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Versatile tube amps
Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2019 3:07 pm
by jorri
I dont have much knowledge of tube amps. Been a collector of solid states for a while but considering selling for a single decent amp...
Basically my sound is going for a jc120 vibe, and i was lusting for a musicman for a while, and use old carslsboro and yamaha.
I use full wet verbs and loops a LOT so not much handles that sometimes. Sometimes i have to loop that then play very noisy heavy fuzz. Sometimes i have looped some octave down to play under things, and sometimes its just so many clean layers. So: headroom and space,but nice 3d ambience and nice dirts.
Yet i also want a bit of dirt from them. Organic warmth but not an ac30 or marshall (though i love the ac30 sound sometimes). Ive tried a fender hot rod (deville) and could really take this stuff pretty good...
But what others are there for a similar vibe? A twin? Back to looking for musicmans? Anything by peavey or laney on the cheap?
Re: Versatile tube amps
Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2019 5:23 pm
by Kent
I will continue to champion the powerhouse that is the Crate VTX200.
Re: Versatile tube amps
Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2019 5:41 pm
by Lamar Fandango
I had a MusicMan RD100 1x12 combo for 12 years or so. Massive headroom for a small-ish amp (but it was heavy). It had pristine cleans, a useable dirt channel, and a versatile EVM 12L speaker. It would never do Fender cleans (Princeton, Vibrolux, Twin, etc.), probably because of the solid state preamp and hybrid output design. But it compared favorably to the JC120 on cleans. One drawback is that overdrive pedals weren't that great. It really worked better with dirt pedals that don't rely on pushing the front end hard.
I sold it for a Bogner Shiva combo because I like the Shiva cleans more, and the dirt channel on the Shiva is nice too. The Shiva is more versatile for me, but it's very different from the JC style cleans. The RD100 did the solid state clean thing much better.
Re: Versatile tube amps
Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2019 10:06 pm
by Larsongs
Not sure what size venues you play but a 65 Deluxe Reverb Re Issue should do well for most situations. Jams, Studio & Gigs. Twin for X Large venues....
Re: Versatile tube amps
Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 5:25 am
by Larsongs
I don't own one but have heard good things about this Amp.... I don't wok for this Co. Just for information purposes...
https://www.zzounds.com/item--PEVCLASSIC30
Re: Versatile tube amps
Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 10:02 am
by jorri
Thats cool. I was looking at the peavey delta blues from the hot rod wiki page the other day. Although, i guess they arent too much cheaper than fenders are worth checking out.
Re: Versatile tube amps
Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2019 9:00 am
by Larsongs
jorri wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2019 10:02 am
Thats cool. I was looking at the peavey delta blues from the hot rod wiki page the other day. Although, i guess they arent too much cheaper than fenders are worth checking out.
Which is pretty much why I don't own one... If I want Cleaner Sound I play my Fender Amps. If I want Tube Amp Dirt (not From a Pedal) I play my Vox Amps... If I want a blend I'll run a Fender & a Vox in Stereo thru my Keeley Double Tracker Pedal... Works for me..
Re: Versatile tube amps
Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2019 2:38 pm
by BarnyardCoral
Check out the Supro Thunderbolt or the Neptune. The Neptune in particular was designed to be a backline amp and was built with versatility in mind. The TB power scales from 35w to 60w, and will have all the headroom you like. The Titan is also an option if you want big power and high headroom in a smaller package. These are all out of production but can be found pretty easily on Reverb. Lots of YT reviews too.
For newer Supros, the Galaxy looks like a killer option too with a lot of versatility.
And no, I don't get paid to shill for Supro. I have just found that they have some really great alternatives to the big 3 without having to bust the bank.
Re: Versatile tube amps
Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2019 6:13 pm
by somanytoys
I typically play a fender deluxe type and a Vox AC amp together, their sounds compliment each other nicely.
I find Marshalls have pretty nice cleans on the clean channel, the sounds don’t seem to blend as much as the main Fender types, very crisp. Clean channels, Vox is chimey, Fender is bell tones and Marshall is pretty straightforward.
I have a Laney, but it’s the VC30, which is voiced much like a Vox AC30. No experience with other Laney models.
The older Peavey Classic 30s (I think is the name) are supposed to be good tube amps and not that expensive, from what I’ve read. Not really sure what they’re voiced like.