Any love for OLD SCHOOL solid state amps?

[maggotspawn]

I love my Crate GX130C. Only sold it to downsize some. Really killer distortion and epic clean tones.

 

[broj15]

I love my Crate GX130C. Only sold it to downsize some. Really killer distortion and epic clean tones.

I've read that these were supposed to be clones of the vh140c? Have you played through both to compare the two? If it is true then the crate could be a cheaper, more readily available alternative

 

[maggotspawn]

I've read that these were supposed to be clones of the vh140c? Have you played through both to compare the two? If it is true then the crate could be a cheaper, more readily available alternative

I've read that as well. I haven't played through the Ampeg. Cannibal Corpse apparently used the Crate at some point.

 

[B.M.F.]

The Crate is 99% similar to the Ampeg, but with different (cheaper) parts. IMO, they do not sound similar at all to each other, having done side-by-side comparisons on multiple occasions. The Crate has "something different" in the midrange and the character of the gain is different. Similar to how, the VH150 sounds different (some think, better) than the VH140c even though it's the "same amp" that slight difference from having a mono power amp in the 150 is noticeable.
Most of all the Crate is missing the Ultra-Mid that makes the VH sound the way it does.
The S&K VHD pedal makes more sense these days than finding an old GX-130c if you want/need that tone. Especially since these old solid state amps have issues with soldering on circuit boards needing a touch up due to missed connections warping over the years. (The old "slam my hand on the amp head" troubleshooting method gets old after a while.)

My favorite GX-130c video ever, just a killer tune and the chorus is beautifully demonstrated as well.


Famous albums that used the GX-130c is Cannibal Corpse's "The Bleeding" and Nocturnus used it too.
The SS series has the gain pre-EQ vs post-EQ on the VH and is a different preamp design from the VH (doesn't have the variable harmonic magic trick that Tom Kieffer, head designer of the VH series introduced.)

That VH is just my favorite amp of all time for how well it can do anything from jazz to brutal death metal and sounds great. Scooping the mids out on a 5150 (6505+ here) with a GE-7 (because it has 400hz and 800hz) gets you very close to that feel as well.
In this world of "perfectionist metal" these amps seem not to have a place, until everyone hears one and wants to cop the tone. Like the time the Marshall forum claimed the best sounding Marshall from clips was a Valvestate, causing most to change their opinion and backtrack of what the best sounding model was AFTER the fact.

 

[akinari]

Yep. My basement is full of this old garbage. Kustoms, Peaveys, Crates, Ampegs, SS Marshalls, Sunns, Randalls... and I boost them with a Metal Zone. Having badass cabs helps, too.

 

[troyguitar]

Mine is super dark. I have to have treble dimed at all times. The clean channel is a whole other story, can't use treble past 6 (of 10). I sent the studio pro signal out of ext cab to my basson 412 cab and it's still just as dark as with the stock combo speaker, so maybe there's something off with the overdrive channel.

Yeah that's weird. I normally only use the clean channel with pedals, but I just fired up the lead channel and it's not dark at all. I keep the bass/mids at 5 and treble at 4-5 on both channels, with the Modern voice on clean and either Vintage with gain 6-7 or High Gain with gain 2-3 on the lead channel.

 

[Celtic Frosted Flakes]

Anybody with some experience with a Randall RG80ES? Always wanted one because of Dimebag Darrell and George Lynch, but have never had a chance to try one.

 

[akinari]

Anybody with some experience with a Randall RG80ES? Always wanted one because of Dimebag Darrell and George Lynch, but have never had a chance to try one.

What do you need to know? One of my favorite amps.

 

[Celtic Frosted Flakes]

What do you need to know? One of my favorite amps.

Is it easy to dial in to get (in your ears) nice tones? And have you experienced problems with it breaking down? Thanks

 

[Xk6m6m5X]

I know its not "oldschool" but ive had my randall rx120d for almost 15 years and with a little eq and some bost i think it sounds pretty decent

 

[akinari]

Is it easy to dial in to get (in your ears) nice tones? And have you experienced problems with it breaking down? Thanks

Absolutely! My favorite RG80ES is the 112SC model I have that's been converted to a head - it's one of the ones with the grey fur. It doesn't have much gain without the sustain switch pulled, but the tone is big and punchy and when it's boosted it stays super tight and responsive. I boost it with an EQ in front of the amp or a Metal Zone and it's super grindy with plenty of clarity for big chords. I've never had mine break down or even serviced, and it's not particularly noisy for its age either.

 

[Celtic Frosted Flakes]

Absolutely! My favorite RG80ES is the 112SC model I have that's been converted to a head - it's one of the ones with the grey fur. It doesn't have much gain without the sustain switch pulled, but the tone is big and punchy and when it's boosted it stays super tight and responsive. I boost it with an EQ in front of the amp or a Metal Zone and it's super grindy with plenty of clarity for big chords. I've never had mine break down or even serviced, and it's not particularly noisy for its age either.

Before it was converted to a head - was it this model? Looks furry, but does not say ES.

 

[akinari]

Before it was converted to a head - was it this model? Looks furry, but does not say ES.

That's the one. From everything I understand, the combos were the same preamp/poweramp as the RG80ES heads, and they do have the extra sustain (ES) switch as well. The 112SC was just a designation for the speaker type as far as I know.

 

[Celtic Frosted Flakes]

Hopefully one pops up local so I can try it out.

 

[akinari]

Hopefully one pops up local so I can try it out.

I may do some demos of all the crusty SS amps floating around my basement... not like I don't have the free time right now.

 

[Celtic Frosted Flakes]

I may do some demos of all the crusty SS amps floating around my basement... not like I don't have the free time right now.

It would be great if you can make some demos

 

[budda]

Almost forgot - solid state traynor amps. Allegedly the TS line packed a punch.

 

[broj15]

I may do some demos of all the crusty SS amps floating around my basement... not like I don't have the free time right now.

Please do! It's a shame, but very few of these older lesser known/under utilized amps are properly documented anywhere online.

Almost forgot - solid state traynor amps. Allegedly the TS line packed a punch.

I've only had experience with thier tube stuff. My band mate has a yba 200, which sounds amazing, but isn't the most reliable, and I played through a YBA1 at a show one time when we had to share gear. The YBA1 was sick. Great clean tone and took pedals well, as expected. I've heard that older Traynors of that era were trying to attain a similar sound as Marshall, but because of design differences and parts availability on account of them being Canadian, the end result was something pretty unique sounding.
There's a local shop with a used monoblock II for waaaaaay to expensive, but it's sat in there for atleast 2 years. When my financial situation evens out I might have to see if they'd be willing to cut me a deal on it.

 

[Wrecklyss]

I prefer tubes, but the Peavey Rage 158 has always been an amp I would impulse buy on the spot if I ever saw one for sale randomly.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Almost forgot - solid state traynor amps. Allegedly the TS line packed a punch.

One of their bass amps are supposed to be so gnarly that Tronographic made a preamp pedal based on it.