Worst Amps Hall of Fame?

11 Gauge · September 1st, 2005, 03:18 PM

Just wondering which amps I should never, ever consider acquiring...

BB · September 1st, 2005, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 11 Gauge

Just wondering which amps I should never, ever consider acquiring...

Sned Nensons "Harmonic Crapulator" comes to mind along with the short lived, but much maligned 1958 "Atomic Turd Bucket" made by Leo's arch rival Elgernon Bavaquah.

Other than those two, I think you're safe!

Jakedog · September 1st, 2005, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 11 Gauge

Just wondering which amps I should never, ever consider acquiring...

I've always tried to stay away from anything with the word "Gorilla" on it.

But that's just me...

Jake

11 Gauge · September 1st, 2005, 04:18 PM

before this thread descends into merely jesting, i'll cast the first stone:

-80's Peavey Stereo Chorus 212

this thing weighed more than a Twin Reverb, had 3 channels (all of which sucked), and horrendous digital reverb. Not a good tone to be found anywhere in the thing. it was so bad that i traded it in for a Pignose G40V...

the kicker is i got it in a trade where i gave away a 70's Peavey S.C. 212 that was fantastic - great channels (each assignable as stereo or mono), good ol' Accutronics reverb, and a decent clean channel. Kinda like the big brother of the infamous Peavey Special. oh well - a fool and his (or her) good amp are soon parted...

gls500 · September 1st, 2005, 04:35 PM

Seymour Duncan Convertible (with the switchable "modules").

If you could keep it working for more than a week, it was hard to make it sound good.

Some people loved them, but they weren't for me, and were notoriously unreliable. Neat concept, though.

Tremo · September 1st, 2005, 04:38 PM

Anything from Mesa. Sound like crap.

Computer wannabe amps like FMIC's "Cyber" crap.

Any transistor trash amp.

Duncan Convertable.

Cheezy cheapo budget tube amps, because they're built like a POS.

Amps with too many bells and whistles, and insane high gain. Those are for kids and wankers.

Chris S. · September 1st, 2005, 05:11 PM

http://tdpri.com/viewtopic.php?p=364769 (scroll down to the Yamaha photo...) CS

Joe-Bob · September 1st, 2005, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 11 Gauge

Just wondering which amps I should never, ever consider acquiring...

I know this may go against the grain around here a little, but the truth will set you free:

*Fender Blues Jr.* !!!

Bluesbob · September 1st, 2005, 05:38 PM

Friend of mine traded in his Blues Deluxe (tweed) for a Crate "120 watt" SS 2X12 combo with "DSP", straight up. I just couldn't believe it. This wasn't a new one, it had blue and chrome trim. I tried to get him to take it back, but I guess he just wasn't able to face facts. The sound of the distortion covered so many frequencies you couldn't tell what he was trying to do. Horrible. Eventually he brought it back, but his Fender was gone. The good news is he now plays through a Rivera, don't remember which one.

Paul G. · September 1st, 2005, 05:59 PM

Yamaha G50-12.

Sounded ok at bedroom volume. Absolutely no cut or tone when you turned it up, even a little. When I think of how blisteringly loud a 50 watt amp should be, I just couldn't figure out how puny this thing was.

Marshall JTM 30-2x12.
Bought it sight unseen, seemed like a good idea. What a piece of junk!!! Cardboard cabinet, lousy distortion (on a Marshall!!!). Open it up and you'd think you were looking at a cheap toy. Junky PC board, junky pots, cheesy parts. Could only fit short bottle 5881 power tubes. The worst part is, it cost a bunch of money.

P.

Tremo · September 1st, 2005, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe-Bob

I know this may go against the grain around here a little, but the truth will set you free:

*Fender Blues Jr.* !!!

I agree. Cheapo cheezy budget amp. Even though several of my friends have them. I've re-voiced a couple and they do sound better, but still they're basically a POS.

stephent2 · September 1st, 2005, 08:27 PM

For me it's a Boogie. others might love 'em and I don't mean to offend.

How come every Boogie player i see has his butt to the crowd and he's bent over dickin' with his knobs trying (I guess) to get a decent tone out of the thing.

I calls it "The Boogie Bend".

Tremo · September 1st, 2005, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephent2

For me it's a Boogie. others might love 'em and I don't mean to offend.

