Do they make an amp like this?

Zeppelinfan8790

New member
Is there an amp out there thats got jangly cleans (think early Beatles) and Marshall plexi crunch? All for under 2000 new or used? I don't have the money yet but I am starting my amp search now so when I have the money this summer I know exactly what I want. I'm not too picky about the rest of the specs, but a master volume would be nice so I don't have to get an attenuator.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

The Line 6 gear would give you both. Many options too depending on how much you want to spend. I use a Line 6 Vetta Head for bigger stuff and then my PODxt into 2 Atomic Amps for smaller stuff. The Vetta head can be expensive with floorboard ($1500) and a cab ($$), but the Vetta combo can be had much cheaper ($1100). The XT Live is about $320(?), an Atomic about $500. The XT has tons of effects built in as well as having a floor board controller as part of it's design. If you like the XT Bean which fits into the Atomic, it's about the same price, but you'd need to get the short floorboard ($280+/-). Used these would be a bit cheaper. I get guys on my site (listed below) selling used gear in great shape cheaper for forum guys.
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

I'd definitly suggest you try out the Marshall DSL 50, I own one and couldn't be happier with it.You can get great fender like cleans out of it and instictivly it has that marshall crunch built in, Only problem tho is that clean and crunch (at least the crunch on the clean channel) are not footswitchable.Give it a go anyway,
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

I'm in a similar search and after reading several reviews and doing some homework, the mesa boogie lone star looks like it might fit my bill as well as yours. I need to go out and play one.
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

the lone star sucks. plain and simple. ive tried out maybe 3 or 4 of them and they were all the same: hard and lacking character. the reverb blows and all the little switches do absolutely nothing. if u wanna spend 1800 dollars on a paperweight go for the lonestar. if u want tone go for a george dennis bluesman 40 or 60. i played the 60 again today and was very impressed. they run about 1000-1500 new. great reverb and great crunch tone.
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

carvin legacy, superb clean channel and thick smooth lead channel
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

itbepopples said:
the lone star sucks. plain and simple. ive tried out maybe 3 or 4 of them and they were all the same: hard and lacking character. the reverb blows and all the little switches do absolutely nothing. if u wanna spend 1800 dollars on a paperweight go for the lonestar. if u want tone go for a george dennis bluesman 40 or 60. i played the 60 again today and was very impressed. they run about 1000-1500 new. great reverb and great crunch tone.
Heh, I'm impressed that the amp made such an impression on you. Most reviews I've read have been to the contrary. I'll have to let my ears decide.
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

yea i went in and bought one on a whim and it turned out to suck fat balls. it was just not that great for the amount of cash i spent. the george dennis will rape it sonically so to speak. what kinda tones are u going for specifically? for me, its cleans like john frusciante and SRV and dirty like slash amd billy gibbons. maybe some heavy metal from a pedal if thats where im going. the dennis doesnt have a gain control just a volume so it wont react like a marshall but right now im really diggin that amp so u should give it a try.
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

I'd really rather get a tube amp, but to be fair I will check out the Line 6 stuff if I ever get to a store that carries it.

I played a DSL50 once, and I wasn't all that impressed. Had I gotten more time to mess with it, I might have a different opinion. But I'm not really going for Fender cleans, my Peavey does that really well, I'm wanting Vox cleans.

I haven't even looked at the Lone Star or the Legacy, but I'll check them out.
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

Every tried the Mark Series by Boogie? Well...obviously not, if you're still looking. ;)

Give them a shot...tone is indescribable.
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

Guitarist said:
Every tried the Mark Series by Boogie? Well...obviously not, if you're still looking. ;)

Give them a shot...tone is indescribable.
Wait... I may have found a word - divine.
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

I don't need anything high gain....I don't ever use high gain. The most I use would be for some Zeppelin stuff. If I ever need more I have an amp that has a descent high gain sound.

However I do like the clean sounds on Seafoamer's recordings with his Mesa...
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

Zeppelinfan8790 said:
I don't need anything high gain....I don't ever use high gain. The most I use would be for some Zeppelin stuff. If I ever need more I have an amp that has a descent high gain sound.

