Off Topic If you had $1500 for an amp what would you buy?

[phenixone]

I have a budget of around $1500 for a new amp to go with my new JP6. I have never had a tube amp and am looking at the Hughes and Kettner Switchblade 100combo. Anyone have opinions on this model?

And of course what amp would you buy for $1500?

 

[Spudmurphy]

Well over here, if I was getting a new amp, I'd have to consider the Bugera series which are dirt cheap 120 watt amps.

I guess you can get a Mesa for those bucks in the US?

 

[TimSz]

What do you want/need the amp to do? Multiple channels? Built-in effects? Tubed? You need to give us an idea of where you want to go. My 1500 dollars would buy an amp that does only the tube aspect, which probably wouldn't satisfy what you're looking for. Help us help you.

 

[rockerjt]

A used Bogner Shiva, hands down. Easily modded for metal tones too.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

I think the Bugera's are dead cheap in the US too - worth looking at.

 

[TNT]

Marshall JVM 210C 100 w. Head or VHT Sig X 100w head


RIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[phenixone]

Well over here, if I was getting a new amp, I'd have to consider the Bugera series which are dirt cheap 120 watt amps.

I guess you can get a Mesa for those bucks in the US?

I looked into Mesa, WAY out of my price range.

What do you want/need the amp to do? Multiple channels? Built-in effects? Tubed? You need to give us an idea of where you want to go. My 1500 dollars would buy an amp that does only the tube aspect, which probably wouldn't satisfy what you're looking for. Help us help you.

I'd like a tube amp. Multiple channels isn't so important. I would like some level of effects though. I have played through a Marshall tube combo and it was too "rough" for me. Does that make sense?

 

[Spudmurphy]

Look at the sound John Denner gets with the Bugera!! awesome

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuepuSokn9M"]YouTube - John Denner Guitar Techniques Magazine / Ernie Ball Axis Guitar[/ame]

 

[Spudmurphy]

another link
SameDayMusic.com: Bugera

 

[morsecode]

Well, I would be biased and suggest a Fender Super-Sonic 1X12. Has some versatility with the Bassman and Vibrolux channels and a decent gain channel. I wouldn't recommend it for heavy metal stuff unless you have a good distortion in front of the amp, but it's plenty loud for most purposes.

Or if you want an amp that has a real high gain channel, I would suggest possibly a Peavey JSX combo. If you bought used, you might be able to pick up both the head and cab for that amount. But it's a loud amp and not really suitable if you're only playing at home or at friends' places.

 

[Roubster]

I've been looking into some tube amps myself lately, and this one stands out the most to me. This is a bit under $1500 and it sounds phenomenal. Its basically a hot rodded Marshall, but you can get many more tones out of it than that. It gets really loud and sustain for days on moderate gain. Beautiful sounding Reverb in it, active eq controls, and with a delay in the effects and BB Preamp in front...will be almost unbeatable versetile tone monster without paying $3000.
El Diablo Series | GENZ BENZ

 

[Jonny Dubai]

Marshall Vintage Modern........ Just get one. I love mine.

J

 

[DaPatrooch]

I would get a Mesa Rectoverb combo! Oh wait, I am! Tomorrow! I'm so excited! If you can't already tell by all the exclamation marks I'm using!

Anyways, the Hughes and Kettner Switchblade is really cool, I tried one out last month. Not really the sound I'm looking for, but still great. I would try out a bunch of amps first to see what you like. Oh an Bugera amps sound great too.

Oh and btw my friend's brother has one of those Genz Benz El Diablos, and it sounds great for blues. Not really a metal kind of amp though. I'm trying to convince him to get an EBMM haha.

 

[Sweat]

I looked into Mesa, WAY out of my price range.



Dude where are you looking, for 1500.00 I can find a mesa easy, but main thing is what are you using the amp for etc. best bet is just try as many as you can and buy the one you fall in love with.

 

[tonemeister]

I`ve been looking here lately at the new Egnater 4 channel 2x12 tourmaster combo.....4 channels & a whole slew of in/out options......they sound nice and are VERY flexible. They are however about 100 bucks over your budget!

In my opinion, you just can`t go wrong with either Mesa or Rivera in their many fine forms. Just this Sunday night I bought off ebay a mint looking Mesa Blue Angel combo for $850. It is my second (been looking for another for a while). I am a stereo kind of guy and have to have two of what I need! The thing I like about the Blue Angel is the ability to run 2 6V6s, or 4 EL84s or run them all together....total tone!
Other than that I have a Rivera TBR-1M I have had for years that is a real killer amp in all ways....they are hard to find and have no speakers.....just a rackmountable 4 space head (65 lbs!)...... killer though!
Good luck!

 

[steelio]

I guess it all depends on your prefernce but I play a lot of blues and rock and the best amp is the boogie lonestar special. The tone is unreal and you can really do a LOT with it. If you play metal I would still look into there stilhetto ace which is like a marhsall but way better in my opinion. I have the 2 x 12 lonestar and the tone is just wow! For 1500 you could find either one of them used no problem.

 

[TimSz]

You know what I'd go with?

Super Sonic 1x12

Express 112 50w

For your money and what these amps do, I'd probably go with one of them... from there, throw in one of these:

Zoom G2.1U

That way, you get a great tube amp, and a really nicely built effects pedal. It's made out of metal, and isn't THAT expensive. I bet the amp and the pedal would put you at less than $1500. That way you get the tubes you're looking for as well as effects... and it's in combo form, so you can lug it around with ease.

 

[Jack FFR1846]

I agree wholeheartedly....go try them. I am starting to do this with amps. I sort of randomly plug in a JP at one of the local GC's and play for a while to get a feeling. Play with settings on both the guitar and amp to see how I like it.

I do NOT care if it's tube, solid state, combo or head/speakers. I really, really don't care. It's how it sounds and nothing else. I've played a Marshall solid state combo that.....in my opinion blew away a Marshall tube head/speaker separate for 4 times the price. I play everything from full clean through some Clapton blues into AC/DC crunch into Van Halen with higher distortion. No pedals but I'll use whatever effects are on the amp and make sure I play with no effects. I have not found a perfect amp yet. I own 3 amps currently. I won't even tell you what they are.

jack

 

[DrBob]

I`ve been looking here lately at the new Egnater 4 channel 2x12 tourmaster combo.....4 channels & a whole slew of in/out options......they sound nice and are VERY flexible. They are however about 100 bucks over your budget!

In my opinion, you just can`t go wrong with either Mesa or Rivera in their many fine forms. Just this Sunday night I bought off ebay a mint looking Mesa Blue Angel combo for $850. It is my second (been looking for another for a while). I am a stereo kind of guy and have to have two of what I need! The thing I like about the Blue Angel is the ability to run 2 6V6s, or 4 EL84s or run them all together....total tone!
Other than that I have a Rivera TBR-1M I have had for years that is a real killer amp in all ways....they are hard to find and have no speakers.....just a rackmountable 4 space head (65 lbs!)...... killer though!
Good luck!

+1 on the Rivera.

I've got a Clubster 45 which is far and away the best amp (previously owned Fender, Marshall, Mesa) that I've ever had.

 

[whitestrat]

I`ve been looking here lately at the new Egnater 4 channel 2x12 tourmaster combo.....4 channels & a whole slew of in/out options......they sound nice and are VERY flexible. They are however about 100 bucks over your budget!

Yeah... This one, I like... Only thing is, you need to play it REALLY loud to get it to start moving some air and feeling that thump. My local EBMM dealer also carries the Egnater amps... This is definately nice indeed... It's like 4 amps in one!