Johtosotku
New member
I went amp shopping lately and went on trying a bunch of different amps with different guitars. What I was looking was great dynamics and cleans with sparkle and chime. I tried a lot of amps and eventually found what I was looking for and at a great price too. Here's a little review of the amps I went through:
Orange Tiny Terror
-I went with big expectations but it just didn't do anything for me. Wasn't even that loud. It didn't really have any headroom at all and the drive wasn't that spectacular for me.
Orange AD30 Combo
-This was much nicer than the TT but not up to the price tag imo. It sounded quite versatile but somehow didn't respond to my playing as I'd have liked. And it was costly.
H&K Statesman 20w Combo
-Ok cleans but the drive, at least when the boost was used, had zero dynamics. It was really weird to take a gentle tap and then a hard slap to the strings and notice no real difference at all.
Traynor YCV40 Combo
-I couldn't really bond with this one either. It mostly sounded too boomy for me and I didn't really like the drive channel either. It was too loud for me too. I didn't really test it that much, though, as there were a couple of more interesting ones left.
Fender Deluxe Reverb RI Combo
-This one was great. Great cleans, great dynamics and great drive. I really really liked it, but it was a bit too expensive and maybe not the best one of the bunch. I'll still remember it and wait if one ends up at the used market and maybe get it if the time is right.
THD Univalve
-A great head. I really liked this one and it was #2 from what I tried. Great cleans, versatile drive and lots of options like noise suppression and a hot plate built in. And of course you could change the tubes to the World's end with it. Nice dynamics and everything. I could play all kinds of music with it. Definitely a to-go amp if I'd have to have just one. I'll keep my eyes open for a used one later on, I'd really like one.
Vox AC30CC Combo
-Very nice, lots of options but the controls weren't as intuitive as I liked. Nice Tremolo, and I could find uses for the 'verb as well. Nice cleans and a beautiful drive. Very much the cleans I was looking for. In the end it had too much switches and options for me. The 2*12 was too cumbersome and it was too loud too. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to one who didn't have a problem with them. But the little brother...
Vox AC15CC Combo
-This was the winner and what I went home with. 15 loud watts. Great, sparkly cleans and a great breakup when played hard and loud. Nice tremolo. When I got home I did the classic all knobs southeast gig and it just delivered. I plugged in my strat with Fender '54 CS pups and wondered where all the grit went. Then I whammed on the strings and was rewarded with divine distortion. Really responds to picking/vol knob dynamics, different guitars and different pickups. And I got a pretty nice deal for it too. I think that it was the cheapest of the bunch!
And what was greatest back home was to finally find use for the two outs on my delay pedal... Life will never be the same again!
Orange Tiny Terror
-I went with big expectations but it just didn't do anything for me. Wasn't even that loud. It didn't really have any headroom at all and the drive wasn't that spectacular for me.
Orange AD30 Combo
-This was much nicer than the TT but not up to the price tag imo. It sounded quite versatile but somehow didn't respond to my playing as I'd have liked. And it was costly.
H&K Statesman 20w Combo
-Ok cleans but the drive, at least when the boost was used, had zero dynamics. It was really weird to take a gentle tap and then a hard slap to the strings and notice no real difference at all.
Traynor YCV40 Combo
-I couldn't really bond with this one either. It mostly sounded too boomy for me and I didn't really like the drive channel either. It was too loud for me too. I didn't really test it that much, though, as there were a couple of more interesting ones left.
Fender Deluxe Reverb RI Combo
-This one was great. Great cleans, great dynamics and great drive. I really really liked it, but it was a bit too expensive and maybe not the best one of the bunch. I'll still remember it and wait if one ends up at the used market and maybe get it if the time is right.
THD Univalve
-A great head. I really liked this one and it was #2 from what I tried. Great cleans, versatile drive and lots of options like noise suppression and a hot plate built in. And of course you could change the tubes to the World's end with it. Nice dynamics and everything. I could play all kinds of music with it. Definitely a to-go amp if I'd have to have just one. I'll keep my eyes open for a used one later on, I'd really like one.
Vox AC30CC Combo
-Very nice, lots of options but the controls weren't as intuitive as I liked. Nice Tremolo, and I could find uses for the 'verb as well. Nice cleans and a beautiful drive. Very much the cleans I was looking for. In the end it had too much switches and options for me. The 2*12 was too cumbersome and it was too loud too. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to one who didn't have a problem with them. But the little brother...
Vox AC15CC Combo
-This was the winner and what I went home with. 15 loud watts. Great, sparkly cleans and a great breakup when played hard and loud. Nice tremolo. When I got home I did the classic all knobs southeast gig and it just delivered. I plugged in my strat with Fender '54 CS pups and wondered where all the grit went. Then I whammed on the strings and was rewarded with divine distortion. Really responds to picking/vol knob dynamics, different guitars and different pickups. And I got a pretty nice deal for it too. I think that it was the cheapest of the bunch!
And what was greatest back home was to finally find use for the two outs on my delay pedal... Life will never be the same again!
