I want a lovely, warm British style amp

[MetalManiac]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

You clearly don't know it yet, but you want an AC30.

I know that isn't what you want to hear, but it's what you want...just make sure it's not one of the crappy chinese ones. Keep your eyes glued to CL and eBay and try and find a used, old AC30 (it doesn't have to be from the '60s, just find out which year they exported the labor and buy one BEFORE that year).

Those things are ticking time bombs. I'm pretty sure he wants something more dependable.

 

[Ascension]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

Zinky Velvet.
I own a 25 watter and it NAILS the tone you are talking. Built like a tank and this thing never ceases to amaze me how good it sounds when I hear it back off a recording. Been playing for over 35 years and owned just about any amp you can name and I've never gotten better tones.
This one is a EL 84 amp and is thick fat and Smoooth!! I want another one in a 50 watt head badly!!

Here she is unmiced in the lobby of an old hospital from a 2 hour set of Spontaneous stuff we played for a 27 hour Prayer and Praise event.
http://www.box.net/shared/tesdvbzq39
Here is a super low volume bedroom clip
http://www.box.net/shared/zc3kipddj1

 

[viewaskew2k5]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

Get a Laney. But i'm biased!

 

[philthis]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

This could have been the problem. I think that's a single-ended class A power section. If you get a class A/B with push-pull, I think it changes the character and feel quite a bit. Plus, the preamp makes quite a bit of difference as well, as the Marshall Class 5 has very little in common with that Blackheart.

Don't let what's on paper change your mind. Let the sound be your guide. I'm sure you know this, because your search for that Fender you ended up with did exactly that.

Hi, I played the Marshall class 5 amp and it does everything your describeing pretty well. it also does it at reasonable volumn. if you ever want more gain from it?-well then just add a Robert Keeley java midrange volumn boost pedel. you will get a full on overdriven tubes tone thats hot or a Brian May solo tone of Bohemian Rapsody. this really is a great tone and simple without all phony chip sounding distortion and nice even cleans very warm. you really should check it out if what your describeing is what your really after.

 

[philthis]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

Joe Banamossa plays thru them in one of his video's on U tube. you can hear it loud or check out the other clips on U tube. Robert Keeley java boost will push it even harder but not in an annoying buzzy way.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

Don't let what's on paper change your mind. Let the sound be your guide. I'm sure you know this, because your search for that Fender you ended up with did exactly that.

Great advice.

And thank you all for the suggestions - I didn't mean to sound ungrateful for the recommendations. I was being a bit hardheaded - but now I am in to the YouTube clips and hearing a lot of things I like (and don't like). Thank you.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

So far my favorite sounds that have been linked in this video are the:

VHT Pittbull

Zinky 25

Marshall Class 5

I really appreciate the input.

I also want to tell the team that I do not think EL84s are bad because I had the world's worst EL84 amp - I know that it was just a crappy amp (or, just not my style). My distaste for EL84 power sections comes from playing a lot of them (namely Voxes) and not liking the vibe. I also really don't like the other standard EL84 amps like the Blues Junior and the Peavey Classic.

Here is a YouTube of me recording my Blackheart:


Here is an even better recording: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=7882308 Anyone who listens to a lot of Seymour Duncan pickup demos will get a laugh in the first 10 seconds of this clip :laughing:

Just so you know that I did try to get along with it, and got close-ish to the tone I wanted for my lame soft rock stylings. Keep in mind this was several years ago, and so the recording was terrible and the playing too.

Anyways, I haven't really set a price, I just want to get the right amp. I think, in general, I want to shoot around $1000 or under, since the $2000 amps sit in a place of diminishing returns for me. I know not everyone sees it that way.

 

[mwalluk]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

So far my favorite sounds that have been linked in this video are the:

VHT Pittbull

I thought you didn't want to go the all out modern hard metal rock?


