Clean Amp

[Mojoe01]

I've been looking for an amp to use mainly for cleans, and have been leaning toward fenders. I'm considering getting an original bassman head off ebay, but I'm not positive yet. What should I look for here? Also, if I'm going to be using it for mainly clean work, what type of cab would be best? Would a 4x10 be a good choice?

 

[benji657]

Re: Clean Amp

you should really play the Fender Hot Rod Deville212. cleans don't get any better than this. very powerful and responsive, but clear and chimey.

benji

 

[Bludave]

Re: Clean Amp

It really depends on what you are looking for. What volume you will be playing at Etc.. If you want an Amp that will stay clean at high volume, a twin, or showman would be the way to go. The twin is 80 to 100 watts W 2 12" speakers. The showman is essentially a Twin in a head format. The power rating on the Showman is 100 to 135 watts depending on the era. They can be coupled with a varity of cabinet types.(12" speakers would be my choice. Both of these Fender Amps are very clean and very Loud!!!. If you want an Amp that will begin to break up at a tolerable volume you should look at either a Pro or Super Reverb. These are 40 Watt Combo's the Super has 4 10" speakers and the Pro is 2 12" (I think). Another really good choice is a Deluxe Reverb. The DR is 22 watts w 2 10" speakers. This Amp will begin to break up at around three, up to about 7. Any louder than 7 they tend to get muddy. The ulimate blues amp for small to medium size gigs. Another good clean Fender is the Vibrolux. I believe that was the Amp SRV preferred (could be Vibroverb I forget). As far as the Newer Fenders I have had some experience with the Hot rod series. I find these Amps tend to break up to quickly and are hard to get a good clean out of them (IMO). Hope this helps!!

 

[texasguitarslinger]

Re: Clean Amp

I love my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe but if you need 4X10 I'd definately recommend the Hot Rod Deville 60 watt 4X10. Very nice shimmering Fender cleans. :smoker:

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Clean Amp

There are always a lot of 90's Tweed Devilles and Hotrod Deville's for sale, used.
Also, the Peavey Classic 50 4-10 w/4 EL-84's. All of those amps have stellar clean tones, for a reasonable amount of money. Some of those older heads have a lot of midrangey gain to them, which is why they don't fetch more money than they do.
Not quite enough gain for heaviness. Too much for a nice clean tone.
I'd stick with a good tube combo from Fender or Peavey.

 

[TwofacePimp]

Re: Clean Amp

you should really play the Fender Hot Rod Deville212. cleans don't get any better than this. very powerful and responsive, but clear and chimey.

benji

I own a deville, and while the cleans are very good it will start to break up at a certain point. Maybe the slight breakup is what makes it good, I'm not sure. But for me, with my les paul with a jb, that point is about 3 on the clean channel. For single coils it will be higher. Don't get me wrong, I love the amp, but just know that it isn't the cleanest amp you can buy. A twin or twin reverb would be cleaner, the higher the wattage the better. The peavey classics are also cleaner.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Clean Amp

While I like my '70 Vibrolux Reverb, I wouldn't consider it a very great clean amp. Any amp that isn't loud as heck at volume 4 and distorts, simply won't cut it in any live application (unless mic'd at a low volume, that would be the exception).

It's great for blues and I like the cleans, but I wouldn't consider them the ideal clean. It's not chimey, but it has a lot of warmth and "push" to it.

With that said, investing in a blackface Fender Twin or Deluxe Reverb would do the job quite nicely. I found that the DR does breakup, but it breaks up at a good level. So it can be set for clean, have a really loud volume, and then with a boost/overdrive pedal, get sent over the edge for a heavenly blues tone. The Fender Twin just won't breakup and it's insanely loud, so a good distortion pedal would be the way to go for that

 

[Young Angus]

Re: Clean Amp

Check out some ENGL combos if you can, particularly the thunder 50.

But id say you'd be pretty safe, and very happy, with a nice fender hot rod.

 

[Imp]

Re: Clean Amp

Look out for anything by sovtek - i played one for about an hour in a guitar shop, tried hot lace sensors, and a load of humbuckers. still pristine clean! it must have like infinite headroom or something :dance:

 

[Quencho092]

Re: Clean Amp

The showman is essentially a Twin in a head format. The power rating on the Showman is 100 to 135 watts depending on the era. They can be coupled with a varity of cabinet types....

Does the showman have reverb, and what year did it go silverface? 67?

 

[jmcorey]

Re: Clean Amp

Maybe for others to chime in on: Don't 2 x 12's have better cleans than 4 x 10's?

 

[hollywood]

Re: Clean Amp

I bought a deville with four tens for that very reason and soon realised that they are cranky, irritating pieces of crap... If i turned it past four with my tele it broke up terribly. Definitely not a nice sound by any means. I started working at a music store about a year later and my boss owned a '59 bassman. He offered to me for some shows and i was soon addicted to it. Needless to say i was running both together soon ditched the deville, and eventually bought the bassman sold the deville and never looked back. My strongest advice is to stay away from anything new for a clean sound, but after all i could have just grabbed a crapped out deville...choose wisely!

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: Clean Amp

actually i've found the 4x10's have better cleans

though a twin is pretty much the epitome of a clean gigging amp

if you plan on using distortion pedals I'd go with a deluxe or deville (1x12, 2x12 or 4x10, trust your ears)

 

[Marty Horne]

Re: Clean Amp

After years of playing amps with 12" speakers, I tried a Mesa Nomad 55 with 4 10s and was blown away with the clean sound. It had a tighter low end and a richer high end chime than any amp I'd ever played through. That was 6 years ago and it remains my #1 amp. 10s rule for clean tones and SRV blues rock tones.

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: Clean Amp

How clean ya' looking for??

Hiwatts are clean for days, but pricey..........

If you can find one, I highly recommend a Mesa Boogie Blue Angel. I've got the 4x10 & it's fantastic! Also came as a head, 1x12, or 2x12.....the reverb on mine is amazing; great classic rock/blues amp!!!