Amazing value!! SUMMARY: Also, take a minute to think about the kind of gain tone youll be going for with your metal amp, and more specifically the pre-amp valves. I threw in all jj's (pre and power amp) tubes and found the tones MUCH warmer and natural.
I really did like what I heard, but like with everything else there were variables in play that I can't fully account for so I thought I'd throw it out there. Ill update this later. If you're looking for something more versatile, the Hughes & Kettner GrandMeister Deluxe 40 (opens in new tab) will deliver all your tonal needs.
By David Turner Played in Londen, Japan and all over the U.S. By Tommy Smith Read the full PRS MT 15 Mark Tremonti head review. However, the voicing of the boost really doesn't lend itself well to rhythm. Each of the 2 gain channels sound good, but by far my favorite is the lead boost channel. on September 15, 2017, By Joe
My only disappointment with this unit is the lack of reverb. Sonically, the Mark Five: 35 offers aggressive metal tones in its creamy yet sizzling high-gain settings - all with lots of beating overtones amid string bends - and delightfully malleable sustain and controlled feedback.
Love how small and compact, yet the amount of mojo it has. best service by far as always. I really am enjoying the head, it"s a sensitive eq though so it does take time expirementing to dial in the sound you want. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Similar to the PRS Archon, the MT 15 features five gain stages before the Master for full, lush distortion. 5501 U.S. Hwy 30 W, Fort Wayne, IN 46818 
Everything you love about Sweetwater in the palm of your hand.
Tremonti [of Alter Bridge, Creed and Tremonti fame] likes his 15-Watt PRS signature lunchbox so much that he used it for the bulk of his heavier tones on Alter Bridges ace 2019 album, Walk The Sky. Bought this amp and the H&K 1x12 cab with V30 Celestion speaker about 2 weeks ago. Sweetwater has gone above and beyond my expectations for customer support! I would (and have) recommended it to friends. It's also great for playing live where stage volume is an issue. from left coast on April 2, 2018. I have been playing guitar for a little more than 10 years and I have to say that this amp has the tone and detail of amps that are twice the price. Grabbing yourself an attenuator is always an option, but rather than spending more money you could save a fair bit if you treated yourself to something at a lower wattage.
It has super clean tones and can get dirty too!!! PRS Santana II - just dropped off at the luthier shop. With the gain cranked on the blue channel, you fall into a limbo between too much gain for "crunch" applications, but not enough for heavier music. Not only would it be more cost-effective, but youd also be able to drive the valves more and hear them truly at work. The 1W channel sounds terrible - unusable in my opinion. The VH Micro, whilst being a featherweight, creates some ridiculous tones for us gain-obsessives. Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars since 2005, playing them since 1990, and regularly contributes to publications including Guitar World, MusicRadar and Total Guitar. The natural compression of the amp when in the blue channel will help roll off some of the shrill highs and beef up a bit of the low end, resulting in some VERY VERY cool sounds. To me, OD/distortion pedals sound a little tinny on the clean channel and are a little more useful with the blue channel.
I'm a Marshall tone kinda guy.. 
This is replacing my Fender DRRI 22 watt so that's big shoes to fill.
After the speaker broke in, I get some amazing tones.
It may not display this or other websites correctly. The 1x12" used the Celestion Vintage 30, and the 4x12" utilized Celestion Greenback's, and in each case the sound was nothing short of flawless. It only goes down to 8 ohms wish it went down to 4 Love it, and made the purchase right away. I am actually amazed at how loud 1W is though. Read the full EVH 5150 III 15-Watt LBX head review. all impressions are not on the little box, but whot comes out of it, already had to relocate the system to the garage, sound is nothing but awesome and with the power soaks, 1, 5, and the 18 versatility is great, used 18 one time and decided to soak it to 5 watts then to 1 watt, and dont let the little number fool you, it is the best sound from just 1 watt. Sound: I have a love/hate relationship with the sound of this amp. When should you change your guitar pickups? from Texas on December 12, 2018, Music Background: Piano player - classical to the blues, By Andrew The set up is simple. True enough. With any amp - metal or otherwise - its worth bearing in mind whereabouts youll be using it most.
This does not clean up as nicely but it does real well with some reverb and delay. Customer for life!! My favorite feature is the redbox DI out. It's also extremely versatile! With a built in Red Box DI, this is the perfect amp for stage and studio. The onboard effects are on par with Boss. from New Brighton, PA on November 30, 2017, Music Background: Church Music director, blues hobbiest, recovering bar band guitarist, By Brian A serious tool with the capability to withstand just about anything a guitarist can throw at it. I did some listening to reviews online and was impressed at all the different tones that can be had from the clean and dirty channel. on May 17, 2018, By Aaron From the metal housing to the chrome handles and knobs, which operate very smoothly, it's a joy to play and gaze upon!
