Brahma VS Plexi and Mr Scary VS XTC

[rynugz007]

I'm a marshall guy (mostly 70's plexi sounds). I love the jimmy page sounds and any classic rock marshall tones. But I also play in a modern rock cover band and need to be able to pull off some heavier stuff like Tool and Alice in chains.

I bought the Brahma module for my main tones and the Grail for some heavier stuff though I may take the Grail back (it might be too metal for my tastes but I do love how tight it is). I may swap it for a mr scary or an XTC since they most likely won't be as scooped in the mids??what do ya think?

Sometimes I feel the brahma is a bit too harsh in the upper mids/highs and not quite meaty enough on the bottom. There's a midrange honk thats pretty prominate that I'm not sure if I like or not (though, I might be able to take care of that with some different power tubes)

which marshall inspired module is for me? How does the plexi compare with the brahma? Any others I should look at? Somebody mentioned the KH-2 being able to get early marshall sounds. I play with my guitars volume knob all night long so I need something sensitve that cleans up well.

Thanks

 

[crankyrayhanky]

I was just a/bing the KH2 and Plexi tonight, trying to get the KH2 to tame down to Plexi tones...I could get in the ballpark, but there was a warmer vibe to the KH2 whereas the Plexi had more crystal clear chime to it. Very close, though...I was trying to decide if I needed the Plexi anymore.
I don't need it, as the KH2 gets that flavor, but the sounds are different enough that I'll keep both.

Considering you think the Grail may be too metal, I'm not sure if the KH2 is your best move, as it's forte is 80s classic thrash metal MOP- much more "metal" sounding than my Recto (Grail modified).

I'm not sure if any of this is useful, good luck

 

[audioholic]

I loved the Kh2, the ruby tubes are a bit dark, swapping out a brighter tube really helped it get less muddy imo. It has a decent amount on gain, I think its too warm to be plexi, but its a very rich module imo, one that is capable of covering some ground...

 

[JKD]

I'm a marshall guy (mostly 70's plexi sounds). I love the jimmy page sounds and any classic rock marshall tones. But I also play in a modern rock cover band and need to be able to pull off some heavier stuff like Tool and Alice in chains.

I bought the Brahma module for my main tones and the Grail for some heavier stuff though I may take the Grail back (it might be too metal for my tastes but I do love how tight it is). I may swap it for a mr scary or an XTC since they most likely won't be as scooped in the mids??what do ya think?

Sometimes I feel the brahma is a bit too harsh in the upper mids/highs and not quite meaty enough on the bottom. There's a midrange honk thats pretty prominate that I'm not sure if I like or not (though, I might be able to take care of that with some different power tubes)

which marshall inspired module is for me? How does the plexi compare with the brahma? Any others I should look at? Somebody mentioned the KH-2 being able to get early marshall sounds. I play with my guitars volume knob all night long so I need something sensitve that cleans up well.

Thanks

Keep the Brahma for the Plexi stuff..I think it sounds more authentic than the Plexi....change a pre-amp tube to tame the harshness a little.

Mr Scary nails that 80s Dokken tone..as well as a few other tones of the era so I guess that makes it fairly high gain but it's not as heavy as the Plexi and again cleans well with the volume control.

EDIT: Don't overlook a JTM as replacement for a Plexi either.

 

[KillTone]

You may want to check out a Pete modded Plexi. I have played a couple of gigs with mine and it has that Marshall tone that used to only exist in my imagination. Night and day difference from stock.

 

[Mailman1971]

You may want to check out a Pete modded Plexi. I have played a couple of gigs with mine and it has that Marshall tone that used to only exist in my imagination. Night and day difference from stock.

+1 on that. My Pete modded 1086 is light years ahead of the stock one. Really BRINGS IT when cranked.

 

[rynugz007]

how about the brown VS the brahma? I'm guessing the brown has a lot more gain? Would it be redundant for me to buy a plexi or brown if I already have a brahma?

I did return my grail over the weekend. I most likely will be picking up an XTC.

 

[goldwing68nv]

how about the brown VS the brahma? I'm guessing the brown has a lot more gain? Would it be redundant for me to buy a plexi or brown if I already have a brahma?

I did return my grail over the weekend. I most likely will be picking up an XTC.

if you already have the Brahma,i'd say it would be redundant to buy a Plexi or Brown...btw,the Brown does have more "gain" than the Brahma or Plexi,but the Brown has a boatload of mids to it,and is a darker,syrupy-sounding module...if that makes sense! stick with the Brahma and a good o/d pedal.you'll be able to cover ALOT of ground with it.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

Would it be redundant for me to buy a plexi or brown if I already have a brahma?

I see a lot of people are using the Brahama (with a boost) for the VH brown sound....people say the Plexi and the the Brahama are alike, but I was only luke warm on my Plexi-- but the Brown is one of my favorites.

People liken the Brahama to Fair Warning, my modded Brown is very early VH and a great inspiring sound. If you can find one, gobble it up!

I didn't think the Plexi and the Brown were redundant at all, quite the contrary

 

[Mailman1971]

There is a brand new Brahma on ebay right now for $189.00
that is a great price for a signature module that really is hard to find.
But I think it does have to be modded out to get the FULLNESS out of that module. I played mine all weekend and it just SINGS!!
One of the best tones I have gotten out of my Lynch box.

 

[khingpynn]

rynugz007...

have you tried the Grail on lower gain settings... it tends to open up a bit as the lows tend to thicken up quick on the Grail as gain is added. I'm talking 3.5 to 4 on the gain.

I tried it a while back and had some discussion about it here. I just love how the Grail sounds at lower gain settings and if i need it to get juicy'er I just kick it in the pants with a BBE Green Screamer of a Soldano GTO.

I've been thinking of trying 12AT7 or 12AU7 preamp tubes in the Grail... just to see how the end result will be... I got a few I just gotta get the time... everytime i turn on the LB I cannot help but play it... for hours... LOL

Try it... might just be right for you to.

Cheers
Craig

 

[rynugz007]

too late to try the low gain settings, I took the grail back to the store saturday. Though I do usually start with pretty low gain settings anytime I mess with an amp. I just thought no matter how muched I tweeked the knobs it still lacked that mid range snarl that I like with the marshall flavored stuff.

I do record other bands here and there and I'm sure the grail would of came in handy for that but I just figured it wouldn't get a lot of use for my own stuff. I also play in a cover band and could only picture using it on maybe 1 or 2 songs. I'll probably end up with a modded XTC.