Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

[smitty302]

I've been looking for a new tube amp. I live about 150 miles away from a music store, so I can't just go try one out. I need something loud enough to play over drums. I play mainly blues, 70s classic rock and just a little metal. My main guitars are SGs and a Strat. I really would like to have reverb and a gain foot switch. I've been looking at the Fender Bassbreaker 30r, but I've heard people really bragging on Blackstar amps. Thanks for any help.

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

I do a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Probably -if you need a bunch of gain and switching.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

Marshall DSL40

 

[gsammo79]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

Fender bassbreaker 30r

 

[smitty302]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

Marshall DSL40

Does the footswitch work the gain on the DSL 40?

 

[smitty302]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

Fender bassbreaker 30r

How are you liking the bassbreaker? Does it seem to take pedals well and does it have a decent sounding gain channel? Thanks

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

Does the footswitch work the gain on the DSL 40?

If it has a tubescreamer attached to that switch


Heck I dont know
I ain't got one
But it's a 1x12 ... so check
Its 40 watts of tube, to keep up with a drummer....check
It's a Marshall, for 80s and 90s sounds......check

Two channels
Add pedals to taste

 

[smitty302]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

If it has a tubescreamer attached to that switch


Okay I guess the DSL40 doesn't have gain then?

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

I know that you said "new", but you can find used Friedman Runt 20s for about that price range, and they sound far better than anything mentioned so far in this thread. Though they don't come with built-in reverb. Also look into the PRS MT15 and H&K Grandmeister.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

If it has a tubescreamer attached to that switch


Okay I guess the DSL40 doesn't have gain then?

I was trying to be funny

As I said I don't have one
But most two channel amps switch between the clean and dirty sides

I would imagine that by definition that would switch the gain

It really depends on how much Gain you expect
With a pedal you can probably get whatever you want

 

[smitty302]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

I've kinda got it narrowed down to a Bassbreaker 30r, Blackstar ht40 or a Marshall DSL 40. It took a long time to save up the money so I really want to get what's best for the music I play. Which is blues, classic rock a little metal and very little cleans. Playing through Strats and SGs.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

Maybe this helps...
About 4-5 years ago a guitar friend called and was having kind of an open jam at his gig. He had a bunch of musicians all coming down and we all got up and played.
Anyway, he told me to just bring a guitar. When I got there he had the DSL40 for me to play through. I thought it sounded fantastic. I left that night thinking that maybe I’d like to buy one at some point.
Fast forward to a couple of months ago. The singer in my band decided to buy one and since we rehearse at my house he brought the amp here. I changed and biased the power tubes for him and of course I’ve played the amp several times. I’ve noticed that the low end farts out. It’s not the speaker (70/80) because I ran it through my 2x12 and it farts there too. And my speakers can handle my Quickrod without a problem.
Yes, you can dial the bass and resonance controls back and lower the gain and it will clean up but, I feel like I should be able to set the controls wherever I want without having to compromise so the amp works ok. It was making this farting before I changed tubes too, so it isn’t that. The tube swap helped a little bit didn’t cure it. This amp it the earlier DSL40C and not the later CR version. There are actually threads about this on the Marshall forum. Don’t get me wrong, the amp sounds good, but I feel that you may have to compromise for it to sound good.

I own a Blackstar Studio HT-20 head. Very similar to the 40W combo. And I’ve used the combo a couple of times in the past as well. I feel like it is a superior amp where I can use any setting I want without compromise.
However, I’d suggest playing through these amps if possible before making a decision. Your own ears are the deciding factor.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

If it has a tubescreamer attached to that switch


Okay I guess the DSL40 doesn't have gain then?

Actually it has tons of gain. There are two channels, Classic (low gain) and Ultra (high gain) that are foot switchable. Each channel has two gain modes. The Classic Ch lowest gain is clean clean. It runs through a fixed Fender black face tone stack built into the signal path in this mode. The other mode is crunch. The classic channel crunch mode really takes boost pedals well. Many only use the crunch mode with pedals all the time as a one channel amp. The Ultra channel has Lead 1 and Lead 2. Lead 1 has plenty of gain for classic rock and 80's metal. Lead 2 probably has too much gain for many applications, but it's there if needed.

Last year Marshall redid the DSL40 calling it the DSL40CR. On the CR there is a foot switchable extra master volume, and the modes can be switched within channels with a midi controller if needed. The entry level speaker was also upgraded to the Celestion V type.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

Actually it has tons of gain. There are two channels, Classic (low gain) and Ultra (high gain) that are foot switchable. Each channel has two gain modes. The Classic Ch lowest gain is clean clean. It runs through a fixed Fender black face tone stack built into the signal path in this mode. The other mode is crunch. The classic channel crunch mode really takes boost pedals well. Many only use the crunch mode with pedals all the time as a one channel amp. The Ultra channel has Lead 1 and Lead 2. Lead 1 has plenty of gain for classic rock and 80's metal. Lead 2 probably has too much gain for many applications, but it's there if needed.

Last year Marshall redid the DSL40 calling it the DSL40CR. On the CR there is a foot switchable extra master volume, and the modes can be switched within channels with a midi controller if needed. The entry level speaker was also upgraded to the Celestion V type.

From what I understand, the farty issue has been addressed as well.

 

[Willy25]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

From what I understand, the farty issue has been addressed as well.

What is that farty issue?
That amp is in my top 3 to purchase

 

[Gtrjunior]

Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

See my above post.

Not sure why your quote shows that Lake Placid said that about the farty issue....it was me actually.

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

Hey OP, if your out trying amps, I suggest trying a VOX AC15 -(to channel switch you have to use a switch pedal with 2 outs) for these reasons:

I've played tons and tons of shows in the last couple of years with my Marshalls and Fenders, and almost every time I use my VOX AC15 i get people freaking out about my sound. I always get compliments. The AC series does sort of one kind of chimey clean to overdrive sound, and its pretty awesome.

They also respond a little differently because of the circuit, so you should definitely try a Class A, no negative feedback, EL84 British amp -they are super different and cool -in case it changes some thoughts on your approach.

 

[gsammo79]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

How are you liking the bassbreaker? Does it seem to take pedals well and does it have a decent sounding gain channel? Thanks

I'm very impressed with the 30r. It's got a lot of gain. More than I need, but, IMO, I would better describe the gain as not just *high* gain (compared to fender amps) but *better* gain.

Footswitch makes this amp, for me, a complete package. Good cleans, two gain channels that are both very usable and 30 Watts. It's my favorite amp among the fenders I've owned, including the Prosonic--a badass amp in it's own right.

I've run a boss super overdrive through the first gain channel and it works perfectly, to my ears. The pedal gave the first gain channel a perfect boost. There are a lot of boss super overdrive fans here, so that sounds cliche. The pedal even works well on the clean channel too.

I've said a little about how much I love this amp here. My epiphone LP' 60 tribute through this amp has given me the tone I wanna hear out of my rig.

I'd recommend this amp for a budget like I had (<$1000). Good luck with your decision, man.

 

[rbc]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

I've been looking for a new tube amp. I live about 150 miles away from a music store, so I can't just go try one out. I need something loud enough to play over drums. I play mainly blues, 70s classic rock and just a little metal. My main guitars are SGs and a Strat. I really would like to have reverb and a gain foot switch. I've been looking at the Fender Bassbreaker 30r, but I've heard people really bragging on Blackstar amps. Thanks for any help.

A Peavey Classic 30:

 

[Progbusters]

Re: Looking for a new 1x12 tube amp under $1000. Any thoughts?

My one thought is to ask oneself, what tone do you want? Then get the amp that gets you there.

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