( Think Steve Vai like ). Happy customers, one piece of gear at a time! Terrible sounding amp, on all levels. Playing it through a marshall 2x12 vintage 30 cab and it sounds nice and fat! First, it sounds great right out of the box, but I took the next step and swapped out the stock tubes for a set of Mesa Boogie tubes and now it really shines!
The amp will sound better and will be less likely to fail. Included MIDI controller provides access to a wealth of features, Notes always retain clarity, even with the aggressive Crunch and Lead channels, A small but mighty option for those crushing tones, A pint-sized hybrid amp with an atomic gain section, Its fierce, but not quite enough volume suitable for larger gigs. I loved mine at first.
It sounds OK-ish.. Won`t get any playtime as long as my DSL40C is working though. I've been doing quite a bit of recording late at night without bugging my sleeping family. 8 David Gilmour techniques that will change the way you play, David Lee Roth gets nostalgic for Van Halen high-jinks on new single, Nothing Could Have Stopped Us Back Then Anyway, Dunlop partners with Korns James Munky Shaffer and Brian Head Welch for new signature 7-string set, Orianthi announces new album Rock Candy and drops riff-loaded single Light It Up, David Ellefson and Jeff Young to play classic Megadeth albums in their entirety on tour this fall, Johnny Marr: If theres a room full of guitar players, Im the last to leave, man. The built-in noise gate does a nice job of eliminating the hiss on higher gain settings and the new, thicker voicings sound equally fantastic with regular single coils and PAF-style humbuckers. My Les Paul has come alive!! Versatile and powerful, this amp's sounds range from the cleanest cleans to densely layered high-gain harmonic overtones. Does not work well with my tele or strat for that reason. Probly not much help to you , but I got an old H&K solid state as my backup amp. Jonathan Horsley
Not that I have yet, but I am sure gigging would be just fine with it on the 18W setting IF mic'ed up or using the DI to the console.
3 stars for sound. You can get a much tighter rhythm sound with an OD or distortion pedal, but (at least with the pedals I own) they don't really deliver the chunk of the red channel.
Two channels with a boost, effects loop, speaker emulated output, power soak5 stars for features.
I'm going thru a 2 x 12 open back bottom and am in love with my tone, no matter which guitar I'm using, or what effects are in play.
A word of caution, like another reviewer said, the boost function is not really usable because it boosts the volume way too much and there is no way to control it. I explained I am the Worship Director at my church, I would be using the amp there mostly, and onstage sound level is an issue. I"m going to either get the tc electronics spark or the Xotic ep booster to compensate, but no biggie. If you are between this and the Peavy i prefer the peavy for cleans especially. Overall, the Hughes & Kettner GrandMeister 40 Deluxe is a durable, formidable and practically perfect amp. One would think this could be solved by the boost, or "red channel." The BE-100 Deluxe takes the well-known build quality, durability and tonal bliss of the existing Friedman amp range to the next level. But don"t let that scare you away; the power soak option is great, I play with it on 1 watt in my bedroom and turn the master up to around 2-3 o"clock and it sounds great; I"ve dialed in some rich, and full clean and dirty tones.
from Seattle, WA on October 22, 2016, By Yaniv Good Luck! All I can say is WOW!
from Raleigh,NC on January 16, 2013, By BP I just prefer big 6L6 amps like Fenders. 5W watt is better. Just mic the cabinet. Sweetwater's Sales Engineers are regarded as the most experienced and knowledgeable professionals in the music industry, with extensive music backgrounds and intense training on the latest products and technologies.
Spanky clean country? If you like it, then that`s really all that matters. Not only does it look cool, switching from the crystal blue lights of its clean channel to the fiery reds of its lead mode, but the overdriven sounds are good enough to rival what youd expect from boutique amps retailing for up to four times as much.
I spent quite a bit of time looking to a low watt tube amp and decided for the H&K TubeMeister 18 coupled with the H&K 1x12 cab with the Celestion 30. Hey H&K make fuse locations easily accessed! Unfortunately, it carries with it a mid hump that really muds everything up. Joel was extremely patient and helpful in asking questions on what I was looking for, making suggestions on amps to look at and making sure I had everything I needed to make a decision. I got the demo, and it has no issues at all. , The Mark Five: 35 amp head has two independent channels, each with three modes: Clean, Fat and Crunch on Ch1; MkIIC+, MkIV and Xtreme on Ch2. The DI into my DAW sounds amazing.
