Fargen Amplifiers, Anyone checked these out in a recording environment? Options

[deaconblue]

Hey Fellow Forum Members,

A buddy of mine recently pointed me to Fargen amplifiers, for recording in a small to medium studio setting. The Plexi II is a .5 to 12 watt (yep, that is one half) all tube amplifier that has some good tone.

I was curious if anyone has checked these out in a studio or other recording environment. The sound clips sound pretty good, but I was hoping to hear some feedback on real world experience with the amps and their tone.

If these can give a really good, high out put sound at low SPLs then I am thinking I might not have to worry about waking the neighbors any longer when I am trying to get a true tube tone without the DI -> amp simulator signal chain. Plus it might be a good choice to use to re-amp as well.

As always, thanks in advance.

peace.

[mortalengines]

Jeez, they cost enough.....I am sure they are pretty excellent amplifiers. I just bought a little Fender Champion 600 (5 Watts Tube) and was so happy with it that I ordered and am waiting on the Epiphone 5 watt version and the Blackheart 3-5 watt amps (I decided I love little tube amps). I imagine if you google the Fargin amps that there will be postings somewhere from happy owners. That is what prompted me to buy the little ones I have. I am also really looking at getting a Budda 18 watt amp at some point as well but am not exactly certain that I want to shell out 1400 bucks for an amp yet. My little Fender sounds really good clean or with a distortion pedal and yes....the SPLs are tolerable. By the way, the amps I have are all in the 200 to 250 dollar (US) range.

[Mac Daddy]

deaconblue

Do they Hum? Do they still make Amps that 'Hum'? They must have developed Amps that don't 'Hum' today? 'Hum' is like Diesel Fuel or a Dial Up Modem. I have a Pre CBS Mint Condition Twin Reverb Fender Amp in a Professional Road Case being used as a "Roll Around Coffee Table" I won't use in the Studio because in 'Hums' and don't bump into it because the "Spring Reverb" sounds like a violent 'Thunder Storm'. But, "Live", it can't be beat. But, for Recording, it's DI, (Direct In) Line 6 or Guitar Rig for me.

BTW deaconblue, the only thing you need to help your sound is an audience, because with or without 'Hum' you got all the 'Licks, Riffs, Chords and Leads down to a Fine Science. You can make a Rubber Band sound like Hendrix, Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Clapton or Robert Cray. Why ain't you a rich and famous star yet? I know the answer, "Your family is more important than anything else". If you only had two weeks, you could give the Air Waves a needed surge of Real Music. Your time will come.

"I be's a Fan fo sho... I'd be sceaming at your concert like a teen-age Groupie at an Aerosmith concert". Plus, I would expect lots of Guitar Hum and some nasty ear shattering Feed Back. But, I don't wanna hear it on your CD! You knows I lubs ya!

[mortalengines]

Well I just got both the Epi and the Blackheart. Really great amps....each for different reasons. Gotta say though that the Blackheart is really the winner. I got the combo (there is also a head and a cabinet version available) and I was floored by how responsive it is. It actually has a usable midrange (over the years I found myself just turning it all the way down on my other amps) that just made my Les Paul sing when I was fooling around with a slide. It has a decent enough crunch when you turn the amp up but I am partial to using a Boss Metal Zone distortion (which sounds better than the name would imply....it actually has an EQ section and a mid range with a "Q" control as well.....You can sound like Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, or Dethklok and anywhere in between) and again it does the pinched harmonic thing pretty well. Anyway for only 250 bucks, it is a STEAL. Since I now have an extension cabinet (an Epiphone) I am now looking at lower wattage heads that are all the rage right now. THD makes a switchable 20 watt/50 watt "flexi" head that I am currently drooling over. It is actually pretty nifty in the sense that you can swap out the tubes and bias them in about 20 seconds for those tone freaks who can tell the difference. Both of these can be found at www.musiciansfriend.com. I am just sharing this because I have been shopping around for a bit for an alternative to my "Amplitube Jimi Hendrix" software which is pretty cool but, is kind of a CPU hog and you know....sometimes I just like to plug in and play (something I kind of gave up when I became a parent sometime back and it got too hard to get 4 guys in the same room together on the weekends.....a long story to be sure but, I also decided to concentrate on learning how to "sequence and produce" music). It's kind of novel again.

[deaconblue]

Thanks y'all.

