Looking for opinions on Two Rock Sensor 50

Nerine

Anyone tried one/owned one/heard one/lifted one/looked at one??

I'm thinking I'd really fancy the 50w 1x12 combo version in an attempt to have something a little smaller to cart to gigs with my blues/rock/Rock and roll band.

Has anyone heard many Two Rocks in person??

bossarb

I gig with a Two Rock Jet 22 1x12 combo (22 Watts as you might guess) which I think is a kind of predecessor to the Sensor. It's light, sounds great and is easily loud enough to gig with a rock/pop covers band. But it doesn't do very very clean so if you wanted to play country music loudly you should probably go for the Studio Pro 35.

AndyJP

I think the gain master was the previous name of the sensor?

The jet is something different altogether.

The gain master and studio pro came out at the same time. For gain master think Robben Ford. Studio pro was more Mayer like. According to Guitarist mag that is.

Nerine

The 50w 112 Sensor appeals to me because it's apparently voiced a little more Marshally, yet still seems to have that thick, chewy Two Rock lead sound.
I can imagine it also working very well with pedals if required.

richardhomer

Any particular reason why you're looking at a Two Rock?

I have played through a number of them, including 22 watt combos, a 35 watt head and a £4000 50 watt head. None of them 'worked' for me.

I think there is always a risk with high-end amps that they can can disappoint - in fact apart from a Soldano Lucky 13 and a Samson era DC30, I struggle to think of instances where a very expensive amp really amazed me. But with Two Rocks the disappointment has always been enormous - I genuinely don't get what all the fuss is about.

It may be that how I play - and what I want to hear from an amp - just doesn't fit with their design philosophy. You may get along with them just fine - but don't buy on reputation or the opinion of others. Check out that they genuinely deliver what you want and that whatever that is, isn't available for much less money from another maker.

Nerine

Thanks for the input man.

How did they disappoint you?

How did you find them to sound in comparison to the type of tones you usually go for?

What sort of tones usually float your boat and how didn't the Two Rocks deliver that for you?

richardhomer

Nerine;484255" said:

Thanks for the input man.

How did they disappoint you?

How did you find them to sound in comparison to the type of tones you usually go for?

What sort of tones usually float your boat and how didn't the Two Rocks deliver that for you?

The control layout on most is the 'cascading gain stage' approached used on MkII and MkIII Boogies, as well as Dumble ODS and their derivatives.

The MkIII I used to own had stunningly good Fender-like cleans with a lovely sense 'bounce' under the fingers. Whilst it was bright and clear, it was never harsh, or 'hard' sounding in the mid-range. The Two Rocks I've played were both harsh and hard to my ears.

They share tone controls for both modes (as did the MkIII) and I found I could not get a simultaneously bright enough clean sound, without the drive sounding too thin and edgey.

The 22 watt models sounded physically small and started to lose clean headroom at what I would consider to be nowhere near gigging volume - the bigger ones had no such problem but sounded lifeless at lower levels.

The impression I have is that the brand has built an enviable reputation on the back of people like John Mayer but when it comes down to it, I believe their amps are simply not worthy of the hype.

I'm not one of those people who will tell you that a Squier Vintage Modified Strat is better than something from the Custom Shop. I believe with dearer equipment, you mostly get what you pay for. The Matchless DC30 sounded utterly magnificent, as did the Soldano Lucky 13 - you will note they are very different from each other, so it isn't about the 'type' of amp with me - and there are many other expensive amps that I've liked, without neccessarily being bowled over by them.

If this all sounds a bit damning towards Two Rock - I'm afraid it is. I must emphasise I've not tried the model you refer to - but unless it is significantly different from the ones I've played, I wouldn't entertain buying one.

Nerine

Cool. Thanks for the input. Appreciated.
I have been seeing a bit of a trend that they tend to divide opinion a little.
I usually think that if that's the case, then there has to be something in it, or something that's not kinda normal in their tone.
No smoke without fire etc.

Cacofonix

My Studio Pro 35 is amazing at any volume level. I haven't yet found a sound in it that I didn't like, and I've had it for a year now.

As always, every model is different so to generalise based on having played a number of different models, none of which is the one you're considering, is misleading.

Only you can really decide. Personally I wasn't keen on Matt Schofield's sound even when hearing it live through his 4k amp. I still bought the Studio Pro, though, because I liked the sound. Same with the Cornford Hurricane. Never liked the little Cornfords or the Hellcat sound but the Hurricane does it for me.

YMMV, of course.

JohnPerry

Fabulous amps, quiet or loud, and up there with other high-end ones I have, just a different flavour. They need a bit more dialling-in than some IMHO. You need to try a couple. Don't take anyone's word for it.

Nerine

I should also add that I've had a lot of Marshall style amps, so I do kinda fancy something a little different.

thisisguitar

I have a Studio Pro 50w head. It's a great amp for playing blues, and it takes pedals very well indeed. If you want to use pedals for your dirt it's a good choice. 

