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Post by montyl93 on Apr 18, 2009 16:19:05 GMT -5
Okay, so I'm new on here and i was looking into getting a nitro with a matching splawn 4x12. I know it seems like a no brainer asking people on a splawn forum whether or not to buy a splawn, but i wanted the opinions and feedback of those who have owned the amp.
I play mostly rock and metal with some alernative and bits of classic rock other stuff etc. so primarily i want an amp with excellent and crystal clear distortion. as far as tone goes, i want kind of a heavy yet smooth lead type tone. think maybe along the lines of say synyster gates or something like that. and i want to to be able to cover heavier styles like full on metal and such. Ive heard the guitarists for kse have gone splawn too and thats how i got interested.
My current setup is a pre 2008 gibson lp standard, i also use a fender american standard tele and an ibanez x series. I'm not into pedals but i do run an isp decimator for louder volumes and with the new tube head im hoping to get, probably an od as a clean boost most likely an ibanez or maxon. my current amps are a 10 watt vox modeler and an ibanez toneblaster halfstack. i just cant get the right sound and im looking for proffessional quality sound. ive only been playing a little less than two years, but im dedicated and want the best gear as i hope to be a proffessional guitarist and im working at it. but it seems no matter how i dial in my amps. they seem to lack alot.
So my question is would a nitro cover my needs for a rock/ metal amp firstly, and are the lower gain/clean tones decent. also, will it suit my guitars and is the decimator a smart choice. id appreciate reccomendations for a front end boost od pedal aswell as which tubes would best suit my needs. I plan on getting a splawn 4x12 with the x loaded big and small bocks. (hope that was right). Any and all info and answers are much appreciated and i hope i can find what i'mlooking for in this amp. thanks
-Monty
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Post by shredheadjhj on Apr 18, 2009 19:59:10 GMT -5
IMO the Quick Rod is the ultimate lead & all around rock/metal amp & the Nitro is the ultimate metal riffing amp. I spoke to Lynn @ BluesCityMusic for probably two hours the last two days & he said that you have much more control over the clarity of your leads on the QR.
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Post by calebbuck on Apr 19, 2009 0:13:52 GMT -5
If you want traditional voicing go with the qr, if you want a lower voiced sound go with the nitro. my nitro with the bb/sb combo 4x12 is the tightest thing I have ever heard by ten miles. We're talking crazy tight. If the main thing you are going for is a7x tones I would get the nitro. The nitro gets clean and does classic rock tones well but the qr "prolly" does these tones better due to the 3 gears to choose from and traditional voicing. I wish I had both and could tell you for sure. I don't think you will be disappointed with either amp. If you could get to a dealer where you could play one, I would definiately do it.
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Post by tonystees on Apr 19, 2009 13:24:42 GMT -5
I'm new here also, Just received my Nitro last week. I'm not new to trying out and owning gear though, i have had countless amps and effects over the years. There is no magic combination to say "do this and you will have it in my opinion" every player is different. I would go and play through a QR & Nitro to see what feels and sounds best to you. I couldn't find a Nitro when i made my purchase but I did visit a music store and played through a QR. I called the music store and asked them if i could bring my pedal board and guitar in and play through it. I spent a fair amount of time there and decided to go with the nitro. Both amps are incredible!!! though the QR seemed just a tad bright for me (again thats me!) Ultimately I figured I could probably dial back the nitro to get a similar sound as the QR, but couldn't make the QR achieve the nitro tones. On that assumption is how I made my purchase. Totally happy with the nitro. Just add effects/spices to taste and you will have a tone monster!!! You can listen to clips until your brain melts but you still can't determine what that amp will SOUND and FEEL like when your playing it.
Wish you luck man on your quest for tone !
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Post by montyl93 on Apr 19, 2009 15:11:44 GMT -5
Thanks for all the help. With some more research I started looking into the pro mod. I know its essentially a quickrod with kt88 power tubes and a more modern voicing. From what I've read, a lot of guitarists use the kt88's in the nitro for more low end and to improve the headroom on the cleans. would the pro mod be similar to a combination of the Nitro and the QR? I mean since it has the 3 gear versatility of the QR with the more aggressive low end and modern voicing similar to that of the Nitro. Im not sure if the different tubes and voicing bring the pro mod closer to the nitro or puts it in it's own category, I was just curious. Also, since you've said the cab with the x loaded BB and SB speakers is very tight, I assume it would work just fine for what I want. now to sort out this head business. Again, any answers are much appreciated.