How come every Boogie player i see has his butt to the crowd and he's bent over dickin' with his knobs trying (I guess) to get a decent tone out of the thing.

I calls it "The Boogie Bend".

LOL! They can dink with the knobs all they want, a decent tone is not to be found in those things, unless your idea of tone is insane gain, and mushy harsh distortion. Fenders have much better clean, Marshalls have much better crunch.

Riveras have about the same gain as a Mesa, and all the bells and whistles, but sound a helluva lot better.

Ever hear someone trying to pull a clean tone out of a PV 5150 head? Ain't gonna happen, they're biased ice cold. The 5150-II and the combo are biased warmer.

Mr. Sparkle · September 1st, 2005, 10:24 PM

I'm no Boogie fan, either--they can turn any guitar into an icepick.

I'd add to the list any Marshall ValveState. Pure crap.

voided3 · September 2nd, 2005, 12:04 AM

All I have to say is Marshall AVT 150 head. My friend owned one along with two of the matching 4x12 cabs and he has lived to regret it. He let me borrow his amp and almost paid me to find a good tone on it with his GNX pedal. By itself, the amp sounded like butt, though the cleans were nice, unless you added a pedal; worst pedal amp ever. I tried a Tubescreamer and a Fuzz Face with it and it made good pedals sound bad. Even the GNX couldn't process it enough to get something respectable. My little Squier Champ sounded better; seriously. Also, a Line 6 Spider when cranked up loud sounds bad, though the tone at low volume isn't too shabby, just don't expect any feedback sustain or anything....friggin noise suppresor. Not to mention it was very noisy; get your guitar within 5 feet of it and it will hum crazily.

tweedman · September 2nd, 2005, 12:11 AM

My vote for this amp category is the Mesa Boogie Subway Blues.It had absolutely NO BOTTOM END and I only kept it about 2 months.

Ringo · September 2nd, 2005, 12:20 AM

I certainly wouldn't classify the Mesa amps I owned as Hall of Shame candidates.
I don't care for the Dual Rectifier etc.. but I've had a couple of Mesa amps (Mark IIB, Studio .22+, DC3)that I liked.
No they weren't perfect, but I've come to the conclusion that there is no "one" amp that will do everything.

I'm 48 , I've played through a LOT of amps over the years , solid state, vintage and modern tube amps, and several modeling amps. I was able to get some good tones out of almost any of them. Some were better than others.
What I regret buying the most were good tube amps I paid way too much money to have so called amp techs mod , or should I say hack and then lost my tail when I didn't like them and resold them.

So put my vote for "modded tube amps".

Maggot · September 2nd, 2005, 01:02 AM

I had an Acoustic fake-leather covered solid-state thing growing up that sounded worse than any of those.

David Barnett · September 2nd, 2005, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tremo

Anything from Mesa. Sound like crap.

Haha, you beat me to it.

As long as we're slaughtering sacred cows, Roland JC120! It's the "no tone zone".

Red Knob Twin.

Johnson modelling amp.

fontaine · September 2nd, 2005, 04:43 AM

70s Marshall Master Lead twin 12. Looked
real cool. Had real greenbacks.
Played one in a London shop and liked it.
Came home, bought one and then proceeded
to dink around with that thing for a year!
No matter what i did it sounded like genuine
crap.
The upside is i gave it and $160.00 for a "65
Deluxe Reverb that i still have. I had no
problem getting pleasant sounds out of that
amp.Jeff Andrews just did a freshen up on it
and it's even better than when i first got it.

Tim Bowen · September 2nd, 2005, 06:04 AM

VOX AC30.
Fender blackface Deluxe.
Marshall "plexi".

Just kidding.

I don't particularly care for Boogies, but our no-name lap steel with a Duncan '59 KILLS through a Studio .22.

Tim Bowen · September 2nd, 2005, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Barnett

As long as we're slaughtering sacred cows, Roland JC120! It's the "no tone zone".

JC's sound sorta stupid to me as a sole amp. Blend one with a rich & crunchy AC30, and righteousness will be revealed.

Robin Nahum · September 2nd, 2005, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maggot

I had an Acoustic fake-leather covered solid-state thing growing up that sounded worse than any of those.

Ditto. I had an Acoustic 140(?) combo - SS with 2x12s that sounded dreadful - although in those days I probably would have sounded dreadful playing a Tele through a Blackface Deluxe. I replaced it with a Twin - big improvement.

