Fake Tube Amps:

Robert Herndon said:
Funny...

Black Veil Brides...

View attachment 78592

Immortal....

View attachment 78595

Wonder what tubes these have???

View attachment 78593

Then there's Machine Head at the recent Metal Mayhem Festival.

View attachment 78594

The response from Machine Head:

Lambgoat

HOME > BLOG > ENTRY
Machine Head latest band to be (stupidly) called out for using "fake amps"
Wed, July 10, 2013 6:28 AM PT
You may recall a few weeks ago that Black Veil Brides were called out for using "fake amps" (i.e. staging or dummy cabinets) during Warped Tour. Bands have been using dummy cabs for decades now, so regardless of your thoughts on Black Veil Brides, the entire controversy was extremely dumb. Unfortunately, not everybody has gotten the memo, as a Texas radio station has now singled out Machine Head for doing the same thing during the Rockstar Metal Mayhem Festival. You can view the KLAQ article here, which includes the following smoking gun (lol) photos:


Machine Head fake amp Machine Head fake amp
Machine Head fake amp


Not surprisingly, Machine Head themselves have responded to the matter:

"Wow?

While it seems absurd that El Paso, Texas based radio station 95.5 FM, KLAQ Official would choose to go through the effort to post this on their website, we guess in-light of the big hub-bub about Black Veil Brides getting "called out" by the drummer for The Bronx for having "fake cabs" on the Warped tour earlier this month, some "brain-donor" over at the station has decided to drop the "newsflash of the century" and "call out" Machine Head for having "fake amps" too! A practice that for over 40 years now has been common-place in rock 'n roll going back to the days of Van Halen and AC/DC.

For the record, Machine Head "back" ANY band that uses dummy cabs in hopes of giving their fans a better, more impressive show. That includes the Black Veil Brides, who like many young musicians (and Machine Head) use direct-to-PA amp modeling gear like Fractals and Kempers. At least Black Veil Brides are playing their instruments, and not waving their hands along to a intercourse laptop!!

Machine Head have 2 cabinet set-carts in the shape of our diamond logo, we use half of the 4 cabs for live sound, the ones labeled "live" in the "smoking gun photos" are actually that, a real LIVE cabinet, that's plugged in (as you can see in the photo), that make sound, have real speakers, plug into a "real amp", and has a mic in front of it that sends our face-melting guitar tones out to the crowd via the PA.

The ones that our guitar techs labeled (for some reason, in bright green flourescent gaff tape)"dummy" are actually real cabs too, with real speakers and everything, but we only have so many amps to power them, and really who gives a :poo:, because ALL the cabs are REAL!!

Quick history lesson for grizzled 24 year-old heavy metal veteran Lisa Sanchez: Since the dawn of heavy music, bands have used dummy cabinets as part of an often-impressive looking stage design. When Slayer played the Mayhem Festival last year and had 2 giant upside-down crosses made out of Marshall cabinets, that lit on fire, guess what? They weren't all plugged in!

When Rob Halford of Judas Priest rides his Harley thru a swinging gate of Marshall stacks, guess what? Those are "dummies" too. In fact, the only "dummy" here is the one taking pictures, taking liberties, while standing on our stage, as our uninvited guest, and writing up the "controversial scoop", and then Tweeting and Facebooking about it.

How about calling out someone for something that really matters instead of bands who are only helping people escape for a little while? What exactly are you trying to do here?

Here's what, you're attempting to create a controversy to get hits on your website, and this response should do just that. In fact, we're already giving you and your radio station website too much traffic via this response.

Hope you enjoy the free press. You're welcome!"

I see no issue with it, as 90% of the performance is being a performer...but it's still interesting to me.
Click to expand...
Amp Mad Scientist said:
I remember when I went to see Kiss, there was about 200 Marshall cabs. But only 2 were real of course...
You can see the real one, it has the microphone.
Marshall used to sell dummy cabs...
there was probably a Peavey Voodoo hidden backstage which was mic'd to all the marshalls of course.

