I am looking for personal opinions about how I should build my rig.
I am using an Ibanez RG and some sort of Samick both with EMG-81's ,a morley bad horsie wah, and a behringer Vamp.
I am wondering if I should look into a normal head and cab, or if I should look into a power amp and cabnets, as I have the Behringer Preamp. My main concern is the cost, I can score a cabnet for around $400 but it doesnt leave me with too much space to get a head/power amp. I am wondering what I should look into, I had someone suggest to me a crate head, a lower model one, but I am still wondering what you all think? inexpensive is the key, I also want new, no ebay or anything, I have had some bad shit happen with used gear, like a Marshall head going on me in the middle of a set.
Should I use the Vamp and get a power amp, or a head?

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How much have u got? By the sounds of it, not much.... maybe save some more... then think about it again. No point wasting money on crap.

go with a power amp, your V-amp can take care of modeling a head and cab, if i am thinking correctly, if so a power would be the cheapest way to go.

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Metaldave- your very right, I really dont have much cash to spare, but any ideas what I should look into?

Moonraven- any thoughs on make and model of a power amp?

as well thanks both for your opinions...

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For power amps check out Peavey and Carvin.

Also, you can fun your V-amp through a real cheap head and just keep the eq flat, it wont sound as good as a power amp because you are still running it through a pre-eped preamp.

I've also heard nothing but good things about this:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7...ase_pid/182011/

EDIT: If you are going for a plug-n-play type of basic setup, I'd go with a tube head, I've found that you really need to play with digital gear to get even a decent tone.

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i play one tube poweramp and one s.s., both sound great, but thats with a tube preamp. but if your playing through a cheapo behringer preamp, then you probably want to look into a tube poweramp, it will color your sound a little, but in a good way. and i know you'd prefer new, but with a buget like yours, used is probably the best thing. i bought the majority of my rig used, and it works great and has never broken down on me. you could snag a nice marshall cab or something for almost half of what a new one would cost. plus, you just gotta think... a store usually wouldnt have bought something off somebody if it didn't work. just shop around and when ever possible try out the gear you're looking into.

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the other day i opened my amp up to replace the fuses and found these springs hooked up over a plastic thing (like in picture) should they be like this?

Attached Images

amp_organs.JPG (11.1 KB, 150 views)

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