Tone quest has gone full circle.

timmysoft

So back when I started my current band in 2006, I also got really into equipment. I'd had valve amps before but due to the level I was playing at I'd always sold the bigger stuff to go compact for lack of transport purposes, so my first gigging amp was the Marshall dsl100. Since first owning one I've probably owned 30-40 amps, but for some reason I always come back to the dsl100. This morning a lovely 2008 dsl100 landed on my doorstep and it made me think, I've probably wasted £8000+ on equipment just to arrive back at exactly the same set up I originally had. The journey has been fun, expensive and frustrating but I think I may be home.........

smudge_lad

Feel your pain dude! I've not spent near what you have, or owned as many amps as you, but I've gone through countless pedals with maybe 3 or 4 amps, trying to get....."that" tone that I had in my head, to end up exactly where I started - with a 100 watt Marshall head and 4x12.

I sometimes wonder if it was all worth it, but I love to try out new stuff and have had great fun, like you say.

And we can't take our money with us when we're gone, so we're best to enjoy it while we can!

Always wanted to try a DSL as well, but lack of switchable FX Loop is the only downside for me - it's the only thing stopping me selling the JVM to get one!

Fortheloveofguitar

Home? Not a chance mate. That was just the opening lap.

ROOG

Fortheloveofguitar said:

Home? Not a chance mate. That was just the opening lap.

Hang on a mo, 30-40 amps is just one lap? you gotta be kidding!

timmysoft

smudge_lad said:

Feel your pain dude! I've not spent near what you have, or owned as many amps as you, but I've gone through countless pedals with maybe 3 or 4 amps, trying to get....."that" tone that I had in my head, to end up exactly where I started - with a 100 watt Marshall head and 4x12.

I sometimes wonder if it was all worth it, but I love to try out new stuff and have had great fun, like you say.

And we can't take our money with us when we're gone, so we're best to enjoy it while we can!

Always wanted to try a DSL as well, but lack of switchable FX Loop is the only downside for me - it's the only thing stopping me selling the JVM to get one!

It's been a really frustrating decade in terms of tones! I first had my head turned by the Genz Benz El Diablo, it had so many features, I was convinced the tone I was looking for was in there, but four months later I traded it for a jcm900 and another dsl!

Fortheloveofguitar

ROOG;219455" said:

Fortheloveofguitar said:

Home? Not a chance mate. That was just the opening lap.












Hang on a mo, 30-40 amps is just one lap? you gotta be kidding!

Afraid not. There's a long way to go yet. Hold on tight.

p90fool

My opening lap took 31 years....

ICBM

Mine took 27 years.

So long that what's now my main amp - and really the sound I wanted all along - had not been invented yet when I started. I now have examples of my first proper guitar and first amp back again though.

timmysoft

ICBM said:

Mine took 27 years.

So long that what's now my main amp - and really the sound I wanted all along - had not been invented yet when I started. I now have examples of my first proper guitar and first amp back again though.

When I started playing and getting into guitars things like fenders custom shop and Prs were just legends and myths hinted at by artists in guitarist magazine. I think once I get a nice fender cs strat I will be complete, I owned a lovely one that I sold for very little when strats weren't so cool, now it's the sound that I have in my head!

ThePrettyDamned

I don't think I'll ever get another shitty Marshall mg15dfx so I doubt I'll go full circle...

My next amp will either be a custom Orion, or a mesa trem o verb, or if one turns up, an older dual rec head. I won't need anything else.

Until then, I'm making do with a bandit and a distortion pedal.

timmysoft

I've had both the 2 channel dual rec and the tremoverb, both are great amps and well worth holding out for. I love the sound of mesa amps, but I just don't get on with the feel of them, I always find them a bit stiff, I had the same problem with a few amps I've owned.

Moltisanti

i used a DSL for 5 years and hammered it hard, it never missed a beat and sounded great with the band

timmysoft

Moltisanti said:

i used a DSL for 5 years and hammered it hard, it never missed a beat and sounded great with the band

Yeah, they're a real future classic, I forgot how much I enjoy them.

lustycourtier

I started in 1999 on a 61 ac30, and Im currently on a AC15tvh1, via 30+ amps so I guess thats not far off full circle....

ICBM

timmysoft said:

I've had both the 2 channel dual rec and the tremoverb, both are great amps and well worth holding out for. I love the sound of mesa amps, but I just don't get on with the feel of them, I always find them a bit stiff, I had the same problem with a few amps I've owned.

Really? I find the Trem-o-verb a very loose amp - it's the unique combination of high gain and that big, loose open sound I love so much. I don't know of any looser-sounding higher-gain amp at all. The Dual Rec is a bit tighter, but still very loose by comparison with other high-gainers - it's at least partly because of the valve rectifier, although it's still fairly loose in solid-state mode.

I agree Boogies (Marks etc) are a tight amp, which I don't like.

Pyroman

  Thank feck I haven't acted on all my amp gas...  Pedals- now that's a different story.

I've got a boatload of em, that I convinced myself I needed.  Guess what?  My very first dirt pedal is still my go to od. ( OCD)  My first distortion pedal, and my first delay are also part of my set up.  The rest, save my chorus, sit in a bin out of the way. 

timmysoft

ICBM;220710" said:

timmysoft said:

I've had both the 2 channel dual rec and the tremoverb, both are great amps and well worth holding out for. I love the sound of mesa amps, but I just don't get on with the feel of them, I always find them a bit stiff, I had the same problem with a few amps I've owned.





Really? I find the Trem-o-verb a very loose amp - it's the unique combination of high gain and that big, loose open sound I love so much. I don't know of any looser-sounding higher-gain amp at all. The Dual Rec is a bit tighter, but still very loose by comparison with other high-gainers - it's at least partly because of the valve rectifier, although it's still fairly loose in solid-state mode.

I agree Boogies (Marks etc) are a tight amp, which I don't like.

Its not the tightness im refering to really, I just find mesa amps very stiff to play, its kind of like you gave to hit the notes harder to make them really sing.

stickyfiddle

I fully expect to get another Laney VC15 at some point. That was the first amp I properly loved. Might put it in a bigger cab next time though.

geepers0677

What I would give to get back the JCM 800 or the JVM I sold years ago - I'd love to go back full circle too!

viz

Am i missing something just buying carvin legacy amp after carvin legacy amp?

chillidoggy

I think there should be some kind of counselling available. You know, so you can get therapy when you've come to the conclusion that your amp's no longer doing it for you any more. Then, hopefully, it stops the amp-go-round. Job done.