Upgrading to Tube

[Watroba]

Recently I've realised that I'm getting more into Guitar, and that my Valvestate Marshall just isn't cutting it. I've toyed with the idea of upgrading to tube, but I've always dismissed it because I always feel like I need to drop three grand on a JCM 800 or something.

-Can I buy a great tube amplifier for around $ 1,000 (maybe more)? I'm not attached to the idea of getting some monster head and a big 4x12. An awesome combo is more than fine.

-I'm looking for versatility. I don't just play metal or just play jazz. I need something that covers everything, and covers it well.

-Any suggestions?

 

[Jimbojsr]

Re: Upgrading to Tube

Yes. Yes you can. There are a lot of good 1x12 combos out there, especially if you're willing to go 2nd hand.

If you're looking for variety, Marshall ain't your best bet.... I'm sure many people will make suggestions tho!

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Upgrading to Tube

I sound like a broken record here, but definitely look into a Hughes & Kettner Triamp. They routinely sell for around a grand used (the Mk I version that is... which I feel is just as good as the newer Mk II). It can get a variety of different Marshall tones and has some of the best cleans I've heard from a channel switcher. It's extremely versatile and has 6 different channels and is really the "best bang for the buck" in that price bracket.

MikeyG over at The Gear Page forum is selling his. I've dealt with the guy and he is a good man. I actually sold it to him in the first place around a year ago. I regret selling it in the first place and when I played one in the store a few weeks ago, I knew it was heads and shoulders above most of what I've played.

Here's some reviews of the beast: http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data/Hughes___Kettner/Triamp-01.html. If you check on eBay, they may have a combo version for sale (so you won't have to carry a head and a cabinet).

I have no affiliation with H&K, but I do love their amps and I do stand by their higher end products.

 

[Rich_S]

Re: Upgrading to Tube

First, I want to say that I LOVE the name of this thread. It's great that we hands-down consider switching to 50-year-old technology an "upgrade".

Second, YES. There are a bunch of choices in tube amps for $1000. First figure out if you need to do your metal-to-jazz thing on the fly, within a single gig. That would indicate your need something with channel-switching. If you're playing metal today and jazz next week, then a versatile single-channel amp would do the trick. Or a clean amp with stompboxes in front.

Figure out what you want the amp MOSTLY to do, then what else it should in addition. Then post back and the good folks here can help you narrow your choices.

 

[Hoss]

Re: Upgrading to Tube

check out some used Riveras..."Pubsters", "Chubsters", and "Clubsters"

 

[Watroba]

Re: Upgrading to Tube

Figure out what you want the amp MOSTLY to do, then what else it should in addition. Then post back and the good folks here can help you narrow your choices.

-I will most often be playing orverdriven or distorted. I'm more angled towards hard rock, but I sneak in a fair amount of cleans. This amp must, however, be able to spit out the gain.

 

[Nite_Maresz_25]

Re: Upgrading to Tube

Yes there are alot of good and great tube amps (combos and heads) for 1,000 or under. The Mesa F-series is a very great amp, comes in 30, 50, and 100 watt combos; the 50 and 100 also come in a head version. Others that come to mind are the peavey 5150 combo, if you can find one for under 1grand(most likely used). The rivera clubsters, pubsters and chubsters come to mind also.

There are probably most that I didn't think of, but those are the best that I could think of IMO.

 

[Quencho092]

Re: Upgrading to Tube

when you say 'spit out the gain' the Fender twin reverb 65 reissue comes to mind right away. The premier hard rock amp. It has 4 channel inputs, bass, treble, mids, reverb and vibrato controls....can't go wrong!

 

[Watroba]

Re: Upgrading to Tube

when you say 'spit out the gain' the Fender twin reverb 65 reissue comes to mind right away. The premier hard rock amp. It has 4 channel inputs, bass, treble, mids, reverb and vibrato controls....can't go wrong!

I've always known the Twin Reverb to handle cleans like none other, but I haven't heard much about its distorted side. I can get great clenching overdrive tones out of the Twin? Looks like I might be heading to Guitar Center today.