Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

Guitarist

Mesa-ologist
What's the one amp that's got the cleans that gives you shivers every time you strum a chord?

For me, that amp is the LoneStar, at the time at least! Quite impressive how Mesa is continually putting out great gear after all these years.

Anyway, yours?
 
Re: Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

The clean channel on my Rivera Knucklehead never lets me down. I also REALLY love the cleans on a Polytone Mini-Brute that I used before. I have to get me one of those one day.

Finally, my Fender Hot Rod Deville is the amp I use for cleans the most, but as I use a LP with a JB in the bridge I gotta be careful not to push it too hard. Otherwise it starts to overdrive ever so slightly, but that might be what makes it so fun to play ;).
 
Re: Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

I loved my old Fender Blues Junior great warm jazzy cleans .....but my new fav
is my POD XT's Fender Twin patch...mmmm mmm ....tasty
 
Re: Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

Fender Bassman. Well...there's really no "clean channel" on that amp, but just the way it sounds clean...the cleanest cleans I've ever heard...

I don't own one, but on every amp I play I compare it to the Bassman...
 
Re: Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

Clean and loud ?? I'd say it's a tie bettween 135 watt linear powered
Fender Twin and a Ampeg V4.
Clean and sweet ?? A Fender Champ.
 
Re: Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

Oh goodness, there's so many of them out there. Just find an old Fender Blackface and you're going to be very close.

The best new production clean I've heard is the reissue 64 Fender Custom Shop Vibroverb. I had one that rattled a lot, so I sent it back. But it's cleans were loud and sweet.
 
Re: Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

Yeah, I agree with Scott for "American clean".....I love the sound of that Fender Custom Shop Vibroverb. Something about Blackface tone through a 15 inch speaker just makes strats and teles HAPPEN. For British clean, Matchless all the way.
 
Re: Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

I might have to search out a non-rattling version of that amp again some day. Handwired, tube and SS rectifier options, beautiful reverb, great 15" Eminence speaker. Had it not been for the rattling I couldn't track down, I'd still have it.
 
Re: Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

The best clean tone I've ever heard come out of an amp was a '66 Deluxe Reverb with the original GE tubes and a celestion vintage 30 replacement speaker.

But I tend to like Fender Twins, Deluxe reverbs, and Bassmans.
 
Re: Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

Guitarist said:
What's the one amp that's got the cleans that gives you shivers every time you strum a chord?

For me, that amp is the LoneStar, at the time at least! Quite impressive how Mesa is continually putting out great gear after all these years.

Anyway, yours?

My vote is for the Mesa Blue Angel. Kinda like the Lone Star, but cleaner. And reverb to die for...oooooooh!!
 
Re: Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

I played a PRS McCarty soapbar into blue angel combo last week. It was a stunningly good combination. Hadn't played a BA since I swapped mine for my PRS, and it reminded me how great that amp is.

Thing is, it won't cut through a mix nearly as well as the clean on my Custom Vibrolux reverb. I love the clean sound on that amp, and it never disappears onstage like blackface fenders do.

Want to improve on that? -go for a vibro king.

Pretty much any pre-silverface fender amp (or reissue if need be) is great for clean. just pick one according to taste/need. I prefer pre-blackface circuits, though blackface amps sound nice with humbuckers.
 
Re: Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

1st choice? Fender, hands down.

2nd choice? Mesa. It has a little stronger midrange to it, but I really like that sound.

I had a chance to try a Lonestar, and I passed it by, I kinda regret not playing it now.

I'd like to try a Blue Angle and F-30/50 as well, if I ever find one....

....I wonder how the cleans on the Stilletto will sound?
 
Re: Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

My Hiwatt Custom 50 is amazing.....clean headroom for days!!!

My Tech21 Trademark 60 & the SansAmp PSA-1 has some beautiful cleans too, but this Hiwatt is magnificent!
 
Re: Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

My mesa .50cal + combo is the best sounding clean amp ive ever heard! Its got one black shadow 90watt speaker and built in reverb, its own eq, and runs currently on two 6L6's and ECC83's. This thing has the warmest fullest clean tone ever, with any guitar i put through it...just brilliant!
 
Re: Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

Awesome guys! Thanks for the quick replies, very interesting to see your opinions on this and all the similiar ones, at that. More welcome!
 
Re: Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

well, ive got a Hiwatt and a Fender Twin........i think they both sound awesome clean...... i also love fender bassman cleans.....
 
Re: Your Favorite Clean Amplifier?

I played an original circa 68 bassman and a black face 2 weeks ago in Hunting Beach CA. It was mesmerizing. This would be my preference if I only wanted clean. After trying many boateeks, I think the Mesa Boogies, e.g., Mark IV and the Road Master gives everything else a run for their money.
 
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