However I do like the clean sounds on Seafoamer's recordings with his Mesa...
I hope you're not judging the Marks because of the Rectifier line Boogie put out?

I'm not trying to persuade you or anything, I just think you should give this particular Boogie a shot for your personal advantages. It can do just about everything (up to Rectos gain stage), and it does them all extremely uniquely and tastefully.
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

Nah I'm not judging it by the Recto line...I've heard really good things about the Marks, they just have never sounded like something I need right now...I'll give the Mark a try next time I go to the guitar shop by my house. I hate that shop cuz they guy talks and talks and won't shut up, but I'll give it a try.

The Lone Star Special looks interesting, too...El-84s, three different wattages. I want to try one of them out.
 
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Re: Do they make an amp like this?

Fargen Epic 30 DC is EXACTLY what you're looking for. It sounds like you were looking for the same thing I was in an amp. I love that jangly, chimey early JMI-era Vox tone cleans. I'm not talking blackface Fender, that's a whole 'nuther ballgame. Channel 1 nails that Beatles, early U2 tone. Channel 2 is a Marshall JTM-45. It's old school rock and roll. I can definitely get Led Zepellin and a whole assortment of vintage Marshall tones. It can get that early Clapton Bluesbreaker type tone. Also, if you like ACDC, all they ever used were JTM-45s, so that gives another indication of the type of tone it puts out. Playing Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion" with it, is a blast.

One thing it doesn't nail is high gain, modded superlead type overdrive a la Van Halen. I would definitely call this amp more towards Cream territory. For early rock and roll, this amp is IT (definitely listen to clips from the Fargen amps website before you discount them). My Epic 30 DC was $1950.

The Lone Star was a cool amp from what I've played. However, if you want Beatles, it doesn't have it. It offers an almost blackface Fender type clean and high gain distortion. Not recto territory, but it can get close.
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

I jerked around with some more MESA's yesterday.

I didn't find the Lonestar to be as bad as the poster here. In fact I thot it was damn good. But from what I'm hearing on HC there may be some issues MESA has to work out with them. I'm not sure I'd take it over my F series tho. The Lonestar Special did sound better to my ears than the standard Lonestar.

The F-30 will do what you want. And for less than a grand. The jangly cleans, plexi type crunch (the EL84s help), all the way to typical high gain MESA. The F-50 will give you the same range of gain, but it's not quite as "sparkly"/british due to the 6L6s.

Also check the mid/high end Riveras. I wasn't impressed at all w/ the Clubsters/Pubsters (not enough gain stages..2 12ax7s..makes for mud when the gain starts getting cranked up), but the Fandango and R series are sweet amps that are very versatile.

That said, EL34's just have a hard time with Jangly cleans IME. EL84's and 6L6's are much better for that. But 6L6's don't quite have that british "sparkle" and mids. The EL84's are a great choice for something that can do a blend of brit and american sounds.

For other brands..I don't know without going into the Boutique lines I'm not fam with. I tried alot of amps in the 800- 1200 price range in my recent amp search and was unconcerned about brand, only tone.... and I haven't heard anything yet from the major manufacturers besides the MESA F series that would do a wide variety of sounds and do them all very well for a grand. Thats why I bought my 50..and I NEVER thought I'd buy a MESA :D
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

If you really want that early Pagey tone, there is a Supro amp modeled on some of the Line 6 products. Add a Tele and you have Zep I tone! They also have a JTM-45, Plexi, Jumped Plexi models with the Greenback 20 and 25 cabs modelled. They also have an AC-15 and AC-30TB Voxes modeled. You'll definitely get variety with Line 6!
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

that's for sure.The models you named are on the vetta II for sure and maybe on the flextone.
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

Spend the money and get a Bogner Shiva combo or head/cab. At least you'll be done searching.
 
Re: Do they make an amp like this?

Some are on the Flextone, they are all available on the PODxt series if you have the model packs too. Might only be the Vintage Model pack. But if you get 2, then the 3rd one's free. I have the Vetta II HD as well as you, but I also have the PODxt with all model packs I run in stereo into my 2 Atomics. The more vintage modelled amps even sound closer to the original pushing into the Atomics.
 
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