Grails

tekbow · September 2023

Can a grail amp (or guitar) not necessarily be your favourite?

I'm not limiting how many grails you can have BTW, but in my case I have 2 amps. One is a grail amp and the other is an amp that sounds incredible. Well, they both do, but the grail, I'm still quite happy to call a grail and I'd not part with it, but the other is my preferred amp.

Discuss.

PAL · September 2023

All this grail guitar and amp stuff is rubbish ! If you play well and sound good you will sound good through anything !

Stuckfast · September 2023

WTF is a grail amp?

distressed · September 2023

GRAIL means "Sought-After Item." GRAIL is a slang term which is used to refer to an item which is much sought after. The use of GRAIL is particularly common amongst collectors of sneakers. GRAIL is similar in meaning and use to HG ("Holy Grail").

Stuckfast · September 2023

Not something that amplifies grails then?

ICBM · September 2023

tekbow said:

I'm not limiting how many grails you can have BTW, but in my case I have 2 amps. One is a grail amp and the other is an amp that sounds incredible. Well, they both do, but the grail, I'm still quite happy to call a grail and I'd not part with it, but the other is my preferred amp.

Exactly that for me.

Mesa Blue Angel - "grail" amp. Probably won't sell it, but rarely use it.

Peavey Studio Pro 112 - preferred amp. I use this one all the time.

earwighoney · September 2023

I thought this was going to be a thread about the post rock band of the same name!

Ah well, nevermind.

blobb · September 2023

MATAMP, but I use my mesa express.

FelineGuitars · September 2023

grail

noun

ˈgrāl

Synonyms of grail

1

capitalized : the cup or platter used according to medieval legend by Christ at the Last Supper and thereafter the object of knightly quests

2

: the object of an extended or difficult quest

Now would a grail be a

1968 Marshall Plexi 12000 series?
Mesa Mk 2C amp

Soldano SLO 100 from 1989

Possibly all too loud to play anywhere other than a major gig

gatheredinsong · September 2023

It seems to me that you answered your own question

My back certainly has preferred amps that are lighter than my 'grail' amps!

InactiveX · September 2023

I've never heard the word "grail" used in this way.

It's now giving me mental images of Gawain, Percival and Lancelot riding around the land looking for highly desirable guitar amplifiers.

tekbow · September 2023

I mean, strictly speaking, my "grail" fits many of the colliquialised definitions.

So, it was my SLO100. I had been toying with the idea of trading up my HR50+ to get the main chunk of money for an SLO when the announcement came that Mike was retiring.

And everyone lost their minds with prices.

Part of the problem was that my HR50+ was a combo. It was a head chassis fitted in a short lived combo cab produced by Soldano which accepted any of their standard chassis' in order to produce an instant 2x12.

But Soldano combos are a harder sell. So I had to find an empty Soldano headshell (on ebay) and separately a handle and rear/front grill plates.

The front grill panel with logo came from Mike after a quick phone call, but he didnt Have any rear grills. The rear grill and handle came from C3, the headshell from Ebay (black alligator).

I assembled all of these and then set to work finding the SLO before Brexit kicked in.

Everyone in the UK was asking nuts prices and refused to split heads and cab sets which were entirely their prerogative.

I found one for a sensible price on an Italian music listings site, a bit like a localised Italian version of reverb, but you had to have an address in Italy to register.

Step in my German friend with an Italian wife and in laws living in Italy, who was also a member of the site.

He brokered the first contact, and a month later I had my SLO.

But i had an open backed combo 212 (extra open since the removal of the chassis) for a cab and it sounded like ass. So I then had it converted to a closed back, and both it and the SLO headshell re-vinyled/tolexed in purple to match each other (One was blue, the other black).

During all of that, I got the HR50+ sold

If that's not a quest, I dont know what is

This is why I call it my "grail" DESPITE the fact that I prefer the Gower in almost every respect.

tekbow · September 2023

InactiveX said:

I've never heard the word "grail" used in this way.

It's now giving me mental images of Gawain, Percival and Lancelot riding around the land looking for highly desirable guitar amplifiers.

Maybe it's a Facebook group thing?

Stuckfast · September 2023

I don't think I have grails, just passing whims.

Litterick · September 2023

I don't think it is a grail if you own it. A grail is an unobtainable object of desire, rare and expensive. The Dumble ODS is the grail for many: you won't find one in your local music store, and in any case you wouldn't be able to afford it.

ecc83 · September 2023

BUT! If you remember your "Raiders" it was not the diamond encrusted fabulous cup that was the HG? No, it was the rough hewn wooden one!

Dave.

Modulus_Amps · September 2023

I prefer the Gower too.

The SLO was a grail amp back in the 80's/90s. Now all it does it speak to that era.

To use a car analogy, You have a third generation Ford Mustang and wonder why you prefer driving the 2023 Mach-E model

tekbow · September 2023

ecc83 said:

BUT! If you remember your "Raiders" it was not the diamond encrusted fabulous cup that was the HG? No, it was the rough hewn wooden one!

Dave.

Last Crusade

tekbow · September 2023

Modulus_Amps said:

I prefer the Gower too.

The SLO was a grail amp back in the 80's/90s. Now all it does it speak to that era.

To use a car analogy, You have a third generation Ford Mustang and wonder why you prefer driving the 2023 Mach-E model

I think it's nearly a sunk cost fallacy. I put so much into finding one and getting it how I wanted it that I'm unable to detach from it.

