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Post subject: Re: RE: VM's
Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:22 pm
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wrfabus wrote:
Here's some more opinions on the VM series:
http://www.fenderforum.com/forum.html?d ... 0210:37:02

Enjoy


You need to go beyond Fender based forums for real honest reviews. Some of them love the digital reverb? They need to go beyond stomp box reverb to know what reverb is all about. I've yet to find one that doesn't glitch out when you turn it up to an interesting level.

The reviews on fenderforum.com are over a year old too. These guys also think the HRD series are the mutts nuts. If you really like digital effects destroying the tone of that great guitar you bought, go for the VM or HRD series.

Before you make a decision, A/B any VM or HRD with a DRRI, SR, Twin or Bassman and you'll see what I mean.


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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 10:56 am
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Personally, I have a Super Champ XD, and I really think it's a great little amp. Apparently the greater majority of those who either own or have tried one think it's great too, from all the reviews and posts I've read online.
I've perhaps read less than half a dozen negative comments out of close to a hundred posts and customer reviews.
It's got good tone, I like the DSP models and the effects, and it was a good price. As to it's realability over the long run, I can't speak to that, It's only a few months old, and I haven't really used it a whole lot yet.


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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 1:56 pm
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There are a lot of new players or player new to tube amps who buy them too. That's really where all the great reviews come from. Granted there are others too. I grew up with Blackface Fender amps, Ampegs and Sunn amps. So for me the DSP amps don't really do it for me. The amp models aren't even close. That said I do own a GDec 30 that I work out new guitar parts with when I record. I have to turn off all the effects because they just get on my nerves. The amp models on the 30 are horrible too.

Point is, if you have no point of reference, you will never know what great tone is, only what is pre-packaged for you. I guy I jam with uses one and I find it cheap and boxy sounding. My little 74 Champ blows it away in the tone department and it's only 6 watts. YMMV and please don't take my comments personally.


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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 3:56 pm
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I have never had any luck getting the tones I want out of things like that .I had a boss me-33 once and couldnt get what I wanted.Same with the POD.I would much rather get my foundation set with a good amp and guitar,then look for the stomp boxes to get the tones I want.I know it can be expensive,but the skys the limit.You can interchange them with different amps.I have quite a few OD pedals ,but have settled on one delay pedal and one chorus pedal.I can see the attraction,but it isnt my cup of tea.


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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 7:56 pm
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the Deluxe VM is a great amp, lots of power and the gain gives just the right push for that little extra dirt. if you don't like the additional FXs don't use em'. the amp is portable enough for small locales and has plenty of punch. the extra speaker outlet is great for changing the tone by adding an additional cabinet with a different speaker mix. love this little beauty!!!!


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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 8:43 pm
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Edwinschaffner wrote:
the Deluxe VM is a great amp, lots of power and the gain gives just the right push for that little extra dirt. if you don't like the additional FXs don't use em'. the amp is portable enough for small locales and has plenty of punch. the extra speaker outlet is great for changing the tone by adding an additional cabinet with a different speaker mix. love this little beauty!!!!


If you don't need the effects a used DRRI would be a lot better. Push it and you get some natural dirt, not digital dirt.
Compared to other 40 watt amps I've used, the VM's seem to be a little light in the power dept. I don't know how true it is , but my tech has been seeing quite a few VM Bandmasters and Deluxes comes across his bench and he seems to think the power and output trannies are a little light weight. At least they moved up to Celestion speakers though. The VM's just seem to lack anything special for me. YMMV


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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:35 pm
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I owned a SCXD for a few months. I never liked the effects so I didn't use them (other than reverb, but sparingly as it sounded very digital past 2-3). The effects sounded decent enough, but not being able to adjust their parameters (delay time, chorus speed & width, etc.) made them pretty useless to me. The amp models sounded good, but they didn't clean up with your volume knob like a genuine overdriven tube amp. I only used channel 1 when I had it.

I think that they are decent amps for what they are, and if you use all of the onboard effects then I can see how some people love them. It just didn't match my wants/needs/playing style.

I can't speak for the Deluxe VM because I haven't played one, but I don't think it would be my cup of tea. I prefer a nice simple tube amp and some quality analog stompboxes.

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Last edited by djv18 on Thu Mar 11, 2010 5:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 2:11 am
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63supro wrote:
There are a lot of new players or player new to tube amps who buy them too. That's really where all the great reviews come from. Granted there are others too. I grew up with Blackface Fender amps, Ampegs and Sunn amps. So for me the DSP amps don't really do it for me. The amp models aren't even close. That said I do own a GDec 30 that I work out new guitar parts with when I record. I have to turn off all the effects because they just get on my nerves. The amp models on the 30 are horrible too.