I am really happy with my purchase of the TM18.
He uses Jazz III nylon picks, 10s during the week, 9s at the weekend, and shamefully still struggles with rhythm figure one of Van Halens Panama.
Youre less likely to disrupt your neighborly relations too - so thats a win in our book.
Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). This is not a speaker simulator at all, regardless of what they say it is. If youre looking for more guidance hit the buying advice button above, but if youre ready to shred you can check out our top picks below. The Ultra channel's attack also gets you just about where you need to go for extreme metal.
Best part is that I don't feel like I'm sacrificing my tone for it.
See giveaway details & rules or check out our past winners! As far as the cab, the more I play it the warmer and sweeter the sound. The clean channel is where this amp really shines. A 5-band EQ can be selectable per-channel to be on, off or footswitch-enabled. I've also been looking at the H&k TubeMeister 36, to replace my Rivera Chubster. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Use those pedals ONLY on lead (blue) channel: set Gain to 8 o'clock, then change volume only by using master button.
I am a Mesa fan all the way but I use this because I live in a condo and I can get the tubes soaked pretty good without trouble from my neighbors.
You can play at 1w, 5w or 18w. EL34s or EL84s will generally offer more of a creamier, British-voiced sound, while 6L6s have generally been associated with Fenders world-famous compressed cleans and the full-throttle high gain offered by Mesa/Boogie amps.
But I went to GC and compared the mini with an Egnater Rebel 30, a Boogie Trans Atlantic, and the HK, and the HK came out on top by a big margin. This amp has it where it counts. The sound is creamy. Color, tone, and the silent mode through the Redbox DI really works well for me. The amp certainly has it's drawback as well.
from Wisconsin on May 5, 2017, By Richard I've had this amp for a while now, and absolutely love it. then it sounds true amazing. I tried the Tubemeister 36 at the MusicMesse; I thought it was an amazing-sounding amp! Wouldn't say it's a bad amp, but not sure if I will keep it as it does not meet my needs of sounding full at low volumes. I actually really like the amps overdrive and boost so this allows me to use my delay pedals without having to run it before the signal gets broken up. It sounded fantastic using my electric's and acoustic guitars! Like most modern tube amps these days, a power switching function is included. from Sunny California on March 10, 2019, By Paul T I have to play at a camp and travel space is tight. published 4 February 22, These powerhouse metal amps from EVH, Peavey, Orange, Hughes & Kettner and more will have you primed to seek and destroy straight from the word go. I"m glad to have the higher wattage for when I am able to start "playing out" again as this unit can easily keep up with the heaviest handed drummer. from NY on January 28, 2018, By Sweetwater Customer This thing is so nice with the blue leds but it really cranks at 1 watt through 2/12 it"s got great Sound same for 5 then 18 Watts tube is much louder then I thought the clean is sweet smooth the lead is very kool with the boost hits those highs nicely Sweetwater and nick great job on shipping it out fast, This is a great head and i have paired it to greenbacks and it really is versatile, the attenuation is a fantastic option for practice or gigging. The EVH 5150III LBX is the shrunken-down, lunchbox version of the beautifully excessive 50 watt 5150 - and with everyone looking to shrink their rigs for the sake of convenience, this small amp head could be just what the modern metal guitarist needs. The amp's two American-voiced lead channels have massive amounts of gain - which we found were perfect for modern drop-tuned metal - with a wonderfully sculpted top-end that squeals and snarls on demand. I've used mine for both recording and practicing with a band, and I've been nothing but pleased with its performance. Just like another reviewer on here, it sounds absolutely amazing if you switch to the Blue channel, put in just a touch of gain (anywhere between 8 and 10 o'clock) and then switch on your drive pedal. And, as always, my Sweetwater sales representative, Adam Vaughn, provided the top notch service I've grown to expect from the best music supply purveyor on the planet! from Austin on June 19, 2017, Music Background: Guitar Player, Front of House, Recording, By David When practicing on the 1W setting in an average sized room you still get high watt tone and response. Great sounding amp! It is a great amp for what it does but the clear panel gets foggy due to my humidifier which I need to keep my acoustic guitars healthy. Unveiling Donn Aaron's new guitar technique, YouTuber builds super-super thin electric guitar. But as a swiss army knife and live box, this has been the secret sauce for recording, practicing at home and primarily my live sound. I am using this amp to record a Prog-metal album, and it is performing flawlessly when set up like that. I have it in my bedroom but someone could very easy use this setup to perform in front of a decent size crowd. Being german based it's almost non existant. The clean tone was very defined, and the lead channel was articulate and also well defined. Originally I was dead set on a mini rectifier. So - as it was I who started this thread I thought I'd post an update. I have been playing guitar for over 15 years both live and in the studio. I just can"t say enough good things about this head AND Sweetwater"s exceptional customer service. And sometimes it's a bit much. Very Loud amp. The spandex-legged of you might then want to park yourself in the Brown channel, which is lifted directly from the Boss Waza amplifier and will put the E into the VH of your rock tones. Would be great if the boost had its own volume. I still enjoy it. These could have been incorporated on the 18 easily I feel. Hi-fi is how I would describe it. A striking and very cool aesthetic touch. The reason for not giving this 5 stars is the amp doesn't really open up on the 1w setting. The uncolored sound , the prestine sound that warm buttery goodness from the tubes are so enjoyable.
