Amp for Petrucci/Satch Tone (budget)

[DragonGuitar]

So.

I'm looking for an amp that can get a clean tone similar to John Petrucci, Joe Satriani, or Scale the Summit's tone (almost acoustic sounding, glassy cleans), as well as a Satch, Steve Vai, or Petrucci (Images and Words era) lead tone (nice and smooth), and a Dream Theater type rythm (crunchy but breathable with clear definition, think of the rythm on The Shattered Fortress). I would also have to be able to switch between the tones midsong, so either 3 channels or some pedals for some of the tones.

I am completely ok with using pedals for effects. Combo or head and cab doesn't matter too much. I probably want a tube amp (probably need one for that tone), but I have not completely discarded the idea of hybrid or solid state. As far as volume, I want what I use to be loud enough to get over a drummer and serve for small gigs (cafes and stuff), but this will also be my bedroom amp, so nothing too loud (I'm not in an apartment or anything, but I don't want to bother neighbors too much, or damage my hearing). So probably 40-60 watts tube? My budget is $700-$800, for a combo or a head AND cab.

I don't know if this amp exists, haha.

I know I won't nail their tone exactly, but I want to get as close as possible within my budget.

My current gear is a JP70 (main guitar), which I plan to install a crunch lab/liquifire in, and I have been playing through a peavey 6505+ 112 60 watt combo. It has good tones for more extreme metal/core, but I'm not sure if it's really suitable for what I'm after. There is way more gain than I really need, and I have yet to dial in the tones I'm after (although I haven't had it that long).

So what should I get? Thanks!

 

[Nick]

try and hunt down an onld Peavey JSX - great amps for the money even when they were in production and you bought new.

 

[domsch1988]

just to be that guy:
what about modelling? The Amplifire should be able to nail all the tones you need. Or a Pod HD? Although the Pod is not really famous for great cleans. Amplifire Plus Poweramp or Combo with FX Loop would be my choice for what you are asking.
Plus all of them will sound better at low volumes than most Tubeamps imho.

 

[Drew]

Yeah, Satch and Petrucci are pretty radically different in their tones - Satch is very "boosted Marshall," with lower-mids more than lows, a fairly bright gain sound with some fuzz and grit in the high end, while Petrucci has a deeper, chug-ier rhythm tone and the textbook Mesa smooth saturation lead sound, no high end fuzz, just a smooth top end and a TON of mids.

You can get the same sounds out of a modeler, but most amps that do one well probably won't do the other so well. A JSX (or maybe a JVM combo or something),will do Satriani well but won't really get you into Petrucci territory, while a Mesa Mark-IV orMark-V Mini, or maybe a Nomad or a DC, will get you close to Petrucci, but not to Satriani.

You could always try a Mesa and then use a DS-1 in the clean channel for a Satriani-like tone, and that might be your best compromise, but I'd suggest maybe just stick with the 6505+ you have for a while longer, back off the gain a little, and start playing other amps as you get the chance and wait until you've got a better sense of what YOUR lead sound is, and you've found something that gets you there.

 

[TheWarAgainstTime]

Good call above on the JSX I've seen plenty go for around $400, which leaves room in the budget for something like a used Mesa 2x12

I'd also check out the Egnater Tourmaster combo or Marshall DSL series.

 

[protest]

Mesa Mark III combo then save up another $100 or so and get a nice used Marshall in a box pedal.

 

[ArtDecade]

Mesa Studio Preamp (and a DS-1 for those Satch moments)

 

[sevenfoxes]

try and hunt down an onld Peavey JSX - great amps for the money even when they were in production and you bought new.

Can't go wrong here.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Wait for NAMM. Supposed to be a new, more budget friendly Marshall Satch sig coming ouit.

 

[ArtDecade]

Wait for NAMM. Supposed to be a new, more budget friendly Marshall Satch sig coming ouit.

... but then you have a Mashall and not a Mesa ...

 

[snissors]

Can't go wrong here.

Is that JSX going to be too loud for bedroom?

 

[lemeker]

Is that JSX going to be too loud for bedroom?

While I'll totally agree that tube amps really need to be cranked to get their full potential, the JSX actually sounds fairly decent at lower volumes.

I wonder what the mesa od/distortion would do through the clean channel of the jsx?

 

[sevenfoxes]

Is that JSX going to be too loud for bedroom?

No way. I own a XXX, which is very similar to the JSX, and it's PERFECT for bedroom levels. I was even reading somewhere online that these amps have "something" built into them that allows them to be saturated at lower volumes. Wish I could find that article again.

Btw, I live in an apartment, play this amp daily through two 2x12 cabs, and I don't have any complaints from the neighbors. I'd say that's all the confirmation you need.

 

[DragonGuitar]

For the JSX, I could afford the combo, or the head but i wouldn't have much to go with for a cab. So is the combo good enough? Also, should I consider the XXX as well given I heard it is similar? Looks like a DS-1 would be a good purchase too.

Mesa mark III combo looks good, hard to find in this range though.

 

[Zeriton]

Wait for NAMM. Supposed to be a new, more budget friendly Marshall Satch sig coming ouit.

How do you know about this?

If I were a Marshall exec, it'd be simple to print money. I'd just release:
- A Super Lead Plexi with a PPIMV and FX loop
- A JCM800 with a PPIMV that doesn't cost a ridiculous amount for one channel (I've never understood why the vintage reissue JCM800 costs more than all the other Marshalls)

Sorted.

 

[Descent]

I've never understood why the vintage reissue JCM800 costs more than all the other Marshalls

Believe me, they sell just as well and they make more $$$.

I think some of the reissues are point to point soldered, or maybe those were the even more expensive models?

 

[Zeriton]

Believe me, they sell just as well and they make more $$$.

I think some of the reissues are point to point soldered, or maybe those were the even more expensive models?

Do they sell just as well?! I understand why but I don't think I'd ever buy one that that price. If they did a PCB JCM800 for a ton less I'd jump on it.

 

[Descent]

Do they sell just as well?! I understand why but I don't think I'd ever buy one that that price. If they did a PCB JCM800 for a ton less I'd jump on it.

They do, but these are usually labelled Laney or Traynor

Seriously though - the JCM800, especially the Slayer (Kerry mod) sells like hotcakes. Price-wise, it really isn't that bad when you line it up against the Fryette, Engl, Bogner, Diezel, which is essentially the competition.

 

[FILTHnFEAR]

Is that JSX going to be too loud for bedroom?

I get pretty decent tones out of mine at bedroom levels. Not ideal of course, but still pretty good.

 

[DragonGuitar]

The cleans and leads on the JSX sound great, haven't found a good demo of rhythm tones for metal on it.

The Mesa Mark III sounds basically perfect, but the only ones I have seen for less than $800 are used with a bit of damage (broken knobs, popping noise when adjusting volume, etc) so I'm not sure if that's something I really want to go in for...

Any other recommendations? Do you guys think its even possible to get the tones I want out of my 6505+112?