Point is, if you have no point of reference, you will never know what great tone is, only what is pre-packaged for you. I guy I jam with uses one and I find it cheap and boxy sounding. My little 74 Champ blows it away in the tone department and it's only 6 watts. YMMV and please don't take my comments personally.

This is probably true, I really don't have much personal experience with tube amps but I have musician friends who have used them for years, (one with a Twin Reverb, that he bought new in the late 60's, along with a gold-top LP,another two with Sound City stacks in the 70's, one using a'72 Strat, the other with a couple of 60's SG's,for example) that's my primary reference.
All I can really tell you, is that the sound of the SCXD is good to me. I got it primarily as a cheap practice amp and the DSP aspect I consider to be another cost cutting measure, where I won't need to spend extra bucks on pedals. I can Imagine myself getting a DRRI at some point, though. It seems like it might be a good idea. But for now, the SCXD fits my needs perfectly. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.


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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 12:43 pm
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I noticed a thread in the amp section about a DRRI with trouble, and another with someone looking for pedals to overdrive the DRRI.

The DRRI's are good amps no doubt, but they ain't perfect. Not my favorite overdrive tones. I have had 40 years of experience with original and reissue deluxe reverbs. One would really be doing themselves a favor in trying out a DRRI to verify that's the OD tones they want. It's easy to find on forums where some folks indicate some OD pedals do not sound as good with a DRRI either.

Again, nice clean amp. If it's OD tones you're after, make sure the DRRI has the ones you want, or plays well with your favorite pedal.

While some have had problems with the Hot Rods, I know lots of guys that have never had a single problem. I have one of the first hot rods made and never had a problem with it. One of the most aggravating amps I eve owned was a deluxe reverb.

Some of the newest digital stuff is pretty good too. For example, Egnater is putting digital reverb in their amps and they sound good. Point is...let your ear be your guide.


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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 12:48 pm
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Good advice prolux.I havent found a pedal yet that sounds bad in the drri,but if you want the best od tones,I would go with a tweed amp,and I am not talking about the covering either. :wink:


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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 2:05 pm
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I'm having a problem with finding an OD pedal that I like with the Rebel 20. I even built and modified my own BYOC British Blues Overdrive and still like keep going back to the Rebel's gain knob. The pedal sounds great with the Twin and the SF Champ, but the Rebel's OD is sweeter, punchier and more refined. I'm experimenting with a BYOC Confidence Boost and I'll see what happens. Weird stuff.


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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 2:09 pm
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63supro wrote:
I'm having a problem with finding an OD pedal that I like with the Rebel 20. I even built and modified my own BYOC British Blues Overdrive and still like keep going back to the Rebel's gain knob. The pedal sounds great with the Twin and the SF Champ, but the Rebel's OD is sweeter, punchier and more refined. I'm experimenting with a BYOC Confidence Boost and I'll see what happens. Weird stuff.
Supro ,have you tried the EH English muff'n with it?


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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 2:21 pm
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A bit pricey, but the Damage Contol pedels sound really good!
http://damagecontrolusa.com/

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 2:22 pm
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Nah, It already has a ton of different tube distortions that sound great. That's what the English Muffin gives you.It would be redundant.
I'm looking for something that I can use the Rebel pretty clean and stomp the boost for lead stuff. Just on the edge. Now I'm thinking of two heads and a A/B switch. Either another Rebel 20 or the New Egnater Tweaker that just came out. I don't like the voicing on the Rebel 30, and I've read the Rebel 30's were having a few minor issues that Bruce Egnater addressed on their forum. He's calling it growing pains. He never thought his amps would take off like they did. Mostly it seems like tube and footswitch issues.

Thing is, I really don't like channel switching amps and the Tweaker looks cool. It's cathode biased and has a bunch of tube and EQ switching options on it. I really want to try one out. It's only 15 watts, but I think it could hang with the big boys. The Rebel 20 does.


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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 2:27 pm
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63supro wrote:
Nah, It already has a ton of different tube distortions that sound great. That's what the English Muffin gives you.It would be redundant.
I'm looking for something that I can use the Rebel pretty clean and stomp the boost for lead stuff. Just on the edge. Now I'm thinking of two heads and a A/B switch. Either another Rebel 20 or the New Egnater Tweaker that just came out. I don't like the voicing on the Rebel 30, and I've read the Rebel 30's were having a few minor issues that Bruce Egnater addressed on their forum. He's calling it growing pains. He never thought his amps would take off like they did. Mostly it seems like tube and footswitch issues.

Thing is, I really don't like channel switching amps and the Tweaker looks cool. It's cathode biased and has a bunch of tube and EQ switching options on it. I really want to try one out. It's only 15 watts, but I think it could hang with the big boys. The Rebel 20 does.
Wow , Egnater has a new amp coming out?That is one growing company.Alot of impressive stuff.I guess its too early to put tubes out to pasture then ,ay? :wink:


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