2+2's Lead Guitar Players, Help Please.

[IQ89]

About 2 years ago I bought Fender's cheapest Strat ($400), I haven't changed the pickups yet, not sure what to buy. Then, about a year ago I bought a 20 watt Marshall Valvestate 2000 practice amp. It has a pre amp (10 inch celestion speaker), and it's more than loud enough for playing in a bedroom.



I also have a Boss MT-2 Metal Zone pedal.



..and an old DOD Stereo Chorus FX65



Okay, together they sound really good for chords; to get a Van halen type of sound, but here's the problem: When I play individual lead notes it has a Boxy sound that I hate. The sound reminds me of Brian May's Vox amp. It doesn't sound that way with just the amp alone, but I don't really care for that sound either (the sound is almost there, just needs a little something [maybe 30 more watts of power?]), Is there some pedal effect that you could recommend that might give it a decent sound? Or am I just going to have to get a 50 watt combo amp w/a 12" speaker?

Guitar player's sound that I like:

Eddie
Eric Johnson
Jeff Beck
Yngwie
Steve Stevens

Thanks for any help

[burningyen]

For your price range, I would ditch the amp and the pedals and just get a Line 6 amp.

[ICallHimGamblor]

I really, really hate small Marshall valvestate amps, but your answer depends on whether you are limited to your bedroom. If so, and if I were you, I would ditch the amp completely and buy a line 6 Pod and a very good set of headphones. There is no small amp / pedal combo that can get you a decent sound. You physically can't move enough air around.

My two cents.

[skunkworks]

The Metal Zone is probably #2 on my list of [censored] distortion pedals, right below some piece of [censored] DOD pedal called Grunge something-or-other.

[Dilznoofus]

How much can you spend? You're never going to get a high quality sound out of a 20-watt solid state practice amp.

[IQ89]

[ QUOTE ]
The Metal Zone is probably #2 on my list of [censored] distortion pedals, right below some piece of [censored] DOD pedal called Grunge something-or-other.

[/ QUOTE ]

So what do you like?

[IQ89]

[ QUOTE ]
How much can you spend? You're never going to get a high quality sound out of a 20-watt solid state practice amp.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hopefully I can get something for less than $500. My brother gave me an old cabinet with 4 celestion speakers in it, but it has no power amp. I assume a marshall 50 watt head (tube amp) would cost over a thousand.

[ua1176]

they all have tube amps. with lots and lots of tubes.

guitar amps without tubes will probably not sound good. distortion that is not tube distortion will probably not sound good.

most of the ones on your list use strats...but they use GOOD strats.

[IQ89]

[ QUOTE ]
I would ditch the amp completely and buy a line 6 Pod and a very good set of headphones.

[/ QUOTE ]

I live in a house with double pane windows, so I don't have to use headphones. But I'm not planning on joining a band either, so I can't imagine needing a 100 watt amp. Just something with enough balls that draws me to want to practice with it. Now, because I don't care for the sound of my amp, I just practice unplugged in front of the tv for the most part.

[ QUOTE ]
line 6 Pod

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll have to check that out, plus somebody suggested a Line 6 amp, which I think I listened to one about 4 years ago. Was kind of expensive as I remember.

[Dilznoofus]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
How much can you spend? You're never going to get a high quality sound out of a 20-watt solid state practice amp.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hopefully I can get something for less than $500. My brother gave me an old cabinet with 4 celestion speakers, but it has no power amp. I assume a marshall 50 watt head (tube amp) would cost over a thousand.

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay I've been out of the market for a while and wouldn't know what kind of particular unit to go for, but I would definitely try to find a quality tube head if you've already got a 4x12 cab for free. Maybe save up a little while and try to find a good Marshall JCM800 50W head or something like it.

Unless you don't want a setup this big. Because you'll not be able to push a Marshall half-stack much before you're waking up your neighbors. However, if you want a real quality setup just skip the little amps and save up for a real one. Then you won't ever have to buy another.

Also, if you're using a standard strat with single-coil pickups you're going to have a pretty thin sound when running the bridge pickup, which I assume you spend most of your time at since you're playing van Halen. For hard rock/metal it's much better to have a humbucker back there. Maybe you should sell the Strat and get an Ibanez or a Jackson. There are a lot of relatively high quality entry-level electric guitars on the market these days.

edit: posted this while you posted above. Sounds like you don't need this much sound. Still, it would be sweet to take advantage of that free 4x12 cab.