Let's Discuss Potential Combo Amps???

Amp Mad Scientist said:
A Bugera would be the mesa boogie fiero.
If Bugera had some of the technical glitches fixed it wouldn't be a bad choice.
But it is essentially a copy of a mesa / the China version of Mesa. In some ways designed better than a mesa, in some ways not.
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They began copying Peavey a bit too, with their 6262. Its something of a poor man's 5150/6505. Not a bad clone in sound but yeah, like you said: glitchy at best and not terribly reliable.

This all can be traced back to their parent company: Behringer. They make a lot of stuff and a lot of close clones, but always bugged with issues
 
Robert Herndon said:
In general, I use a Korg Tuner, a Dunlop Wah, a Boss FV30L Pedal in the FX Loop for 'global' volume, a GE7 EQ as a solo boost in the FX loop and a NS2 Noise Suppressor.

That would be my "reduced" external FX, if I was able to drop the TS-9, CE5, RV6.
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Cool thing about the Katana, if you do explore that avenue, is that their internal fx programs are based directly on their own pedals: BOSS.

So its onboard Reverb and Chorus are directly modelled on the CE5 and RV6. Their OD fx range from everything like their own OD-1, BD-1, SD-1 to Ibanez TS808, ProCo Rat, Marshall GuvNor, Big Muff.

Pretty versatile emulation, like the Line 6 series but closer to the original sound since its BOSS replicating BOSS lol
 
Robert Herndon said:
So, the Katana is a modeling amp, right???
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Yes, and I don't think it will work for you from my experience hanging out. I had one and to ME it was lackluster and didn't sound that great.

But I'm no expert or professional player. Many people love those amps, I just wasn't one of them...
 
gball said:
You see 'em but I wonder if you hear them. I had a Katana and it was useless playing with other people - completely disappeared in the mix (really that's the way of all modeling amps I have encountered). Fun bit of kit for playing at home by yourself though.
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I've heard a few in the clubs that could definitely be heard, but I never paid much attention honestly to the tone.
 
Sp8ctre said:
Yes, and I don't think it will work for you from my experience hanging out. I had one and to ME it was lackluster and didn't sound that great.

But I'm no expert or professional player. Many people love those amps, I just wasn't one of them...
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I may just stay where I'm at, TBTH. Too much researching when I could be playing.

Maybe a Marshall Valvestate 8200 Head will turn up at some point....that's what I've played through and liked.
 
Clockworkmike said:
Thats one of the amps i suggested early on as well. They are insanely versatile with their own Fx and banks but you actually just bypass them all and use it as a power amp with your own pedals or other preamp if you wanted to as well.

@froman5150 has a Katana and can give better reviews
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I would definitely recommend the artist 100 mk2 katana with the upgraded waza speaker, it doesn't get farty at higher volumes , the boss tone lab is pretty cool and user friendly , it will easily run a 4×12 marshall cab and it is wall shaking loud .
 
Well Robert,if it will fit in your boot space a Marshall ORI50C & have it HF/Ivanberg modded(like mine :) ), then you can have your cake & eat it.
I picked up my ORI50 used for £250 plus less than £100 for the mods(did it myself), as you probably know nothing comes anywhere near it for that money & in IMHO quite a lot more.
 
old rocker said:
Well Robert,if it will fit in your boot space a Marshall ORI50C & have it HF/Ivanberg modded(like mine :) ), then you can have your cake & eat it.
I picked up my ORI50 used for £250 plus less than £100 for the mods(did it myself), as you probably know nothing comes anywhere near it for that money & in IMHO quite a lot more.
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Right you are, but I need the amity to channel switch and my Origin doesn't do that.

Ok, guys....

Here's where I'm at today.

@Don O has a cream puff Marshall 8280 2x12 Bi-Chorus Combo that has lived a very sheltered life. I cannot blame him for wanting to hang onto it. But, it's a truly wonderful sounding amp.

Either way I go, I wanna stay 2x12.

So, with that in mind, I'm looking at two possible directions.

