Need IMMEDIATE assistance in buying new gear!!!
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killabunny
New member
lol i say guitar first. second hand RG321MH or RG321E. amp, go test la seriously. VT-20 is fine for practice. can try roland cube 30 also. distortion effects, Boss DS-something, any one should do.
Likui
Active member
This is my take on the gears
I think the the amp is the most important thing in the chain. To me a good amp should have a wide freq response so u can hear the bass really deep to the sparkling highs. If you have a good guitar and pedal but a lousy amp then the amp will actually cut your freq and you lose all the tone your good guitar and pedals are meant to deliever. Another thing about amp is how loud can you push it before the sound start to distorted. The really small amps if you crank up the volume too much it will have cracking sound. For amps distortion I like it rich and heavy sounding. I use an Ibanez toneblaster TBX 65R I bought it during swee lee sales a few years ago for $275 up to this day I really enjoyed this amp. In my opinion it is better than Marshall AVT 100 watts, Marshall MG 100 watt. the Marshalls are very bright sounding amps which lacks the bass.
For effects pedal for distortion. I've tried many many pedals including, all of AMT lengend amp series, and a few other AMT distortion pedals, AMT SS 20 (which I own), all of the digitech distortions, Boss DS 1, metal core, metal zone, wampler triple wreck (which I own) wampler pinnacle, Seymore duncan twin tube mayhem, blackstar ht distX, blackstar HT blackfire (which I own), all the Beta alvin metal pedals, and I guess many others. Out of all these the AMT SS 20 really produce good sound for rhythm, very heavy and defined sound but it only will give that sound when u plug it into the return of the amp. The blackstar HT blackfire is impressive very defined sound even for the thick E string with distortion to the max it's still clear that pedal is more towards the warm side very good for lead playing. The wampler triple wreck is very thick sound I use that to "emulate"neck pickup sound because I do not have a neck pickup. The wampler pinnacle is quite impressive very defined and very crunchy stuff good for rhythm however the gain wasn't as high as my ibanez toneblaster amp so I didn't buy it. I'm thinking of getting the toneczar openhaus and/or the okko dominator.
I do own multi effects also like the Vox tonelab SE, boss gt 10, to me those individual pedals sounds much better, they have better freq response and much better clarity.
For guitar I would recommend you to get maybe something with 3 single coils, let's say you get another guitar with the same config with your current guitar, well the sound diff won't be that much i suppose because the price range is very narrow is like maybe 100 or 200 dollars more than your current guitar, so getting something with a totally diff sound that would be better so you can play more kinds of music.
Hope this helps
I think the the amp is the most important thing in the chain. To me a good amp should have a wide freq response so u can hear the bass really deep to the sparkling highs. If you have a good guitar and pedal but a lousy amp then the amp will actually cut your freq and you lose all the tone your good guitar and pedals are meant to deliever. Another thing about amp is how loud can you push it before the sound start to distorted. The really small amps if you crank up the volume too much it will have cracking sound. For amps distortion I like it rich and heavy sounding. I use an Ibanez toneblaster TBX 65R I bought it during swee lee sales a few years ago for $275 up to this day I really enjoyed this amp. In my opinion it is better than Marshall AVT 100 watts, Marshall MG 100 watt. the Marshalls are very bright sounding amps which lacks the bass.
For effects pedal for distortion. I've tried many many pedals including, all of AMT lengend amp series, and a few other AMT distortion pedals, AMT SS 20 (which I own), all of the digitech distortions, Boss DS 1, metal core, metal zone, wampler triple wreck (which I own) wampler pinnacle, Seymore duncan twin tube mayhem, blackstar ht distX, blackstar HT blackfire (which I own), all the Beta alvin metal pedals, and I guess many others. Out of all these the AMT SS 20 really produce good sound for rhythm, very heavy and defined sound but it only will give that sound when u plug it into the return of the amp. The blackstar HT blackfire is impressive very defined sound even for the thick E string with distortion to the max it's still clear that pedal is more towards the warm side very good for lead playing. The wampler triple wreck is very thick sound I use that to "emulate"neck pickup sound because I do not have a neck pickup. The wampler pinnacle is quite impressive very defined and very crunchy stuff good for rhythm however the gain wasn't as high as my ibanez toneblaster amp so I didn't buy it. I'm thinking of getting the toneczar openhaus and/or the okko dominator.