Mine is for sale as I'm going to opposite way to you and using a Plexi and a Twin Reverb.

As usual these things are a matter of individual taste, but I'd get some quality time with one and see if it's for you.

The reverb is lovely in it too.

exocet

As with all purchases - especially expensive ones, it's so important to try before you buy using your own guitar / pedals.

I've never played through a Two Rock of any shape or form but I have seen their product range expand at an alarming rate of knots since the original owners sold out to "Premier Builders Guild" a few years back - I struggle to see where all of these different models now fit.

I do know that the Two Rock "heritage" emanates from the Dumble line - Overdrive Special, Bluesmaster, Steel String Singer and that many of their products have been clones of these. The cascaded gain stage, shared eq, eq pre overdrive,  can be tricky to dial in and in my experience with similar amps (Ceriatone Overtone Special) can make them very fussy about the guitars that you use. My Ceriatone works very well with my Telecaster but after 2 years I have given up with getting it to work with my Strat (been through many pickup / pedal changes in this time). 

When all is said and done, if you try the amp and you like it and can afford it, go ahead and buy it. At the moment, they appear to hold their value reasonably well. However, I maintain that you can get just as good a tone out of more "ordinary" amps without breaking the bank. 

Lodious

A couple of observations about Two Rocks (all IMHO) based on owning a SP22 and trying others at Coda. I have never tried any of the posh ones though.

The SP22 has plenty of headroom, within the limitations of being a 22W amp. I used to use it with a Supersonic 22 w/AB pedal, and subjectively, they had clean headroom so similar I never noticed a difference. I now use it with a Bad Cat 15W (which have a reputation as loud amps for the wattage)...the SP22 has significantly more headroom. I've jammed with live drummers and found it kept up fine...possibly not powerful enough if you want to play totally clean, but I've never heard a 22w amp that was. 

When I initially tried the SP at Coda, I thought it lacked headroom, but there is another master volume round the back labeled FX Return, which is confusing. Understanding how the Gain, Master and FX Return Level is key to getting them to sound good. I think it also accounts for some people saying Studio Pro's are 'clean only' amps....this is IMHO totally untrue. 

I have only tried the smaller TR 22/35w size combo's...I didn't like any of them. I thought they sounded small and boxy, so unless I really needed to have a really small combo, I wouldn't touch them.

IMHO, the SP sounds far, far, better with the power section cooking.It sounds pretty lifeless at bedroom volumes when using the preamp for overdrive. I have never found anything fiddly with EQ, it sounds fine with eq flat, then adjust to taste. 

Picking up on exocets comment "However, I maintain that you can get just as good a tone out of more "ordinary" amps without breaking the bank. " I agree with the spirit of this, but IMHO Two Rocks are 'ordinary' amps, the Dumble connection is a distraction, which I think makes people expect something magic. I don't think there is *anything* magical about TR's, but I do think they are really nice amps. 

I was fortunate to come across Two Rock by accident, so I honestly didn't know much about the brand, so no preconceptions (apart from seeing a 'blues dentist' sound unbelievably average through one of the expensive ones at a outdoor gig). I'd tried a combo once before and didn't like it, but I'm glad I persevered. To me the SP just sounds like a nice Fender amp, that can transition into AC/DC type crunch without feeling like two separate amps. The fact it's really light is great too.

I tried a Sensor, and liked it, but the SP suited my needs better (I don't think the Sensor has reverb?), so I only played it for about 15mins.

I dunno if the planned meeting in East Anglia is going ahead (?), but if I can make it I'll bring it down so people can take turns to try it and tell me it sucks :-). 

exocet

I was trying to downplay the Two Rock without dismissing it as a product. Fundamentally, like many amps, they are rehashed Fender designs, built with "old school" techniques. They are good amps but very expensive, especially in the U.K. I guess the point I was trying to make is that there are many U.K builders who can produce products just as good as Two Rock, they just don't have the marketing budgets that our American friends have.

Nerine

@Lodious

Is there an East Anglia amp-fest happening??

Whereabouts?

Lodious

Dunno...it all seems to have gone quiet?

richardhomer

Lodious;487053" said:

Dunno...it all seems to have gone quiet?

It could be a blown fuse....

Lodious

Maybe its been superceded by the after show party at Birmingham?

stottfold

@Nerine

I've got Two Rock Coral 40w head and matching 1x12 cab - it's really versatile; two channels with cascading gain, tone stack bypass and effects loop. Great cleans with strat and Overdrive channel sounds amazing with Les Paul!

I'm still in two minds whether to sell or not - it's listed in classifieds as I don't use the Overdrive channel that much. I'm into the single channel clean stuff now really and not gigging much at the moment, although I do change my mind every time I have a proper blast with the Goldtop! Definitely worth checking out if you've not tried one before though.

Cheers