Jparris · September 2nd, 2005, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul G.

Marshall JTM 30-2x12.
Bought it sight unseen, seemed like a good idea. What a piece of junk!!! Cardboard cabinet, lousy distortion (on a Marshall!!!). Open it up and you'd think you were looking at a cheap toy. Junky PC board, junky pots, cheesy parts. Could only fit short bottle 5881 power tubes. The worst part is, it cost a bunch of money.

Yes, that JTM series was the nadir of amp manufacturing, imho; my sour experience with a JTM 60 led to my jumping headlong into a tonequest that resulted in a 1960 Tweed Deluxe, (2) '62 Brown Princetons, Traynor Guitar Mate (ygm3), & several Champs. Currently using the 2nd Brown Princeton, very satisfied.

My first amp was a 80's Peavey Bandit, and it sounded awful, even to my (then) untrained ears. :P

jparris

tjalla · September 2nd, 2005, 10:33 AM

Nothing sacred about this amp, IMO

To quote James Taylor - "a hefty pile of steamin' junk"

September 1st, 2005, 03:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
11 Gauge Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The East Coast Posts: 3,083 10 Photos	Worst Amps Hall of Fame? Just wondering which amps I should never, ever consider acquiring... __________________

September 1st, 2005, 04:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
11 Gauge Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The East Coast Posts: 3,083 10 Photos	before this thread descends into merely jesting, i'll cast the first stone: -80's Peavey Stereo Chorus 212 this thing weighed more than a Twin Reverb, had 3 channels (all of which sucked), and horrendous digital reverb. Not a good tone to be found anywhere in the thing. it was so bad that i traded it in for a Pignose G40V... the kicker is i got it in a trade where i gave away a 70's Peavey S.C. 212 that was fantastic - great channels (each assignable as stereo or mono), good ol' Accutronics reverb, and a decent clean channel. Kinda like the big brother of the infamous Peavey Special. oh well - a fool and his (or her) good amp are soon parted... __________________

September 1st, 2005, 05:11 PM	#7 (permalink)
Chris S. Moderator Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Near TELE-Town (Wash. DC) Posts: 2,971 7 Photos	http://tdpri.com/viewtopic.php?p=364769 (scroll down to the Yamaha photo...) CS __________________ "I go online sometimes, but everyone's spelling is really bad. It's depressing." – Tara, from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" "It was born at the junction of form and function." – Bill Kirchen, from "Hammer of the Honky-Tonk Gods"

September 1st, 2005, 05:38 PM	#9 (permalink)
Bluesbob Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: East Suffolk L.I. Posts: 1,071 20 Photos	Such a deal... Friend of mine traded in his Blues Deluxe (tweed) for a Crate "120 watt" SS 2X12 combo with "DSP", straight up. I just couldn't believe it. This wasn't a new one, it had blue and chrome trim. I tried to get him to take it back, but I guess he just wasn't able to face facts. The sound of the distortion covered so many frequencies you couldn't tell what he was trying to do. Horrible. Eventually he brought it back, but his Fender was gone. The good news is he now plays through a Rivera, don't remember which one. __________________ What, me worry?

September 1st, 2005, 05:59 PM	#10 (permalink)
Paul G. Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 885	I've owned two of them Yamaha G50-12. Sounded ok at bedroom volume. Absolutely no cut or tone when you turned it up, even a little. When I think of how blisteringly loud a 50 watt amp should be, I just couldn't figure out how puny this thing was. Marshall JTM 30-2x12. Bought it sight unseen, seemed like a good idea. What a piece of junk!!! Cardboard cabinet, lousy distortion (on a Marshall!!!). Open it up and you'd think you were looking at a cheap toy. Junky PC board, junky pots, cheesy parts. Could only fit short bottle 5881 power tubes. The worst part is, it cost a bunch of money. P. __________________ Listen to your mother

September 1st, 2005, 04:35 PM	#5 (permalink)
gls500 Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 894	Seymour Duncan Convertible (with the switchable "modules"). If you could keep it working for more than a week, it was hard to make it sound good. Some people loved them, but they weren't for me, and were notoriously unreliable. Neat concept, though.

September 1st, 2005, 04:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
Tremo Banned Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Silicon Valley, CA, USA Posts: 3,803	Anything from Mesa. Sound like crap. Computer wannabe amps like FMIC's "Cyber" crap. Any transistor trash amp. Duncan Convertable. Cheezy cheapo budget tube amps, because they're built like a POS. Amps with too many bells and whistles, and insane high gain. Those are for kids and wankers.

