Might Need an Amp

ericmeyer4

New member
I get a text last night and my buddies want to put the band back together. Well if that happens I am going to need some new gear specifically an amp.

After we disbanded I sold off most of my live gear so I could go to more of a recording setup. I haven't played live for about 2 years or so and because of that my current amp is a Vox DA5 for playing at home and a POD Xt for recording purposes.

At the moment I do have a pretty massive pedal board that I could use live but I really don't want to. Last time we played I had the large pedal board for different sounds and it was always a pain. It took extra time (we didn't always have) to get set up, My settings would constantly get moved, it took forever to diagnose a problem, and then there was the tap dancing. If I do it this time around I want to keep my setup as simple as possible.

I need something that sounds awesome clean. That is my main concern. I will probably need it to have a decent overdrive, but I would rather just play clean and let the other guy handle distortion duties.

Built in reverb would be nice, but I can always buy a reverb pedal if I needed too.

I would rather keep this in a combo form.

I don't know how many watts I will need. I use to gig with a 50watt, but that was a little much at times. I don't really know where we will be playing so that isn't much help. 30 would probably be good, but then again I want to keep it clean so I might need to get a 50.

This is the important part, it needs to be simple. I don't want something with enough knobs to run a space station. I dial in one tone mark it and leave it. I tweek a little depending on the room. I find one I like and thats where it stays.

SS or Tube. Doesn't matter. I would almost prefer a SS so I didn't have to worry about the tubes crapping out on me

Most importantly I need something on the cheaper end. If this happens it will probably last for the summer and then I will have an amp sitting around not getting used. Also if we are gigging with it I don't really want to care if it gets a little beat up. As long as it is reliable then I don't really care who makes it or what kind it is.

EDIT: Amps I've had experience with for comparison sake.

Peavey Classic 50- I owned one of these for a while and I originally didn't really like it, but thinking back I had it eq'ed all wrong and I was trying to make it do something it wasn't built to do. I remember this having some good sounds. Same goes true for the Classic 30

Fender Blues Jr- My buddy owns one of these and it gets a nice clean but the overdrive is bla at best, but I haven't spent a lot of time with it so the knobs might need some tweeking.

Roland Jazz Chorus- Haven't got to play one in person, but in theory this is my perfect amp. Sounds good clean and not a lot of repair cost. But on the flip side it is expensive and completely impractical for my situation. <- NOT SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING just dreaming out loud.

I am open to any and all suggestions.
 
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Re: Might Need an Amp

The Jazz Chorus is a great choice if you can find a killer pedal for your dirt. Try the pedal through the Roland first because certain pedals don't sound good through one - it really brings out all the best/worst qualities in anything - the amp is just so **** clean. I've never been able to find the nice tight low end and mellow but hot high end in any other amp.

Otherwise try a Traynor YCV40 - they are also KILLER and if you're looking for more of a tube tone this is your best bet. The clean channel is KILLER and the "lead" channel beats the hell out of the Hot Rod. Can't speak for the Peavey as I haven't played them back to back - the peavey may have better dirt.
 
Re: Might Need an Amp

I have a Deluxe Reverb II for sale that is a KILLER amp! All you'd need to do is put a new grill cloth on it (obviously works without that though)
 
Re: Might Need an Amp

The Jazz Chorus is a great choice if you can find a killer pedal for your dirt. Try the pedal through the Roland first because certain pedals don't sound good through one - it really brings out all the best/worst qualities in anything - the amp is just so **** clean. I've never been able to find the nice tight low end and mellow but hot high end in any other amp.

Otherwise try a Traynor YCV40 - they are also KILLER and if you're looking for more of a tube tone this is your best bet. The clean channel is KILLER and the "lead" channel beats the hell out of the Hot Rod. Can't speak for the Peavey as I haven't played them back to back - the peavey may have better dirt.

If I could find a good deal on a Roland JC I would probably go for it, other wise I don't think so. $900 is way to much for an amp that will get used for 3 months.

I will have to look into the Traynor... but at 700 still pricy.

I have a Deluxe Reverb II for sale that is a KILLER amp! All you'd need to do is put a new grill cloth on it (obviously works without that though)

That is a nice amp, but I don't want to have to put any type of work into something. I always end up sinking more money than I should into something and I really don't want to take on another project right now.

I would look into a Laney VC-30 or LC-30. Can't go wrong with either of those.

How are the cleans on those?

Edit: Just looked at the price. If I was going to spend that much I would just get the Roland.

I will probably just go to the local guitar shop and see what used junk they have there. As long as I can get a useable clean tone out of it I will be fine. I won't be recording with it and I want something that if it ends up smelling like smoke or beer spilled on it I won't really care.
 
Re: Might Need an Amp

I was going to suggest a Classic 50. I own one and it seems to do what you're asking for. Here's some songs with it being used by the guitarist in one of my bands.

I use to own one and it was nice, but I don't know if I really want to deal with a tube amp. Plus I don't know if I can justify spending that much on an amp. Checked the price and the same as the JC. Hmmm.... seems like 850 is the price for all of the amps I like.

Yeah that is waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much to spend on an amp that will be used a handful of times.

I guess I need to start checking the pawn shops.
 
Re: Might Need an Amp

I use to own one and it was nice, but I don't know if I really want to deal with a tube amp. Plus I don't know if I can justify spending that much on an amp. Checked the price and the same as the JC. Hmmm.... seems like 850 is the price for all of the amps I like.