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Post by shredheadjhj on Apr 19, 2009 15:25:26 GMT -5
Ultimately I figured I could probably dial back the nitro to get a similar sound as the QR, but couldn't make the QR achieve the nitro tones. On that assumption is how I made my purchase. Experts say that you can get a Quick Rod to sound closer to a Nitro but you will not be able to get a Nitro to sound like a Quick Rod. That was a factor when choosing between a QR or a Nitro. Also, given the voicing the QR is a better lead amp. |
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Post by montyl93 on Apr 19, 2009 16:04:38 GMT -5
I see. So how does the Pro Mod fit in then. Is it simply a variation of the quickrod that is more easily capable of nitro tones or is it's voicing completely different then either the quickrod or the nitro?
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Post by shawnfate on Apr 19, 2009 16:06:22 GMT -5
Experts say that you can get a Quick Rod to sound closer to a Nitro but you will not be able to get a Nitro to sound like a Quick Rod. That was a factor when choosing between a QR or a Nitro. Also, given the voicing the QR is a better lead amp. Having owned both I agree with this 100 percent. |
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Post by shawnfate on Apr 19, 2009 16:08:00 GMT -5
I see. So how does the Pro Mod fit in then. Is it simply a variation of the quickrod that is more easily capable of nitro tones or is it's voicing completely different then either the quickrod or the nitro? the nitro has a very odd low mid hump, where the Qr has a higher mid hump. the PM is just a QR with kt88 tubes. |
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Post by montyl93 on Apr 19, 2009 16:18:55 GMT -5
Okay. so I'll admit I'm leaning more towards the QR/PM since I play mostly lead stuff and i like the fact that it has more cut.How do these two compare? Do the kt88's make a big difference or are they relatively similar. how is the "modern" voicing of the PM. would it be better for my needs than say a stock QR?
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Post by porkchops on Apr 19, 2009 21:44:42 GMT -5
I will just add that the Nitro is phenomenal for metal lead tones.
I have owned all manner of Splawn and find for my metal tastes the Nitro is ahead due to the fact that it has a smoother feel even with KT88's. The 88's add a little extra cut and tightness and low end so they are a must for me. No Splawn will have a problem cutting the mix.
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Post by shredheadjhj on Apr 19, 2009 23:59:12 GMT -5
I see. So how does the Pro Mod fit in then. Is it simply a variation of the quickrod that is more easily capable of nitro tones or is it's voicing completely different then either the quickrod or the nitro? Easy: The PM is simply a QR with different output tubes. The KT-88's are supposed to thicken up the sound, add more gain, scoop the mids, & add bass  I think I have the solution for you my friend. You like to play leads, yet you're looking for a hearty metal rhythm tone as well. Go to www.bluescitymusic.com & get a Pro Mod with JJ KT-88 tubes. You will be much better off going with JJ's as opposed to Sovtek's. |
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Post by shinysurface on Apr 20, 2009 5:53:24 GMT -5
Buy a used Nitro, if it's not for you flip it and get a QR.
You may like one over the other regardless of the type of music each is supposed to be optimized for.
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Post by montyl93 on Apr 20, 2009 18:55:28 GMT -5
Thanks alot. I have a friend who lives a little up the road from me. I was talking to him today and apparently a friend of his stepdad's owns a nitro. so if I'm lucky I'll get to play it and see for myself. Im definately going with the splawn 4x12 x loaded with the BB and Sb speakers and the nitro unless it soesnt suit my liking. then I'll try the PM with the JJ kt88's whatever i order i think im going with the white 800 style with black grill cloth white faceplate and black chickenheads and white with black grill cloth on the cabs. hopefully I'll order soon so i can get my new splawn asap. Thanks again.
-Monty
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Post by ldm on Apr 20, 2009 19:45:51 GMT -5
Either way, I would go with the KT88's. EL34's may have a bit more "snarl" to them but KT88's made my Nitro sound huge. More saturation, tighter lows and just better all around. KT88's cost more but I think it was money well spent. I still own other amps, but the KT88 loaded Nitro crushes them all.
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