolord, Sunn O))), etc.), the more technical side of thrash, OSDM, and metalcore.

Started on a Behringer Virtube 110. Exceptional starter amp, honestly I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a little practice amp that maybe they could plug some pedals into and play a coffee shop gig. Had nowhere near enough gain for metal.
Got a Crate Flexwave 112 after that. Plenty of gain, and the shape control was really usable. Major noise issues, and the low mids were always weird. I don't really recommend it. It was strangely heavy for a solid state combo too. That sucked.
After that I got a 1964 Symphonic MA50 head with a Randall RX412 cab. IIRC it was a 35-watt 6L6 amp made just in '64/'65 for a Canadian department stores. How it arrived in Iowa I have no clue, but it was definitely cool. I used that as a pedal platform with an Ibanez Smash Box for a while. It was sweet, but it itself wasn't exactly a metal amp. After that I kinda took a break from metal for a while, or used my various boutique amps with a boatload of pedals to get high gain sounds.
Upon getting back into metal, I got a Jet City JCA20H. Holy crap guys, the hype is 100% real. I won't say too much other than that the $175 i paid for it was one of the best deals I've ever gotten. It sounded INCREDIBLE when the power section was cooking. I greatly regret selling it, especially now that people have become aware of how good they are and they go for $600+. I only sold it because I got my next amp.
I got an Orange Rockerverb 50, which was one of my dream amps. While I don't technically own that anymore, I do co-own a professional studio, and I sold it to the studio. That amp rules. Very versatile, with just a change in pickup selection and a boost, it does the doomy thing or the tight and modern thing. I absolutely recommend it, but be aware that it won't ever be REALLY tight like a 5150 III or KSR.
Upon selling that, I got one of my dream amps, a Hovercraft Caribou. This lives up to what I dreamed about. Massive, fuzzy Matamp-like walls of texture. the clean channel takes pedals better than my old Matchless did (seriously) and sounds as good as a Plexi cranked (serioulsy, I own one). The drive channel isn't modern, but with the master high and gain low, it'll nail 80s Scorpion tones. I really think this is a forever amp for me. The only way I'd move on is if I got a Matamp GT120, but I'd probably still keep the Caribou.
I got sick of not having anything modern so I picked up a Randall RD20 about a year ago. It is totally fine. Not great, but fine. I paid $400 for it mid-pandemic, and it is totally worth it. Can it keep up with a drummer without a mic? I doubt it, but I wouldn't be surprised if it can. I do wish I would've spent the slight extra money for a 45, though. the smaller power section on the 20 isn't as clean and it honestly doesn't sound good with power amp drive.

As mentioned, I partially own a studio. We have a Marshall 1987X with internal jumper and master volume mods. It sounds great, as you'd expect. I'm working on a personal doom record right now and that and the Hovercraft are the featured amps. We also have the aforementioned Rockerverb.

As for the future, I'm dying to get a Fortin as some point, especially the Hiwatt Super-Hi 50. Man that thing is sick. I'd also love a Matamp GT120. It's the tone for so many doom bands. I think a Mark III would be my be all, end all amp, though.
 
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