NEED best value vintage style tube amp

[Quencho092]

ok, i just bought a kick ass strat (dlx american 50th ann. etc), will be fitting it with duncan antiquity surfers, doing a complete shielding job to reduce hum to a near unnoticeable level, and i'll be star grounding it once i get the pickups. I need a good value vintage style tube amp to go with this guitar. I am afraid of the immense prices of good Fender, Marshall and Mesa tube amps, but worry that there aren't any other excellent tube amps that i can't go wrong with. Currently i am playing through a really old Peavey Classic 50w(solid state preamp, 2 power tubes-kt66). It sounds nice with my digitech Hot Rod distortion pedal, but I can't sacrifice the pure tone of my expensive ass guitar on cheap pedals. I need a really good tube amp that drives its power stage hard. Something that sounds awesome clean, but could generate smooth classic rock warmth cranked. A combo or head, 50w. I could use the 2x12 spkr cab of my Peavey with a head if necessary. I don't want anything over 600 dollars. The key here is a drive friendly amp- the Peavey is awesome pure clean, but when driven it sounds like a dying horse. HELP!!

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

Boy, awsome cleans, good overdrive all in one package for $600 or less is somewhat of a tall order.

My guess is that a Fender Bassman or some similar circuit would be your best bet....or a used Fender combo of some sort. You can't beat Fender cleans...and some of the overdrives can be decent on their own. Marshall has the classic overdriven tones, but the stock clean channels leave something to be desired.

Annother option is a Marshall Plexi. Single channel, but if you turn the volume up so your distortion is good, you can roll the volume down on your guitar for pretty awsome clean tones.

All in all I'd go with a Fender for cleans, and a boutique pedal for OD.

 

[Quencho092]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

i saw a couple of plexi heads on ebay, they go for over 800-900. How about Vox?

 

[mrid]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

http://www.reverenddirect.com/reverend/amps_etc.html

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

Best for the Cheapest?

Traynor Custom Valve 40 or 80. Versatile gain and clean channels. Very reasonable $
Peavey Classic 50 Tweed 4-12 or 2-12 combo. Yours is the older version.
Red Knob Twins from the 80's. Pretty cheap, nowadays.
Peavey 5150 combo used.
Ampeg Reverborocket 2-12 from the early 90's.
JCM 800 halfstacks beatup, or 2-12 combos.
Carvin Belaire or other newer tweed versions. Avoid the old 100B's like the plague!

 

[Curly]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

used '59 Bassman RI, or used BF or SF Bassman head

 

[take2]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

Peavey Delta Blues - has a single 15 - all tube, very warm - sounds pretty classic to my ears. runs around $450.00

 

[Marinblues]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

The other week I took my H&K Tube Factor to my friends and we plugged into his Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. The HRD is very similar to the Peavey (aweful overdrive).

I turned into a beast, the thing sounded more like a Bogner or Rivera than a HRD. :cool2:


Marin

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

Or dig up a Hiwatt DR504 50 watts top, loads of clean great tones, works very well with pedals too.

 

[edi_87]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

Another vote for Fender Bassman

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

Old Traynor heads, old Carlsbro TR60 heads, Selmer Treble & Bass heads and Selmer combo's.
Lots of good stuff from back then.
Or sniff up some early seventies Parks.....

 

[pureoldsound]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

Thise old bassman heads are amazing sounding and loud.... If you are looking for that vintage vibe. I think you can get a 1987x RI for around that price. I bought one on January for $635 or so. Look on ebay if you mustm but look on this forum classifieds and on Harmony Central....

I like both, but I am a plexi fan......

 

[SoCalSteve]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

Best for the Cheapest?

Traynor Custom Valve 40 or 80. Versatile gain and clean channels. Very reasonable $
Peavey Classic 50 Tweed 4-12 or 2-12 combo. Yours is the older version.
Red Knob Twins from the 80's. Pretty cheap, nowadays.
Peavey 5150 combo used.
Ampeg Reverborocket 2-12 from the early 90's.
JCM 800 halfstacks beatup, or 2-12 combos.
Carvin Belaire or other newer tweed versions. Avoid the old 100B's like the plague!

For value, if you need a combo the Traynors should be considered . They even have a WR model that comes with the upgraded Vintage 30, so the only upgrade you might do is better tubes.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

used '59 Bassman RI, or used BF or SF Bassman head

Ditto on the used '59 Bassman. THAT's the one I'd get...

 

[Quencho092]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

thanks everyone, i guess it will be the bassman. and by the way, how "driveable" is it? 6l6 tubes? i hate pedals because would prefer a pure tone rather than a bunch of processed craps in front of my expensive guitar.....and those Ant II surfers that i will soon get....

 

[Quencho092]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

i found a 67 bassman on ebay, whats the spec on that? how good is it compared to the '59

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

The other week I took my H&K Tube Factor to my friends and we plugged into his Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. The HRD is very similar to the Peavey (aweful overdrive).

I turned into a beast, the thing sounded more like a Bogner or Rivera than a HRD. :cool2:

Marin

Any chance we can get some sound clips of this combo, Marin??
I would love to hear that!!

 

[lastwinj]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

if the amp has a power amp in, maybe a good tube preamp? plenty out there in your price range. good luck!!

germ

 

[Marinblues]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

Any chance we can get some sound clips of this combo, Marin??
I would love to hear that!!

Well, my buddy doesn't have any recording facilities.....I'll try to think of something. :banghead:

However, if you think about it, MESA Boogies where born when Randall Smith was boosting the pre-amp stage of a Fender amp with an additional tube stage.

 

[Quencho092]

Re: NEED best value vintage style tube amp

Is There Any Way I Could Bypass The Preamp Of The Peavey, And Just Charge At The Power Stage? I Read Alot About Power Tube Distortion And Its Characteristics And Knowing That All I Have Is A Tube Power Stage To Work With, I Might As Well Do My Best To Get All The Tone Possible. Maybe A Volume Pot And An Input Jack That Control The Volume Of The Power Stage Could Do? Anyone?...