best amp for clean sounds

[Bludave]

Re: best amp for clean sounds

a lot of you guys are saying Deluxe Reverb? That is NOT a clean amp especially at higher volumes. I own a 67 or 68 SF Deluxe reverb & once the volume gets over 4 they start to over saturate the tubes. Now don't get me wrong I love my DR BUT due to the lack of headroom, if you play with a loud band it wont stay clean too long. For me it would be a Blackface twin or a Dual Showman Reverb. The DSR is essentially a Twin in a head. AND you can hook it up to a variety of speaker cabs to even color it differently. I think if you went with some 15" speakers iy would stay clean quite nicely....

[Edgecrusher]

Re: best amp for clean sounds

a lot of you guys are saying Deluxe Reverb? That is NOT a clean amp especially at higher volumes. I own a 67 or 68 SF Deluxe reverb & once the volume gets over 4 they start to over saturate the tubes. Now don't get me wrong I love my DR BUT due to the lack of headroom, if you play with a loud band it wont stay clean too long. For me it would be a Blackface twin or a Dual Showman Reverb. The DSR is essentially a Twin in a head. AND you can hook it up to a variety of speaker cabs to even color it differently. I think if you went with some 15" speakers iy would stay clean quite nicely....

Not everyones has the idea of "clean"

[mmshields8]

Re: best amp for clean sounds

I use a Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue (40w) and I think its got some beautiful clean tones with loads of headroom. Set the EQ right and you can anything from bright and chimey, crisp and polished, to dark and muddy. I tried out a couple others at the store when I got it but I think it has the best, for me anyways.

[Condemned soul]

Re: best amp for clean sounds

Good question. I grew up the 60's and 70's. During this time I never bonded with Fenders. Owned an original Fender amp with two 10" speakers and really hated it. Standell, Kustom, and Silvertone are amps that I owned and played back then. And unfortunately they're on the trail somewhere never to be seen again. I really wish I could go back in time and knock some good common sense into my head and keep them.

I voted other because I came across an amp, the size of a Twin Reverb or Dual Showman but had smoother highs and distortions that only its mother could love. Have never owned this amp, but I was fondly thinking about the Roland Jazz Amp, the JC-120 and its little brother, I think it was a JC-80 or thereabouts.

[chadd]

Re: best amp for clean sounds

I use a Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue (40w) and I think its got some beautiful clean tones with loads of headroom. Set the EQ right and you can anything from bright and chimey, crisp and polished, to dark and muddy. I tried out a couple others at the store when I got it but I think it has the best, for me anyways.

Those are great amps, I wish I hadn't sold the one I had when I stopped playing for a few years. I'll probably get ripped for this but.... I have a B52-AT212 that sounds absolutely amazing on the clean channel, especially when plugged into a decent speaker cabinet. The gain channels aren't very good, but the clean sound absolutely kills. It's the only reason I still have the amp, there is no way I could replace those clean tones for anywhere close to what I could sell it for. Fortunately, my other amps cover the various distorted tones I use.

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: best amp for clean sounds

You left out Hiwatt. They are incredible as clean amps. I wouldn't consider them "other" either.

Well said!

[Rockstar216]

Re: best amp for clean sounds

Fender 65 Twin. If you want a clean that will stay clean even when loud go with a twin.

[IM4Tone]

Re: best amp for clean sounds

Out of your list it's no contest the 65 Twin.
Great headroom and that classic Fender warm clean. nothing else on that list is even on the same planet as a solid pure clean performer.

I have a Mark V and I voted for the 65 TR. If you want a huge (and loud) clean tone, there is no equal............

I use a Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue (40w) and I think its got some beautiful clean tones with loads of headroom. Set the EQ right and you can anything from bright and chimey, crisp and polished, to dark and muddy. I tried out a couple others at the store when I got it but I think it has the best, for me anyways.

65 Twin for sure...I'd give second place to the BDRI, but in any case, it has to be a Fender.

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Re: best amp for clean sounds

I use a Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue (40w) and I think its got some beautiful clean tones with loads of headroom. Set the EQ right and you can anything from bright and chimey, crisp and polished, to dark and muddy. I tried out a couple others at the store when I got it but I think it has the best, for me anyways.

I agree about this amp. I own one too, and use it to drive a Marshall 1960a 4x12 cab.

