New Amp advise!

Hi everyone!

Here's the deal. I've been playing for 20 years and I've owned a whole lot of different gear through the years. Currently I use a Mark IV, TC G-force and some pedals in GCX loops as my main rig. I also have a Triaxis + 2:90 that I used to run with the main gear in a wet/dry/wet setup but I don't use them much anymore, but that I've kept them as a backup.
This week I'll be selling the Triaxis + 2:90 together with the G-force (which I don't wanna sell really, but he wants to buy the whole package or nothing) so I'll be having some cash in hand to try some new toys, which is something I haven't done in the last 7 years! I was thinking about another head to complement the Mark IV and to run a stereo rig.

There are some nice options available withing the budget I'll have but it's very hard to decide! I've never had this much trouble deciding and I've always known what I want in the past so it's driving me nuts!
The options I'll have are the following and the are all available right now:
- Mesa Dual Rectifier
- Engl Savage 120
- Engl Invader 100
- Elmwood Modena M90
- EVH 5150 III
- Egnater MOD50
- Soldano Hotrod+
The above mentioned are all used and in a price range that leaves soem cash over to buy an effects unit to replace the G-force and the effect unit options are:
- TC G-system (used or maybe new if I get a deal I'm asking at a local store)
- Axe FX ultra (used)
- Buying back another G-force
- G Major 2

Then there are some options which are new and leaves me very little or next to nothing for an effects unit. They are:
- Diezel VH4 (used)
- Mesa Mark V
- Mesa Roadster
- Axe FX II
If I get one of the budget breakers above (except for the Axe FX II) I'll only have a Boss GT-8 for the effects for a while until I get something else later on.

What I'm looking for sound-wise as a complement to the Mark IV which covers the creamy lead and tight cleans, is a good clean channel that can take pedals fairly well and a tight chunky metal rythm channel.

Please feel free to comment and recommend!

Hi!

If it helps, I had a Roadster, but it wasn't what I was looking for, though it is a great amp. When I sold it, I tried several, including the Mark V, the Engl Invader 100 and the EVH 5150 III. I brought the last home. In terms of sound and feel it was the best for me. It's a very simple amp, 3 channels, no switches or whatever...
In that time, I wanted to try other ones, like the Elmwood Modena M90 or the Fryette Sig:x but there are no such machines around.

But all that you mentioned are great amps. You can't go wrong. Just try and see which one fulfills your needs. And Mesa amps, even if they don't sound that good at home, are brutal for live playing.

Bruno Petrucci said:

Hi!

If it helps, I had a Roadster, but it wasn't what I was looking for, though it is a great amp. When I sold it, I tried several, including the Mark V, the Engl Invader 100 and the EVH 5150 III. I brought the last home. In terms of sound and feel it was the best for me. It's a very simple amp, 3 channels, no switches or whatever...
In that time, I wanted to try other ones, like the Elmwood Modena M90 or the Fryette Sig:x but there are no such machines around.

But all that you mentioned are great amps. You can't go wrong. Just try and see which one fulfills your needs. And Mesa amps, even if they don't sound that good at home, are brutal for live playing.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. Yeah I've been a long time Mesa user and what you say is true. I've actually had a single recto at one point plus I've played dual rectos several times so I know those amps pretty well and I know what I'll get if I get one. I've played some Engls too but not those two that I mentioned. My band's other guitarist has a Modena M90 so I know how they sound too although I haven't played on it myself, so I don't know how it feels/reacts, but I'll do that soon. I have the chance to try both Engls and the VH4, but the rest aren't within reach so there's very little to no chance of trying them out.

The Mark V is my favorite current-production amp from any company. The only reason I don't have one is because they cost too much, and I don't like the idea of buying such a complex amp used. Oh hell, who am I kidding? Even used, they're still too much for me.