The best SOLID STATE halfstack for Metal

[ORCRiST]

Well, I can't speak for the rest - but I love my Crate GLX212. My friend bought one from the local GC many moons ago - I fell in love with the distortion, and promptly bought it from him.
It's been my main amp until I just decided to enter the world of tubes with a Blackstar HT5 a few months ago. The built-in effects are really nice (tone), although not very customizable.

They don't make 'em anymore, but just thought I'd throw it out there for yet another option for ya...  :evil4:

There's one on EvilBay right now for $139, no reserve...

:icon_thumright:

 

[Cagey]

Crate has made some tasty little amps over the years. Their original units in the crate-like cabinet weren't much to write home about, but just about everything since has been a lot of fun for very reasonable amounts of money. I had a 50 watt 112 some years back that was similar to what you've pictured above, and it was easy to love. For a solid state amp, it sounded surprisingly good.

 

[stubhead]

By now, there's clearly only one choice - sell everything you own, buy an acoustic and go live in a tree singing winsome folk songs. This other shit's too complicated. :rock-on:

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Well, I can't speak for the rest - but I love my Crate GLX212. My friend bought one from the local GC many moons ago - I fell in love with the distortion, and promptly bought it from him.
It's been my main amp until I just decided to enter the world of tubes with a Blackstar HT5 a few months ago. The built-in effects are really nice (tone), although not very customizable.

They don't make 'em anymore, but just thought I'd throw it out there for yet another option for ya...  :evil4:

There's one on EvilBay right now for $139, no reserve...

:icon_thumright:

I have a Crate G.212 (60W), and it's pretty old.  The distortion is okay, I guess, but things aren't real customizable, and those that are...they just don't "work" real well.

How do you like the Blackstar HT-5?

 

[bagman67]

By now, there's clearly only one choice - sell everything you own, buy A DOUMBEK and go live in a tree singing winsome folk songs. This other shite's too complicated. :rock-on:

Fixed it for you.  If you're gonna be a hippie, be a hippie, for crying out loud.

 

[toronado]

By now, there's clearly only one choice - sell everything you own, buy A DOUMBEK and go live in a tree singing winsome folk songs. This other shiteee's too complicated. :rock-on:

Fixed it for you.  If you're gonna be a hippie, be a hippie, for crying out loud.

LOL. I first read "sell every thing you own, be a dumbag".  

I'm really leaning towards the Randall V2, which is some sort of hybrid amp.  Any opinions on those?

In our rehearsal room is a Randall V2 from another band. This thing is very loud (400W @ 4 Ohms, wtf) and has tons of gain, you might be on the right track. But you'll need a cab that can take that.
The clean tone is nothing to write home about, but thats not what you're looking for, I guess. The distortion sound is cool.

 

[ORCRiST]

I have a Crate G.212 (60W), and it's pretty old.  The distortion is okay, I guess, but things aren't real customizable, and those that are...they just don't "work" real well.

How do you like the Blackstar HT-5?

Love it. Loud as F for 5 watts! Haven't used it all that much as I owned zero external effects for it due to the Crate above having everything built in - and pretty much need them
for the tone I'm chasing (80's metal/'Maiden). Plan on spending some quality time with it tonight as now I'lve got all the effects I want so far, and all the extra AC adapters that
go with them, and all the patch cables to connect everything. I guess I've been spoiled by my Crate for too long!

 

[bagman67]

If you're in San Francisco or nearby, here's an answer:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/msg/2643161397.html

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

If you're in San Francisco or nearby, here's an answer:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/msg/2643161397.html

Nah, I'm about 3000-3500 miles away from SF...in WV.  :toothy12:

 

[DangerousR6]

Well, I can't speak for the rest - but I love my Crate GLX212. My friend bought one from the local GC many moons ago - I fell in love with the distortion, and promptly bought it from him.
It's been my main amp until I just decided to enter the world of tubes with a Blackstar HT5 a few months ago. The built-in effects are really nice (tone), although not very customizable.

