Wisthekiller

I've heard from multiple places that the DSL15s just flat out suck. Just throwing that out there.

__________________
Check my Firebird build!-Comment on that bitch so I don't have to double post, even if it's a friendly "YOU SUCK!"

Upright fretted electric bass build!

TremontiAddict

I appreciate the input from everyone. Right now I'm kind of leaning towards getting a DSL401 or one of the better clean amps like a Hot Rod Deluxe. I guess it's a matter of opinion, but do you guys think I'd be happy with something like a Hot Rod and eventually getting a nice distortion pedal in the future such as the one of the new Bogner pedals or a Wampler, or would I be better off with a DSL401?

ihartfood

ask bassmastamitch. that's what he does, a wampler triple wreck and a HRD.

I have gone both routes in the past and prefer a high/mid gain combo to using pedals. less to schlep around I guess.

__________________
My Rig
Like Telecasters?

TremontiAddict

Cool, I'll try to talk to him then. I'm pretty much down to those two choices now, a clean amp with the Wampler or something like a DSL401.

TheSPillow

I own an Orange Dark Terror through a 2x12 with v30s, but I'd recommend possibly getting a Tiny Terror combo. It does the vintage stuff superbly.

__________________

steam

Gibson Les Paul Studio
Yamaha Pacifica 112
Alvarez SLM
Orange Dark Terror
Orange PPC212OB 2x12 cab
Yamaha P-85 Keyboard

ihartfood

Oh wait! Look into the Bogner Alchemist. It may be the answer

__________________
My Rig
Like Telecasters?

TremontiAddict

I'll look into both of these too. I'm gonna have to take a trip down to the music shop near me and try a ton of amps out. I'm pretty sure they had an Alchemist on display last time I was there.

ihartfood

You might love it, might hate it. It's that kind of amp. I love them.

The TT combo is gonna suck for cleans esp over a drummer and it will struggle for stuff like Isolation (AB song). I found myself keeping the tone knob really high up as well to get a nice bark/trebly bite out of it as well. You should look into the Jim Root terror if you're going that route as it's far more controllable IMO and is based off the Rockerverb preamp circuit.

__________________
My Rig
Like Telecasters?

TremontiAddict

I kinda doubt I go the Orange route just because they're a little out of my price range. I might consider a Jim Root Terror or a Dark Terror if I already had a cab, but right now I'm mainly looking at combos. Plus I would like something with more headroom for cleans.

bassmastamitch

I'll answer your message here in case anyone else wants to dissect it.

A Triple Wreck-HRD would be pretty much perfect for what you want, as you are in very similar circumstances to mine as for volume needs, budget, and music styles (Mark Tremonti is my favorite guitarist too!)

Volume is the finicky beast. The amp can easily drown out a drumset, but also run whisper quiet, however not much in between. (This is the case with my HRD model, but this may be a fix with different pots in the HRD III.) Thing is, I've found the volume control on the Triple Wreck to be incredibly useful, so I can run the amp's volume at around 2, but adjust the volume on the pedal to 9 o clock for nighttime playing, around 11 o clock if I don't want to hear my strings acoustically, and then about 1 clock to match the bypassed signal. The volume on the T-Wreck isn't really a direct attenuation to my ears (lower volume=less push on the preamp of the amp, affecting the tone) but it is still a damn fine tone for that volume.

__________________

TremontiAddict

^Thanks for answering! It sounds like a pretty versatile setup. It looks to me like the Deluxe III added different kinds of pots, so maybe they tried to fix that problem in the newer models. I'll continue searching for a good deal and playing some of these amps in person, but I think I'm leaning towards getting the HRD with a Wampler sometime in the future.

Thanks again to everyone that replied. You've all been a big help.

ihartfood

and mitch, the HRDIII allegedly has a drive channel not born of devil spawn.

__________________
My Rig
Like Telecasters?

bassmastamitch

That's to look on the bright side. I still doubt it's usability, even though I haven't heard the III for myself.

__________________

TremontiAddict

Lol I'm sure I'd find uses for the HRD drive channel. It's nice to have a variety of tones to play with anyways.

ihartfood

oh no. no. ahahaha. no you won't, not if you get the old one. no sir.

__________________
My Rig
Like Telecasters?

TremontiAddict

Lol I'll probably try to grab the III if I get one.

bassmastamitch

I don't joke when I say it's completely unusable, minus an OK at best fuzz tone. You'd be buying a clean machine.

__________________

tubetime86

I wouldn't say that. It's bad, but it's not like it's completely non-musical... It sounds OK, until you hear what a decent drive sound is supposed to sound like...

I think most people are happy with the OD when they buy the amp, it's just that over time they get sick of it and its shortcoming stand out more.

__________________

311ZOSOVHJH

The HRD III is much better than the originals imo

__________________