Yeah that is waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much to spend on an amp that will be used a handful of times.

I guess I need to start checking the pawn shops.
Here's the thing.

If you buy the JC, you can sell it for what you bought it for.

On the other hand buy a new amp, and you're not only paying more, but losing money on the resale.

So buy a JC and sell it if you want when you're done with it.
 
Re: Might Need an Amp

Here's the thing.

If you buy the JC, you can sell it for what you bought it for.

On the other hand buy a new amp, and you're not only paying more, but losing money on the resale.

So buy a JC and sell it if you want when you're done with it.

I don't have good luck with that kind of stuff. Plus I don't really want to worry about keeping it in good condition so I can try to get some money back off of it.


Anyone know how the lower end crates or randalls sound clean? I think that is about my price point and if they get F'ed up I wont really care.
 
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Re: Might Need an Amp

I don't have good luck with that kind of stuff. Plus I don't really want to worry about keeping it in good condition so I can try to get some money back off of it.
**** man, who cares if you nick the tolex and lose 50 bucks off the resale?
 
Re: Might Need an Amp

**** man, who cares if you nick the tolex and lose 50 bucks off the resale?

I'm not worried about that I worried about a drunkard dumping their beer all over it and risk frying something or other gear slamming into when you mash on the brakes because you get cut off in traffic.

My last amp, water spilled on it, dropped (a few times), drums landed on top of it, broke the fall of some other gear, as well as some other stuff.

I was super paranoid when all of that happened and I didn't even plan on selling it and I had even bought it used. I can't even imagine I would be like if I was trying to keep something looking nice so I could resell it. After that experience I have found that the Peavey Classic 50 is built like a tank.
 
Re: Might Need an Amp

You're sounding like a gear weenie man...

If you live within an hour of any major metro city you should be able to find a used JC120 for $400-500.

Or get a JC77. Smaller. Lighter. A little more hi-fi.

MUCH cheaper too.

77 on the fleabay

Problem solved no?
 
Re: Might Need an Amp

You're sounding like a gear weenie man...

If you live within an hour of any major metro city you should be able to find a used JC120 for $400-500.

Or get a JC77. Smaller. Lighter. A little more hi-fi.

MUCH cheaper too.

77 on the fleabay

Problem solved no?

More like poor college student. I saw that, it will be a couple of months before I can afford it.

St. Louis is the nearest at 2hrs away and Chicago is about 4 or so. Doesn't really make for a "lets see what they have" trip.
 
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Re: Might Need an Amp

lol

In that light you should be able to nab something like a used PV Bandit or a similar Crate or whatever off some other broke kid on campus for like $100 when the time is right... Maybe a keyboard or bass amp if all you need is a clean tone.

Or save up & buy an amp that you really like & will use for a lifetime...
 
Re: Might Need an Amp

lol

In that light you should be able to nab something like a used PV Bandit or a similar Crate or whatever off some other broke kid on campus for like $100 when the time is right... Maybe a keyboard or bass amp if all you need is a clean tone.

Or save up & buy an amp that you really like & will use for a lifetime...

Money isn't really an issue when it comes to buying an amp or the time it will take to raise the funds. I can't justify spending a large amount of cash on something that will get used for a short amount of time. Last time the band got back together (2 yrs ago) we played 1 show. It was our towns yearly birthday/fair/celebration thing and the people in charge asked us to play. (Super small town, everyone knows and/or is related to one another). That is what will most likely happen again. I doubt that I use that amp for a life time. It will probably sit in the attic for a life time. I won't use to when playing around the house because it will simply be too loud and I won't record with it for the same reasons. I haven't played live in 2 years and its been several since I jammed with anyone. If I was planning on playing with a bunch of people or starting something after this band ended I would seriously be looking at a JC120 or a higher end Fender, Marshall, etc, but for a few weeks of playing that is just stupid.

I guess I should rephrase my question. Is there something low end that isn't totally awful for a handful of live shows and if I gets trashed I won't care about? Also it needs enough power to be heard over another guitar, bass, loud drummer, and 2 vocalist+. Combo prefered. Tube or SS doesn't matter. Going to used for clean about 90% of the time. I have pedals to take care of the distortion if needed.

The amps I listed in my 1st post are the ones I've actually had experience with for comparison sake.
 
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Re: Might Need an Amp

Fender has some great SS stuff that sounds great clean. Run your POD into it for dirt and you're done.
 
Re: Might Need an Amp

What about an Atomic Amp? Not sure on price, but you'd get to use your POD with it, so all your familiar sounds are there.
 
Re: Might Need an Amp

Fender has some great SS stuff that sounds great clean. Run your POD into it for dirt and you're done.

Yup , I had an Ulitimate Chorus for years and the cleans were beautiful. The reverb and chorus were fantastic too. I'd like to grab another when I have a chance.
 
Re: Might Need an Amp

you could get the cheapest cabinet (1x12 or 2x12 would probly be fine) and a used Crate Powerblock...or maybe a bigger cabinet and a Valve Jr. Those are cheap and sound decent from what I hear.

You're probably best off just goin to your local shop and finding the easiest clean tone, since you don't seem interested in actually owning a sick amp as much as needing a decent one for right now. You might be best off just renting or something.
 
Re: Might Need an Amp

A roland Cube-60 sounds perfect for what you need, really great cleans and tough as hell for the stage.
 
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