Yeah, amps, hum. Kind of a 'joined at the hip' thing. I actually currently have a Tech 21 Trademark 60 with the DI connect to my 828 for my tone. I like it, but I miss the tube sound of my old live rig. I guess I should just be content with what works instead of searching for tone.

mortalengines,

Thanks for all the recommendations. I'll check out the Epi. I think they have a couple local here in Austin, so it'd be an easy check.

Mac Daddy,

you make me blush, hermano mio. Yeah, the last two months have been family (daughter's birthday, son's fencing, remodeling the living room for the wife and Valentines Day too) and work (got extra love slapped on my day gig and I am traveling all next week). But I have to get some stuff finished up. Busier than a one armed paper hanger...

again, thanks for the input. I'll prolly just hang with the Tech 21 and 'crank it to 11 and pull the knobs off'. In my headphones at least.

peace!

[mortalengines]

You'll like the Epiphone Valve Junior.....it is stupid cheap and if you go on Ebay there are mods that you can purchase to make the lil' buggers sound even better. Play around with the tone and volume knobs on the guitar and you will be surprised. If you decide to get the Epi amp head and cabinet, you may want to go online and see about getting a Blackheart (I took a chance on the basis of a couple of user reviews online) amp head: trust me, it will be a well spent 130 bucks. Make sure you have a good fuzz box with either one though. For what it's worth the amp hum on both are very bearable.

Oh...and THD also has a 30watt class A amp head with a built in "hot plate attenuator" (so you can get some killer high gain sounds without destroying your ears or getting evicted) in addition to a "dummy load" in the output (so you can plug it right into a mixer or your interface).....very drool worthy and I understand that the head sounds like the best of a Plexi, Twin and AC30 without the noise. Hmmmm.....I am trying to figure out what to sell to scrape together the 1500 bucks necessary for this one.

[Mac Daddy]

deaconblue... You Da Man

[Mac Daddy]

mortalengines, You're originally a Guitarist?! Well, that explains why your music is, I hope this does not get lost in the translation: Sonically Spectral. Harmonics above Traditional Sequencing. I am digging myself into a hole, but what I mean is this: I can tell whhen a person is a musician because of they way the music evolves. It's one thing to explore and try sounds, it is differt when one can actually physically create sounds. A progression of Chords, Bridge, Change, Chorus maybe even a Modulation. Most Sequenced Productions are layers of layers of a endless Loop. I wait for something to happen, but the same Loop begings again, but this time with a Shaker added. Like life, music changes. OK, I'm lost.

I wish to thank Didier for a trouble free transaction with the Unitor 8. I needed it as I am adding a MACKIE C4 and several MACKIE Extensions.

My RME ADI-8 DS is acting up AGAIN. Made appointment for a Tech House Call. My studio keeps growing and I still ain't got no music out..... At least I am helping the Economy.

[mortalengines]

Uh...yeah....originally a guitarist. I just really like the way tube amps and other analog gear sounds. I gotta mention too that, I really like the way alot of the virtual stuff sounds nowadays. I have started to practice more with the guitar though, lately (now that I have the DAW stuff down, it is easier to stretch out) and, am getting real exited about the good sounding stuff coming out as of late. Funny....the other side to this is that my new rig is set up in the living room so, I can practice and dink around with the TV on.....pretty much Heaven. The product of a recent divorce. Don't feel sorry...... I have my kids for 3 days out of 7 and, since I have them for the weekends.... I'm the FUN parent. My ex is the BUZZKILL parent. This is a pretty good arrangement. I am about to put out another CD of IDM type material....the next one will be a bit different.

DeaconBlue,...You didn't dig yourself into a hole. I understand. You get it. You are creative and, you live in Austin. Man....I used to live in San Marcos.....I miss Texas at times. There is some genuinely strange/funky stuff dwelling there. Must be the water.

This post has been edited by mortalengines: Mon 18 Feb 2008, 07:42

[mortalengines]

Oh....I'm sorry, I didn't really read the reply......Yes...MacDaddy...I played guitar for years and fell woefully out of practice....The computer came in really handy in the sense that I could do something....leave it for a week (or more) and come back to an idea like I had never left it. The saving grace of a working stiff (and parent). I am really enjoying practicing the geetar though. I have been listening to a TON of Hendrix, Zeppelin, early Stones, and Allman Bros (at work....for some reason, it doesn't really alienate anyone and, if it does... well....I can get away with calling them a weenie). Lately, I've been fooling around with the open G and D tunings to keep myself challenged and interested. I haven't figured out HOW but, sooner or later, I will figure out how to make this all work out in a nice, tidy package.

This post has been edited by mortalengines: Mon 18 Feb 2008, 07:54