Favorite Clean Amps

G

greatbob6

New member
Currently I have a Blackstar HT-5 and I really enjoy the dirt tones I can get out of this amp. However, I have decided that I'm not a big fan of the cleans...I'd prefer something with a little more brightness/sparkle, and that got me thinking about what kind of amps have really good cleans. What are your favorites?

I know everyone talkes about the "Fender clean", and for some reason I've always been prejudiced against Fender amps (don't have a real reason) so I've never looked into them but happened to play one at GC today and loved it. But I noticed there are quite a few different models, so if you respond with "Fender" as your favorite clean amp could you please elaborate as to which model and why?
 
Re: Favorite Clean Amps

If you want something bright with sparkle, a Fender Twin is a good choice. Tons of clean headroom and glassy cleans. A Fender Deluxe Reverb is going to be slightly warmer, a bit more lush, but still has some glassiness to it.

I don't know how much you want to spend on another amp just for cleans, but the little Blues Jr. has some nice rich clean tones, but not a ton of headroom. It's quite a bit cheaper than either of the first two I mentioned.

I'm not the biggest Fender expert....these are just the models I have some personal experience with. There are some other guys here who really know their stuff, so hang on a bit and you will be flooded with info.
 
Re: Favorite Clean Amps

For clean tones, Fender Vibroverbs and Super Reverbs make me feel all warm and fuzzy. :D
 
Re: Favorite Clean Amps

my buddy has a Fender Twin and it does clean real well

but he wants my Carvin Belair, it just sounds better
 
Re: Favorite Clean Amps

The best clean tones I've heard lately are from Hiwatts. It not only sounds incredible but feels so alive when you play. Hiwatts are definitely one of the best cleans I've ever heard. The Bogner Shiva 20th anniversary head is also another amp I've used recently and the clean tones on that amp are superb as well. It also feels very alive and bouncy in your hands.

The third amp I'm going to mention may be a surprise to you. The Mesa Boogie Mark V with EL34's has an incredible clean channel. With 6L6's it does the Fender thing pretty well but it definitely improves with EL34's. Put some of those tubes in there and the clean channel comes alive.

Interestingly none of the amps I mention are using 6L6's. Hiwatts use EL34's, Bogner Shiva 20th uses KT88's, and the Mark V can go either way but sounds best with EL34's.

You can do the Fender thing like everyone else but you would be missing out on many other great amps. If you go the Fender route, then you need to try the tweed reissues. They're handwired and pretty expensive but are the best Fender is putting out right now in my opinion. Try the 40 watt 57' Twin or the 12 watt 57' Deluxe.
 
Re: Favorite Clean Amps

For lower volume, a Deluxe Reverb is a great sounding clean. . . it's the combination of the clean sound and the reverb that makes it so awesome. Fender amps tend to have really nice reverb circuits.
 
Re: Favorite Clean Amps

I love Fender Reverb amps. Pick a wattage and speaker configuration and be happy. There's a reason they are industry standard amps, they sound great and you've heard them on countless classic recordings.

Princeton - 2 6V6, 10"
Deluxe - 2 6V6, 12"
Pro - 2 6L6, 2x12"
Super - 2 6L6, 4x10"
Twin - 4 6L6, 2x12"

Pick the wattage (Headroom, volume) you need and go from there. I love the fact that the smaller amps use 6V6's instead of EL84's, it's a great take on the Fender clean.
 
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Re: Favorite Clean Amps

Id say a Fender model, but so many others have already, so that vote is secure.

I'll in stead pitch in for a Music Man amp...designed while Leo ran the company, they are super versatile in that they go from dead clean and wicked loud, to crunchy and still loud.
 
Re: Favorite Clean Amps

One of the absolute best, most magical amps I've ever owned for clean sounds was the VHT/Fryette Pitbull 45 with EL84's. Not a 'fender' clean, not a Vox clean... just its own animal and it was a plush one.
 
Re: Favorite Clean Amps

Got to agree, Fender amps like Deluxes, Twins, Super Reverbs etc (well-serviced silver-face ones are fine), and the mighty Vox AC30. Roland JC amps for s/s. None of these amps are technically 'clean', although we think of them that way. What i mean is, when set for a non-distorted sound, they colour the sound very slighly, but in highly desireable ways. Pure clean sound would be antiseptic and sterile and probably wouldn't hold any appeal to most players. Fortunately virtually all tube amps have this certain magic to what we call their clean sounds, and i guess that's why we love them so much.
 
Re: Favorite Clean Amps

I play a Fender Hot Rod DeVille 212, but my favorite clean tone out there right now is the ZT Lunchbox.




Glen Phillips said:
We were touring on a shoestring budget, and did most of our shows as a five-piece in a minivan with local backline for drums and bass. I managed to have my whole rig fit in my suitcase. With the M9 and a ZT Lunchbox™ amp, I had great tone, every effect I could want, and a very small footprint. There were raised eyebrows at load-in every day, but the skepticism would disappear as soon as they heard the setup.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Favorite Clean Amps

fender blackface deluxe reverb or super reverb is my type of clean tone. twins are great too but very very clean and very very loud
 
Re: Favorite Clean Amps

jolly said:
i've always had a soft spot for roland jc-120's.
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+2

Just don't try to use them for anything else. Don't push them, don't even put a dist/od pedal in front of them.

They're the peak of clean evolution as long as they are not screwed with.

Use another amp for your dirt.
 
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Re: Favorite Clean Amps

Thanks for your input guys...unfortunately around here its kind of difficult to find much beyond the standard Fender's actually carried in stores. I've played a Vox AC15 a little bit and enjoyed that...unfortunately it was at GC which tends to be a poor place to really check out amps due to the throngs of people milling about, impossibility of finding a guitar that isn't dropped D and horribly out of tune, etc. :)

A smaller store in the area tends to carry a good selection of the Fender amps so I'm going to have to swing by there when I get a chance and check out what they have.

I tried out a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe at GC this past weekend and I was quite impressed with it...however, at this point I'm a bit overwhelmed with the variety of "Deluxe" models. There's the Blues Deluxe, Hot Rod Deluxe, Deluxe Reveb (is that the '65 Reissue?)... Their naming schemes kind of suck in my opinion! :D
 
Re: Favorite Clean Amps

VOX ac30's are my favorite clean. they are clean with a bit of character where as the fenders like a twin is a pretty sterile plain tube clean sound.
 
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