Recommend an AMP

[Jim_K]

Hi,

 

Just wanted to ask if anybody has a good recommendation on a new guitar amp. It's for my son but....

 

I want to use it as well for some recording work...

 

The amp will never be used on a stage so it doesn't need to be super-powered but needs to sound as good as possible for my budget....

 

I would like a good natural distortion and a nice clean sound as well. Needs to accept stomp box FX without too much added noise.

 

My budget would be between 500 and 1000 USD.... I prefer a NEW amp (can't trust history on used amps) but am not 100% on new.

 

Any recommendations?

 

Thanks,

Jim

 

 

[Bluesape]

A Fender Blues Junior, or Peavey Classic 30 would be the two that pop into my head for your needs.

[The Geoff]

^+1

 

G.

[Strategery]

There's a new little amp that just came out too.

It's called the Egnater Rebel 20.

It's a fantastic sounding amp that can go from 1 watt to 20, and is aimed at boutique amps...but without the high price.

 

They're only at Guitar Centers though, but the price is right!

 

Check these out....

 

http://www.egnateramps.com/Rebel20Ad.html

 

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Egnater-Rebel-20-20W-Tube-Guitar-Amp-Head?sku=483496

 

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Egnater-Rebel-112X-1x12-Guitar-Extension-Cabinet?sku=609804

 

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/8/2/5/568825.jpg

[miroslav]

What kind of tones do you like?

Vintage kinda' American Rock vibe...more of a 60s/70s hard rock sound...classic British Invasion...or some very high-gain, metal kinda' stuff...etc...etc?

 

Many amps have distinct signature tones (with some variations).

 

 

I have a few recommendations...but I recently picked up a 5E3/Tweed Deluxe style amp from Tungsten Amplification, the 12W Cortez. It's about $1100-$1300 depending on which options you choose.

I went for the basic setup...and I am quite happy with it.

It does that classic Rock stuff very well (think Neil Young)!

 

http://www.tungstenamp.com/images/cortez1web.jpg

 

http://www.tungstenamp.com

 

 

So tell us what you like, and we can offer some other specific recommendations.

[Strategery]

Yep, I've got the 25w Cortez...but it's over a $1000.

That's the only reason I didn't mention it...but I love mine.

 

Randy

[Caevan O’Shite]

How 'bout an all-tube Orange Tiny Terror Head and an Orange PPC112 1x12 (closed-back) Speaker Cabinet (loaded with a Celestion Vintage 30 12" speaker)?

 

Or, an Orange Tiny Terror (open-backed) 1x12 Combo Amplifier loaded with a 12" Celestion G12H-30 70th Anniversary speaker?

 

Either the TT head and 1x12 cab or the TT 1x12 combo should be within your budget, and these little amps k!ck @$$ with a great low-watt output that allows for great cranked overdrive tones without pedals, and without blowing your windows out...

 

I've tried the TT head and cab. It got along fine with a few pedals that I threw at it in the shop, and liked the amp and cab very much; if I hadn't already bought another tube-amp from the same shop that week, I would definitely have bought the TT head an cab! (Albeit I would have probably gotten an Orange 2x12 cab- same, but with two Celestions.)

 

I have not tried the Egnater amps that Strategery points out above, but I have to expect them to be VERY nice amps, and killer for that price! I'd love to try one of those out- maybe I'd like it even better than the Orange TT, Idunno! Bruce Egnater is no slouch! He did some top-notch electronic restoration work on another forum member's vintage Fender pro 1x15 combo a few years ago... Nice features on that Rebel 20, especially for the price!

[Sauce]

You also might want to look into the new Fender Princeton Reissue.

[dead mike]

deluxe reverb is my choice. curious about that egnator though

[Gifthorse]

Line 6 Spidervalve, Orange TT, (interested in the egnater), Peavey Classic 30, Fender Blues Junior, Fender Hot Rod Deville.

[Danzilla]

I prefer the Peavey Valve King amps to the Classic 30, but that may just be me... try them both.

 

If you can stretch just over $1000 (or find one used around or below a grand), I'd also recommend the Genz Benz Black Pearl.

 

That Egnator does seem nifty!

[Mike Gug]

WOW! Those Egnaters have some very cool features. No useless stuff added in... They sound good on my 1/2-inch computer speakers!

 

I gota tell you though, for the first time, I plugged into a Valve King 2x12. WOW! The sound was FANTASTIC!!!!! omeone put a great setting on the knobs and I was just LOVING it! It was a plug-and-play moment!

[dead mike]

i keep on forgeting to think in US dollars. i 2nd the black pearl, i bought one last month and its awesome. 30.15/8 watt mode, pentode/triode mode. very flexible with controls and sounds stunning. i thought i wanted a victoria or dr.z galaxie but walked away with this and saved some bucks.

[Phillydor]

I just bought a Roland Micro Cube, just wanted an amp for muckin' about with, thinking at least it'll be good as a headphone amp. It's pretty amazing for the price - boy cheap amps have come a long way. $200 here (Australia) so must be really cheap everywhere else. Lots of features, plenty of fun to be had - check 'em out.

[Caevan O’Shite]

You also might want to look into the new Fender Princeton Reissue.

 

Cool, classic "blackface" Fender; maybe a Deluxe Reverb would also be a good consideration, as well, if a Fender "bf" style amp would be the ticket.

 

I kinda think that the Fender 'Princeton Recording-Amp' is an even better choice than the "Vintage Reissue '65 Princeton Reverb"; for not too much more money, you get a "bf" Princeton Reverb RI with the addition of an attenuator (and one that is designed for and into that specific amp!), a built-in compressor, a built-in Tube-Screamer style overdrive, a speaker-emulated headphone output, a speaker Emulated XLR line output,

and a four-button footswitch to control various functions... WAY more for your money!

