Re: What 100 watt class for "pedal platform"?
I am a big fan of Mesa's Mark Series amps. I currently own two Mark III Simul- Class combos, a Mark III Coliseum head and 412 Half-back cab, a Mark IV combo and a new Mark V combo. I also have a Maverick and a DC-3.
In my past life, I have owned several vintage Fenders, including a Twin Reverb, Bandmaster, Tremolux, Super Champ, Deluxe Reverb, and a Fender 75 head and cab. I have also played quite a bit on Dual Showmans, Pro Reverbs and Super Reverbs.
I owned a JCM 800 4010 combo, and have used other 800s, JTMs, JMPS, 900, and DSL Marshalls. I owned a Peavey Rock Master head.
I own a vintage SUNN Solos II combo, a Transtube Bandit, and a Randall Commander. I used to own a Gibson Medallist combo and an Acoustic Control 156 rig. I've used many vintage solid state and tube amps from Peavey, Ampeg, Kustom, Sunn, et.al.
I think in some ways, all of these amps are compromises. It wasn't until I bought my first Mesa, the Mark III halfstack, that I felt like I found MY sound, and an amp with the right combination of features. I love the big, broad, clean tones of a Fender, and the tight crunch of a great Marshall, too.
The Mark amps, like all Mesas, takes pedals very well. The lead channel of a Mesa fits my style perfectly. Clean tones vary, but have proven to be more than adequate for the material I play. Neither Fender or Marshall, the Mesa has its own voice. And the build quality is superb.
Certainly, any of the big amps from Marshall, Fender, Orange, Hiwatt, et. al., should be able to do what you want. One of my favorite bargain amps is the Peavey VTM 60/120 series. They can be had for cheap, they do the job well, and are virtually bulletproof.
And these days, if I wanted or needed a more British tone, I'd go with a Stiletto or Royal Atlantic over the Marshall. I've had such great experiences with my Mesas, I'm not sure I'd bother with a lot of other stuff. Everytime I plug in, I get a big smile on my face. And I have been doing this for a very long time.
I consider myself very lucky to have owned so many great amps over the years...even moreso, to have discovered an amp that I have really bonded with is just icing on the cake. It's been a great ride.
Bill