However, Pitbull is an amazing amp. You should also check out the Deliverance. Once I get mine retubed I'll make some Youtube vids for you. If you can deal with a single channel, this amp is what you want. It can do brutal to jazz, and everything in between.

The 2 gain stages are amazing. Pristine clean, to Slight edge of break up, to crunch, to pop rock overdrive, to rock distortion, to brutal.

Also check out a Laney VH100R

 

[devastone]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

What about the Pittbull 45? It uses EL84s but gives the tones you are looking for.

Just a thought, not trying to go against the grain.

 

[FretFire]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

I thought you didn't want to go the all out modern hard metal rock?


However, Pitbull is an amazing amp. You should also check out the Deliverance. Once I get mine retubed I'll make some Youtube vids for you. If you can deal with a single channel, this amp is what you want. It can do brutal to jazz, and everything in between.

The 2 gain stages are amazing. Pristine clean, to Slight edge of break up, to crunch, to pop rock overdrive, to rock distortion, to brutal.

Also check out a Laney VH100R

The video I linked to was a Pitbull 45, which is not the usual Pitbull fare. It's EL84-based and not quite as tight/stiff, more suited to blues and hard rock than metal. Unfortunately they're getting hard to find.

 

[mwalluk]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

The video I linked to was a Pitbull 45, which is not the usual Pitbull fare. It's EL84-based and not quite as tight/stiff, more suited to blues and hard rock than metal. Unfortunately they're getting hard to find.

Well that changes everything. I'm at work, lots of blocked things on here that dont show up.

If thats the case....

What about a Fryette Memphis??????

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

It's not a British voiced amp, per se, but the Ampeg Super Jet runs on EL34s and it gives up the tones you're after.



In this next one, the warmer tones come in at 1:00

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

My frontrunner, by the clips, is the Blackstar HT-40 or HT-60

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

Why not try a tweed style Fender? :scratchch

Good idea . . . not made in the UK, but deff a beautifull WARM tone in them !


I'll add another Tweed :

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

Just played a Blackstar HT-40 and an Ampeg SuperJet.

Blackstar = loved it. I'll share more later, but it was great; very full, and had wonderful breakup on the clean channel, plus classic to modern british style on the drive channel

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

Super Jet was not my jam; NMV, and too "uncomplex" our straightforward in the cleans

 

[devastone]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

Skip to 0.45

You can use various power amp valves with it, such as EL84, EL34, 6V6, 6L6, EL34, KT88, etc... and you can change the preamp valves too.

6 watts of class A, and comes standard with 1x EL84 and 1x 6V6. Handwired.

Sounds good.

http://www.cornfordamps.com/carrera.htm

Cornfords are great amps, but very expensive here in the US, way out of his $1000 budget.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

I know its out of the budget( like the Roadking), but maybe you should wait till you get something that will satisfy you forever instead of just temprarily?

Lovely, warm, British;




That said, if you want el34's , get el34's. maybe try the Mesa Lonestar with El34's.
I think that they will end up being more clasic "British" ; fat Warm Chuchy than a El84 amp.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

Just played a Blackstar HT-40 and an Ampeg SuperJet.

Blackstar = loved it. I'll share more later, but it was great; very full, and had wonderful breakup on the clean channel, plus classic to modern british style on the drive channel

Heads Up - just remember, it gets extra help from diodes for that clipping sound.

Some do not mind that, some do.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: I want a lovely, warm British style amp

I know its out of the budget( like the Roadking), but maybe you should wait till you get something that will satisfy you forever instead of just temprarily?

Lovely, warm, British;




That said, if you want el34's , get el34's. maybe try the Mesa Lonestar with El34's.
I think that they will end up being more clasic "British" ; fat Warm Chuchy than a El84 amp.

At only 620 quid, this might be a very good amp for our OP :

http://www.gak.co.uk/en/hiwatt-high-gain-50-head/27074


And unlike that Blackstar, the HiWat Hi Gain is, in their own words "100% valve signal path."
Gotta respect that !