I do own multi effects also like the Vox tonelab SE, boss gt 10, to me those individual pedals sounds much better, they have better freq response and much better clarity.
For guitar I would recommend you to get maybe something with 3 single coils, let's say you get another guitar with the same config with your current guitar, well the sound diff won't be that much i suppose because the price range is very narrow is like maybe 100 or 200 dollars more than your current guitar, so getting something with a totally diff sound that would be better so you can play more kinds of music.
Hope this helps
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Wow, thanks for the massively informative post. So you recommend single coil over humbucks? What will essentially be the difference between these two? In terms of the sound produced, I mean.
As for the pedal, I think I'll lay off till I feel i'm a better guitarist on the whole haha. I think practice would improve my playing MUCH more rather than a new pedal.
About the amp, I think I'm pretty much going to stick with a practice amp for now as well, but one with more features than my current shitty one. The vox valvetronix is what I've got my eye on.
As for the pedal, I think I'll lay off till I feel i'm a better guitarist on the whole haha. I think practice would improve my playing MUCH more rather than a new pedal.
About the amp, I think I'm pretty much going to stick with a practice amp for now as well, but one with more features than my current shitty one. The vox valvetronix is what I've got my eye on.
EugeneSmasher
New member
I thought it's an established fact that amplifiers make more difference to tone than anything else... Frankly, I'd say plug that Gio into a good amplifier and you'll hear a big difference. I know, because I also own a Gio and through a good amp, it sounds really good.
carboxymoron
New member
I think there's a lot of different opinions here, so I'm going to add to the confusion lol
"Upgrading" to another low end / practice amp -- no point to me. Work on your playing first.
Getting a pedal (at this point the recommendation is a POD. Can find 2nd hand HD300 or HD400, don't settle for the older X3 Live for about the same price) -- good investment. With a pedal you can play at home or bring out for jamming and get a more or less consistent sound. Yes amps matter but at least you have some level of control and can learn how to achieve more of the sounds you hear on records using different effects.
Upgrading guitar -- entirely up to you. Pick a guitar you like to look at and like the feel of. Sound wise you can change the pickups next time especially if you are chasing a particular tone, like the various Dimarzios that Petrucci uses.
"Upgrading" to another low end / practice amp -- no point to me. Work on your playing first.
Getting a pedal (at this point the recommendation is a POD. Can find 2nd hand HD300 or HD400, don't settle for the older X3 Live for about the same price) -- good investment. With a pedal you can play at home or bring out for jamming and get a more or less consistent sound. Yes amps matter but at least you have some level of control and can learn how to achieve more of the sounds you hear on records using different effects.
Upgrading guitar -- entirely up to you. Pick a guitar you like to look at and like the feel of. Sound wise you can change the pickups next time especially if you are chasing a particular tone, like the various Dimarzios that Petrucci uses.
Ahhhhhh. That ACTUALLY cleared things up a bit. SOOO, in conclusion, I've been told that upgrading my guitar isn't a necessarily essential step in trying to achieve a better sound, upgrading my amp will only make any difference if I get a really good one, not another low watt one, and getting a POD is a good investment.
Hence, I am going to get the POD first. Then practice the shit out of my current guitar, and in a few months time, up my guitar to a better one.
OK, one FINAL question. Do I have to connect the POD to my current Marshall in order to use it? (Do not flame this question, I'm just really noobish when it comes to guitar gear, so chill lol.)
Hence, I am going to get the POD first. Then practice the shit out of my current guitar, and in a few months time, up my guitar to a better one.
OK, one FINAL question. Do I have to connect the POD to my current Marshall in order to use it? (Do not flame this question, I'm just really noobish when it comes to guitar gear, so chill lol.)
Shit. Then how....I just want a better sound!!!!! Not into the whole recording scene. I just play for myself, in my own house lol. Therefore, back to the original question: Guitar or amp? I've been hearing that there's no point getting a good amp if I have to keep it at low volumes all the time. So guitar then...Whatsay?
carboxymoron
New member
That's not true. They work equally well as stage effects or as a studio tool. The design as a floor pedal says as much. There are other hardware designs suited only to direct recording and the POD is not one of them.
