Vintage boosted vs modern tight tones

[buriedorburned]

So I've been playing a Randall Kirk Hammett signature amp recently, and the difference between the 2nd and 3rd channels has got me thinking about vintage boosted tones vs modern compressed tones.
The 2nd channel has that vintage Marshall tone, that just growls. Where-as the 3rd channel is a tight compressed modern sound, that is better for some modern styles, but that Vintage growl is so much more pleasing tonewise.
Has anyone found themselves going more to say a boosted JCM over the multitude of modern high gain amps?
I'm interested in how this translates to MTS. Anybody using the more vintage mods boosted, over the many modern high gain mods?

 

[Mattfig]

So I've been playing a Randall Kirk Hammett signature amp recently, and the difference between the 2nd and 3rd channels has got me thinking about vintage boosted tones vs modern compressed tones.
The 2nd channel has that vintage Marshall tone, that just growls. Where-as the 3rd channel is a tight compressed modern sound, that is better for some modern styles, but that Vintage growl is so much more pleasing tonewise.
Has anyone found themselves going more to say a boosted JCM over the multitude of modern high gain amps?
I'm interested in how this translates to MTS. Anybody using the more vintage mods boosted, over the many modern high gain mods?

My experience personally is that I could get by with a JCM and a Screamer if I had to choose one...Most people could and that tone is also more pleasing to my ear...But I do loves my gain...And with MTS, you can choose as many as you want!

That being said, when I have players in the studio that agree to "MTS" - the tones most ended on fall in the vintage range for the work I do which is rock based music...I almost always boost anything gain based a bit anyway...

The high gain stuff is WAY more fun to play when you have a good Marshall tone to fall back on...There are players that find a JCM800 weak sounding and those are usually the more percussive players or those who choose lower tuning options...

Just my experience...

 

[withmittens]

I'm not a high gain player. I mean, I like vintage amps turned up and pushed with an overdrive, sort of like a 2 channel setup. I could get by with any good old standard amp and a great overdrive pedal. So, I have a nice small collection of vintage mods because, well, they're more fun than one good old standard amp

all of these mods do clean to edge of breakup really well in various flavors, then a few few of them go into high gain territory but they are not modern. and I prefer that. There's a looseness and roundness to the tones. lots of harmonic stuff happening. it's raw and raunchy. perfect for garage and punk but also honky tonk and flat out rock

the C-Watt covers some more modern gain if I want it. The 50R does too but both retain some vintage feel

I once had a Salvado (Soldano) and it was awesome it had huge amounts of gain and was tighter, it really kept that gain together with clarity and richness. Being that i don't play a lot of metal I sold it

still might get one high gainer to have it

My cabinets have a lot to do with hw each of these mods are rendered. I have a mesa sized 2x12 that is very deep and tight, a classic size semi open-back 2x12 that is british vintage sounding and a 1x12 with an American styled speaker. all of them sound radically different.

I think you can get any sound you are looking for with the mods. soup to nuts. for me it's about power tube sound rather than pre tube

 

[eyeball987]

I bought a 1 of 3 RM100KH amps that were made for Kirk by Randall. He ended up with 2 and I bought the 3rd from a friend of the Randall folks.

I liked the KH2 better than the 3 mainly for the reasons that have already been stated. The KH2 was more versatile because I could rock it unboosted and kick in a boost for over the top.

I still use all of my modules the same way. I rarely switch between modules when playing. I use one tone and the volume knob and a boost to cover all the ground I need. Too much gain out of the gate and you loose the ability to cover all of those textures.

 

[Jaymzrock]

I like the tighter, modern tones...in theory. Rather, in music I like to listen to. The funny thing is, when I play...and for as long as I have had my MTS amp, I always wanted those modern compressed tones. But the ones that sound and feel better have always been the vintage, overdriven tones.
I have had a butt-ton of high gain modules. Chupacabra, S1S0, Trilogy, Übersonic, Venom, Mamba, various rectos, MarkUs, the list goes on. My RVerb hasn't left since I got it and won't ever leave my setup. And I just got a Hammerhead...its absolutely amazing.

The vintage flavors still have the balls and get plenty heavy, and they just feel amazing. So there's my two cents.

 

[The Rossness]

I solved your issue a little over a year ago when I got a VHT. Its open and uber-tight

 

[buriedorburned]

Hahaha, I had a Sig X for a while. It was one amazing amp, but ended up being different than needed. I never really gelled with the JF ULTRA-LEAD, only found one usable tone from it, and that was everything turned on.
I've recently considered the Salvo version though...m

 

[amesav]

Jeff Hilligan SCORCH !!!!!

 

[buriedorburned]

I've been playing more with the KH and now have it set up to where I have the KH2 as my main rhythm sound and the KH3 as my lead.
Now if the KH2 had a touch more gain on tap, it'd be perfect. It's voicing is much preferable to the KH3.
The bullish growl of the KH2, just has a thicker, fuller sound than the KH3. The latter is gainer, tighter, but honestly it's voicing just doesn't have the same punch as the KH2.

 

[The Rossness]

Hahaha, I had a Sig X for a while. It was one amazing amp, but ended up being different than needed. I never really gelled with the JF ULTRA-LEAD, only found one usable tone from it, and that was everything turned on.
I've recently considered the Salvo version though...m

I liked the salvo version so much. It was a catalyst that made me get my Pitbull.