best 50-100 watt amp?

[shred me good]

firstly, built in effects, or not? you tell me why...
secondly which make? and why?
thirdly (bear in mind i play with full gain!) do i want somthing crazy like a line 6?

by the way, i am a complete fool with no amp expirience! but i have as much money as is needed......

thanks for your help

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

What style do you play? That should help a bunch. There is no one best amp as taste leads ears down many different paths. Personally I like old amps cranked wide open, no FX loop, no channel switching. I like to pick my FX to run, wah, phase, univibe type and delay are what I usually like. The only amp I like with built in FX is the Line 6 stuff, outside of that I prefer stomps.

 

[aleclee]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

I don't like built-in FX (except in modelers). I haven't heard an analog amp's built-in FX that sound good. They add complexity (i.e., reduce reliability) and increase the cost.

I'm not too keen on modeling amps but I wouldn't describe the L6 as "crazy".

You open up a big can of worms saying you "have as much money as is needed". We could start talking about some amps that cost about the same as a decent used car.

 

[aestus]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

If I had the money I'd spend it on an old Marshall 4 input plexi like a 1959 head.... Heck, I'd get two of them. One for clean and one for dirty. You'd have to really crank it to get dirty sounds from it, but the clean tones are also to die for.

 

[shred me good]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

i have about a grand then!
so thats a no on buitlt in fx. ok
i play in a band who dont touch the distortion channel, no i need a distorted sound that wont clash with the rhythem guitar in clean. somthing sweet but gainy.

 

[aestus]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

Sounds like an old 4 input marshall. All those "clean" tone that Hendrix gets is with the marshall. The classic marshall sound is these amps played so loud that they slightly get crunchy. Hendrix used fuzz pedals for his gainier, fuzzy sounds. John Frusciante also uses a 4 input marshall. Listen to his saturated clean tones. Especially on the early chili peppers albums. It's basically a strat run straight into a 4 input Marshall. You may be able to score a used one, but these amps are expensive due to the amount of collectors. Musicians friend sells the reissue 1959 4 input Marshall head for about $800. That does not include a cab, however.

 

[59paul]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

Sounds like an old 4 input marshall. All those "clean" tone that Hendrix gets is with the marshall. The classic marshall sound is these amps played so loud that they slightly get crunchy. Hendrix used fuzz pedals for his gainier, fuzzy sounds. John Frusciante also uses a 4 input marshall. Listen to his saturated clean tones. Especially on the early chili peppers albums. It's basically a strat run straight into a 4 input Marshall. You may be able to score a used one, but these amps are expensive due to the amount of collectors. Musicians friend sells the reissue 1959 4 input Marshall head for about $800. That does not include a cab, however.

Sounds like the amp aestus is recommending is the Marshall 1987X.
It's kind of the re-issue of the Marshall 50 watt Plexi.

I would recommend this amp, as well.
Either attenuate it with a Weber Mass, THD Hot Plate, etc....or use a Pedal like a Tube Screamer to Push it into Overdrive.

If you want it clean...It's CLEAN !!! and plenty LOUD !!! ......

 

[Quencho092]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

YEA..anyone got a sound sample of a 1959 SLP clean? It thought jimi used a twin for songs like little wing...

 

[Metalman_666]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

if you've got money, go for a Mesa Mark IV. Clean and Distorted sounds to die for!

 

[metallicajs1]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

im thinkin of getting the peavey XXL one of my friends says its sounds really good and had good built in distortion ang nice cleans.

 

[B2D]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

For a little over a grand I'd buy a Mesa/Boogie Rectoverb and slap some EL34s in it.

Oh wait... I already did! :banana:

 

[JeffB]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

This may come as a surprise to some but I would recommend the MESA F-50. Great price, more gain than you will ever need. SUPA LOUD (can't get the master above 9 o clock without hurting me ears and thumping my chest). It can do Recto type sounds, Mark series sounds, and has the best clean channel I've ever encountered. With some tweaking you can get REAL close to a Marshall type sound as well if ya want that. $1050 is SRP.

I'd also look into the Riveras. Fandango, Knucklehead, R series, etc.

As for built in effects. Not my thing. I like my boss stompers, and most built in effects I've heard are too...hmmm...effecty They either sound too digital, color the amps sound too much or are just plain poor quality on less expensive amps. It's neat to have them, but I've found I end up not using them after the novelty wears off. Maybe a splash of reverb or a little delay.

Most of the higher dollar amps will have a good to excellent reverb, and then my suggestion would be to buy a few pedals for what you need color-wise. Delay, chorus, phase, etc.

 

[JeffB]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

im thinkin of getting the peavey XXL one of my friends says its sounds really good and had good built in distortion ang nice cleans.

For the price the XXL is pretty good. I came real close to getting one. The crunch and ultra channels are not much different. The cleans are good. Very versatile otherwise. Lots of neat little vocing options, speaker damping, power reduction etc.

But if you're prepared to spend $700 on the Peavey (what I see it going for), I'd spend another bill and half and get a MESA F30. Will do anything the Peavey can voicing-wise (and do it quite a bit better), more compact, SUPER loud 30 watts (at least as loud as my Marshall 50 watt), and handmade with a great warranty.

Sorry...I'm turning into a MESA whore. Can't help it

DISCLAIMER: I have not been paid to promote MESA products in any way, shape, or form. Just a very satisfied customer

 

[shred me good]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

mesa ay? hmmmm
you all go on about amps with great clean channels? isnt a clean channel just the sound of the guitar but louder? how can you have an especialy "good" clean channel?
also if it has a good clean channel, dose that mean that distortion pedals (run through the clean) will sound better?

 

[Jfar]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

Musician's Friend Has a blow out on Peavey 5150 & 5150 II
For $749.00

Or look in Ebay at Used older marshalls. more than likely you
can pick up a JCM 2000 for around $650.00

Check out CowTown Music on the internet they got good deals.

 

[gordon_39422]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

mesa ay? hmmmm
you all go on about amps with great clean channels? isnt a clean channel just the sound of the guitar but louder? how can you have an especialy "good" clean channel?
also if it has a good clean channel, dose that mean that distortion pedals (run through the clean) will sound better?

Not at all!!! Every amp colors the tone of the guitar in some shape form or fashion..... Some do it in more of a pleasurable or desirable fashion than others...... You need to get out with you guitar and test-drive to get the sounds you desire....

Most amps with great clean sounds will support stompboxes real well.... some better than others, again, go out and test-drive.....

Oh yeah, make sure it is at the volume level at which you plan to do most of your jamming!!!

 

[Guitarsean]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

I have a Line 6 50watt with built in effects. It's ok... Built in effects are never god in amps... Pedals and what not are better. Built ins are cheap copys and hype up the price. I bought mine for 300$ 50watt ok effects and ok everything else. My friend got a 80 watt amp... same price... no effects but is loud and sounds good. He just bought a few pedals and now he has a better amp and it sounds better.

 

[Davey]

Re: best 50-100 watt amp?

i can get a '78 100W JMP for around 700 here.. should get you in the same ballpark around there, but you'd need a cab for it so it's gonna be closer to 1200 to 1300

all the loudness you'll ever need and an awesome sounding amp, with some pedals, you're good to go.

as for others, there are used bassmen on ebay, 50W marshalls that sound AMAZING.

if you got around a grand, a 50W tube amp is the way to go either head or combo. dont look anywhere else