amp suggestions?

[thepossiblebag]

hi,

new here... I need to purchase a guitar amp (would build one, but worried I would electrocute myself, cat, and wife).

Having just brought a fender strat back from the dead, I’d like something I can noodle on at home, play in a small jam situation, and if needed, fill a small club without a PA. I’m looking to spend not too much dough, preferably hitting $600 or so max, but I would be happy to stay in the $300 range, too.

I love what I’ve read about tube amps, and the couple I’ve jammed on are cool, but I realize solid-state gives more bang for buck (maybe?). I’ve done some research, but the posters on this board seem pretty knowledgeable. So, any ideas?

I'd like a combo, and I play alternativish rock/pop, so both clean and distortion is important- but I'd like it to make some weird sounds, too.

Thanks!
(and I apologize if this type of post was already buried in this board)
tpb

[the_uprising]

Let me be the first (but maybe not the most qualified) to welcome you!

I feel like from what i've read the general consensus is that you are going to get better possibility's for better tones with a tube amp. However you are going to have more possibility's for more on board options (more channels, digital effects, etc...) with a solid state.

Maybe what i've just said is more of a personal opinion, but as far as filling a small club i think i could safely say that that a tube amp would be your best bet.

I think part of the equation is how far you plan on going down the rabbit hole. If you got a tube amp, would you rather get a pedal for your crunchtime? Or would you rather just have it digitally on the amp itself?

All in all, personal experience with what each sounds like can't be beat. I know even just 2 years ago i would be hard pressed to notice the differences between tube and solid state. So if there is a possibility of experimenting between the to at say a Guitar Center or anything like that, that may be your best bet.

I will say that my vote would be tube though...

I know you'll get some other great opinions (and probably more facts then i've given) here too, so welcome again.

-d

[newey]

tpb-

Hello and Welcome!

Rising is right, try before you buy. This is one of those subjective areas where all the opinions in the world aren't going to help you much.

If this is to be used for gigging, you may also want to consider durability. Tube amps need more TLC than SS. All the great tube tone in the world does no good if you get it to the club and it doesn't work.

Some of the newer SS amps with simulated tube sound sound pretty good. If your budget is $600 or so, you could also get a decent-sized SS amp for small venues and also a small tube practice amp like a Blackheart to leave at home.

[sumgai]

tpb,

Hi, and to the NutzHouse!

$600 (USD), eh? Well, lucky you, you don't need to look any further than the Fender Blues Jr., aka the loudest 15 watts in captivity!

Shop around, or try your luck on eBay. Plus, there are several knock-offs of this amp, if you need to keep some of those shekels in your jeans.

For more detailed info, start here:

www.bluesjuniorfansite.com

Google also provides beaucoup pages of info, just be sure to let the cat and the wife know where you'll be for the next few days. ;D

HTH



sumgai

[ashcatlt]

For $600 dollars you could have 31 amps and 15 cabinets to mess with, plus onboard effects (for your weird sounds) and plenty of volume to rock most clubs.

That is, get an amp simulator (I prefer the Behringer V-amp) and a powered PA speaker or mid-sized keyboard amp.

You can use headphones when the wife and cat are asleep.

[sydsbluesky]

If you're looking to rock a club, then you're probably going to need a 4x12 cab... or a PA. Generally most people will go with the 4x12. I picked up a damn good one for 300 almost new... Then you could go on the hunt for a decent sized combo that you can run into the cab at the club, or just unplug and run as a combo to practice at home! This is exactly what I did a few years back with I got my 1x12 Marshall AVT, which is now discontinued... blue smoke issue... I've said too much...

If I could recommend one thing it would be to buy something that you're still going to like in a year... otherwise, you're just going to go back in with a higher budget.

As far as modeling amps go, I think Vox has a very nice 100 watt 1x12 with a good selection of onboard options - this includes a few drive selections - for around 350 or 400. It's a hybrid, which means tube preamp and solid state power amp. It's very viable, I'd imagine, though I've never played one. I was trying to convince my buddy to try one out, but I think they're discontinued now. Worth a shot, though, that's for sure. Most stores have a good pile of older amps sitting around, and you might even be able to negotiate on the price? I got 100 bucks off a bass amp I just purchased a few weeks back that way.

Either way, shopping around is going to be your best attack.

Best of luck and welcome to the Nuthouse!

