Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

WoodGrain67

WoodGrain67

New member
Triple GAS:
So my 15 watt Tweaker is nice an all, and so is my Kustom Coupe 72, but lately I've been thinking:scratchch, wouldn't be nice to have a real Fender, a real Vox, and a real Marshall? I mean, I keep getting amps that "sound like" something, but why not sell that stuff and get the real thing?

I play mostly classic rock stuff in my basement for fun or for jamming with friends using various guitars like a Les Paul, SG, Stratocaster, and Super-strat. So I want to keep the wattage on the low side, as in 100 watts will blow up my basement and I don't need that, and each amp needs to represent the sound that the manufacturer is associated with, like getting that "Fender Clean", that "Vox Chime", and that "Marshall Crunch".

If I budgeted around $400 to $800 for each amp, and it must be all tube, and obviously each amp must sound better than the Tweaker, what would you recommend? Lets say I gave myself a year or more to buy all of this after saving and selling stuff.

I think for Vox, getting an AC15C1 sounds like the no-brainer (of course I'll try them first in the store), but I'm up in the air about Fender and Marshall.

For Fender, maybe a Blues Junior, or I stretch the budget and get a 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue?
For Marshall, a Haze40?
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

a blues jr unmodded is a poor fender ticket imo.
checkout the princeton reverb maybe interesting (smaller,lighter compared to the deluxe).
both are reissues of legends.
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

Its funny cause I own all 3 and yet I'm still never 100% happy with my tone...Lately I find myself looking for another amp again...Its a guitar player mentality...Bass players just plug in and play...
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

You're kind of swimming upstream here, but I get it.

If you budget $400-$800 for each, you are going to end up with the worst / cheapest from each manufacturer, and what you'll be able to get with that money will yield you the worst representatives of each sound.

If you insist, then set up eBay and craigslist alerts for specific amps, and don't jump until the exact amp you're looking for pops up in your price range.

You can get a JCM 800 for $750. You can get a DRRI for $600. But you can't do it today. Maybe not even this month.

Get your money together, make a list, stick to the list, and BE PATIENT.

Also: disregard nameplates. If I were you I wouldn't get hung up on "the real thing" and just listen with your ears and only change your gear if you're not getting something you need.
 
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Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

It would also be helpful to figure out what style/tone you want from the Fender/Marshall camps. The word "Fender" in particular could potentially cover a lot of different tones.
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

ImmortalSix said:
If you budget $400-$800 for each, you are going to end up with the worst / cheapest from each manufacturer, and what you'll be able to get with that money will yield you the worst representatives of each sound.
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I kind of half agree on that. I mean, you're not gonna get the very best from each, but you can get some really, really decent stuff.

I'll agree with Baltar; if you are going Blues JR, the "stock" ones aren't the best. Mine has a high range mod, and a speaker swap. It sounds killer, but it sounds nothing like a stock version. A lot of limited edition, pre-modded ones can be had, and they sound great.

As for Vox, in that range you'll find the AC15, which in my opinion, is a brilliant little amp. Used, you'll get into the AC30, which is also very decent. I don't think I'd call either of those amps the worst representation of the vox sound by a longshot.

Marshalls; different animal altogether. In that range, it will be hard, IMO, to get a good example of the marshall sound. They tend to be more expensive, by simple virtue that the "marshall sound" is associated with bigger amps.

So yeah, for Fender or Vox, I don't think you'll have a problem. Marshall, shop around and be patient.
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

FretFire said:
It would also be helpful to figure out what style/tone you want from the Fender/Marshall camps. The word "Fender" in particular could potentially cover a lot of different tones.
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Fender....Tweed/Blackfaced pretty simple...Marshall different story..Vox AC 30TB(no brainer)..
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

I had the tweaker, and let me tell you, upgrading to a DRRI is WORTH IT, worth it, worth it.
Everything you liked about the cleans from the USA side of the tweaker, prepare to like the sound that is easily twice as sweet, clear, chimey and deep. And now with reverb.

AC15s are great. I don't consider those settling for less.

