valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

[leevc5]

I searched and was unable to find any polls on solid state vs. tube newer than 9+ years ago. If I missed something let me know and I will delete this thread.

If it has been 9+ years I think it's time to take another look. Solid state amps have made great strides in that time and the offering of tube amps has grown significantly as well.

My first choice is the vintage tube amp. I love the warm tone a husky natural overdrive as you crank it up. However, I am not as rock solid sold on tubes now as I once was. I have added a Fender Mustang II to my collection and have to admit I probably spend more time with it than the tube amp because of the convenience the computer interface it offers.

 

[jeremy]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

a few friends have quilters and they are nice but nothing has made me want to get rid of my tube amps

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

Got both, and I still like my tubeamps far more...

 

[leevc5]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

From fret12 magazine:

All laughing aside, it rings quite true! In fact, it's probably the GOLDEN RULE OF GUITAR that no guitarist wants to admit to themselves! Jimi Hendrix would have become a legend even if he was playing a solid state amp and pedals that were un-buffered and NOT true bypass. He took, what was in essence fairly ****ty old gear by today's standards, and forced it into making mind blowing new sounds! He was able to make art no matter the gear, and that's what we all need to remember.

 

[hydro]

valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

Overall I've always liked tube amps better but really good solid state gear (like old Sunn amps) can be great. I think SS got a bad rap from lots of guys like me playing through cheapo garbage SS combos in the 80s and 90s and growing to hate the sound. Gorillas, crates, peaveys, SS marshall combos, etc. Especially the ones that were tarted up with nasty, cheap inline FX. To give an example; when I was young and stupid I traded a 70s silverface vibro champ for one of those crap-o Marshall SS combos back in the late 80s and I never got over it. I blame the drugs...

Now, SS has lost its reputation among guitar players (not bass players though) and so fewer companies are getting into the high end SS market, because why would they if there's no money in it?

It's a shame because there were some great SS amps... Sunn, Roland, Gallien Kreuger and probably many others I can't think of. Roland's little cube amps get a lot of things right, for a budget rig that gets you there; the OP mentioned the Mustang II which I have used before and was pretty cool.

One interesting hybrid I used for a while is the Marshall Artist 3203 which has a SS pre, but valve (EL34) power section. It's not the greatest amp ever but it gets the job done (I still have it). It's not as juicy as my all tube rigs but then I like 6L6 power sections anyway.... I digress.

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

For myself, I just have a better understanding of how tube amps work than I do of SS, and I like to work on my amps, so I kind of just stick to them. There are a few SS and Hybrid amps out there that'd I'd like to own though.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

Pass. I like all three :bigthumb:

Being mostly a metal player....good hybrids and SS amps work just fine & feel/sound pretty awesome as well. Plus they are lighter/easy to haul around & less expensive/less hassle. I love tube amps and they sound amazing, but I do believe the gap has already closed...at least for metal/Hard rock. There are SS/Hybrid amps out there which to me are indistinguishable from good tube amps in every way.

 

[Securb]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

If you are good you can play on anything and get any tone you want. .

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

If you are good you can play on anything and get any tone you want. .

but you can't always get the response from the amp. Only valves allow the amp to truly become a part of the electric guitar as an instrument.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

Only valves allow the amp to truly become a part of the electric guitar as an instrument.

...NOS one's to be more specific...also curly guitar cables..

 

[LesStrat]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

Invalid poll.

Two options are missing.

And I recently purchased some curly guitar cables that are AWESOME!

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

...NOS one's to be more specific...also curly guitar cables..

Eh, I have built many valve amps, and always used them, and I leave the NOS stuff to others, and to the audiophile world. Neither do I use curly cables. But I still get the response to touch that I can not get with s/s amps. If your comment is meant to imply some degree of cork-sniffery, it is misplaced in my case.

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

I play all of them as well as modelers with the footnote that my hybrid got fried and has been waiting for repairs for ugh... 5 years...

They all have their functions and feats where they shine and where they don't. For stage work I prefer a tube amp because of its dynamics, punch and definition that gives me proper response in a band environment. For rehearsals I prefer a tiny class-D amp that fits in my pocket so it's dead easy to carry around. For recording I use all of them above as a SS and a hybrid can create awesome textures. Sometimes I use bi-amping where the same signal drives a SS amp and a tube amp. Things like that.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

a few friends have quilters and they are nice but nothing has made me want to get rid of my tube amps

My Mustang III has. Maybe not get rid of but I don't gig with tube amps anymore.

Modeling amps are where it's at and where it's going to go I think.

Guys plug into them at a music store and run through the hundred or so presets and say: "No way. That doesn't sound like a Twin Reverb, or Marshall Plexi or AC-30."

But what you can do is select the model for a Twin Reverb and then tweak the heck out of it to get your own version of the Twin Reverb...the sound you're always wanted from one. Add overdrive or reverb or delay or 2 x 12 or 4 x 12 or open back or closed back.

And then save it.

The key is to create your own presets using the amp models as merely a starting point.

When I go back and compare my presets to the original models they started from my presets sound vastly different and much, much better.

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

Hybrid, tube feel at the preamp stage with convenient line output for PA. Lightweigth, reliability and lots more watts per dollar with SS power amp stage. Preamp and power amp mounter in my pedalboard so I can just plug into other amps FX return or CAB to keep my tone more consistent at rehearsal and I can plug to PA at the same time if need to.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

Eh, I have built many valve amps, and always used them, and I leave the NOS stuff to others, and to the audiophile world. Neither do I use curly cables. But I still get the response to touch that I can not get with s/s amps. If your comment is meant to imply some degree of cork-sniffery, it is misplaced in my case.

Nah...I know you're not the cork sniffing type lol...but you're too much of a traditionalist. Get out there and play some of the new SS stuff...you might be pleasantly surprised at the degree of responsiveness & touch sensitivity...

 

[jeremy]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

My Mustang III has. Maybe not get rid of but I don't gig with tube amps anymore.

Modeling amps are where it's at and where it's going to go I think.

Guys plug into them at a music store and run through the hundred or so presets and say: "No way. That doesn't sound like a Twin Reverb, or Marshall Plexi or AC-30."

But what you can do is select the model for a Twin Reverb and then tweak the heck out of it to get your own version of the Twin Reverb...the sound you're always wanted from one. Add overdrive or reverb or delay or 2 x 12 or 4 x 12 or open back or closed back.

And then save it.

The key is to create your own presets using the amp models as merely a starting point.

When I go back and compare my presets to the original models they started from my presets sound vastly different and much, much better.

i havent spent a long time with the mustang but ive tried it and it was nice. side by side ill still take my deluxe any day. the ss offerings keep getting better and are lighter and have more and more useful features. they just arent at the point where im ready to give up on my old amps

 

[Aceman]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

I have and have played all kinds. A good sounding amp is good. As for the "feel" factor - BS period. I had a PeaveyTranstube that you could dig into and get the grit. There are pedals that do it.

I LOVE my Marshall Valvestate because it sounds awesome, and doesn't weight 300 pounds!

 

[jeremy]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

feel is about the interaction of the amp and guitar. a peavey transtube doesnt feel like a 5e3

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: valve/tube vs. solid state -- 10 years later - add hybrid

feel is about the interaction of the amp and guitar. a peavey transtube doesnt feel like a 5e3

Yes it does. Aceman said so, in no uncertain terms. That's good enough for me. Straight from the mouth of the one person who's views on music i respect more than anyone else on the planet.









(excuse me while i now wash my mouth out with poop to freshen it up a bit).