They don't make 'em anymore, but just thought I'd throw it out there for yet another option for ya...  :evil4:

There's one on EvilBay right now for $139, no reserve...

:icon_thumright:

I have the older brother of that, the 120 W GTX212 DSP, I to love the distortion, it's like Super Metal distortion. A real rock solid amp, but it does start to break up once the volume is turned past 7-8ish range.. :laughing7:

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

I've looked at a number of 1x12 and 2x12 combo amps, but I really want something that's 4x12.  arty07:

 

[jackthehack]

From the OP:

3. VERY HIGH gain capabilities

8. Something I can play out with if the need ever presents itself

If you think you need a 100 watt 4x12 to play in your house, you need to buy a good A&D insurance policy against your eventual hearing loss...

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

From the OP:

3. VERY HIGH gain capabilities

8. Something I can play out with if the need ever presents itself

If you think you need a 100 watt 4x12 to play in your house, you need to buy a good A&D insurance policy against your eventual hearing loss...

Point taken, but the argument can be made, "Why do you need more than a $250 Epiphone "Starter Pack" if all you're ever going to do is play in the bedroom?"   ccasion14:

 

[Justinginn]

Five watts (or less) into a 4x12 would sound very, very good. Pain to carry around but there is something to the 4x12 that combos don't give you. Just please, please get a small amp if you want to crank. Or don't crank your big one. You will ALWAYS be mic'd when you play live.

 

[stubhead]

Well, no, actually. The blurbs at Musician's Friend may tell you that a 5 watt amp has an extension jack to plug into a 4X12 because they want to sell you a 5 watt amp and a 4X12, but a speaker cabinet that big needs at least 25 or 30 watts to move that much magnet and flap that much cone. I think this small amp movement is a great thing, but when little tiny amps are used on stage they're miked and played through the PA. And they're great for recording with, but not on the same track as the drummer. I'd guess that a speaker (or cab) needs at least a quarter, maybe a third of it's rated power to get vibrating properly. A Celestion Vinage 30 is rated at 60 watts, though I think that's high - I certain wouldn't want to run a dimed 50 watt head into only one. But a cabinet of four on them isn't even going to wake up an start the coffee with less than 20 or 30 watts. Power ratings are ridiculously un-useful for comparison purposes - a 70's Marshall-style head with 4 EL34 could be putting out anywhere from maybe 80 to 120 watts depending on plate voltage, transformers and other design points. But the reason they're building the 5 watt heads with a single 10" or even a 8" speaker is because that's what they can drive.

 

[Justinginn]

Well I could always be wrong. I've had some experience with a small amp into big speakers and I liked it. Stubhead probably has more though.  :redflag:

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

100 watts tube and 100 watts SS are very different.  You can actually get a 100 watt SS to sound similar to itself at lower volumes, whereas the tubes want to "breathe" to sound good.  If you're set on 412 cab, a few years ago Peavey flooded the market with their Windsor series.  It was a 100 watt all tube head and 412 cab for $400.  I see the cabs all the time in used music stores and pawn shops for anywhere from $100 to $200.  Combine that with a new or used Krank, Carvin, Crate, Randall, Peavey or similar big SS head and you're in business.

 

[Cagey]

Well I could always be wrong. I've had some experience with a small amp into big speakers and I liked it. Stubhead probably has more though.  :redflag:

There is something magical about a 412 bottom. I've plugged small amps into them and been surprised, too. It may not be the best situation, but like an old friend used to say "Worst piece of ass I ever had was great!" <grin>

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

I just played a 6505 today, and lemme tell ya, that thing was LOUD.  I had it cranked to "1.5," and the windows of this entire store were rattling.  It makes it very difficult to justify the expense, just because of how loud it is.

Anyway, the Peavey 6505 head was $899, and the 6505+ was $1200.

The sound was amazing, and DEFINITELY the tone I'm looking for, but for home use, this thing is super-overkill.  arty07:

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Get a Blackstar HT-20 head along with a good cab and you'll have a lot of ground covered.