"Which amp to get"

[argus]

Well after 12 months with my Line6 Flextone I feel its time for a change..My Axis sounds soo good through it but I find I,m using the same channel all the time just altering the drive..so what a waste all the other effects..so thats why its time to go for a tube amp I feel....well I have 4 on my list...which one do you guys suggest is the best sound...
1...Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
2...Peavey Classic 30
3...Peavey Delta blues 2x10
4...Orange Rockverb 30
My music tastes range from clasic rock through to pop cover versions...but no metal..so Clapton or Garry moore blues tone..with some nice rock also....have I asked the impossible here..thansk for all your help....or have I missed a better amp of the list

 

[Norrin Radd]

#4 first, then #4 second, then #4 third, and then maybe the Peavy Classic 30.

 

[mhorse]

I think the 30-watt Orange is called Rocker because it doesn't have reverb. So if you want reverb, you need the 50 watt version.

Out of all the amps you mentioned I've played only through Hot Rod, and I didn't like it.
I beleive Supreeth (forum member here) got himself Classic 30 and is very happy with it.
Some people swear by Zinky Blue Velvet.
I like Soldano Astroverb very much. It's single channel, and it doesn't have that much of clean headroom, but it has some of the sweetest on-the-edge, semi-dirty and mildly overdriven sounds I've ever heard.
There are a lot of small (bootique) makers out there that make small wattage amps under $2k. I could give you a list, but I've never played any of them, so I won't be of much help.

 

[tvanveen]

The Hot Rod is ok, it just takes a bit of knob tweaking to get it to sound right. Loud as hell. It seems be to be the de facto "first decent amp" around here. I know a lot of guys who use them.

Are you playing out or do you mostly play at home? If you play at home a lot I would recommend one of these -

http://www.allenamps.com/

I have an Old Flame because I wanted something Super Reverb-y (a lot of great blue and rock was and is made on a super reverb) but as a bonus it has a truly amazing master volume, and raw control that removes the tone stack and puts it in tweed territory. You can get some great overdriven sounds at moderate levels.

And if you want it, it really nails a BF Super.

 

[dannymusic]

www.valvetechamps.com

monster handbuilt amps under $1k. getting huge reviews all over the web.
Builder is a blue collar rocker.

 

[tvanveen]

www.valvetechamps.com

monster handbuilt amps under $1k. getting huge reviews all over the web.
Builder is a blue collar rocker.

Looks interesting. Have you played one?

 

[dannymusic]

Yes, I have 2. the 22w and the "hayseed".

the original VAC is truly a cool amp. Sweet organic hi-gain at non ear splitting levels ( 2x6v6) with a kind of "tweedy" clean channel.

Hayseed is a clone of '63 AC30 with hi quality parts and a 1/2 volume and master.

Both exceptional values

Built one by one

 

[mhorse]

Interesting. When you say high gain though, do you mean Mesa Recto/Bogner Uberschall kind of high gain, or just heavily overdriven lead type sounds?

 

[Larry]

i like my fender hot rod 40watt it works awsome and is very lound never passed 4 on the volume also for the price you cant go wrong

 

[mcvinyl]

I'm in the same boat myself at the moment. I've got a Flextone IIXL and a POD XTL. I found that last year I spent more time playing with "technology" than I did playing guitar. I've decided they're going and a nice Tube combo will be joining the family. I've thought about the Peavey but I'm also thinking of one of the Rivera amps or a Trace Elliot Speed Twin. They both do the nice "American clean" and the "British crunch" sound well. Colin on this forum has the Speed Twin and he get's some beautiful tone from it.

Simon

 

[deweyd]

I also did the POD, Flextone 2, Flextone 3 migration. About 8 months ago, I went back went back to tubes. I had a Peavey Classic 30 as a backup that I had only played a few times but as soon as I rebuild the pedal board a little and started gigging with the C30, I never looked back. Ironically I was looking at a Genz Benz El Diablo on ebay and the seller said he was keeping his Peavey C30. So I realized I should look closer at what I had. I just sold the Flex 3. I did buy a used POD to have at home for practice and some home recording.

The Hot Rods have seemed to have brutally loud jump in volume for 1 to 2. But a lot of people have them. I just love the C30 especially with the 112 extension cab. There are many options at each price range. The Delta Blues is just the C30 with either a 1x15 or 2x10 speaker config and a tremelo circuit.

With tube amps you do open up the options for modifications and customizing sounds.

Good louck in your quest.

Dave

 

[Larry]

yeah there is a mean jump between 1 & 2 on the hot rod amps but i use my tone works pandora box to control the volume. I put the amp on like 3 and i set the volume on the box at like 75 and it seems to work good for home use

 

[DaveB]

If you are going down the more "boutique" route then I would recommend

Cornford Harlequin (or the new Carrera)

Dr Z Maz Jr 18Watt

Carr Mercury

Old Fender SuperChamp

I have played all (and owned/own) some of the above, they are all capable of making gorgeous tones.

Dave

 

[tvanveen]

Well if we're going down the boutique route, let me throw in Top Hat. I've got 3 of 'em...I've owned a bunch of voxey amps over the years, Top Hat does it for me.

I didn't throw these out as an option before because they're not super felxible, which is what I sort of assume a Line 6 person wants...super gorgeous clean, and you can dial in a bunch of crunch, but no channel switching or effects. The master volume is more for tone shaping then getting decent sounds at bedroom levels.

But if you want tone, they kill.

 

[Supreeth]

I beleive Supreeth (forum member here) got himself Classic 30 and is very happy with it.

Yes. I own a Peavey Classic 30 amp and let me say this. I love the clean tone, but the bass content of this amp is *really* high, in fact I have the bass equalizer knob set to 1 or even 0 sometimes. The overdrive channel is classic rock types, and I use a Boss MT-2 to get me the real heavy tones. Orange Channel (forum member here) told me that if I'd got a Mesa F-50, I wouldn't need the pedal. But it costs a bit more. All in all, I'm happy with my amp for now, but will definitely go for a change in the future. Most likely a Peavey XXX like the one SteveB has or the JSX 2x12 combo. I might need to buy my own house with a soundproof basement first