Off Topic Finally found MY amp.

[TimSz]

I can't even begin to tell y'all about how many different amps I went through trying to find that sound I had in my head. Here's a brief overview:

Mesa Heartbreaker
Mesa Mark I Reissue
Mesa Roadster
Mesa Blue Angel
Mesa Maverick
Mesa Mark IV
Dr Z Stang Ray
Dr Z Maz 18
Dr Z Prescription ES
Dr Z Delta 88
Dr Z Mini Z
Fender Super Reverb
Fender Deluxe Reverb
Fender Vibro-King
Fender '57 Twin
Fender Pro Amp
Marshall JCM800
Marshall DSL
Marshall TSL
Laney VC50C
Laney GH100L
Laney VC15
Fuchs Overdrive Special

That's just a partial list of the amps I've owned. I am not kidding either. It has been a never-ending search. I came close with the Dr Z, except none of them had THAT perfect sound. It's hard to quantify what that sound is. Until now, I didn't know what it was.

It has to be clean, with minimal breakup (that's what pedals are for). It has to be able to get loud when I want it to, sound great quiet. It has to have the most luscious reverb and vibrato known to man. It should be in combo form. It shouldn't break the bank to own one. I finally found it:

Fender dual Professional

I know, I know. It's a Fender. I mean, who does that anymore? This thing is hand-wired, point-to-point. It's a hundred watts. It's got two 12" Celestions. It's just everything I've been looking for. I wanted a Fender Deluxe Reverb but on a grander scale, with less breakup. This baby is it. It is the bees knees.

It sounds amazing with the Silhouette Special. I look forward to hearing humbuckers through it which I'm sure will sound just as awesome... and I've never been a humbucker guy!

I don't know that this is the perfect venue in which to display my affection towards the amp, but based on the list it's pretty clear to see that I need to find what I'm looking for! I have finally found it and couldn't be happier! Now if only I could learn how to play!

 

[robelinda2]

Must try one!

 

[Colin]

that's an amazing quest, can you post sound clips of your final decision?

 

[TimSz]

Yeah, you know... I really should. I'll get some gear together and throw together a recording in the next week or so. Imagine the great sound of the Vibro-King, minus that pesky breakup that happens far too early. I'll keep y'all updated.

 

[robelinda2]

I keep going back to my Deville for just that reason, no break up until VERY loud, and nice tone. For smaller gigs my Carvin works fine.

 

[TimSz]

Then you know what I'm talking about! It's that Fender tone, but you don't want to give away all the goods too early! I've been looking and looking. I've played a few Devilles and Deluxes but have had poor luck with them in my experience. I'm sure that if I were to luck into a good one, then it'd be great! I've just had REALLY poor luck with amps.

We only ever HEAR stories of people blowing up amps in music stores, but it's happened to me... let's count...

Mesa Maverick
Mesa Express 5:50
Mesa Dual Rectifier
Mesa Stiletto
Mesa Mark III
Marshall JCM800
Krank Revolution

I just have really poor luck with amps as I've stated. I'm hesitant to try out amps in stores now because of my poor luck.

 

[robelinda2]

Ive blown 2 Mesa's in shops too, playing the clean channel! For that price range its terrible, I would be crapping myself at a gig.

I played Deville's for years and didnt like them, but mostly I played the 1x12, soon as I played a 4x12 it was just right. I would like a Bad Cat one day though, so much class.

 

[TimSz]

You know... I think they're overpriced too. I can't bring myself to spend over two thousand dollars on gear anymore. After finding this amp and playing Music Man guitars for a few years now I've realized that you don't have to pay a small ransom to get a great instrument. I was having this conversation with Beth last week I think... and it's just ridiculous how much some guitars and amps are!

The Deville is a great price. I would be tempted to go on your word and give them another go if it weren't for finding this amp that I'm raving about like a lunatic. Hopefully after this, I am done with my quest. Now, to get a Zendrive and BB Preamp... again on the BB. I sheepishly sold my last one. Not again!

 

[robelinda2]

Zendrive is good, Ive had one for awhile but am not quite sure how to best use it yet, its a nice overdrive pedal .

