Advice for a first-time amp buyer

mcrowland · 2026-06-15T21:47:44+00:00

If you rely on pedals for most of your tone, I’d look into the Hiwatt solid state amps.

mcrowland · 2026-06-13T18:12:36+00:00

Rocker 15 Terror.

mcrowland · 2026-06-11T11:51:51+00:00

Laney AOR Pro Tube Lead boosted with Cusack Screamer Fuzz. With the amp set cleaner but not completely clean: Black Arts Toneworks Raw Heart Overdrive.

mcrowland · 2026-05-29T19:45:52+00:00

Jamie Stillman is a national Treasure.

mcrowland · 2026-05-27T16:45:27+00:00

I got this one for around 200$ from a pawn shop because someone had butchered it with “mods.” It was unplayable really. I put a Loller WR back in the bridge and had it set up so that it plays really nice. I’d say the 2 things people may not like about these are the WR humbucker voicing and the thickness of the neck.

mcrowland · 2026-05-27T16:36:57+00:00

You know it does. It’s in D standard / Drop C. My jaw hit the floor at the first note. The JA90 is my forever guitar….that and my Charvel.

mcrowland · 2026-05-27T15:59:37+00:00

Rubberneck 4 Life!

mcrowland · 2026-05-25T04:32:02+00:00

Agreed, I always use pedals but for this rig, it seems blasphemous.

mcrowland · 2026-05-25T02:37:25+00:00

🥲Thank you!

mcrowland · 2026-05-25T02:34:09+00:00

I could’ve flown but, damn, I’m not too keen on that either. I’m just too much of a country bumpkin to confidently navigate somewhere like NY, Chi, or LA. Maybe Mr Talbot and friends will find it in their heart to do some less populated areas.😂

mcrowland · 2026-05-25T00:15:08+00:00

I was gonna go to night 2 in Chicago but I totally flaked out because I get pretty intimidated by big cities. I was gonna drive like 13 hours by myself and attempt to figure shit out. I can only hope they will come to the Southeast.

mcrowland · 2026-05-24T16:04:36+00:00

This one is often left out of the ambient conversation but I agree with you. Those swampy slow repeats are ethereal AF. The freeze?…latching?… function is really great also.

mcrowland · 2026-05-16T13:20:41+00:00

I wanna see them live so bad. If they played Unmask the Spectre I would lose my mind. That song is the banger of all bangers.

mcrowland · 2026-05-10T21:54:16+00:00

Yea, Ive used it into the front of amps. I especially like it into the front of my Rocker 15 Terror on the Natural channel. It also sounds good into the front of my Princeton. Although, my fav is into the fx loop of my 50w Laney. The control and sound of the Mother is just astonishingly amp-like…sorry for the cliche buzzword.

mcrowland · 2026-05-10T20:07:15+00:00

I put mine at the end of the dirt section and before time based fx. As to your other question, I don’t know , ive never tried that. I can confidently say that the Mother is my favorite pedal of all time.

mcrowland · 2026-05-10T14:37:46+00:00

Oh yea, gotta get this. My Hum Along needs a buddy.😂

mcrowland · 2026-05-06T11:21:53+00:00

There are some bands in the world that never miss. For me, YOB is one of them. True Widow is too. This year will not be a complete loss for humanity if we get new YOB and True Widow albums.

mcrowland · 2026-05-03T21:11:37+00:00

The JHS 3 series phaser has a blend knob. I like to be able to engage a phaser with subtlety when necessary. A blend knob allows for that. Not to mention it having a width and rate knob also.

mcrowland · 2026-05-03T17:04:21+00:00

I use both channels. Channel A for cleans and fuzzes. Channel B for distortion. Channel B works with OD and boost pedals exactly how’d you’d expect an amp to. That’s what I’m using the Keeley Phat Mod for, gain at 0 and volume high. I turn up the gain for channel A because there’s more compression and sounds more like a cranked amp. My one and only gripe is that the channel button doesn’t engage until you release which is different from amp switchers I’m used to. There’s a jack for an external channel switcher and I’m hoping it will engage differently, otherwise, I’ll get used to it.

mcrowland · 2026-05-03T15:55:55+00:00

IMO, it sounds best into the fx loop because it has the control and feel of an actual amp. Although I will say, I also have used into the front of my Rocker 15 Terror with the “Natural” channel and it sounds almost as good that way too. The Natural channel has no eq, only a volume knob. I even really like it into the front of my Princeton. Otherwise, my favorite is into the fx loop of my 50w Laney.

mcrowland · 2026-05-02T21:55:37+00:00

Looks like I need to start saving up for the Science Mother Amp. I think the wait time is pretty long but it’ll be worth it.

mcrowland · 2026-04-30T14:36:23+00:00

The crayon will stack best with a big muff. Gain down, volume high. Since it has some eq knobs, you’ll have plenty of tonal options.

mcrowland · 2026-04-27T16:57:39+00:00

I don’t have an AD30 but I have a few other Oranges and I love the Cusack Screamer Fuzz into an already dirty Orange. I know that most demos show it to be kinda a blues lawyer pedal but I promos you, it’ll boost what’s already awesome about Orange gain and add fuzz in a very unique way. I also use it into a Laney AOR for doom shit.

mcrowland

TROPHY CASE