Vintage amps rant

[Rich_S]

Re: Vintage amps rant

I'm with you - my current amp is a 2-knobber (OK, three if you count the Weber MASS tucked in back). I get all the variety I need just by adjusting the selecting the normal or fat input jack, and setting the volume for how much overall dirt I need. 1 tone control is enough to adjust for the room.

Simple, cheap, best-sounding amp I've ever owned.

See it by following the "Workshop" tab at the page linked in my signature.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Vintage amps rant

I don't mind tweaking to get a good sound. I like having lots of options available to me, even if it means I will never use some of them. I believe in the "set it and forget it" philosophy when it comes to tweaking, and my PodXT is the perfect tool for that.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Vintage amps rant

I prefer three EQ knobs, I can do with 2 or 1. I like some verb, but I can do without, MV's are good to have, but not essential if you have a place to crank it. The presence or cut knob is handy dandy.

Luke

 

[Kelsey]

Re: Vintage amps rant

My most complicated amps are my '63 Tremolux, which has 2 channels with tremolo on the second one, and my new Bad Cat Cub IIR, which is a single channel amp with defeatable active tone controls (bass and treble) and defeatable master volume -- it can get as simple as volume, cut, and reverb. Works for me.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Vintage amps rant

My setup is simple...I like versatility and enjoy playing with diff sounds, but when it gets right down to it, I only *need* 2 sounds and that can be accomplished with a NMV single channel "simple" amp: A good fairly saturated crunch, and a good high gain lead tone. when needed I can get good cleans and moderate crunch with the volume knob on the guitar.

In recent years With my 1987X I accomplished it with the amp nearly cranked for crunch, and a goose with a TS9 or Boss SOD for leads. Cleans with the volume knob. worked great, sounds great, but not versatile...and no FX loop which I really like because a delay sounds like @$$ through the front end.

With the MESA F-50 I had my clean channel, and a good heavy gain but because I preferred the contour boost, I never could get a good crunch and then get the saturation boost for leads without a pedal (cos I couldn't dial in the gain channel w/out contour for a good crunch..tone-wise..I had to have the contour on...). So it was kinda tough. But I could dial in a TON of sounds. So it was fun to play with.

My New Rivera Chubster gives me what I need and then some. A very good JTM/Fender hybrid clean (with a dirty boost if desired), a good 800 series like crunch, and a lead/saturation boost. And does so with a minimum amount of controls. I'm really, really satisfied. In some ways I preferred the F-50, but the Chubster has really grown on me. I don't have to fiddle like I did with the MESA, I can get every sound I need and my sound is *there* every time I plug in. If it just had that Marshall NMV top end "sparkle" it would be absolutely perfect.

I find with an amp that has too much versatility/sounds I end up spending more time fiddling than playing...Modelers fall into this category for me.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Vintage amps rant

I have a '68 Super Reverb, a'67 Deluxe Reverb, and a Marshall 900. I only use the drive channel on the Marshall so not to many knobs to mess with. I agree the old Amps are just more basic and produce a real good tone.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Vintage amps rant

Don't care as long as they work.
I like both kinds.
But most of the time I dig simple and fat

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: Vintage amps rant

I liked my digital amps with all the options to play with. But for me it was just that, playing. It was a toy I enjoyed messing with.

For heavy work I go with my Blues Junior, the Deluxe Reverb Reissue and my end-all be-all of low-count knob amps...Trace Elliot Velocette. It's a tiny Class-A 15 watt amp with a "Volume" and "Tone" knob and a "Bright" switch. That amp isn't even worth turning on if you're not going to crank it up. Gigging with it is a joy....show up, crank up and plug in. Done.

 

[coachc55]

Re: Vintage amps rant

I agree, with all the modeling amps, nothing against them, but I really feel an amp like the Cyber Twin almost gets too complex. I do like, however, seperate (simple) equ's on seperate channels. But one great thing about it is there are alot of choices out there for different tastes.

CoachC

 

[FireBros.]

Re: Vintage amps rant

I like 'em all.

For my live rig I usually keep it pretty simple just cause, the stuff that gets my tone, the best, happens to be simple, and I'm not going to overcomplicate it for no reason. I don't even own a master volume at this time.

For recording though, I'll use whatever options I can find to get new sounds, that includes amps with lots of knobs.

However the number of knobs on an amp doesn't really mean it will have good tone or not. I used to think I would need a lot of tone shaping options for a good high gain amp, but the Bad Cat Hot Cat 30R is very simple, and sounds amazing most any way you set it. At the same time you can't argue with the tone of a Diezel, Bogner, or Mesa MKIV which have like a million knobs each, and there's no way you'll get those tones from a vintage Champ. At the same time a champ will never do high gain tones like a modern amp