View attachment 78600
Click to expand...
I know that I'm very late to this thread, but this type thing has been going on for decades. It's not just empty 4x12 cabs that are sold by Marshall & others, but also empty heads. Oh sure, they have an AC power inlet/cord, hell, the indicator lamp even comes on if you switch the it on, but that's it, just an empty chassis/headcab. The control knobs aren't even mounted on pots, just plastic studs. I know from an amp builder forum, of people scoring one or two of these empty heads cheaply after whatever band has finished touring with them, & using them for amp builds.
A wall of Marshall stacks sure does look the part though. Cheers
 
chilipeppermaniac said:
I have one of these said Heads, remember, Ivan. I got it at my local used guitar heaven shop.

MAN I wish I had about 30-40k, I have found so many cool guitars recently. Like this one.

View attachment 78647
Click to expand...

$30-$40k!!!!!

You could get a great Les Paul Custom for $6k brand new and a Randall KH-120 half stack for $2,500.00 and have plenty of dough left to have fun with...
 
STU said:
@Robert Herndon
A few weeks ago I was looking for 4x12 cabinets with no speakers, lol (decent condition)
I want to stack my slanted 4x12's (2) on top of them but! I also want to install shelves in the faux cabinets and have the front fabric screen be removable like a door or false front.
Then I can place my pedal boards inside tucked away nice and neat with no clutter..
So anyone come across (2) base / straight cabs in decent condition that can ship to AK let me know, prefer Marshall cabs.
I would build my own with a table saw and fabric but no decent lumber stores around me. I remember in the mid 90's building bass / guitar cabs and monitors with my dad, good times but I am so remote now getting access to those raw materials is more costly than a faux cabinet..
Anyone interested in this project let me know :-)
I thought about tool cabinets that I have but they are metal and the vibration would be horrible!! I also thought about a tv console table?
anyway if anyone has some suggestions I am all ears!
:cool:
Click to expand...

Shipping will be rough!!!!
 
  • Sad
Reactions: STU
ivan H said:
I know that I'm very late to this thread, but this type thing has been going on for decades. It's not just empty 4x12 cabs that are sold by Marshall & others, but also empty heads. Oh sure, they have an AC power inlet/cord, hell, the indicator lamp even comes on if you switch the it on, but that's it, just an empty chassis/headcab. The control knobs aren't even mounted on pots, just plastic studs. I know from an amp builder forum, of people scoring one or two of these empty heads cheaply after whatever band has finished touring with them, & using them for amp builds.
A wall of Marshall stacks sure does look the part though. Cheers
Click to expand...

I agree, it looks killer, no doubt.

My ideal "dream rig" would be my 1993 Valvestate Bi-Chorus 8200 running (4) Marshall 1990 (8x10) cabinets, arranged with two straight-out on either side of the drum riser and the other two angled slightly inward.

Speakers would be Celestion 10" Neodymium BL-10 150 watt...
 
Robert Herndon said:
Oh, that's not anything I would ever do. I'm down to just 3 guitars and a bass. Never been more focused on playing.
Click to expand...

I pretty much have a similar experience. I can do nearly everything I need to do with my Les Paul and my Strat. In practice, though, I usually use my 2014 SG instead of the Les Paul because it is more comfortable for me and I like the better upper fret access. I also hang onto my Jackson, should I ever need it’s extra “fighting power”.

But, even so, I’ve pretty much got all my bases covered with four guitars - two if I REALLY had to pare things down.
 
Smitty and Robert,

I am a bit along the lines of a mix of you guys, and the likes of Gball, Sp8ctre, Mitch and Adrian.

As SMITTY knows, I have a few or more budget guitars. I'm talking about $100 Starcaster by Fender Strat Shaped guitars, on up to sub $300 Squier Tele and some $300 Squier Basses, Sub $1k and even right at my ceiling, $2k SG and a few others in between.

