Well-executed "jack of all trades" tube amp?

[JamesPaul]

Re: Well-executed "jack of all trades" tube amp?

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The valveking ii was mentioned and while I thought it was good the 20w one I found was many kinda nice but slightly bland tones but maybe just needed different speaker when I tried it.

I liked the Peavey jsx they are not expensive now I think I thought the crunch tones were good and the cleans were pretty nice and full. They have an ok low end and good crunch, they don't need to be cranked to get a good sound. They have a sweet preamp.

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I would agree with the JSX. However I saw cost as a significant factor in the OP and new the JSX cost around 3 times more than the VK II. Where I am at, used Peavey gear typically sells for around half of what it MAP'd when new. Owning both a JSX 212 and a VK II 20, the VK II is easier to move, has some cool additional features and there are places I would take the VK II that I would not take the JSX.

 

[jmcorey]

Re: Well-executed "jack of all trades" tube amp?

Egnater Tweaker line.


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[Aceman]

Re: Well-executed "jack of all trades" tube amp?

I can do it all with my Mesa Stiletto, yet I only do one thing with it. But damn it does that well! But it could do anything. Try a Mesa Stiletto Ace.

 

[assquatch20]

Re: Well-executed "jack of all trades" tube amp?

I'd say DSL40CR or HT-20 MKII. The JVM's are great too but surely pricier.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Well-executed "jack of all trades" tube amp?

My "do it all" amp, if I had to have just one, would be a blackface Deluxe Reverb, and I'd have an extension cab in reserve for when I needed more from it. It's probably the most commonly used and classic workhorse amp of all time. In many venues, they're just clean enough to be played clean or be a pedal platform, and just dirty enough to use cranked, if you prefer to get your dirt that way.

Use a good ABY box with it, and you have a foot switchable multi channel amp. You can set the two channels very differently (clean/dirty, or midrangey/trebly, for example), and you can also use both. That trick in combination with a foot-switchable graphic e.q., and the amp can pretty much do it all.

 

[Drewsky7170]

Re: Well-executed "jack of all trades" tube amp?

Do it all amp? If money was not an issue (for me, anyways), I'd go with a Marshall JVM410, the original or JS edition - same goes for combos. Because who wouldn't like 100W of Marshall versatile goodness in a 2x12 combo format? Add in a Helix or Fractal in 4CM, you got yourself a hell of a setup.

In terms of value, the Blackstar HT Stage 60 2x12 Mk1 has done me well. Three channels, switchable modes, ISF, presence and resonance, with cab-sim out, plus built-in reverb. It's all there. The Mk2 has footswitchable modes for the 3 channels, as well, so slightly more versatile.

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[Aceman]

Re: Well-executed "jack of all trades" tube amp?

I was gonna say DSL 40 too.

Love the clean, love the mean. All tube, great for pedals.

Is “no pedals a requirement?

 

[cactus jack]

Re: Well-executed "jack of all trades" tube amp?

If you want a slick looking, great sounding, versatile tube amp, then look no further than the MonoPrice Stage Right 15 Watt tube amp. Seriously.

This amp is cheap and with the savings vs other amps you can roll your own tubes, install your speaker of choice, and still have cash left over for a pedal or two. However, you can also play it as is as it sounds fantastic. This little guy comes with effects loop, attenuator, onboard reverb, headphone jack, good tubes, transparent speaker, read the reviews, it's legit.

 

[assquatch20]

Re: Well-executed "jack of all trades" tube amp?

Do it all amp? If money was not an issue (for me, anyways), I'd go with a Marshall JVM410, the original or JS edition - same goes for combos. Because who wouldn't like 100W of Marshall versatile goodness in a 2x12 combo format? Add in a Helix or Fractal in 4CM, you got yourself a hell of a setup.

In terms of value, the Blackstar HT Stage 60 2x12 Mk1 has done me well. Three channels, switchable modes, ISF, presence and resonance, with cab-sim out, plus built-in reverb. It's all there. The Mk2 has footswitchable modes for the 3 channels, as well, so slightly more versatile.

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The JVM would be great. I really want a B* MKII HT-20 I think. With both amps I wonder if I'd prefer a combo or a head, partially because sealed cabs are nice with high gain, and at least in the case of Blackstar I think they use different speakers in the combos sometimes. You could use an extension cabinet or just use a head and go with a 1x12, 2x12, or even 4x12 if you've got the room. The only JVM I've ever messed with was a half stack, not sure what speakers they're using, but it was amazing.

 

[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: Well-executed "jack of all trades" tube amp?


Ahh, that’s easy!!!

Get yourself a Deluxe Reverb (or reissue), install a replacement speaker because regardless of year the stock driver sucks, then all you have to do is go ahead & spend another grand or so on a bunch of “Amplifier in a box” pedals!

The end result is a amplifier that has perfect Fender cleans (because it is a Fender) with more than enough gain on tap, & once you’ve got your pedals, several different verities of distortion...

 

[Liko]

Re: Well-executed "jack of all trades" tube amp?

View attachment 103318
Ahh, that’s easy!!!

Get yourself a Deluxe Reverb (or reissue), install a replacement speaker because regardless of year the stock driver sucks, then all you have to do is go ahead & spend another grand or so on a bunch of “Amplifier in a box” pedals!

The end result is a amplifier that has perfect Fender cleans (because it is a Fender) with more than enough gain on tap, & once you’ve got your pedals, several different verities of distortion...

Certainly not a bad idea, only it's pretty much what I've been doing for 15 years. I started on bass during college, and even after migrating to guitar I've been playing them through various bass amplifiers, my current one being a Fender Bassman 150 1x12 kickback combo. You want clean, bass amps do clean, then I have a pair of Digitech Hardwire gain pedals (the TS-derived Tube Overdrive and their Valve Distortion "Marshall-in-a-box") to dirty up the tone, with a modest selection of other effects as the mood strikes.

What I don't have are actual tubes. I've considered the English Muff'N and similar AX7-type preamp boxes, but ultimately I decided if I was going to go for tubes, I might as well have those tubes in an honest-to-God guitar amp instead of faking it with yet another pedal.

Hence the question, basically boiling down to: if you needed one amp that could give you a passable tone with or without pedals, at gain levels ranging from clean through classic rock into about grunge, at a wattage level (and a feature set) that works in the home studio and at small to medium gigs, what would you buy?

The '65 Deluxe Reverb is a great option, I seriously considered it. However, after looking at all the recommendations, I settled on the Bassbreaker 30R for its lower price and studio-friendly features. It's on it's way from the Reverb seller, I'll post the NAD when it gets here.

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