[sydsbluesky]

www.music123.com/Vox-Valvetronix-VT100-100W-2x12-Guitar-Combo-Amp-424009-i1444500.Music123

Okay, I won't be lazy. This is the one about which I was typing.

I thought it was cheaper... then again, I also thought it was discontinued. Take my advice, and... maybe stop taking my advice?

But in all seriousness, it's 500 bucks for a 100 watt 2x12 from a great brand name. It has a helluva lotta gadgets to play with... it even has a noise gate! It's a hybrid... take it or leave it, but I swear by my Marshall AVT hybrid. It sounds a hell of a lot better than the solid state version of it, the MG. Sounds a hell of a lot better than that 40 watt all tube haze thing they make, too. That thing sounds like it's buried in blankets... but I digress!

I would feel comfortable saying that a 2x12 will keep up pretty well with a band, depending on musical style... and if it DOESN'T, then you can always poke around with the wiring between the speakers and the head and get a 4x12 in there... The amp sadly doesn't have an extension jack to run another 2x12. And seriously... PAs are handy for the bigger gigs.

Also in that price range, and fully tubed, is the peavy 6505 plus 65 watt head. Wonderful head for a metal sound... Umm... think Van Halen? I mean, it may not be you thing, but they're fantastic amps.

Fender makes a few amps, of course.

Anyway, those are my suggestions. All comes down to what you like!

[newey]

And, if you don't want that metal grill, and want it to look like a real Vox, then for $50 more, North Coast Music has the solution:

www.voxshowroom.com/northcoast/shopping/index.htm

[sydsbluesky]

That's actually not a bad idea for the outside. That metal is quite ugly.

I'd personally try to hide some metal underneath it, though. The stock 1x12 on my Marshall got destroyed when a foot somehow found it's way through my cover and into my cone in transit.

When I cut the head off and rebuilt the cab I made myself a metal grill that I could kick full force and not get to my cone.

I'm going to do the same thing with the Ampeg, and just put the grill cloth right back over the top of it when I'm done.

[newey]

Aesthetics and kickability aside, that metal grill isn't acoustically neutral, either (and neither is the cloth, just different). It will color the sound of the speaker to some extent. Probably not noticeably so at gig volumes, but in the comfort of your own home, probably a bit of difference between the 2.

[JohnH]

Ive also heard good sounds from Vox Valvetronix amps.

At the $600US mark, theres nice Peaveys such as Classic 30, or Delta blues (same but with 15"speaker and trem), and Marshall has brought out its Haze 40, all tube with digi effects. Ive tried that one, really nice, 40W so gets loud, but also very nice at low volume.

John

[sydsbluesky]

MXR EQ pedal is a good way to spend that other 100 bucks... That'll let you tweak out any "tone" being created by the grill.

I found it useful with the cab I built. I have a layer of very thin cloth with a grille on top, and it muffled things a bit. I gave it some EQ on the 6 band and I could get it back to the sound it was pushing with no cover at all. I was in the convenient position of being able to take the cover on and off at my leisure.

Gotta protect those cones! My Marshall getting crushed is something I'll never forget. I'm a metal grille man from here on out.

[dunkelfalke]

Feb 6, 2010 17:34:17 GMT -5 JohnH said:

At the $600US mark, theres nice Peaveys such as Classic 30, or Delta blues (same but with 15"speaker and trem)

Any infos about the Peavey Windsor Studio? Those are quite inexpensive and have got a power attenuator built in.

[sydsbluesky]

Yeah, if anyone has any experience with the Windsor I'd also be delighted to hear it. I forgot about it, to be honest. Looks a bit too good to be true, but you never know till you try it, eh?

[thepossiblebag]

Rad! Thank for all the suggestions.

I hadn't considered hybrids (or modelers). Is a modeler through a PA gonna be anywhere near the real thing, though?

I had toyed with the idea of a head/speaker rig, but like the portability a combo offers.

I saw the Peavey Windsor in my online travels- it does seem to offer a lot of bang for the buck, maybe too much?

I really like the idea of two amps- a small tube for home fun and a loud SS for outside the house- but the accountant-lady might not go for it.

So, next stop, the guitar store- to test out the bunch and see what's what. I feel a bit partial to something simpler- using a pedal for the fuzz.

Thanks again!

[D2o]

I kind of like Hartley Peavey’s take on amps – have a listen here, from about 3:52 to about 5:15.

D2o

[thepossiblebag]

Good view. Thanks!