I have all very playable and giggable guitars and truthfully all I would ever need for sure. BUT, if life is to be lived and enjoyed to the fullest, sometimes when we've done without for so long, we appreciate the extraordinary from our past or in our present just a bit more than those who were successes in vocation, successes in hobbies, and successes in love. Kinda like how that expressions go. Ya can't see the forest for the trees, or realize what you got, till its gone gone gone, or some folks take the little things for granted because they've never been without.

In quite a few areas, I find myself similar to Sp8ctre as far as history with guitars goes. I've owned a decent number of sweet ones, BUT none ever replaced or will replace my very first LP. Plain and simple, even a $5000 PRS Bells and Whistles, beautiful work of art will replace my beat up old black 1979 LP. Not even a BLACK LP Custom of the early 70's like Frampton played, or even an ES 335 Alex Lifeson guitar or a Nugent Byrdland will ever replace that guitar. As one good friend has said, Nostalgia often will cost us a fair penny to regain it. Until or if I am ever lucky enough to find my original guitar, I am sure I will always have an empty spot no matter how many $200 Squiers - Robert's example $6000 Les Paul Custom guitars I buy, I will always pine away for my 1st guitar.

SO, after all that blabbery, I do think if I can find a fine example of a Norlin LP STD or Custom in the $2000-$2500 or LESS range, I might go for it despite my super Ferengi life. Much like Adrian, who can turn el cheapo guitars or amps he gets for $25-$100 then mine them into gold dust profits at 20%, 30%, 50% profits over and over again,,,,,,I can see a way to almost make my former $350 LP out of a $2500 one. On the initial view, it looks like a replacement will cost $2k+. On a longer term view, it can one day replicate the phenomenon of a scenario to where that $2k guitar will cost someone 4k, 5k, 6k at some future date, just like my once $350 one would have appreciated in value so it can only be had for approx $2500-$3000 in 2022 dollars.

Having said all that, I can now see the logic in biting the bullet on a Norlin LP @ market value and call it a wash that $350 in 1983 dollars is now $2500- $4500 in 2022 guitar dollars. If I can find one or some at a slight fraction of going rate for comparables, and maybe one day actually sell some for more than I pay, I can EARN the difference back on the $350 my first one cost, and essentially get the system down to net a FREE one in the end.

YEAH, THAT is the ticket for STICKER shock. MY eyes are OPEN FINALLY.
 
smitty_p said:
I pretty much have a similar experience. I can do nearly everything I need to do with my Les Paul and my Strat. In practice, though, I usually use my 2014 SG instead of the Les Paul because it is more comfortable for me and I like the better upper fret access. I also hang onto my Jackson, should I ever need it’s extra “fighting power”.

But, even so, I’ve pretty much got all my bases covered with four guitars - two if I REALLY had to pare things down.
Click to expand...

I have to be careful. When I get distracted with gear, I don't practice/improve as much.
 
chilipeppermaniac said:
Smitty and Robert,

I am a bit along the lines of a mix of you guys, and the likes of Gball, Sp8ctre, Mitch and Adrian.

As SMITTY knows, I have a few or more budget guitars. I'm talking about $100 Starcaster by Fender Strat Shaped guitars, on up to sub $300 Squier Tele and some $300 Squier Basses, Sub $1k and even right at my ceiling, $2k SG and a few others in between.

I have all very playable and giggable guitars and truthfully all I would ever need for sure. BUT, if life is to be lived and enjoyed to the fullest, sometimes when we've done without for so long, we appreciate the extraordinary from our past or in our present just a bit more than those who were successes in vocation, successes in hobbies, and successes in love. Kinda like how that expressions go. Ya can't see the forest for the trees, or realize what you got, till its gone gone gone, or some folks take the little things for granted because they've never been without.