Supportact · September 2023

I kind of understand what you mean. I've got amps that are more expensive/sound better but for a while I've been gigging my AC15cc1 which is not a 'fancy' amp. But consequently I'm used to it and comfortable with how it responds, so I kind of gravitate towards it now rather than the more high end stuff.

tekbow · September 2023

Supportact said:

I kind of understand what you mean. I've got amps that are more expensive/sound better but for a while I've been gigging my AC15cc1 which is not a 'fancy' amp. But consequently I'm used to it and comfortable with how it responds, so I kind of gravitate towards it now rather than the more high end stuff.

Strange, that's exactly fly how I feel about one of my guitars. It's not my fanciest, or priciest, but I've played it the most and no exactly how to make it do what I want.

BlackbirdCabs · September 2023

Litterick said:

I don't think it is a grail if you own it. A grail is an unobtainable object of desire, rare and expensive. The Dumble ODS is the grail for many: you won't find one in your local music store, and in any case you wouldn't be able to afford it.

This is how I feel abut the term 'grail' as well. My grails are amps that I'll almost certainly never own, and they have very little hope of living up to my unrealistic expectations anyway!

High Powered Tweed Twin
JTM45
60's Super Reverb

Probably all too loud for 99% of situations so would probably languish in a corner while I noodle around on my beloved Tremolux.

BowynMadley · September 2023

tekbow said:

I mean, strictly speaking, my "grail" fits many of the colliquialised definitions.

So, it was my SLO100. I had been toying with the idea of trading up my HR50+ to get the main chunk of money for an SLO when the announcement came that Mike was retiring.

And everyone lost their minds with prices.

Part of the problem was that my HR50+ was a combo. It was a head chassis fitted in a short lived combo cab produced by Soldano which accepted any of their standard chassis' in order to produce an instant 2x12.

But Soldano combos are a harder sell. So I had to find an empty Soldano headshell (on ebay) and separately a handle and rear/front grill plates.

The front grill panel with logo came from Mike after a quick phone call, but he didnt Have any rear grills. The rear grill and handle came from C3, the headshell from Ebay (black alligator).

I assembled all of these and then set to work finding the SLO before Brexit kicked in.

Everyone in the UK was asking nuts prices and refused to split heads and cab sets which were entirely their prerogative.

I found one for a sensible price on an Italian music listings site, a bit like a localised Italian version of reverb, but you had to have an address in Italy to register.

Step in my German friend with an Italian wife and in laws living in Italy, who was also a member of the site.

He brokered the first contact, and a month later I had my SLO.

But i had an open backed combo 212 (extra open since the removal of the chassis) for a cab and it sounded like ass. So I then had it converted to a closed back, and both it and the SLO headshell re-vinyled/tolexed in purple to match each other (One was blue, the other black).

During all of that, I got the HR50+ sold

If that's not a quest, I dont know what is

This is why I call it my "grail" DESPITE the fact that I prefer the Gower in almost every respect.

That was a very long winded way of saying "I have a Soldano SLO but I prefer my Gower head"

gumbothewiddler · September 2023

The thing with ‘grails’ is, at least in my case is, it’s the thrill of the chase as much as the end product.

if your grail is something vintage, once you get it, in my case with my 67 jtm50 I became very aware of its antique-like status and then the fear of damaging/ devaluing it etc creeps in.

I was the same after I had my escort mk1 Mexico restored. I loved the chase of finding and restoring all the missing rare parts, but once it was done I was almost scared to drive it and I realised I loved the process as much as I did the result.

HAL9000 · September 2023

…and here, in Castle Anthrax, we have one punishment for setting light to the grail shaped beacon - you must tie her down on a bed and spank her.

tekbow · September 2023

gumbothewiddler said:

The thing with ‘grails’ is, at least in my case is, it’s the thrill of the chase as much as the end product.

if your grail is something vintage, once you get it, in my case with my 67 jtm50 I became very aware of its antique-like status and then the fear of damaging/ devaluing it etc creeps in.

I was the same after I had my escort mk1 Mexico restored. I loved the chase of finding and restoring all the missing rare parts, but once it was done I was almost scared to drive it and I realised I loved the process as much as I did the result.

Very good point, sometimes it's an achievement to have found one within the parameters you set yourself for obtaining one, i.e. I won't go over X cost.

Yorkie · September 2023

I think this thread is well above my pay grade.

jmf1928 · September 2023

tekbow said:

InactiveX said:

I've never heard the word "grail" used in this way.

It's now giving me mental images of Gawain, Percival and Lancelot riding around the land looking for highly desirable guitar amplifiers.

Maybe it's a Facebook group thing?

I think it’s a frequent TGP term.

jmf1928 · September 2023

gumbothewiddler said:

The thing with ‘grails’ is, at least in my case is, it’s the thrill of the chase as much as the end product.

if your grail is something vintage, once you get it, in my case with my 67 jtm50 I became very aware of its antique-like status and then the fear of damaging/ devaluing it etc creeps in.

I was the same after I had my escort mk1 Mexico restored. I loved the chase of finding and restoring all the missing rare parts, but once it was done I was almost scared to drive it and I realised I loved the process as much as I did the result.

Same here. My two ‘grail’ guitars sit in cases mostly. The rest get grabbed all the time.

Teacherphil · September 2023

jmf1928 said:

tekbow said:

InactiveX said:

I've never heard the word "grail" used in this way.

It's now giving me mental images of Gawain, Percival and Lancelot riding around the land looking for highly desirable guitar amplifiers.

Maybe it's a Facebook group thing?

I think it’s a frequent TGP term.

It sounds to me like the modern fad of shortening names. Social media is now "socials". Rage against the machine are now referred to as "Rage" and The holy grail of guitars (the one you always wanted) is now "a grail guitar". I'm grumpy and I hate it.

Stuckfast · September 2023

It just feels to me like a corruption of what music-making should be about to allow any piece of kit to assume the status of a "holy grail".

(Says the man who owns at least six amps.)

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grail

noun