Best "next step" amp for a student

[Demanic]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

When I was a kid, I remember getting an 80 watt ss Ross 1x12. To my young ears that thing was ungodly loud. And I never even tried it through an extension cab.

[beaubrummels]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

Just found a Randall RG80 that seemed pretty cool. 80watt 1x12 combo with massive gain and an FX loop. Heck, even I'd use it. Lol

I'll second that. I still use my RG80 (well, the cabinet anyway. The amp section died long ago). This was my first real amp. The reason I kept the cabinet all these years is it's the only 1x12 cab I've heard that sounds like a 4x12 Marshall cabinet.

[jrbowen81]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

I remember back in 9th grade, there was this kid I was hanging out with that played guitar. The entirety of his rig consisted of a Peavey (I think?) Strat style guitar with a crudely routed bridge humbucker, an old MXR Distortion +, and a. 1x12 Gorilla amp. Standing in his garage, listening to him play and sing old Misfits songs, that was the coolest sound I had ever heard. Who knows what it would sound like to me nowadays! Haha... But all that to say, this kid has a guitar that's at least as good or better than what my friend had, and any of these amps mentioned so far would probably slaughter that old Gorilla amp.

After all...

[allbutromeo]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

Another one for the Randall, I used an RG200 2x12 during my teen-early 20s metal years. Built like a tank, sounds great for metal but can do other styles well enough, and plenty loud enough to be heard in a full band at the kind of gigs I used to play where the instruments were very rarely miked.

[Brandenburg]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

my 1st real amp was a RG 100es that i still own. i bought 2 years after starting to play and a 4x12.. loved half stacks ever since .. nothing moves air like a 412..

[jrbowen81]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

my 1st real amp was a RG 100es that i still own. i bought 2 years after starting to play and a 4x12.. loved half stacks ever since .. nothing moves air like a 412..

I want an RG100es SOOOOO bad.

[Brandenburg]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

rg 100es i had since 1990 and paid 950 for

the rh200 i bought 2 or so years ago for like 250.. prefer the rh200 cleans but the rg has much better natural distortion.. and just sounds angry..great for 80's metal or just 70's hard rock..

[Brandenburg]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

damn the rg 100 has gone up it seems.. used to buy them for 300 all day long.. good amp . bout time the market reflected that imo

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR6.TRC2.A0.H0.Xrg+100es.TRS0&_nkw=rg+100es&_sacat=0

[jrbowen81]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

I know this thread is a bit off subject now, lol... But I remember once finding a used RG100es online for $150. It was one of the "carpet" covered ones, but in zebra stripes. It was so freakin' cool. But it was either that or my car payment. Had to let it pass me by. Dang it.

[ItsaBass]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

A medium powered combo amp of some sort. E.g. a 40W Marshall or Egnator, a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe or Deville, etc. The Fenders in particular are very versatile, very affordable, and very easy to find on the used market.

[KNUCKLHEAD]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

Depending on the Style of playing , a B52 AT100 ~ IMHO , is more versatile than Anything mentioned at around $200.00 used . I've owned from 60's Plexi to $10.00 No-name garage sale amp used for cheking pickups. Old tube Carvins (dont like for Drop C / but that's me) can be found pretty cheap sometimes .

[KNUCKLHEAD]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

BTW ~ the kid that's progressing very well , if He accelerates Very fast will be hating a solid state amp in 4 - 6 months . In fact it could hold up someones technique so spending over $100.00 on Anything could be foolish . Ya'll know he would want the real Deal within 6 months ( in my 1st. 6 months years ago , I had to go to a marshall in the same time frame ( We had them, Real Orange, Hiwatt + a couple of others that would work ok .

[jrbowen81]

Best "next step" amp for a student

BTW ~ the kid that's progressing very well , if He accelerates Very fast will be hating a solid state amp in 4 - 6 months . In fact it could hold up someones technique so spending over $100.00 on Anything could be foolish . Ya'll know he would want the real Deal within 6 months ( in my 1st. 6 months years ago , I had to go to a marshall in the same time frame ( We had them, Real Orange, Hiwatt + a couple of others that would work ok .

With all due respect, George Lynch, Chuck Schuldiner, Kirk Windstein and Dimebag Darrell used a Randall RG100es and they sure didn't seem to mind it being solid state. Their technique didn't seem to suffer from it either.

I prefer tube amps as much as the majority does, but I don't think all solid state amps are bad.

[Brandenburg]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

With all due respect, George Lynch, Chuck Schuldiner, Kirk Windstein and Dimebag Darrell used a Randall RG100es and they sure didn't seem to mind it being solid state. Their technique didn't seem to suffer from it either.

I prefer tube amps as much as the majority does, but I don't think all solid state amps are bad.

well the RG 100es and that series of amps are not the typical SS amp.. only a few SS amps are really in that category of excellent.. Roland 120 is one that comes to mind.. what gives all the SS amps a bad reputation are the cheap ones.. when the RG 100 came out , it cost almost as much as a tube amp or about 70% as much as a top of the line marshall.. taking inflation into account.. like dropping 1800 on an amp now says.. AND yes i know marshals are alot higher than 1800 new..but back in 1990.. a top of the line marshal went for 1400 tops.. randal rg 100 w/ footswitch .. paid 950

Ill put my RG 100 up against any tube amp.. its definitely loud enough and is aggressive and dynamic..not really a fan of my RH 200 though.. well the clean channel is really excellent but distortion is meh!! just like there are quality SS amps that sound good.. a few that sound great and some sh*tty SS amps too.. same thing can be said about tube amps.. alot of ok ones..some great ones im sure they have their share of sh*tty sounding ones to

[jrbowen81]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

well the RG 100es and that series of amps are not the typical SS amp.. only a few SS amps are really in that category of excellent.. Roland 120 is one that comes to mind.. what gives all the SS amps a bad reputation are the cheap ones.. when the RG 100 came out , it cost almost as much as a tube amp or about 70% as much as a top of the line marshall.. taking inflation into account.. like dropping 1800 on an amp now says.. AND yes i know marshals are alot higher than 1800 new..but back in 1990.. a top of the line marshal went for 1400 tops.. randal rg 100 w/ footswitch .. paid 950

Ill put my RG 100 up against any tube amp.. its definitely loud enough and is aggressive and dynamic..not really a fan of my RH 200 though.. well the clean channel is really excellent but distortion is meh!! just like there are quality SS amps that sound good.. a few that sound great and some sh*tty SS amps too.. same thing can be said about tube amps.. alot of ok ones..some great ones im sure they have their share of sh*tty sounding ones to

That is true. There are crappy amps on both sides, and yes, more on the SS side I'm sure. Lol