 

[TimSz]

\

I'm debating if I even need pedals with this. I love clean tone. I might want something to just push me into breakup land, like a modded tubescreamer. I hear the Jacques Overtube is super badass. Too bad there are no dealers in my area. Anyone have opinions?

 

[candid_x]

Congrats on a great amp, Jimmy.

I've been using a Maxon OD9 modded by this guy. Basically an all original TS9 with true bypass. With the original NOS opamp, its so thick and creamy, but still articulate, sustain for days. I love it.

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[fbecir]

Fender amps are good ... better than the Fender guitars
Leo Fender was an engineer not a guitarist. His first products were PA and amps.

I hear the Jacques Overtube is super badass. Too bad there are no dealers in my area. Anyone have opinions?

I own several Jacques Pedal (the Meister Singer, The Fuse Blower, The Mercer Box, The Trinity, the Tube Blower) and they are great. The Overtube is a two Tube Blower chained together. The Tube Blower is great thus I believe the Overtube is 2 times better

I've been using a Maxon OD9 modded by this guy.

I own an original OD9 from 1982 (it's an Ibanez pedal made by Maxon). The OD9 is great but it's more "fuzzy" than the Tube Blower. You got a great sustain but you lose some details. The Tube Blower is more precise.

 

[adam-antium]

I would seriously encourage people to try out ENGL amps, i use a powerball and i seriously think it would rival a lot of mesa amps. I am using my new jp bfr with a boss G-E 7 in the effects loop and the thing sounds like a MONSTER

Sorry just had to get that point across!!!!!!!

 

[jamminjim]

Cool amp. Was it used or new? They aren't being made anymore are they?

 

[JMB27]

Finally found your amp?

Congrats on your decision. I know from experience that finding the right combination of amp(s) and guitar(s) can be absolutely crazy sometimes. Personally, I've been thru various Fender, Marshall, and Traynor (vintage and new) amps over the past 20 years ....

Would love to hear a sound clip or two once you get everything set-up and dialled in.

cheers always, eh

Joel

 

[lenny]

yip i FOUND my amp as well a 1978 Fender Super Reverb.....all the clean goodness a brother will ever need its a 70 watt one with the master volume ..so it doesnt break up like the blackface ....Me likey

 

[Sweat]

Very nice, always feels good to find what you are looking for.

 

[TimSz]

If my sources are correct, these beasts were produced from 1995-2000. They were made in the Scottsdale, AZ research facility as Custom Shop amps, meaning they are point-to-point handwired. This one is a hundred loud clean watts through two Celestion Vintage 30s. It seems like a weird speaker pairing. I'll go with it though, because clearly they know what they're doing.

I really tried to like the Dr. Z amps because they really are awesome. It just wasn't THAT sound stuck in my head. It's always been a Fender, truthfully. I had a '63 Fender Pro with a reconed JBL in it a few years back, and am now feeling the sore of parting with it. That was dumb of me to do.

Engl amps are so expensive here! I don't ever want to pay twenty-five hundred bucks for just the head ever again! I am shelling out a little bit of cash for this acquisition, but it's used, in mint condition and sounds killer. If it weren't for payment plans, I wouldn't even be getting my hands on this beast!

The late Seventies Fenders with master volumes were great because you could control the amount of breakup! I totally dig what they were doing at that point. Certainly I dig the non-master ones, but then there was less control. Luckily with this guy, while there is no master volume, it's almost all clean headroom. It has just the sweetest sound when you crank it up to 7. That's bad because ears start to bleed and I believe they cite this amp for why Pangaea split up. Man, wouldn't that be the best band name? Hahahaha.

I'm going to have to check into those Jacques pedals a little more, because they sure sound promising. I'm also going to check out that modded OD9. I've been led to believe though that all the Maxon pedals are all ready true bypass... weird. Anyways, I'll keep updating on my little love affair and will try to figure out a cost effective way to record some sound bits.

 

[candid_x]

I'm also going to check out that modded OD9. I've been led to believe though that all the Maxon pedals are all ready true bypass... weird.

They are already true bypass. The info on his page referred to the Ib TS9, which isn't true bypass, but for which he does also perform that mod. Maxon made the TS9's for Ib for awhile. You prolly already knew that.

 

[Jonny Dubai]

Man that was some tone quest....

Congrats,

J