Hey guys, maybe I'm just stupid but I tried searching for anything about this so I made a new thread. I just purchased a b-52 at-100 head and wanted to know your thoughts on it. I only got to play it at the store and couldn't really crank it and brought it straight to my buds house where the rest of the band equipment is. What do you think about the head, is it worth $700? I have a 30 day return on it, so I just want to make sure I'm getting what I paid for. Also, if you don't think it is a good head, could you make me a recommendation that would be around that price new? I work so damn much I don't really get a chance to research these things.

For $700 you can get better used.i personally dislike that head,have a look on ebay for prices of used amps,you can do pretty well with $700.If i were you i would return it,and get something used.But last time i bought something new and took it back i only got store credit .

So, let me get this straight: You couldn't test an amp in the store to its full capacity, and still not knowing if you'd like it you proceeded to buy it?

And now you're asking our advise if its a great amp and you should keep it or not?

Sheesh, you suck at life buddy

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Well yes, plus in the store he was playing it through a vintage marshall cab, so it prolly sounded a lot better. Also, I didn't really care to just play it in the store because of the 30 day return policy, why try it in the store if I can try it at home? Tonight I have band practice, so I'll find out for myself. I just wondered if anyone had any ideas to what to buy. I'm looking for kind of a pantera sound almost, really heavy but still here all the notes in between. I play a fender strat plus.

Well, if you put it that way...
Just bring it back, save up just in case and go second hand.
You can get awesome amps that way.

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Well if Pantera is what you want, why'd you get a tube? And I don't know if you'll be pulling much Pantera on a strat (could be mistaken). I know the B-52 solid-states are pretty cool, but I haven't tried the tube. Look for a used JCM 900 or 5150. I have a Peavey Ultra Plus which is alright. You really have to crank it to full capacity to get a real good tone out of it. Not bad for the money (400ish).

Thats the tube one? If so, I owned that amp. I returned it, it sucked. It sounded like a steaming pile of shit... Eww. Return it. Get a decent amp.

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Alright, thanks guys, I'll look for a not so shit sounding amp then, maybe they'll give me a deal to not lose my business!

but it "Sounds like a Mesa Boogie" says the Guitar Center salesmen

Fucking idiots, I enjoy going their and pissing in their mouths. and cna you belive they were trying to sell a Soldano SLO-100 for $3000.. USED

Fucking idiots.

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Where did you buy it?

And BLS, lol, I can imagine you in a guitar center bitching at the salesman about how little he knows

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I ask where their hiding the Mesa's and he says their out so he drags me over to this pile of shit that cost like $50... then he proceeds to scoop the mids, bass 10 and gain 10... it was muddy as hell had hardly any gain, even at ten.. and as it got louder the gain magically got weaker.

Then I found the secret sound proof room where they were hiding the Soldano.

I didnt even plan to buy the mesa I just wanted a QUALITY amp to play a guitar out of.

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Ya, it was purchased at guitar center. The fucking salesman was like "dude, this amp is so smokin, you'll love this thing, take it home and try it, if you don't like it return it within thirty days" then the fuck proceeds to tell me "don't listen to any other salesman, they don't know what the fuck they're doing" OK, I'm returning this thing first thing tomorrow, I think I might get a xxx, sound like a good choice?

it's his job... i have alot of friends that work in guitar stores, it's not that they don't know anything, it's that they look for the suckers...

sometimes it's easier to sell several crate s.s. combos than it is to sell one recto or jcm... you might think why? the jcm's and recto's are obvisously better.. but not everyone has a grand or two to drop on an amp. and some kids will beleive anything you say...

"this avt150 head is 150w, that's like as loud as a mesa triple recto, plus it also has a tube in it so it's awesome sounding"

"these b52's have tube rectifiers in them just like the mesa's"

the quality amps will sell themselves. so long as the people have the money.

$3,000 isnt a very bad price for a new one...normally they go for a little over that... but for a "used" one to be $3,000 it better be mint.



let your ears decide that... but imo it's 100 times better than the b52

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Funny you should mention that, the other day a salesman spied me toying around with a Crate GT 65 watt amplifier combo ... approached me, and stated that the amplifier costs 400$ normally ... but "for you, buddy", 350$

Their job isent to lie, especially not to me.

And just a tiny hint.. maybe they would move products faster if they were honest and didnt overprice everything.

