I mostly play and enjoy the sound of “classic” metal. 1980s Judas Priest. Metallica. Maiden. Etc.
What’s a good amp/fx setup to reproduce this sound at modest volumes?
I have a friend with a Marshall stack, which sounds amazing but I have neither the budget or the space for something like this. I currently have a Fender amp with a Boss GT-1 effects pedal, which is quite good but no matter what I do I never quite get this to reproduce the tone I’m looking for.
Will a small Marshall combo amp like a MG30GFX work for me? Does it make sense to go for low-wattage tube amps over solid state? Thoughts?
Honestly, your best bet is to get a guitar amp. Not only will the speaker in your amp be voiced for bass, but the preamp section will be as well. That’s not to say its completely unsuitable for guitar, but you’re just less likely to nail the tone you want.
Definitely recommend trading the GT1 and the amp in for a Katana. Those things are actually insanely good. I’ve owned an AxeFX2 for 11 years and I still want a Katana just because its convenient and straight up awesome.
Check out LambChopper678 and John Nathan Cordy on YouTube for some cool Katana demos.