My Axe(that means guitar, posers)

[Bodeanicus]

Originally Posted by Brysenjg [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

If you're going to be playing metal..or anything with a heavy use distortion I would recommend a solid state amp.

If you were to use a tube amp for metal, you would absolutely need a distortion pedal. They aren't known for the use of heavy distortion. They are known for their warm, full bodied clean sound and natural break up as you turn it up. (I'm not suggesting you can't use a tube amp for metal, but I wouldn't recommend it.)

As far as brand of amp, I would recommend Marshall or Fender. There is the Marshall Class 5..nice little practice amp. They do make hybrids mix of tube/solid state as well (tube circuitry complemented with digital modeling and effects), check out the Super Champ XD by Fender. Extremely popular, versatile and affordable.

With regards to your guitar it sounds like it should be professionally set up. What gauge strings do you use? What frets are the strings buzzing on? How worn down are the frets? There could be a number of factors contributing to buzzing. Of all things it sounds like it may need a truss rod adjustment. But without actually seeing it, I couldn't say for sure. I'm building my guitar at the moment. I had a Gibson ES 335 for a while, and a Les Paul w/p90s..I always find myself going back to my MIA Fender Strat though. Something about single coil pickups just sounds right to me vs humbuckers.

You've obviously never played through a Soldano, Mesa Boogie Rectifier, or 5150.

[OforOppression]

Forgot to mention, the action on the VMNT is really smooth, a little higher than most guitars I've played but it's not difficult.

[OMGWTF420]

just broke a string and dont have any to replace it, fml

[nichomachean]

I would ask what kind of budget you're looking for?

Overall, in terms of amp, for the most legitimate sounds (both clean and overdriven), you can't be tube. There are plenty of boutique craftsman creating wonderful amps across a range of sounds and needs. Bad Cat amps, for example, have great class A overdriven sound and crystal-clear cleans. ENGL, on the other hand, makes face-melting, high gain monsters for the metalheads and shredders out there. I think tube amps are worth the investment, even if they are pricey.

In terms of guitars, most companies make great guitars, and tone is a matter of many things, including the wood combinations in the neck, fretboard, and body; which electronics you place in the guitar, and scale. In terms of your current guitar, I am skeptical things like fret buzz and high action cannot be adjusted (it sounds like your repair guy doesn't seem to know his stuff). I play an Ibanez S with EMG active pickups as my more "metal" guitar (it has exceptional clean sounds as well), and stick to a Dean Evo for my more classic rock, Gibson-Les-Paul-style guitar.

Solid state is great on a budget, but all-in-all one will not find the same tone from it as tube circuitry.

Just my 2 coppers.

[OMGWTF420]

Originally Posted by nichomachean [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I would ask what kind of budget you're looking for?

Overall, in terms of amp, for the most legitimate sounds (both clean and overdriven), you can't be tube. There are plenty of boutique craftsman creating wonderful amps across a range of sounds and needs. Bad Cat amps, for example, have great class A overdriven sound and crystal-clear cleans. ENGL, on the other hand, makes face-melting, high gain monsters for the metalheads and shredders out there. I think tube amps are worth the investment, even if they are pricey.

In terms of guitars, most companies make great guitars, and tone is a matter of many things, including the wood combinations in the neck, fretboard, and body; which electronics you place in the guitar, and scale. In terms of your current guitar, I am skeptical things like fret buzz and high action cannot be adjusted (it sounds like your repair guy doesn't seem to know his stuff). I play an Ibanez S with EMG active pickups as my more "metal" guitar (it has exceptional clean sounds as well), and stick to a Dean Evo for my more classic rock, Gibson-Les-Paul-style guitar.

Solid state is great on a budget, but all-in-all one will not find the same tone from it as tube circuitry.

Just my 2 coppers.

awesome insight dude, i still consider myself a novice, ive only been playing for a little over 2 years so this is the kind of stuff i need to hear.

as far as my budget goes, im looking at around 300-400 on a new amp, a guitar will probably in the same ballpark area however ill be looking at used stuff too so hopefully i can get a good deal

[nichomachean]

Nice.

For a good little 5w tube amp, see if you can pick up a used Epiphone Valve Jr. It only has a gain knob, with nice cleans, and breaks up nicely as you ramp it up. You should be able to pick up the amp for about $100, and the matching 1x12 cabinet for $60-85.

In terms of guitar, in the $300-500 range there are all kinds of great guitars. I am actually a big fan of Schecter guitars, which for the price play really well and have room for upgrades. I am also a fan of Dean guitars in this price range, as well as some of the Ibanez (the S-series have some of the smoothest necks I've ever played). I would recommend the Schecter Omen series if you like fixed bridge, or the Damian series if you want to mess with the Floyd Rose vibrato. They both come with passive or active pickups.

Good luck!

[Yibz]

If you're considering buying a new guitar because of the fret buzz, hold off. Except for in very cheap guitars, this can be fixed 99% of the time by tinkering with the truss rod and adjusting the action. It's something they only recommend being done by a tech who knows what they're doing but it's easy enough to do by yourself. Just adjust the truss rod in small increments (1/8th of a turn) and you shouldn't have a problem. I love having a reason to go get a new guitar but the one you have sounds like a decent one.

[quido]

tarathiel link us to your myspace so we can hear you play bro, I wanna listen

[Aviann]

Spider 3 was my first amp ever. Loved the shit out of it. I plan on upgrading to a Spider 4 when I get to the point that I need to rattle my windows. I play a Syn Gates custom model Schecter with the Floyd rose. Ernie Ball's on it, heavy lows high highs. Fucking shreds beautifully and I found with my Line 6 that I have all the sound I ever wanted. I do have a couple of pedals, one for extra low dist that I mess around with my boys when they are in drop C, and the other for looping... The spider 4 would abolish my needs for both of them. Marshall sounds fuzzy to me now.

[Bodeanicus]

Originally Posted by OMGWTF420 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

currently im rocking an LTD viper 100fm, stock ESP pick-ups, bottom heavy Ernie Ball strings...

im thinking about upgrading, the guitar sounds superb especially distorted, the cleans could be better but its definitely manageable. my only complaints are the action isnt that great and i get alot of fret buzz(not sure if this is the guitar, my strings or both, dude at the shop said it was just the guitar and there was nothing i could do about it) any ideas? suggestions? what are you playing?

also i need a new amp. should i go marshall or fender? or what about line 6? i hear those are good for solid state amps. on that note should i go tube or solid state? i play mainly rock/metal fwiw

lets talk about guitars

First of all, stop playing homo-erotic faggot guitars that your homo-erotic faggot guitar heroes play. Do you really want to be onstage looking at a crowd of pimply faced, teenage boys who want to ask about your string gauge, stomp boxes and what potentiometers you use for your guitar's volume knob? Or do you want a hot chick to suck your knob after the show? Maybe you want one of the dudes to do it, fuck if I know.

Second, learn to set the fucking guitar up. It's not rocket science. There are fifty thousand videos on Youtube demonstrating how to do it. A retarded fucking ape could learn it.

Last, by a Fender G-Dec sample amp, since you're going to be playing shit. Don't waste your money on a good tube amp, you're not going to be playing anything worth hearing.