Clean tube heads

Re: Clean tube heads

My Carvin XV-212 has quite a good clean channel with quite a sparkly character to it and I think, quite a bit of headroom.
 
Re: Clean tube heads

As member the toad suggested, the Bugera V55HD. Had one a few while back, and the clean channel was absolutely awesome, and worked very well with a Line6 M13 using the 4CM method. Gain pedal sims just came alive.

The amp's gain channel was laughable, though.
 
Re: Clean tube heads

I love the clean channel on my Bugera v22. I love it even more with my Bad Monkey slamming the front as a clean boost.
 
Re: Clean tube heads

If you don't mind having less power, a Fender Super champ X2 has one of the best sounding blackface clean tones and handles pedals extremely well at 15 watts. I own both and both and each one sounds excellent.

I was going to suggest the same amp. I used one once with a drummer, bassist and keyboard player and had plenty of headroom. The cleans are great as is the on-board distortion. I am actually considering on myself.

fender-super-champ-x2-head-5.jpg
 
Re: Clean tube heads

Used Alchemist or Egnater Rebel 30. The Rebel uses 6l6 and el84 tubes!! Has some amazing tones and that 30 watts is incredibly loud (however, I've never been able to play it louder than about 10% volume...way too loud) with great headroom for pristine cleans (for a tube amp).

Otherwise you could go for used Showman/Twin Reverb (excellent tube cleans), or Roland JC 120 (the quintessence of SS clean tone). Over your budget though.

agree with this
 
Re: Clean tube heads

Here's how I do an ultimately tube clean at 40 watts. Fender Silverface Bandmaster Reverb head through a 2X12 cab.

I love this amp. my Les Paul, Strats and Teles all sound excellent with this amp.

I also have a Fender Super Champ X2 that I play through a 15 inch speaker cab loaded with a JBL K130.
I recommend both of these amps.
 
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Re: Clean tube heads

The op is going to buy tubes. But just to throw in my $.02, I've heard the cleans on the X series Carvins (X100B head, XV-112 & 212) and they are crazy good, and in the price range of four bills he suggested. I don't know about the Bugera V55 or 22 mentioned above, but the 333 has one of the best clean channels I have ever heard. Of course, it is a cheap Chinese amp, and the reliability is hit or miss, but the sound is excellent.
 
Re: Clean tube heads

This should have enough head room right? ;)

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Re: Clean tube heads

How much do used Mesa Lonestar amps go for?

I spent many years as a salesman and we used to have this saying "if you have to ask you can't afford it". Of course it's not always true, but it was a nice icebreaker to get a laugh out of a potential buyer.

Anyway, the middle range/somewhat desired models usually are hovering around $900 to $1,100 used. The more desired models are priced around $1,600 to well over $2k.
 
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