September 1st, 2005, 08:27 PM	#12 (permalink)
stephent2 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Atlanta, GA. Age: 57 Posts: 2,628 20 Photos	For me it's a Boogie. others might love 'em and I don't mean to offend. How come every Boogie player i see has his butt to the crowd and he's bent over dickin' with his knobs trying (I guess) to get a decent tone out of the thing. I calls it "The Boogie Bend". __________________ ".. Pine cones go in here (points to still), party liquors comes out here and proceed to here (mouth). Fights begin, finger prints are took, days is lost, bail is made, court dates are ignored, cycle is repeated". -- Earlie Cuyler, Squidbillies

September 1st, 2005, 10:24 PM	#14 (permalink)
Mr. Sparkle Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Carlsbad, CA Age: 41 Posts: 1,313 4 Photos	I'm no Boogie fan, either--they can turn any guitar into an icepick. I'd add to the list any Marshall ValveState. Pure crap.

September 2nd, 2005, 12:04 AM	#15 (permalink)
voided3 Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 733	All I have to say is Marshall AVT 150 head. My friend owned one along with two of the matching 4x12 cabs and he has lived to regret it. He let me borrow his amp and almost paid me to find a good tone on it with his GNX pedal. By itself, the amp sounded like butt, though the cleans were nice, unless you added a pedal; worst pedal amp ever. I tried a Tubescreamer and a Fuzz Face with it and it made good pedals sound bad. Even the GNX couldn't process it enough to get something respectable. My little Squier Champ sounded better; seriously. Also, a Line 6 Spider when cranked up loud sounds bad, though the tone at low volume isn't too shabby, just don't expect any feedback sustain or anything....friggin noise suppresor. Not to mention it was very noisy; get your guitar within 5 feet of it and it will hum crazily.

September 2nd, 2005, 12:11 AM	#16 (permalink)
tweedman Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 414	My vote for this amp category is the Mesa Boogie Subway Blues.It had absolutely NO BOTTOM END and I only kept it about 2 months.

September 2nd, 2005, 12:20 AM	#17 (permalink)
Ringo Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Memphis TN Posts: 1,925	re Mesa amps & modded amps I certainly wouldn't classify the Mesa amps I owned as Hall of Shame candidates. I don't care for the Dual Rectifier etc.. but I've had a couple of Mesa amps (Mark IIB, Studio .22+, DC3)that I liked. No they weren't perfect, but I've come to the conclusion that there is no "one" amp that will do everything. I'm 48 , I've played through a LOT of amps over the years , solid state, vintage and modern tube amps, and several modeling amps. I was able to get some good tones out of almost any of them. Some were better than others. What I regret buying the most were good tube amps I paid way too much money to have so called amp techs mod , or should I say hack and then lost my tail when I didn't like them and resold them. So put my vote for "modded tube amps".

September 2nd, 2005, 01:02 AM	#18 (permalink)
Maggot Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Durham, NC Posts: 746 1 Photos	I had an Acoustic fake-leather covered solid-state thing growing up that sounded worse than any of those. __________________ www.myspace.com/feierman

September 2nd, 2005, 04:43 AM	#20 (permalink)
fontaine Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 338	70s Marshall Master Lead twin 12. Looked real cool. Had real greenbacks. Played one in a London shop and liked it. Came home, bought one and then proceeded to dink around with that thing for a year! No matter what i did it sounded like genuine crap. The upside is i gave it and $160.00 for a "65 Deluxe Reverb that i still have. I had no problem getting pleasant sounds out of that amp.Jeff Andrews just did a freshen up on it and it's even better than when i first got it.

September 2nd, 2005, 06:04 AM	#21 (permalink)
Tim Bowen Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Age: 48 Posts: 3,389	VOX AC30. Fender blackface Deluxe. Marshall "plexi". Just kidding. I don't particularly care for Boogies, but our no-name lap steel with a Duncan '59 KILLS through a Studio .22. __________________ "Everyone is different in how they learn, but for me, it's turning the pegs and just playing." - BB

September 2nd, 2005, 10:33 AM	#25 (permalink)
tjalla Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 1,947 7 Photos	+1 for JC120 Nothing sacred about this amp, IMO To quote James Taylor - "a hefty pile of steamin' junk"