In quite a few areas, I find myself similar to Sp8ctre as far as history with guitars goes. I've owned a decent number of sweet ones, BUT none ever replaced or will replace my very first LP. Plain and simple, even a $5000 PRS Bells and Whistles, beautiful work of art will replace my beat up old black 1979 LP. Not even a BLACK LP Custom of the early 70's like Frampton played, or even an ES 335 Alex Lifeson guitar or a Nugent Byrdland will ever replace that guitar. As one good friend has said, Nostalgia often will cost us a fair penny to regain it. Until or if I am ever lucky enough to find my original guitar, I am sure I will always have an empty spot no matter how many $200 Squiers - Robert's example $6000 Les Paul Custom guitars I buy, I will always pine away for my 1st guitar.

SO, after all that blabbery, I do think if I can find a fine example of a Norlin LP STD or Custom in the $2000-$2500 or LESS range, I might go for it despite my super Ferengi life. Much like Adrian, who can turn el cheapo guitars or amps he gets for $25-$100 then mine them into gold dust profits at 20%, 30%, 50% profits over and over again,,,,,,I can see a way to almost make my former $350 LP out of a $2500 one. On the initial view, it looks like a replacement will cost $2k+. On a longer term view, it can one day replicate the phenomenon of a scenario to where that $2k guitar will cost someone 4k, 5k, 6k at some future date, just like my once $350 one would have appreciated in value so it can only be had for approx $2500-$3000 in 2022 dollars.

Having said all that, I can now see the logic in biting the bullet on a Norlin LP @ market value and call it a wash that $350 in 1983 dollars is now $2500- $4500 in 2022 guitar dollars. If I can find one or some at a slight fraction of going rate for comparables, and maybe one day actually sell some for more than I pay, I can EARN the difference back on the $350 my first one cost, and essentially get the system down to net a FREE one in the end.

YEAH, THAT is the ticket for STICKER shock. MY eyes are OPEN FINALLY.
Click to expand...
$6,000 to $7,000 for a legit, unmolested Norlin ear Les Paul Custom isn't bad...

reverb.com

Gibson Les Paul Custom "Norlin Era" Electric Guitar 1970 - 1985 | Reverb

The Gibson Les Paul Customs of the Norlin Era can be diamond-in-the-rough finds for players with a keen eye.
reverb.com reverb.com

Or this 1979 Standard Model for about $3,500

1641919075816.png


1641919962279.png

For comparison, my 2021 Les Paul 50's Standard Gold Top was $2,908.35 out-the-door...
 
Last edited:
chilipeppermaniac said:
I have one of these said Heads, remember, Ivan. I got it at my local used guitar heaven shop.

MAN I wish I had about 30-40k, I have found so many cool guitars recently. Like this one.

View attachment 78647
Click to expand...
Chilli, I bought a similar one, a LPC Florentine, back in 2000. Sold it in less than a few months. I had tried it in the store sitting down. At home standing up it had the most serious neck dive since the body is hollow yet still had a LP full weight neck.

33DFF559-2DC5-413E-BC6E-9FC56DB72D61.jpeg8F20F705-D724-48AC-ABB8-8BB465BB9D0E.jpeg
 
Iron1 said:
That was the same tour I mentioned upstream. Rough Cutt opened, but don't think there was a second band. Dio was amazing. I forgot all about Rough Cutt about a week later until my brother reminded me of them in the 90s when we couldn't recall who opened for Dio at that show.
Click to expand...
Ironically, Dio swiped a few guys outta Rough Cutt: Claude Schnell and Craig Goldy lol
 
30-40 k?!?!?!
---6 k?
3 k?
naw.....................

I stumbled on 1 of these a short while back was under 900.00 delivered W/ upgraded tuners and a real gibson white fur lined HSC

lpj 2014.jpg
it "does" that Les Paul "thang" ........ it does it VERY VERY well .........who need bling when ya got that THANG !??!?!

sorry -- 2014 LPJ -- no coil taps -- no binding -- no frills-- just pure RAWK
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top