Amp choice - I think I need help here

[mwalluk]

Re: Amp choice - I think I need help here

Thanks for giving us more insight into your position.

My last piece of advice still applies though. Make the best decision you can with what you have to work with.

What amps are available locally and reasonably priced? You mentioned one, but are there any others?
What about the custom builiders? Any websites that we could view and look to see what they offer? Or do you know anyone with one of their builds that you could test drive?

I get it that you don't have tons of options readily available. Still don't spend money on something you know you will replace. It is just a setback on getting what you really want.

Excellent post.

Allow me to add to it a bit more.

What kind of sound are you going for? Are you a fan of british voiced EL34s, thumping/ yet clean american 6l6 or high gained kt88s?

Does it need to be multiple channels or single channel?

[tone4days]

Re: Amp choice - I think I need help here

go play every frikkin amp you can - used or new - and see what you like ... if you want tubes and low weight, you are gonna be searching for a long while ... honestly, i think you can get good results with a decent condition used fender and a pedal for the kind of music you are playing

the custom approach is bound to take a LONG time and be way more expensive for anything you'd really want to play

[youngthrasher9]

Re: Amp choice - I think I need help here

I would check out these guys: Blackstar. Versatility out the wazoo if you ask me.

[Jakek5150]

Re: Amp choice - I think I need help here

I would check out these guys: Blackstar. Versatility out the wazoo if you ask me.

+1 to that. I've also been really into Egnater amps lately. ALOT of versatility there too.

[beggar_guitar]

Re: Amp choice - I think I need help here

As I wrote the previous post, I thought about it... what I basically need is an amp purchase strategy more than an amp recommendation. It leaves me with 4 options, as fat as I can see:
1. find a good deal on a good amp - used or new.

2. go custom.

3. buy something cheap that could serve as a platform for an upgrade, use it for a while and then upgrade it.

4. start with getting a speaker cabinet that would work with the Peavey - then go back and choose from options 1-3. Which means that I still need to think about 1-3.

Any input? anything that I didn't cover? what do you think about these options?

Out of those options I would go with #4. Buy a good quality cab. That way you can keep running your current amp and then add a head later on down the road.

[lex666]

Re: Amp choice - I think I need help here

I tried the Mini Recto thru a single 1x12 speaker. Sounded amazing. If you're into light crunch to modern metal, this amp is for you. Plus, selectable 10 or 25 watts. I found the 25 watt setting perfectly loud for large rooms. It was that loud, "pushed", "cranked" sound without it being 1,000,000 decibels making your ears ring.

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Amp choice - I think I need help here

Many good questions here.

I want a simple amp but I still want a mid gain channel. No bells and whistles.

The tones I'm going for? Blackmore, Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Rolling Stones... everything blues and and blues rock... I don't need any modern metal tones.

From my experience with amps - I like the mostly the Tweed Fender voicing and early Marshalls... I still want to add a higher gain channel.
I also want something a little rounder. I won't say no to an EL34 amp but the direction is more towards the 6L6 or 5881 options...

Tubes and light weight don't go together - but some tube heads are really okay when it comes to weight and some are just friggin heavy. 3 or 4 pounds sometimes make a world of difference.

I'm not going to buy something cheap - unless I'm sure I can use it as an upgrade platform. I get stuck with cheap gear and it takes too long until I get to move it. That's why I want to invest smartly.

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Amp choice - I think I need help here

What do you guys think about the Jet City 50W head? how usable is its gain channel for someone who wants to play distorted blues leads but really doesn't play modern metal?

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Amp choice - I think I need help here

It's simple.

If you can do a Mesa, that is a great choice. I LOVE most of their amps.

Otherwise, it's hard to beat a good 50-watt Marshall.

Bill

[mwalluk]

Re: Amp choice - I think I need help here

Many good questions here.

I want a simple amp but I still want a mid gain channel. No bells and whistles.

The tones I'm going for? Blackmore, Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Rolling Stones... everything blues and and blues rock... I don't need any modern metal tones.

From my experience with amps - I like the mostly the Tweed Fender voicing and early Marshalls... I still want to add a higher gain channel.
I also want something a little rounder. I won't say no to an EL34 amp but the direction is more towards the 6L6 or 5881 options...