 

I just wish that they offered it as a 1x12 combo with a heftier output-transformer (or made a similarly appointed "Deluxe Reverb Recording-Amp"!), or maybe as a head with various speaker-cab options... Now, THAT would be a cool little "bf" style amp!

[Billster]

The Fender Blackface reissues look good.

The Orange Tiny Terror looks good, too.

That new Egnater looks interesting too.

 

Somebody send me some cash!

 

Anyway, another option might be the Carvin Vintage 16, which sells for $429. The slightly larger Nomad & BelAir are also within your price range.

 

Oh, also the Vox AC15 might fit the bill. (Or the Bill as the case may be! )

[Caevan O’Shite]

Forgive me, Bill!

 

As the owner of a Carvin "Vintage 33" (part of the same 'Vintage 16 1x12 (16 watts)/Nomad 1x12 (50 watts)/Bel Air 2x12 (50 watts)' line, essentially identical to the Nomad) who has a love/hate sorta relationship with the amp, I have to say that it may not be a good choice for a first or only amp; although Carvin does have that trial-free return policy to let you try their amps out in the real-world, that is, YOUR real-world, and return the amp of you aren't 100% satisfied. And Carvin is an excellent company to deal with, their customer service and support are very good. All around a cool brand of competitively-priced gear; I hate to be negative about them here, but...

 

They're (these particular amps) a little more finicky with pedals than some, and tonally a little wonky in a hard to describe way. I do NOT like the stock speaker. The reverb is rather flat and lifeless sounding, lacking dimension, and I can't seem to dial-in quite the right amount- it's either too little or too much, never very satisfying and always seems a compromise; weird!

 

The construction and workmanship is consumer-grade, but, to be fair, most of the amps (maybe even all of them) mentioned on this thread probably are also, or only marginally better. I do not doubt that reliability would be an issue if you gigged with one of these Carvins. (I do realize that you're not planning on that, though, Jim!)

 

If you try a Nomad or Bel Air, go directly to the "Soak"-channel, set the controls to be louder and gainier than you intend to play, and roll your guitar's volume-control way down to clean-up the tone and regulate the overall volume, rolling back up for overdrive and distortion to taste. "Play the amp". Works much more satisfyingly this way, than to use the channel-switching to go between clean and overdrive, rhythm and lead. You may also have to adjust the interactive EQ knobs to seemingly unusual settings to get what you want- or, at least, tonally 'in the ballpark', as it may be... I imagine that much of this holds true for the Vintage 16, which appears to be based around the "Soak" channel of the Vintage 33/Nomad/Bel Air.

 

I get a much more satisfying and fat, warm, full clean tone this way from the "Soak" (lead/overdrive/distortion) channel, than I do with any control-settings on the amp's "Clean"-channel.

 

Conversely, some of the better overdrive tones can be had by turning the clean/rhythm channel waaay up and really spanking that thing... !

[Gifthorse]

I am a bore, but I am going to push the Spidervalve. The reason? It didn't dissapoint me. I can honestly say that every amp dissapointed me at some point. I guess the only criticizm of the SV I had was the crappy modulation effects--not all of them, but the choruses and flange are kind of 'ok', not great.

 

Loud it opened up as good as my Bivalve. I never ran it through a 4/12 or a 2/12 even, but I have no question it would be huge. The quality I look for is simply that my playing comes through the way I envision it, cuz I am a firm believer the tone in is your hands first.

[Jim_K]

Thanks guys... all this info was very useful to point me in the right direction. I wound up buying a Peavey but after some research moved up a step to the classic 50/212 configuration.

 

I found a new one (via EBAY) with the BUY IT NOW button. When I checked this out, I saw the price of $749, which was $100 better the Guitar Center etc. There was a button that said, "make an offer", so I did (initial at $599)... after a couple rounds, finally got the deal now for $629 (including shipping).

 

The seller was a MUSIC STORE from JAX FLA so I feel pretty good about this and it is BRAND NEW.

 

So THANKS A TON and I am sure all of the recommended amps are good/great based upon your feedback.

 

Thanks again,

Jim

 

 

 

[RobRose]

A Fender Blues Junior, or Peavey Classic 30 would be the two that pop into my head for your needs.

 

Reif is wise. My two choices extactly.

[Terrell]

How do you guys make a recommendation without knowing what music either wants to play?

[Gifthorse]

How do you guys make a recommendation without knowing what music either wants to play?

 

Well, thats why I was pushing the Spidervalve so hard!!

[Caevan O’Shite]

How do you guys make a recommendation without knowing what music either wants to play?

 

Well, I figured I had plenty to go on from the initial post, and that the amp would have to be fairly versatile, not overpowered for home or recording, play nice with pedals, have a decent clean tone...

 

I think I was pretty on the mark, suggesting the option of head & closed-back cab or combo configurations, and qualifying a later post with "IF a "blackface" Fender style is what you want" or something to that effect

 

Many of the amps suggested in the various replies are versatile enough to not be locked into any one or even two stylistic genres; besides, when a Father and Son are both going to use the amp, for home and for recording, it's gonna get a lot of different musical styles played through it.

[Guitarzan]

i have to put another vote in for the Tiny Terror. last night at our little jam i was again reminded how cool the little bugger is.

besides being crunchy as heck it does cleans very well unless you are trying to play clean with hot pickups. i so want to hear this with a nice 2x12 closed cab.