I wouldn't say this amp has the absolute best cleans - boutique amps like Victorias probably own that claim - but it is about the best I've heard amongst combo amps in its price range.

I've tried to accentuate mine a bit more be using a JAN 5751 pre-amp tube in V1 position, and a TungSol in V2 or V3 (can't remember which at this moment).

[mantis]

Re: best amp for clean sounds

Clean tone is subjective as we all have our "clean tone". But as many amps as I have played nothing is cleaner then a 65 Fender Twin reverb. Many amps have really good clean channels. This really depends on your music of choice. For me I'm a Metal guitarist so I lean towards hi gain amps. I currently have a Krank Revolution 1 as the clean is very Fender like. It's a bit darker like a Fender baseman 10 amp running guitar. I like that tone as I can dial in a very close Twin sound.
I have owned 2 Twins , a real 65 and a reissue. I just ran pedals out front for my metal tones but loved my clear clean channel. It was wonderful.
Another wonderful clean channel amp is the Peavey JSX. I owned one and really loved it. I wanted a 5150 as I really dug the gain channel but the Clean was basically over driven blues style break up , like some dirt on it and I could never dial it out. I had one here for a weekend and took it back and got the JSX.
Right now Bogner is on my list as I love the clean channel and the drive channel. The JVM series from Marshall is also a very nice sounding clean and multiple drive channels. I wouldn't mind owning one.

[FuseG4]

Re: best amp for clean sounds

blackface twin reverb all the way.
second choice is the AC30.

My DRRI is really clean up until 6 on the volume. Many have said that the reissues feel stiffer and or they break up later than the real thing. I dunno about the real thing but my won't get what most people call "dirt" at 4 or 5 unless I remove the V1 tube and use it as a PI, and switch to a humbucker guitar.

[philthis]

Re: best amp for clean sounds

a lot of you guys are saying Deluxe Reverb? That is NOT a clean amp especially at higher volumes. I own a 67 or 68 SF Deluxe reverb & once the volume gets over 4 they start to over saturate the tubes. Now don't get me wrong I love my DR BUT due to the lack of headroom, if you play with a loud band it wont stay clean too long. For me it would be a Blackface twin or a Dual Showman Reverb. The DSR is essentially a Twin in a head. AND you can hook it up to a variety of speaker cabs to even color it differently. I think if you went with some 15" speakers iy would stay clean quite nicely....

This is good advice, reread it a few times.

[Aceman]

Re: best amp for clean sounds

I'm voting OTHER because you didn't include the Roland JC 120

But my #2 choice is the TWin Reverb (65)

However, there are a lot of great clean sounding amps; Marshall DSL 401's for example. MESA Lonestar gets a great clean. Victoria anyone? Trainwreck? We can go on all day....

[Jeff5]

Re: best amp for clean sounds

The Fenders are the standard that everything else was built on so you probably couldn't go wrong with starting there.

Mesa based their cleans on Fender I believe. I had the opportunity to toy with a Mark V for a few weeks and I'll attest that the cleans are simply amazing on that amp. (And I wasn't even using a low/mid output pick up) As a matter of fact, I kind of liked the clean/mild break up/mid gain to Mark I modes better than the high gain modes. Go figure.

[Gearjoneser]

Re: best amp for clean sounds

I'm in good company, as they're Seymour and Lew's favorite amps too, but my vote is for the blackface Fender Pro Reverb, whether it's an early one or an overhauled silverface. I'm also a believer that their original speakers are inferior to modern speakers. So, take an old handwired Fender, put fresh tubes, caps, and the best speakers available today, and you'll have a tone that's possibly better than vintage amps and reissues.

I have a 74 Pro Reverb that was owned by Aspen Pitman, sold to his cousin, then sold to me. It been blackfaced, retubed, and has an Emi Swamp Thang and Jensen C12N w/beam blocker. I've put it against the best clean amps, and this Pro Reverb just rules. It's crystal clean up to about 4, where it blooms with natural tube breakup that's smooth and beautiful. It engulfs the room with huge 3D tone. It's reverb and vibrato is gorgeous sounding as well. I was playing it tonight with my new T Rex Replica delay, and it was something to behold.

My other "clean amps" are a 97 Matchless Chieftain and 98 Gibson Goldtone GA-30RVS. The Matchless is my favorite EL-34 clean, and the Goldtone is like a Vox AC-30 that sounds a little woodier than glassy and it has amazing stereo reverb.