It sounds like you should go the Fender route here and toss in a few pedals.

Marshallwise your looking at JTM, JMP or JCM series.

The DSL can handle the tones you want on the green/orange channel. It's not too heavy for a tube head. The red channel maybe overkill for you, but tweaked right could probably be a solid lead/solo channel.

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Amp choice - I think I need help here

I think you're right about the Fender and JTMs. I do think that I'm essentially somewhere between vintage Marshalls and vintage Fenders. I'm starting to identify a few options. Even checked if any Super Sonic heads are available at the stores (the answer was no).

Currently I'm looking at an already built custom made amp head which I would be able to try. The Fender VM head is also still an option. And I'm hoping that Fender or any other manufacturer would come out in 2012 with a head that fits my needs exactly.

[mwalluk]

Re: Amp choice - I think I need help here

You might not need to go custom.

What brands are readily available to you?

Couldn't find it on previous posts, but how is the import tax there? Could you order something and have it mailed to you?

[PRSfan nym 1985]

Re: Amp choice - I think Ieed help here

Egnater Tweaker 40 could be just the ticket for you if you can get one in Israel. I have the 15 watter with the 2x12" cab and it's fantastic. For now my Tweaker has all the headroom I need. When I need more clean headroom I'll liklely pickup a bigger Tweaker or a Rebel 30. I always mike up my rig so usually headroom isnt an issue as long as the sound guy gives me a half decent monitor feed.

The cool thing with the Tweaker is you get 3 different sounding tone stacks so you can get a lot of different sounds out of the amp (US is a generic Fender tone depending on how you TWEAK the other knobs you can get tweedy or blackfacey tones). VX is definitely the VOX sound (I love using this one most of the time). Brit is your classic british crunch tone (again depending on your settings you can get all types of Marshall/Orange flavors.

Now with a Tweaker you can always experiment with different power tubes like 6L6, EL34, 6CA7, KT77, etc. So you can really get a wide range of tones and suit it to your exact needs.

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Amp choice - I think I need help here

We have most big brands here, Fender, Vox, Marshall, Peavey, ENGL, Blackstar, Jet City (and all other budget brands). Not a lot of boutique amps but we do have some representation. The only brands that are currently priced properly (and imported in a way that represents the full line) are Mesa and Carvin.

We have 16% VAT and additional 15% tax on all amplifiers (they promise to cancel it in the next few years... but I can't wait that long). Plus, most big importers hike the prices a little more. If I want a vintage amp I better look for something used or build one to order. Like in the 1960's in the UK, you had to be creative if you wanted to get the good stuff. 1960's UK is not a bad place to be musically...

Right now, I'm eying 3 or 4 amps... (1) an already built, custom made, two channel amp, (2) a Tweaker 88 (the importer is closing his business here, that's all that is left, (3) the Orange or a (4) Fender VM Bandmaster which I might want to mod later on... 3 of them are priced the same way (~$1000), the Bandmaster goes for $500, which is a relatively good price when you take 31% tax into account.

I'm cosidering the Tweaker, seems pretty cool - but honestly - I hate tweaking.

[mwalluk]

Re: Amp choice - I think I need help here

We have most big brands here, Fender, Vox, Marshall, Peavey, ENGL, Blackstar, Jet City (and all other budget brands). Not a lot of boutique amps but we do have some representation. The only brands that are currently priced properly (and imported in a way that represents the full line) are Mesa and Carvin.

SOme friendly advice. I highly recommend checking out the Carvin Legacy I esp if prices are the same. NEw your looking at $700 and the head is fairly light. It's el34 but can be swapped for 6l6s. SOunds fantastic. Great clean. Liquid overdrive.

Check out some ENGLs too. I know you're not into the modern metal tone thing, but check them out. I own a Fryette Deliverance which is known as a "metal" amp, but I don't play metal. I dont play hardrock anymore. I only do rock with edge of break up to moderate overdrive. sounds fantastic. plus always have the ability for that extra gain.

Check out Vox AC30, Fenders, and oranges,