I'm looking for a new Amp, Suggestions Welcome

[Scotty]

Hi All

I'll look for a new amp and I'd like some suggestions please.

The amp will mostly be used at home with the hope of giging it sometimes. The guitar has 3 single coil pickups.

I'm not sure if to go for a fender, Line6 or what.

 

[GWDavis28]

Scotty, I've been thinking about getting a Tech21 Trademark 10. You can check out the thread.

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1569

I've heard nothing but good things about it.

Hope this helps.

 

[tvanveen]

What do you like to play? What do you like to listen to?

 

[ex3.8]

Check this out....

This might help ( a little). Personnaly the Soldano SLO is in my sight..... All i need now is the bucks.....
Cheech it never ends

http://www.proguitar.de/AudioDemo/CompareAmps/CompareAmps.html

 

[Scotty]

I generaly listen to a variety of music, I play more blues and like a little grunt in an amp. I've had a little break from playing for a while and I'm really looking for something thats a little special sounding.

I guess I have about 1000 - 1500 to spend max, that's Australia dollars so it's probably about 1200 US.

I've never owned an transistor amp, I guess I'm old fastioned and think an amp should have values.....

 

[GWDavis28]

Scotty, check out the Trademark 10, it's about $250 US.

http://www.tech21nyc.com/

 

[Scotty]

thanks the TECH 21 looks really nice, good pick, I'll try and hunt one down.

 

[tvanveen]

Oh good, a valve man.

I guess it depends on what you have available over there...if you're not playing out yet I would suggest something in the 15 or 20 watt range.

For blues type stuff, I would think a Fender Deluxe Reverb would fit the bill. For $1200 you might be able to find an original blackface.

Other amps that would be on my short list -

Top Hat Club Deluxe
Gibson GA-15

tv

 

[Scotty]

I'd like to think if I'm spend that much on an amp I going to get something thats going to last a long time and not need a "firmware upgrade"

When I'm in an old folks home a value amp will keep the weirdos away with the noise and keep me warm

 

[musikarero]

Scotty just my opinion but any model Dr.Z amp and you can't go wrong!

 

[Estin]

well i'm a humbucker guy and play thru a Mesa single recto, but i here Rivera's are great all around amps. *and their tube!!! * i have a friend over in the netherlands and he really likes his Rivera Fandango 212 combo. from everything to clean, to slightly broken up, to a crunchy marshall lead. Rivera has a few mid sized 212 and 112 combo's that make great all around amps. also can look into a ENGL Sovereign 112 combo. its 4 channel all tube and very versitile. ENGL maybe hard to get your hands on over there tho.

 

[Scotty]

Unfortunaltey I can't get the Trade21 here in OZ.

I have seen a few of the ENGL amps, I've not tried one yet but I will.

I've also seen the Fender Delux w/jensen, Blues Jnr w/Jensen and an orange ADIS.

Anyone have any thoughts on these amps???

 

[MattC]

Check out the Mesa F-30.......I played on in the store (I ended up with the F-50 because I wanted the extra oooph), and it sounded great at moderate volume levels. Mesas normally aren't known for their clean sounds, but the F series has a amazing clean channel- you can dial in anything from pristine sparkly clean to gritty, edgy drive, and the overdrive channel just plain smokes. Very versitile amp, in my opinion.

However, everything is subjective.....try out as many amps as you can, and let your ears decide.

Good luck!

 

[tvanveen]

Yeah, this is all totally subjective. You really gotta go out and try out as much stuff as you can.

The 2 fender amps are good, I would personally take the Deluxe over the Jr., but that's just me.

The Orange is a different beast, with EL34's in a Class A power section. More of a brit sound.

Have you been to harmony-central?

http://www.harmony-central.com/

Check out the user review section.

tv

 

[PurpleSport]

I'm with TV on this one, one man's trash is another's treasure....ya gotta sample all the wares out there and choose as you see fit for your needs.

An amp line that's impressed me rather much in the last few years is Vox, namely their Valvetronix modelers. I know, not tubes (actually, uses a 12AX7 to warm up the power stage instead of as a preamp, I believe), but still worth a looksee as it does a lot of things really well. Much better feel than Line 6 amps to me, and less complicated too.

If ya gotta got tubular, their newer handwired AC-15 and 30 lines carry on the tradition of their predecessors quite nicely, but with a few modern twists thrown in.

Laney makes an affordable Vox-ish clone if you wanna stay in the Class-A vein, their other ones are good values too.

All the Riveras I've ever tried were great. Same for Mesa/Boogies too, but everyone's using those now!

Finally, the ubiquitous Peavey line has some interesting flavors these days...lots of axemeisters of all stripes like their Classic 30, it seems to have garnered quite a following over the years.

 

[tvanveen]

If ya gotta got tubular, their newer handwired AC-15 and 30 lines carry on the tradition of their predecessors quite nicely, but with a few modern twists thrown in.

Did Vox come out with a hand wired AC-15? They had the AC-15 resissue which was discontinued a couple of years ago, but I don't think they've replaced it with anything. Great amp btw, I have one.

Another amp that supposedly does the class A Voxey thing, and are relatively cheap, are the Traynors.

 

[PurpleSport]

I stand corrected, TV....according to the Vox website, the current production 15 doesn't have a handwired version like the 30 does.

I played both on the same day and they each sounded great, which probably explains how MY wires got crossed!

Definitely gonna have to try the Traynors - thanks for the tip!

 

[Scotty]

Well I have gone and done it.......

I tried the two Fender amps (Delux and Jr), the Jr didn't fit the bill but the Delux with the Jensen was really nice. I decided because I'd had a fender before I'd try something new, and to be honest I really didn't wont to part with $2000 (Australian) for a Mexican amp no matter how good it sounded.

I tried an AC15 (two speaker unit) apparently these are not beening made in England anymore so there is a chance they will become very collectable. That said I really needed an amp that was versitile and the AC15 really isn't that, great look, great AC sound just not for me, shame cos it was nice.

Tried a Line6, felt like the MM was just too good for it.

Tried an Orange, agin nice but same issue as the AC15 (great amps but limited styles)

Then I tried the Mesa F30, solid unit great sound, 2 channels really very nice so I got that. Just a quick note the values weren't running quite right so the store changed all of them for me with no fuss. I know they should change them anyway if there is something wrong but the fact they did it and were happy to do it goes a long way.

So, thanks for everyones help

 

[Jimi D]

The F-30 is a GREAT choice Scotty, if I may say so... I've got a Studio .22+ (another dual EL-84 Mesa 1x12" combo) and it's a killer sounding little amps. IME, Mesa's have to be tweaked, because the EQs are so dynamic and interactive that it's quite possible to make them sound quite bad, but when you find the sweet spots, they really, really sing... Congrats!

 

[Scotty]

Thanks

I'm still playing with the controls it's midnight here and basically I've been playing guitars since 8am, my fingers are killing me (finding it hard to type).

Suspect I'll be trying different settings on the amp for a very long time.

Any suggested settings?