1. Marshall MG102GFX Solid State 2x12 Combo 100watt 26.3 x 20.7 x 11.1" - 48 pounds (can drop 10 pounds by going Neodymium)

Hard to find despite being of fairly recent manufacturing.

2. Marshall MG100HDFX 100watt head and use my existing cabinet. (I might know a guy who has one studio owned)

Both amps have a small, 2 button footswitch and have onboard reverb and chorus, which would allow me to use the pedalboard only for high vume, live shows when you need solo vume boost.

Think a MG102GFX can still be found new here in the USA???
 
Robert Herndon said:
Right you are, but I need the amity to channel switch and my Origin doesn't do that.

Ok, guys....

Here's where I'm at today.

@Don O has a cream puff Marshall 8280 2x12 Bi-Chorus Combo that has lived a very sheltered life. I cannot blame him for wanting to hang onto it. But, it's a truly wonderful sounding amp.

Either way I go, I wanna stay 2x12.

So, with that in mind, I'm looking at two possible directions.

1. Marshall MG102GFX Solid State 2x12 Combo 100watt 26.3 x 20.7 x 11.1" - 48 pounds (can drop 10 pounds by going Neodymium)

Hard to find despite being of fairly recent manufacturing.

2. Marshall MG100HDFX 100watt head and use my existing cabinet. (I might know a guy who has one studio owned)

Both amps have a small, 2 button footswitch and have onboard reverb and chorus, which would allow me to use the pedalboard only for high vume, live shows when you need solo vume boost.

Think a MG102GFX can still be found new here in the USA???
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Personally, I prefer a head and cab to a combo. The reason is vibration. The components in the head are more isolated from the extreme vibration that will be created by the speaker than they would be in a combo.

Is this a big deal? In most cases it won’t be. But, I do remember years ago that this was an issue with the Marshall Class 5. It was so problematic that it created audible rattling and Marshall had to develop a solution for it and they eventually came out with a revised model to address the vibration issues. Now, I realize the Class 5 was a cheap amp, but it got me to thinking about vibrations in an amp. Just think about the pictures rattling on the wall when you crank your amp. That same vibration is being felt everywhere in your amp when you play!

Now, again, this may not really be a problem with most combos and it won’t affect solid-state as much as tubes. But, I tend to operate a little more on the cautionary (paranoid?) side of this and use a head and cab. Even with my combo amps I use the amp as just a head and run to an external speaker.

Just some thoughts.
 
eSGEe said:
one of these and a bigger trunk!
reverb.com

Marshall Valvestate VS265 2x12 Combo Amp | Reverb

You are looking at a pre-owned Marshall Valvestate 2x12 Combo. Item is in great physical condition and perfect working order. We are an authorized Marshall Service Center, and have gone through this amp inside and out. It is ready to rock, and sounds great! Specifications: 220 Watts, FX Loop,...
reverb.com reverb.com
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I had one. FANTASTIC AMP...but 60 pounds made it tough to get in and out of my trunk.... :-(
 
smitty_p said:
Personally, I prefer a head and cab to a combo. The reason is vibration. The components in the head are more isolated from the extreme vibration that will be created by the speaker than they would be in a combo.

Is this a big deal? In most cases it won’t be. But, I do remember years ago that this was an issue with the Marshall Class 5. It was so problematic that it created audible rattling and Marshall had to develop a solution for it and they eventually came out with a revised model to address the vibration issues. Now, I realize the Class 5 was a cheap amp, but it got me to thinking about vibrations in an amp. Just think about the pictures rattling on the wall when you crank your amp. That same vibration is being felt everywhere in your amp when you play!

Now, again, this may not really be a problem with most combos and it won’t affect solid-state as much as tubes. But, I tend to operate a little more on the cautionary (paranoid?) side of this and use a head and cab. Even with my combo amps I use the amp as just a head and run to an external speaker.

Just some thoughts.
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Good points,

I gigged with DSL40C's for two years, with very high resonance settings, without any issues. I only replaced tubes as a periodic precaution.

I'm really liking this MG102GFX. O believe that it could replace my Blackstar ID-Core 100watt as my primary DAW interface.
 
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