Here is your NAMM update

[Mattfig]

Egnater also had no modular amps displayed at NAMM. I spoke with Bruce about it and he said they weren't doing much of it anymore but MAY get back into it a bit more soon. Also, I tried out the Egnater Armageddon and it was killer, basically a copy of a Diezel Herbert at less than half the price ..... made in China

Yeah, that Armageddon seems like a cool *** amp...Maybe we can get Bruce to make an Armageddon module???? Only half joking...I'd like to see which modules it sounds like though side by side...Too bad he didn't have any MTS stuff there...

 

[ricky]

thanks for the vid on the E2. I read somewhere that it will cost a grand with two modules. Hopefully Randall will come out with a cheaper version or something. I would buy one right away if they did.
I loved the post about giving a rack seminar at the end of every gig. I do that also and most have never heard of the MTS stuff as it comes from Randall and nobody pays attention. I also agree that it was never marketed to most genres. I am 58 years old and even though most modules lean toward the metallic side, I use my modules for everything from blues to country. I get hired to do studio work and even though I have a bunch of vintage amps to use, I am too old to carry my old twin with EV-SROs around so I use my RM4 with the SuperClean module. Or my VoxLess with my old Epiphone Casino for the Beatles tone.

 

[frodgemo]

Hey everyone, I'm new both to the forum, and to the MTS world. As such, I thought this would be as good a place as any to jump into the conversation...

The reason I'm new to the MTS world is that prior to fall 2011, I had NEVER heard of this concept. I stumbled upon the Egnater Modular website and was instantly taken by the concept, and spent the next 4 months searching until I finally got an Eggie Mod 50 head w/ the VX and SL modules. Incredible. What's more incredible is the fact that I'm a relatively active semi-pro musician and sound/recording engineer, yet had never even heard of these things. So I guess my point is that with a different approach to marketing, a bigger market could be created. I'm only a week in with 2 modules, and I'm in for life. As far as I'm concerned this is the greatest innovation in guitar amplification since amps themselves....!

 

[JD]

I stumbled on to MTS a couple years ago, tried it and have never looked back. I've been getting some good tones out of stock modules and have a couple Jaded Faith modules on order and am expecting to have the amp taken to another level.
Like you, I feel if they would have done a better job of marketing, it would of done wonders for sales. Hopefully Bruce will keep it going.

 

[JeffHenneman]

As far as I'm concerned this is the greatest innovation in guitar amplification since amps themselves....!

I wouldn't go that extreme, but I think it is the best innovation I have seen in my lifetime. It is such a great concept, and works great. I mean not only can you switch out preamps, but you can put any kind of power tubes in it. It is the ultimate for tone chasers.
All the regulars on hear always talk about the marketing failure by randall, and I totally agree. But my thought on the matter is a little bit different. After a few years, they should have tweaked the modules and kinda hot roded them and deffinately got rid of the excess noise on there hi gain modules. And I don't mean like the stuff the modders are doing. Realistically the modders took it to a whole new realm and have kept this stuff going. I think they could have put a little more effort to refine the modules but the changes they did make were almost unrecognized. I mean if they had time to work on the RT series they could have done something.
I have had many randalls thru the years and I love that randall tone. I jumped into the MTS world hopeing to get that randall tone in tube forum. I love there solid state stuff but I also like the way tube amps react to your playing. So I was all over the Ultra XL. And I love its tone but it is really noisey. More so than my peavey 6505. They got there hands on something great but instead of fixing the holes in the side of the ship when they still had a chance, they just let that thing sink.
In all I do know that the sale of the company was a big problem as well, but I still think they could have done something. Thats my feeling on the matter.

 

[ricky]

So Bruce Eganater licensed this stuff to Randall and Randall dropped the ball? I wonder if there is another company out there that might buy the license from Randall and move ahead with this? As I said in an earlier post, I am an old guy here and I agree with the earlier post about what a great innovation this has been. I have about 10 old tube amps(mostly Fenders and Vox) and just don't have the room or the money for more, especially the older style amps. I would love to carry at least two amps to a gig, but i got tired of lifting them. This is the first thing I have been excited about in over twenty years. If it dies, I am glad I have a bunch of modules to play with.
ricky

 

[Jaded Faith]

The patent is Egnater's, not Randall's. Randall is not able to license it to anyone. I don't expect the line to go anywhere, just that Egnater will be the name behind it instead of Randall.

 

[ricky]

Right. The patent belongs to Bruce. However Randall must have done some kind of deal with him. It would be cool if he were to see that having a better company put his stuff out there would increase his income a little. I don't know how long his deal with Randall is going on, but I assume that Randall could either sell it or renegotiate it.
Rob, maybe your the guy to do this? Just kidding. I like what you do with your mods too much to mess with it.