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they get paid crap + commission, if you can honestly get a kid to think a b52 is just as good as a recto, i think you deserve that sale.

and they don't automatically know the second that you walk in that you know anything.



good one...

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i love the list price/sale price thing... they can be like "the list price we're supposed to sell these for is like $800, but i can it it for you for like $500 out the door" and then the person feels like they're getting a huge discount.

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Thats why i do my research before buying new.Fuck what the store person has to say.

Thanks for all your help, I said fuck guitar center and went to sam ash and got a xxx, sounds bad as hell, i love it. Next up, BIG PA.

The Sam Ash around here has gone to hell

Last time I went they had NO tube amps... Before they had a 5150 II fullstack, 5150 combo, a XXX halfstack, and a JSX halfstack, and Two Marshall Stacks. Now they have two line 6 stacks and a marshall MG with two non-working JCM 2000's.

They used to have awesome LTD's the EC-400's and EC-1000's.. even a LTD Jeff Hanneman sig (the one with the Kahler) now its all bolt on poo poo.

sad.. used to be my favorite store

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Hi, I'm Johnny, and I was the product development manager for B-52.

Did you own the ST-100A? (The one with the flame faceplate) That was the 1st tube amp that B-52 did. (Before I was hired, by the way! LOL) We tweaked that amp as far as possible, and the next batch did sound a lot better (Serial numbers after about 300 feature upgraded tone.) but given the circuit design, we could only do so much. The ST is a good amp, but we felt we needed to come up with a GREAT one. So, the decision was made to do a completely new amp from the ground up, and that amp is the AT-100.

The AT-100 was designed to deliver major whoopass and versatility, and we definitely succeeded! Guitar Center has sold a TON of them throughout the nation in the 7 weeks that it's been available. B-52 gets a LOT of calls thanking them for making the AT-100.

Here are some reviews from people that bought the amp:
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guit...er_Head-01.html

Feel free to email me at frozenjb@yahoo.com with any questions you may have. I'm no longer with B-52, but they are a wonderful company, and I still do consulting for them.

By the way, Guitar World magazine has an AT-100 stack for review, and they told us that they're planning to give it one of the best reviews they have given in 25 years. I encourage you to check the AT-100 out. It was born in my brain, and I'm very proud of it.

Best regards,

Johnny

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Yeah I guess I had the ST, and I havent tried the AT. I just kind of kept my distance from b-52 since then. And I would never ever ever ever have the ST-100a and good amp in the same sentence.

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Sorry that the ST didn't work out for you. I think the AT-100 may well surprise you. Have a good one!

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I'd be surprised if the ST worked out for anyone.

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No, I purchased the at-100, sounded horrible, clean sucked, distortion was tinny and fake. Doesn't even compete with other amps, maybe a squier.

the at100 is like a million times better than the st imo... my friend won one from guitar center because he sold the most stuff or something. he's already got 2 mesa half stacks(a stilleto and a triple recto) so i don't know what purpose he'll be giving the at-100... but it was free.

it's still not my cup of tea, but it's usable, unlike the st's.

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Wow, sorry that you didn't like it, and I am glad you got an amp that makes you happy. What kind of speaker cabinet did you play it though? (That makes a huge difference with any amp) What kind of pickups do you have in your Strat Plus?
Also, the problems you describe sound like a tube may have been failing. (It sucks, but once in awhile it happens.)

Have a good one!

Johnny

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I tried this amp in the loud room at GC. It DOES NOT SUCK! It sounded better than my TSL 122 combo easily. Mt TSL was very unreliable and never sounded "right" Thin and harsh come to mind.The AT 100 thru its own cab it had warm clean tones with tons of headroom. It managed to go from blues to Nu-metal very well. Full sounding distortion and lots of bottom end. Ive sold my TSL and will probably purchase the 212 model.At any rate-Dont listen to others! Play it and see for yourself if you like it. You have 30 days to return it.

Just so you know, watch your step around this site if you like Nu-metal. Its hated with a passion here.



How much is the AT-100 MF price new, like 800 or so?

Any amp can go from blues to Nu-metal.

bass : 10
Mid : 0
treble : 10

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^ What I wanted to say but felt too nice to.

holy old fucking thread....

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i played the amp. it wasnt all that bad. id take it for free anyday, and use it.

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It´s not bad, but i´d rather spend money on something I can

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So 3 questions: Why the hell are we still discussing the amp? and how many people think that rockon1 will show his face around here again? and last but not least how did this not turn into an all out flame fest?