2 stars for reliability. Can't till it gets totally broke in. I highly recommend Joel. I've spent a little time with the Red-Box DI and so far I really like it. Another tip: buy a reverb pedal and put it in the effect loops. So, I buy Marshalls. For a little more $ the deluxe 20 has a few more options.
Music Background: Death metal, Classical, Blues. I play a lot of classic rock, and blues and this things works prefect for me. CONS: Its not unusual for the best metal amps to have loads of channels, so the three available on the BE-100 Deluxe are fully justified.
The fact you can shut the speakers off, and use just the DI makes it perfect for playing/recording at night without waking the family. The G12Ts make the highs even more brittle.
FYI this is paired with the H&K 112 cabinet and it sounds great. Good amount of clean headroom. I will definitely buy from Joel and Sweetwater again.
Learn More. Yes, you read that price correctly. from HI on October 8, 2018, By Tom So, it sounds great, and it's super versatile, but it also looks beautiful!
I mated it with 2 H&K 12's and it is loud! I highly recommend the Tubemeister 18 from Hughes & Kettner. Thank you for signing up to The Pick.
Truly BLOWN AWAY!!
I was looking for an amp that would give me power output options for use at home, in the studio, and live ( average size club gigs ) without sacrificing tone etc.. Help other music gear aficionados by sharing your opinions of gear you've purchased. what good is a product if it cant last 25 hrs of use. Great buy! Factor in all the Boss effects and you see what we mean about it being a Swiss Army Knife for tone. There is a variable power control so you can switch it down to half-power or a measly 0.5-watts to get super-cranked tones at bedroom level.
In addition, there are independent, footswitchable Solo level controls for each channel, as well as Reverb and a 35/25/10-watt power option. The control panel has knobs for volume, shape and gain, with the shape control running from a predominantly mids-scooped tone at one extreme to a more mids-heavy, punchy tone at the other. So far so good with this one, but I didn't even bother powering it up with the Chinese tubes in it. on August 16, 2016, By Ray Great advice, customer service, and always get an honest opinion on gear - even if Sweetwater does not carry it. Sure. A mid sweep control would really improve things. You kinda answered your own question. And the nicest clean sound by far vs the other amps I tried. I used a TM18 for ages and still really like them. Don't think I could be happier. I Bought this Amp for my son as I wanted my Germino Club 40 Back.This Amp is an *** kicker for the money for its size and the available tones.I own no less than 12 class A Heads soI can easily move things about to compare.This Amp is something to be excited about and well worth consideration.
This amp does that and then some. I had a tech replace the socket, but once he did, he encountered the spontaneous volume drop issue that seems to plague these amps. I also love not having to worry about adjusting or troubleshooting tubes so I can spend more time making music! from Menahga MN on June 21, 2014, Music Background: garage guitarist, past stage performer, By JT
The GrandMeister has a smart steel case and Perspex control panel featuring nine knobs and a big four-way rotary voice switch.
My Les Paul is the leading online community and marketplace for Les Paul guitar fans.
I love the cleans on it, and the gain channel is just perfect for so many different styles of music.
On top of it all, the blue lights look killer, and I am constantly getting compliments on my tone for being able to play at such a low volume. This amp provides every feature I could ask for, not just for now but in the future should I ever play in front of others. Its based on the 3rd channel of the VH4 - the most celebrated - and although there are no tubes in sight, youd be surprised at the noise this amp can create. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Now I can get killer tone, footswitchable channels, AND keep the Front of House guys happy at the same time! Read more about our rating system, how we choose the gear we feature, and exactly how we test each product.
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Features: At this price point, you really can't beat this amp as far as features go.
