I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

[SepultuRick]

Hi, anyone know of any solid state amps with a really nice clean channel?

the amp has to be 50watts or more and not too expensive. I want a clean channel that won't colour the sound of my podxt too much.

I did have a roland cube 60 which had a nice clean channel but i am afraid as it is a modelling amp it would have coloured my tone too much.

any suggestions? thanks

oh yeah preferably the amp will have a closed back

 

[MDS]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

Keyboard amp? Roland KC series? All traditional guitar amps will color your tone because of the speakers and circuits used...a PA/Keyboard amp will probably recreate the modelled tone better...

 

[Diego]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

Sold the Cube 60 already?

I thought you had liked it... you sure get bored of gear faster than I do.

 

[Davey]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

the fender Roc-Pro has a nice clean channel

 

[SepultuRick]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

Sold the Cube 60 already?

I thought you had liked it... you sure get bored of gear faster than I do.

I did like it. just not the metal settings at high volumes. also i thought the metal settings were both too dark sounding. Nice amp though.

 

[B2D]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

Do you want a head or a combo?

Personally I'd suggest the 2nd generation Marshall Valvestate stuff for an SS (hybrid in this case) amp with a nice clean channel and decent overdrive and distortion channels. I had a VS265R... 2x12 combo with stereo chorus and 75 watts per side... I kinda miss that amp as it has a GREAT clean channel and the chorus was gorgeous. The VS100R is basically the same amp but without chorus and mono and 100W. I had one of those for a backup amp when i had my JCM800. IMO these are a little better than the AVT line, tonally.

They're open-back amps but you can close up the back with a 2x4 no problem... oh yea and they can be had for relatively cheap $$ on ebay.

 

[Low_fidelity2100]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

Keyboard amp? Roland KC series? All traditional guitar amps will color your tone because of the speakers and circuits used...a PA/Keyboard amp will probably recreate the modelled tone better...

+1. A amp modeler through a key board amp sounds Nearly Identical to the way it sounds recorded. I've even known people to leave the cab modeling on through a key board amp and it still sounding radical.

 

[Nightburst]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

Dude, how did those settings I gave you work out? I notice you're selling your amp?

Last night I got curious about the JCM900 and traded amps with the other guitar player for the night. It's a 50W dual reverb head (which are supposed to be lesser than your earlier model) through a Peavey 2x12 cab.
After a minute of twiddling I got some good crunch and when I kicked in the od I got a great metal tone. Really heavy stuff and fairly easy to dial in. Sorry I forgot to bring my recording equipment.

I would definately not sell the thing and give it some more time to get used to?

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

every time this guy starts a thread asking about a new amp, somebody tells him to keep the one he's got...hahaha

-X

 

[Zerberus]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

IMO the CLEAN channel is actually where almost all solid state amps really shine... I think if I were looking for an SS amp for clean I´d prolly grab the first thing I find

 

[SepultuRick]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

Dude, how did those settings I gave you work out? I notice you're selling your amp?

Last night I got curious about the JCM900 and traded amps with the other guitar player for the night. It's a 50W dual reverb head (which are supposed to be lesser than your earlier model) through a Peavey 2x12 cab.
After a minute of twiddling I got some good crunch and when I kicked in the od I got a great metal tone. Really heavy stuff and fairly easy to dial in. Sorry I forgot to bring my recording equipment.

I would definately not sell the thing and give it some more time to get used to?

yeah thanks for all that help you gave me. i just couldn't get my jcm900 sounding good at low volumes which is the way i will use it 99% of the time right now. even at high volumes it never sounded quite how i would have liked.

One thing i did notice aboit my jcm900 is that the tubes never really glowed brightly. is that normal? remember it was my first tube amp

 

[B2D]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

One thing i did notice aboit my jcm900 is that the tubes never really glowed brightly. is that normal? remember it was my first tube amp

Are we talking preamp tubes or power amp tubes?

 

[SepultuRick]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

Are we talking preamp tubes or power amp tubes?

The big ones. Power amp tubes right?

i don't think i could even see the preamp tubes properly

 

[Nightburst]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

Well a Marshall does need a bit of volume to sound it's fullest.
You're probably better off getting some modeling amp but Randall makes some good SS amps with killer cleans.

 

[B2D]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

The big ones. Power amp tubes right?

i don't think i could even see the preamp tubes properly

Yes. The larger tubes are always the power amp tubes.

What do you mean you couldn't see the preamp tubes? I used to play through a 900 regularly, they're right there!

 

[SepultuRick]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

Yes. The larger tubes are always the power amp tubes.

What do you mean you couldn't see the preamp tubes? I used to play through a 900 regularly, they're right there!

its jus t, do the preamp tubes get placed in some sort of covering when they are installed in the amp because it seemed like they had a kind of cover all around them so i couldn't actuall see the preamp tubes themselves if you get me.

 

[SepultuRick]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

Well a Marshall does need a bit of volume to sound it's fullest.
You're probably better off getting some modeling amp but Randall makes some good SS amps with killer cleans.

I just got the line6 PODXT and just need an amp for it now.

the xt isn't actually here yet so dunno if i will like it. we'll see

 

[FretFire]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

If you're just wanting to run the POD as a preamp through it, get a power amp and a cab or PA speaker, screw the combos. Look for a used Crown, QSC, or Peavey power amp with some good wattage ~300 watts maybe, 50 won't get you very far in the SS world when it comes to gigging. Then of course you could always go with a tube power amp .

 

[FretFire]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

In fact, this was my rig a couple of years ago. Furman power conditioner, PODxT Pro, stereo 31-band EQ, BBE Sonic Maximizer, and a Peavey stereo power amp, all running into a 4x12" cab. It sounded pretty killer, but I just got tired of lugging all the equipment around, and sold it off to fund a tube head and a few pedals.

 

[SepultuRick]

Re: I need a solid state amp with a great clean channel!

well i only need it for bedroom practice really but it needs to be loud enough to play with a drummer too.

can someone telll me more about keyboard amps. are they similar to guitar amps? a few people have suggested i use one with my podxt. i know nothing about keyboard amps. what should i look out for?