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What's wrong with the Tone Hammer 500?

#101
I think cabs are key to this amp. I mean, they usually are, but especially so with the way this one is voiced. I tried a 15, a 12, a 410, a whole heck of a lot of knob twisting and could not get a sound to cut through the mix for the life of me. I ended up having a similar issue with a Portaflex 800, so it makes sense the comparison between the V4B and the Tonehammer, and makes sense that it's nothing to do with the Aggie, just didn't fit my cabs and personal sound. I'd love to give it another go in the future, because it's felt the most solid all-around of any amp I've tried on the micro end of things.
 
#103
There are a lot of reports here on T,B that it has a loud fan with only one speed. People who play in soft environments sometimes find it to be a problem. I had the same problem with a GK MB800. I'm really happy with the quiet fan on my streamliner 900. My GK 1001RBc also had a quiet fan. It's nice to have big power for loud gigs and minimal fan/background noise for quiet gigs if you only own 1 head.
 
#104
I have a minor problem with my TH500. I have to use a right angle jack for the input and rest the cord over the edge of the cabinet it is sitting on or I get horrible static. A straight plug is out of the question. Been like that since I bought it used off of someone here. It was not long after they first came out so its been a while. Thought about getting it fixed but don't have a backup and was never under warranty.

Having said that I love this amplifier. My wife was surprised how long I've had it when we were talking about it a few months back. She knows how many amps I've owned or gone through over the 40 years we've been together. It just sounds awesome paired with my pair of Bergantinno HD210's. Very happy Aguilar owner.
 
#105
One more thing. Mine could be the exception but I have very very minimal fan noise. I would call it irrelevant. You'd really have to listen closely to notice it in a quite living room.
 
#108
JLY said:
I would love to try one out ...but it would seem redundant as I already have the TH pedal.
Has anyone ever used both together?
Click to expand...

I have a TH500 and I just got the Tonehammer Pedal for Christmas. I'm heading home for vacation, so my plan is to spend sometime learning how to use the pedal. My hopes are the pedal will give me the TH500's tone through my Demeter/Crest rig. I never considered using the pedal through the TH500, as it might be a case of 'Too much of a good thing'.

I'll post back, provided I get enough spare time to setup my Demeter/Crest rig, my thoughts on the pedal, and if I does what I hoping it will. I can also try it through my TH500, please let me know if there's anything in particular that you want the pedal/TH500 to achieve.

Take Care
 
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#109
Arthur U. Poon said:
I have a TH500 and I just got the Tonehammer Pedal for Christmas. I'm heading home for vacation, so my plan is to spend sometime learning how to use the pedal. My hopes are the pedal will give me the TH500's tone through my Demeter/Crest rig. I never considered using the pedal through the TH500, as it might be a case of 'Too much of a good thing'.

I'll post back, provided I get enough spare time to setup my Demeter/Crest rig, my thoughts on the pedal, and if I does what I hoping it will. I can also try it through my TH500, please let me know if there's anything in particular that you want the pedal/TH500 to achieve.

Take Care
Click to expand...
Looking forward to your review
Looking forward to your review
Thanks!
 
#110
I had one for three months. I never jelled with it. Its not a bad amp, just bad for me.

I thought it sounded good through all of my cabs, could thump sort of hard, and you know its an Aguilar when you hear it. It is not really high-fi, is rather very mid forward and aggresive. Very distinct tone. Just not my tone.

I don't think it lived up to the hype of its "tube-like tone" . I think that's because "tube tone" means different things to different people. Warm tube tone, to me, isnt faint ragged edge distortion, which is what the TH500 sounded like to me. And yes, I twisted knobs for three months.
 

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