The haze 40 has a thick, kinda muddy, kinda ratty tone sometimes. The sound IS like a bigger more marshall-y version of the tweaker. It retains a lot of that somewhat "mushy" feel, i.e. it's not as punchy and dynamic as 40W would suggest. It's OK to play through, if you like the old-school marshall tone, closer to JTM45ish, not JCMish. but the build quality's not there. Cheap cabinet and speaker, pretty thin, flimsy PCB (yes I've been inside one, to fix an input jack).

For the marshally tones, continue to shop around and get opinions. I like the DSL, which sounds good, but it's still a bit like the tweaker of the marshall world. Good but not great at a few of the typical marshall flavors.

For me, the DRRI is versatile enough that I'm not currently gassing for a marshall, even though for me those are some of the "holy grail" overdrive tones. It get past the gas by using a MI Audio Crunchbox, and I put a very british-toned speaker in my Fender. No, it's not the same, but if I close my eyes and just play, I'm still happy. For now....
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

this thread is exactly what I went through with the tweaker, btw.
I liked it, cuz the first time you play it, it sounds SO much like the flavors it wants to emulate.
But then you get used to it, and suddenly you hear the chime and sizzle in a Vox that you don't hear in the tweaker, you hear the deeper bass and smoother sustain that the DRRI has, and then you hear the punch and grind of a 50W marshall, the kind that hits you in the gut when you hit a power chord...

The tweaker's not a bad amp... it's just not a substitute for other amps.
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

Sometimes it's just best to actually hone in on the specific amp tone...If it's Vox....Hard to beat an AC 15 or the 30....Marshall...Vintage early JTM/Plexi era tones....Later JCM tones,or the modern higher gain tones...

Speaking about Fender...I Like the tweed circuit and the BF Fender clean tones...I don't think theres an amp out there that would do all of these...Even the modeling stuff is like artificial vanilla after the honeymoon is over...
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

yeah, tweed and blackface are so different, I don't expect to get the same tones in one amp, even out of a $3,000 boutique builder's stuff. If you forget the circuit, even the speakers and cabs are too different to REALLY get tweed and BF out of the same unit. You might get close, but it won't be as great as say, just having BOTH a 5E3 and a DR, or a Bassman and a SR.

Anyways, I did with tweed tones what I did with marshall tones. I found a high-quality stomp box and threw it in front of my favorite clean tone. the Les Lius is pretty good, as good as I need and can afford, that's for sure.
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

I think this is kind of silly I've played and owned a lot of the amps in question. I just picked up the tweaker for the budget you are specifying about the only tone you'll nail is the Vox tone with either an AC15 or AC30TB.

As far as a Marshall tone goes I'd suggest looking at Blackstar or Orange as they are more Marshall (on the cheap end) than actual Marshalls.

As far as Fender tone goes that's really a can of worms there are so many different varieties of Fender tone....the tweaker can get very twin-like and very bassman-like depending on how you set all the knobs/switches. I really doubt you are going to find a single Fender amp for around $500 that nails all the Fender sounds.

The tweaker really does nail a lot of the "stereotypical" sounds you describe. I would try swapping tubes and speakers before swapping amps.
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

meh, just get a deluxe reverb and a couple of good pedals like fuse did. Great tones and versatile. Brand names schmand names. What the heck is a "real" marshall, fender or vox tone anyway?
One good amp beats 3 compromises any day of the week.
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

A few suggestions:

Fender Princeton Reverb or Deluxe Reverb
Vox AC15 or AC30 (or Ampeg Jet II)
Marshall JCM 900 50 watter 1x12 combo (They have a 1/2 power switch on them. 900's are my favorite affordable Marshalls in terms of tone and controls.)
And don't forget late-'60's/early-'70's Ampeg, the best of them all IMHO. GV-22 combo or V2 head (or VT40 combo).

I'd get a V2 if I wanted to narrow it down to one amp to cover all bases. GV-22 if it had to be a combo.
 
