Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

[Guitar Toad]

Everybody laugh now. But, this thread is not to help me find an amp. It is simply a request for commentary on clean amps. For the sake of information gathering and rounding out my amp education:

What is the best clean, non-Fender amp? Everybody's like it ain't a good clean amp if it ain't Fender BF-clean. Surely, there are some other acceptable clean amps out there.

How many clean tones can we define and what amp will do that clean?

Let's say The Fix "one thing leads to another" clean
and then BB King's "Let the Good Times Roll" bluesy clean.

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

My Mesa F- 30 has a great clean tone & takes pedals well. Kinda of Fender sounding though.

 

[Woodcutter]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

I played a peavey classic once and was fairly inpressed with its clean tones.

 

[flank]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

i like Vox Ac30s, Ampeg Gemini, marshall JTM45

 

[msplines]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

Peavey Classic 30, definately good cleans, definately not Fender type.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

I'm with Flank AC-30's. I also like my Dr. Z the sound is very Voxy, with a hint of Marshall.

Luke

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

A lot of people scream about Vox amps having great cleans, and i hear the same from Mesa and Orange owners....

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

A lot of people scream about Vox amps having great cleans, and i hear the same from Mesa and Orange owners....

The only Mesas I really like the cleans on are the Lonestars, and Stiletto. Otherwise it sounds too compressed, hard, or dark.

I've never played through and Orange but would love to.

Luke

 

[seafoamer]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

Ch 1 & Ch 2 of the Mark IV are excellent. Common thought is that Mesa cleans are aight, but i've put my Mark IV up against a bunch of boutique amps at a few studios I've recorded at, & i'm quite glad I own the Mark IV.

 

[flank]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

i'm sure there are many boutique amp companies out there that make great clean amps, and specifically meant for great cleans..perhaps such as Two Rock.... but my response of Ac30, Ampegs, and Jtm45 is just from stuff that i personally have had a chance to play

 

[bryvincent]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

roland JC-120.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

roland JC-120.

oooh good call

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

Ampeg V-4 .Clean on 10 and everybody in your zip code will know your playing. :laugh2:

 

[Bludave]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

Much of it has to do with the type of clean you are looking for.

A Roalnd Jazz Chorus is a real clean Amp.

Acoustic Image Amps are extremley clean espicially with a Razors edge cabinet. This Amp is designed for a Arctop Jazz guitar.

Crate Acoustic 60watt. for acoustic guitars it is great. Very clean.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

Roland JC-120 hands down. Best solid state amp ever, IMO.

I agree with others who say Mesa clean channels are very good. My DC-30 sounds very Fender-y on the clean side. That's what sold me on it - I knew Mesas had great high gain tones, but the clean was a real surprise.

 

[nepalnt21]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

roland JC-120.

yepper

 

[Rich_S]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

I'll echo the Ampegs, which get called "clean" mostly because they're so damn loud you can't crank them up enough to get dirty.

Also, I'll second the Roland JC-120 (and its little brother the JC-77).

Interestingly enough, one of your example "clean" tunes was recorded with amps know for crunch. The Fixx' "One Thing Leads to Another" was recorded through a really heavy compressor, MXR stereo chorus, and a pair of Marshall JMP combos (close relative and forerunner of the JCM800).

This song is also listed as one of Guitar Player's 50 Greatest Tones of All Time. Great issue, with a ton of useful information.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

For pristine crystal clear clean, the Roland JC cannot be beat...

for Tube cleans, the best I've experienced vintage or new is on the MESA F50

 

[philthis]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

I'll echo the Ampegs, which get called "clean" mostly because they're so damn loud you can't crank them up enough to get dirty.

Also, I'll second the Roland JC-120 (and its little brother the JC-77).

Interestingly enough, one of your example "clean" tunes was recorded with amps know for crunch. The Fixx' "One Thing Leads to Another" was recorded through a really heavy compressor, MXR stereo chorus, and a pair of Marshall JMP combos (close relative and forerunner of the JCM800).

This song is also listed as one of Guitar Player's 50 Greatest Tones of All Time. Great issue, with a ton of useful information.

great photo's Rich, like the white V and the old prophet key board is cool. I love the Fixx's clean tones that Jamie West Orem gets. I saw them about 3 years ago at a club where he had alot of pedals and a couple modified fender amps-I think one was a base man and one was a deville. that tone on the song you mentioned is a nice punchy strat tone. It is a great tone.
:beerchug:

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Best Non-Fender Clean Amp

Please name more tunes that you think of as references for clean tones.

Sultan's of Swing- Dire Straits