10000 vs. 12000 Metro Plexi replica

[GeorgeG]

Marshall based tone chasing and an appreciation for quality and reliability has led me to Metro Amps. The EVH brown sound is one of my favorite tones for sure and I am sure that I will spend the rest of my life chasing it as many of us have - swapping woods, pups, pedals, cabs, speakers, etc. Oh ya, and trying to develop even 10% of his fingers. A good start of course is to try and start as close to the "grail" amp as possible which would suggest buying the 12000 series. The challenge is that I am not in a VH tribute band and so like many of us, I play many other classic rock styles - Page, Young, Gibbons, Clapton, Hendrix so my playing requires some tone variation. Certainly the variation can come from playing technique, guitars, pedals, etc but which amp would give me the access to more of these styles/tones?

Is either of these versions better suited for getting tone at tamer volumes with an attenuator?

Thanks,

George

[neikeel]

A 12 series will give you a good stab at all of those depending on your set up

[GeorgeG]

I have been listening to a lot of sound clips and I have heard some amazing tones with a 12000 superlead but ironically I am also drawn to the 10000 series superbass just on the basis of its organic smooth stand alone sound. Must have something to do with being almost 60 years old and not 20ish as EVH was when he found #1.

How are the superbass and superlead circuits different and can they be swapped through mods once built?

Did any of the great guitar players ever play through a superbass or a superlead modded in that direction? I read a lot about people clipping the "treble cap" on a superlead. i take it this starts in that direction.

Is it better to start out more organic and mellow (10000 superbass) and have to get edgier or brighter for some tones or start with a more agressive amp (12000 superlead) and work the other way for certain tones?

Thanks,

George

[neikeel]

Careful where you pick up random tips like clipping bright caps

The sixties amps were generally mellow and smoother, the first had shared cathode and big output coupling caps (same as later Superbasses). as the 70s came along the amps got brighter (and some would say harsher). These amps are useful for cutting through the cluttered mix in afull band situation. The reissues are like this. The later amps can benefit from clipping a bright cap, my early amps have these and I feel that they need them.

Depends if you are playing by yourself or in a band. I feel that by bridging channels on a 12 series and playing with levels and not pushing the volumes above 2.5 I can get quite a full sound. To get the aggressive tones your volume 1 needs to be 7 or 8 and above

[GeorgeG]

I see your point. I remember in the 70's when I joined my first band, an adjustment was required to find the right sound on stage at volume and be "heard" through the mix. once I figured that out then practicing at home was the opposite problem. I never played outdoors and I bet that Woodstock/Leeds/etc. had even more unique challenges.

I must have a preference for a mellower sound (stage mechanics aside) because I used to play through a 2x12 ported bottom on stage (hey it was cheap and I was broke) in the 70's and was able to get some very listenable LOUD output but I did fight needing to add brightness and lived off of my bridge pickup and light gauge strings. Our bass player really liked it. I do intend on a classic 4x12 bottom(s) this time around.

This amp will be used in a home studio (with mostly isolated recording) that can contain any level of loudness as required for tone and even though I like to move some air from time to time, in general I enjoy a much lower output these days and protect my hearing diligently. I wont need the volume of a dimed non-master volume amp so if saturated output tubes is the only way to achieve tone then an Aracom attenuator is in my future.



Does any of this bring forward any new thoughts?

Thanks,

George