CaboWabo
New member
well you can get a small tube amp but they tend to be loud still haha i own a ht5 and yea it's pretty much sufficient and all for me.
though the amp you have plays a huge role in your tone but the thing about em is that you cant possibly bring em around when you're gona jam, mayb yea you can bring the head around but even for me the ht 5 is too big a hassle to lug em around.
and as you venture deeper you'll appreciate the different characteristics of pickups that they provide you combined with the wood,pedals and stuff more
though the amp you have plays a huge role in your tone but the thing about em is that you cant possibly bring em around when you're gona jam, mayb yea you can bring the head around but even for me the ht 5 is too big a hassle to lug em around.
and as you venture deeper you'll appreciate the different characteristics of pickups that they provide you combined with the wood,pedals and stuff more
xfigox
Member
Getting a Pod/ (insert amp modeling pedal here) is much more flexible than you think. I've plugged my x3 Live into Hifi speakers, computer speakers, practice amps, direct into PA in jamming studios and it still sound good. You don't need an amp to plug the Pod into.
The Pod is MEANT to replace amps and cabs, that's what the amp and cab models are in there for. Using headphones or normal speakers would suffice, of course plugging it into your current marshall would work too.
I suggest you head down to citymusic and test the vox amps you've mentioned and also test out the Pod HD pedals over there.
BTW to answer your question guitar or amp?
Don't get a new guitar if you are still planning to use the marshall, your sound lies in your amp/ pedal's setup first.
The Pod is MEANT to replace amps and cabs, that's what the amp and cab models are in there for. Using headphones or normal speakers would suffice, of course plugging it into your current marshall would work too.
I suggest you head down to citymusic and test the vox amps you've mentioned and also test out the Pod HD pedals over there.
BTW to answer your question guitar or amp?
Don't get a new guitar if you are still planning to use the marshall, your sound lies in your amp/ pedal's setup first.
I really think I'm still not proficient enough with guitaring to get a POD. Once I hit that level, I will immediately get one, but for now, based on the advice of others as well as my own common sense, I think I should just keep practicing and try to develop my technique and general skill. Therefore I shall head down to citymusic to check out the valvetronix amps, and maybe get a second hand guitar along with that. Lol. Finally a conclusion, ffs.
theunknown
New member
who says you have to be good in guitar to have good sound? i know some gibson owners who can only do power chords.
honestly TS, you are asking broad based qns in one thread. suddenly there are about pedals,
multi fx, amps. what brand what model is toooooooo broad and vague. we dont even know what
exactly you want. and i'm actually pretty sure YOU don't know that yourself.
yes i agree that tone = amp>effects>guitars
but thing is you are not sure what you want as a beginner (you said so yourself). thats why i'll say
you'd want a multifx first to get to know effects and play around with them.
which multi effects? thats another topic.
start your research with: floor-based stomp multi effects (pod xt live), simple desk-based multi effects (pod), onboard the amp multi effects (vox valvetronix).
ps: i'd rather you not get a second guitar first.
my spoonfeed solution for you: get a pod x3 or xt live and vox pathfinder 15 amp. great multi effects and a simple amp with good cleans for foundation tone.
believe me im playing a $250 guitar through average stompboxes and a full tube amp. thats how important the amp is to me.
honestly TS, you are asking broad based qns in one thread. suddenly there are about pedals,
multi fx, amps. what brand what model is toooooooo broad and vague. we dont even know what
exactly you want. and i'm actually pretty sure YOU don't know that yourself.
yes i agree that tone = amp>effects>guitars
but thing is you are not sure what you want as a beginner (you said so yourself). thats why i'll say
you'd want a multifx first to get to know effects and play around with them.
which multi effects? thats another topic.
start your research with: floor-based stomp multi effects (pod xt live), simple desk-based multi effects (pod), onboard the amp multi effects (vox valvetronix).
ps: i'd rather you not get a second guitar first.
my spoonfeed solution for you: get a pod x3 or xt live and vox pathfinder 15 amp. great multi effects and a simple amp with good cleans for foundation tone.
believe me im playing a $250 guitar through average stompboxes and a full tube amp. thats how important the amp is to me.
theunknown
New member
as you venture deeper you'll appreciate the different characteristics of pickups that they provide you combined with the wood,pedals and stuff more
hey bro cabo, i suggest we not get him to concentrate on pickups and woods first. he's at foundation level. too many things in a short time, dun you think?
but yes TS, too many things that factors in on tone. there's a general bad. but for "good", thats personal.