 

[frodgemo]

I was kind of under the impression that Randall's license was over as of the start of this year? It would be nice if Bruce and his gang took the helm again, as he/they seem to be a team with real vision. Something as unique as this shouldn't be done halfheartedly.

 

[Nightdare]

I think currently Bruce is pusing the amps he's making the most money on
wether he'll restart the -debatable- outdated/saturated MTS line, only time will tell
but when it comes to amps, I think Bruce likes to move forward and build NEW ideas

 

[ricky]

I understand that, but this would not require him to do anything except re license something that is already out there.

 

[MarcoR]

Anybody remember the original modular tube amp?

http://www.diyguitarist.com/GuitarAmps/Convert.htm

Once endorsed by Jeff Beck:
http://www.diyguitarist.com/GuitarAmps/SD-Convertible/Convertible-JB.htm

Long gone from production but still kept alive by DIYers.

 

[wesarvin]

I used to have one of those! In fact still do, but it's at my parent's house. Thing sounded great, but the modules were a pain to change or find. I hope that MTS lovers can find a way to continue production of the line. Hoarding might start soon...

 

[ricky]

I remember the Seymour Duncan amps also. they were way cool. I remember another company coming into our local music store back in the 90s with a modular amp. I loved it but as I had never heard of the company, was too scared to buy one. As it turned out, that was a good idea on my part. I was skeptical of the randall mts stuff at first but now I am gung ho as the **** really does what it says it will do.
maybe it is time to start hoarding....

 

[m0jo]

Egnater also had no modular amps displayed at NAMM. I spoke with Bruce about it and he said they weren't doing much of it anymore but MAY get back into it a bit more soon.

This blows.
After all this talk of revamping the line and introducing new and exciting stuff, showing off prototypes and making a lot of promises ... this is the weak crap you get in the end.

In Dutch: ik voel me behoorlijk in de bek gekakt.

 

[kc2eeb]

I still have 3, yes, 3 Seymour Duncan Convertible Amps, with probably
25 modules. It's the reason I bought the Randall MTS series.

 

[frodgemo]

I've never seen that particular SD amp...very cool! I also remember seeing some weird type of solid state (maybe even partially digital) modular type amp head on eBay a long time ago, but it looked kinda crappy, so I never paid it much attention. Overall I'm still certain support for, and hopefully development of the current platform will remain as long as there is a moderate demand for it through Egnater, the modders, and possibly future licensees...!?

 

[suzuki211]

After reading every post on this thread, there is a passion for the line. My apologies if I might offend anyone. I'm maybe one of the older(in years) members of the forum and ended up "modular" 2001/02 after using Bruce's TOL 100 series amps,at that time by Rocktron. Limited to an extent (shared tone stacks). When the single mode M4 was released 4 independent channels of tone + more modules. What could be more fulfilling? Egnater or Randall providing us with tube amps that will cover the tones of our most loved amps and be able to write or cover about any style of music. And then the modders, Gigmods, Jaded Faith, Salvation, Voodoo, Friedman.......more, that have added to the platform to further personalize specific taste and nuances each of us hear and feel. I feel a debt of gratitude to all who have helped each of us play, write and enjoy what we do, Make Music!

James
suzuki211

 

[wesarvin]

After reading every post on this thread, there is a passion for the line. My apologies if I might offend anyone. I'm maybe one of the older(in years) members of the forum and ended up "modular" 2001/02 after using Bruce's TOL 100 series amps,at that time by Rocktron. Limited to an extent (shared tone stacks). When the single mode M4 was released 4 independent channels of tone + more modules. What could be more fulfilling? Egnater or Randall providing us with tube amps that will cover the tones of our most loved amps and be able to write or cover about any style of music. And then the modders, Gigmods, Jaded Faith, Salvation, Voodoo, Friedman.......more, that have added to the platform to further personalize specific taste and nuances each of us hear and feel. I feel a debt of gratitude to all who have helped each of us play, write and enjoy what we do, Make Music!

James
suzuki211

Well put. A friend just brought over his new rm20. He walked out of the room telling everyone "that's such a bad assed amp!" it's funny, because it is the same thing I said every day for the past month that I've played the amp. Bruce needs to keep MTS alive in some way. It is too good a concept to let wither due to politics and economics.

 

[Disciple]

Bruce needs to keep MTS alive in some way. It is too good a concept to let wither due to politics and economics.

He currently has his own amps and mods now that are compatible with the system only thing is his dual channel mods you can't switch via footswitch which is no biggie in my opinion.

Looking forward to what he does once the license is over.