They are available to offer you personalized product advice any time you need it.
from Everett, MA on February 27, 2013, Music Background: Crusty old fart with lots of gear, By Dean The problem is/was, I am moving increasingly towards plugging directly into amps sans pedals and the H&K needed several pedals to get me where I wanted to go. Sounds similar to my JCM2000 but even meaner.
This is one amazing little amp. The Katana can pretty much do anything. The amp also features stereo expansion possibilities and an effects loop but then with 60 effects available via Bosss Tone Studio software you might not need them. setting ( rhythm tracks ) and the sound is organic and natural, 4 x 12 like. Its clean and crunch sounds are commonly disregarded as being a little bit underwhelming, but if youre a guitarist who doesn't really plan on spending much time using this amp in its un-driven mode youll be just fine here. Effects loop is great! Power soak is disappointing.
Easy to operate, beautiful sounds both clean and with gain, and certainly a beautiful machine to look at with the blue lights. My biggest complaint has got to be the RED BOX output. The third channel - borrowed from their Smallbox amp - offers Plexi-esque tones for the more discerning player. from Aptos, CA on January 27, 2013, Music Background: Recording Engineer and Hobbyist Musician, By Mike Do I hate it? A more direct signal path is a metal players dream - and amps designed with both lower tunings and extreme gain settings in mind will naturally require fewer pedals to enable players to add drive or shape EQ. I only wanted to buy an amp once, as I have learned my lesson the hard way about buying and trading up over time.
Not a problem unless you're playing at super loud volumes. Nothing else matters Really not necessary getting everyones opinions cause everyone has different likes and dislikes.. Me for instance.
(I do miss the reverb and trem) Well my friend,. Thanks to Aaron at Sweetwater.
on October 8, 2018, By Neil
Great emulation of a cab speaker. I run the amp through a Focusrite Audio interface and play in front of tracks through my laptop into the Focusrite and output through headphones. Whether you're looking for a dependable, affordable workhorse from the likes of PRS, Orange and Marshall; or are tempted by uncompromising, higher-end standouts from EVH, Peavey and Mesa/Boogie, theres plenty of metal amp options out there. It's a product of cheap parts and cheap labor and it sounds ok. You are using an out of date browser. The fried tube took out the tube socket the 2 anode fuses. I don't get the comparisons to the 5w amp though; that would be like comparing a Fender Champ to a Vibrolux Reverb- two completely different animals. What a great amp! Guitar World is supported by its audience. We found that the lead channel offers thick, chunky tones and features controls for Gain, Master, Treble, Middle and Bass, while the Clean Channel is bright and chimey and boasts Volume, Treble, Middle and Bass knobs, as well as a push/pull boost on the Treble knob for a bit of old-school crunch. on January 20, 2019, Music Background: 12 years in a musical journey, By Joe This was my first purchase with Sweetwater and my salesperson Ben was very helpful during the purchase process.
But in a crunchy classic way it is awesome. The Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 18 is a top-notch tube amp with great features. I've searched really hard to find a low stage volume solution with amp isolation, speaker sims, other amps and this by far sounds the best and takes up very little real estate. Very apparent on single notes. No. The clean channel doesn't output nearly as much volume of the lead channel. The clean channel is bright, chimey, snappy, articulate, and dead quiet. Plays naturally and I don't feel like I'm playing through some digitized amp modeler. Low end does not get muddy.
Still have an H&K Tubemeister 5 lying around somewhereI will echo what cybermgk has said, lifeless and uninspiring. To my knowledge the H&K amps and the Mesa mark V 25 are the top players in the cab sim XLRs inputs; peaveys Msdi system didn"t appeal to me sound wise. 18W better still. I had a H&K Tubemeister to 18. I don't need a stomp box for gain. Add the 18/5/1 watt capability and I was sold. In stock form, it's really versital, but had a hint of sizzle that I couldn't love. Lots of features, great cleans, meh overdrive, and it may fry out on you.
And the Redbox DI is fantastic for throwing down scratch tracks and the amplifier works great in a mix. Overall, I like the versatility of a nice fender-like clean channel PLUS the amazing and raw lead boost that you could not get in any fender amp. With its versatile functions and performance features, the Invective .120 is truly one of the best metal amps out there. The control layout of the VH Micro will be recognisable to those who know the VH4, with a three-band EQ, Gain and Master volume controls adorning its front panel. The first time I had used this TubeMeister 18, was at a gig a couple years ago. I play on a worship team at a church with a small stage, so getting a great sound from such a small unit is really nice.
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