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Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

ItsaBass said:
A few suggestions:

Fender Princeton Reverb or Deluxe Reverb
Vox AC15 or AC30 (or Ampeg Jet II)
Marshall JCM 900 50 watter 1x12 combo (They have a 1/2 power switch on them. 900's are my favorite affordable Marshalls in terms of tone and controls.)
And don't forget late-'60's/early-'70's Ampeg, the best of them all IMHO. GV-22 combo or V2 head (or VT40 combo).

I'd get a V2 if I wanted to narrow it down to one amp to cover all bases. GV-22 if it had to be a combo.
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I agree totally with this list,but the 900 series is a horrible choice!
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

STRATDELUXER97 said:
I agree totally with this list,but the 900 series is a horrible choice!
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Matter of opinion. I loved mine. My friend still owns it, and I borrow it from time to time. I especially like the clean channel, and the dual reverb design, which makes it so I don't have to simultaneously turn off the reverb when I switch to the OD channel. I also like the half power switch.
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

ItsaBass said:
Matter of opinion. I loved mine. My friend still owns it, and I borrow it from time to time. I especially like the clean channel, and the dual reverb design, which makes it so I don't have to simultaneously turn off the reverb when I switch to the OD channel. I also like the half power switch.
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Yep opinion...The 900 series I felt was the worst of the line after the 800 series...Especially the ones with the diode clipping...I didn't start liking anything after the 800 series until the JCM 2000 stuff came along...I've been a Marshall guy for many many years...Coming from a classic rock and blues guy,you'd understand why I hate the 900 series...I don't use alot of gain...But like you said...Its all good brother!
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

STRATDELUXER97 said:
Yep opinion...The 900 series I felt was the worst of the line after the 800 series...Especially the ones with the diode clipping...I didn't start liking anything after the 800 series until the JCM 2000 stuff came along...I've been a Marshall guy for many many years...Coming from a classic rock and blues guy,you'd understand why I hate the 900 series...I don't use alot of gain...But like you said...Its all good brother!
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Well, I am a classic rock (meaning '50's and '60's) and blues/R&B guy too, and I use no pedals, just the amp's overdrive, to get crunch. I also had a JCM2000 TSL 122 after the 900. I liked both, but found the 900 easier to just set and go. More user friendly, and the features made more sense for me in the end.

FWIW, I rarely ran either of my Marshalls by themselves. They were just there to add another flavor alongside my main amp, a V4 half stack. IMO, the best amp sounds are achieved with two amps.
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

ItsaBass said:
Well, I am a classic rock (meaning '50's and '60's) and blues/R&B guy too, and I use no pedals, just the amp's overdrive, to get crunch. I also had a JCM2000 TSL 122 after the 900. I liked both, but found the 900 easier to just set and go. More user friendly, and the features made more sense for me in the end.

FWIW, I rarely ran either of my Marshalls by themselves. They were just there to add another flavor alongside my main amp, a V4 half stack. IMO, the best amp sounds are achieved with two amps.
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My favorite setup always when we play out and for many years,is still my 66 BF Pro Reverb 2x12 with Webers and a few great pedals...The Fender by itself gives me a nice warm,full,and rich sound...I also really like open back cabs because of the way the sound is sought of all around...Depends on the venue and my moods though,cause I use other setups also. ;o)
 
Re: Yikes, I'm GASsing for a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall

Great advice; I appreciate it. The Marshall is indeed what i see as the murkiest choice given the choices they have. Gaping market hole in their lineup IMO... (Is that where Blackstar comes in?)

I think that my first target will be the Vox AC15C1. I need to decide how I want to get it, new or used. I was at my local GC tonight an they also had a floor model of the older AC15CC1 for $450... (they had A LOT of used gear on the floor, more than I've ever seen)

After that, I'll scout Fender next year, maybe for that 65DRRI.

And for Marshall, I may not buy anything at all. This could be a good excuse for me to build a DIY King-of-the-Britains or Plexitone pedal.

In the meantime while I've been ruminating on all of this stuff, I messed with my Tweaker and swapped in some Ruby EL34's and NOS 12AX7's, then goosed the input with my old Boss GE-7 with more volume and more treble. Fun brown sound for the evening.
 
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