So, I'm not very good at the whole tech thing. I have a Les Paul and a Gretsch TN Rose. Any ideas on amps to bring out the best of them? Naturally my Rose is my foremost concern, but it's fun to play the Paul, too, and I need some amps to make them sound best.
Amp-y suggestions!
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- Rated: 10 ↑
Sep 3, 2008 1:40 p.m. hummingbird_rose:
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- Rated: 9 ↑
Sep 3, 2008 1:46 p.m. Regis:
I would suggest you a Vox AC15 or a Fender Blues Jr or a Pro Jr. It depends on what kind of music you play, but on both cases you will have a good tube tone.
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- Rated: 6 ↑
Sep 3, 2008 2:23 p.m. Brandon02:
If your looking for a good clean tone, try a vintage Fender Bassman. I've got a 1968 and it sounds great through a Fender Deluxe 112 cabinet with both my 6120 and '78 Gibson Les Paul Custom. You should be able to get a late 60's Bassman for around $500 on ebay.
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- Rated: 66 ↑
Sep 3, 2008 2:28 p.m. Walter Broes:
H.R. said: So, I'm not very good at the whole tech thing. I have a Les Paul and a Gretsch TN Rose. Any ideas on amps to bring out the best of them? Naturally my Rose is my foremost concern, but it's fun to play the Paul, too, and I need some amps to make them sound best.
This kind of question is impossible to answer without any kind of idea of what kind of music you play, examples of guitar sounds you like and would want to emulate, and how you'll be using the amp : by yourself, at home, in an apartment, out on the porch on your huge ranch, in a semi-acoustic band without drums, or in a loud multi-guitar band......? -
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Sep 3, 2008 2:33 p.m. hummingbird_rose:
How dare you limit me?! Hehe
I literally play everything short of such things as death metal. Mostly I stick to blues, light rock, occasionally I throw in some distortion for a harder sound, just whatever strikes my mood. If you have suggestions based on a type of music, go ahead and throw them all my way! When I buy a house in the near future, I'll be making sure it has a room large enough for my music so a collection of amps won't crowd anything.
As far as where I play now, mostly outside when it's not 110 degrees outside. When we have our own place, anywhere I durnwellwant!
Oh, as a side note, I've been tinkering with a classical guitar style on my TN Rose. It's an interesting sound combining a large acoustic style on a Gretsch.
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- Rated: 66 ↑
Sep 3, 2008 2:36 p.m. Walter Broes:
You still didn't answer a pretty vital question when it comes to amps : will you be using it onstage, or in a band, or not?
15 Watts is often barely enough to be heard above a drummer, but it'll be much too loud for most rooms of the house.
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Sep 3, 2008 2:44 p.m. hummingbird_rose:
I don't gig at all, so it's just at home.
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- Rated: 28 ↑
Sep 3, 2008 3:28 p.m. cyclopssam:
the posabiltys are endless,getting the right tool for the right job AND! WHAT'S your buget? a peavey 30 nice little amp that covers most of the bases.every one here knows i'm gonna say finda nice old hiwatt combo,ha-
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- Rated: 205 ↑
Sep 3, 2008 4:30 p.m. Proteus:
To me a pleasing clean tone is the top priority, since I rarely get to play loud enough to turn any amp to natural distortion.
Not that I don't like distortion...I'm just content to get most of it from pedals.
So what does a pleasing clean tone entail? For me, depth, clarity, warmth, presence, and complexity of tone. It oughtn't to be strident, thin, mushy, or muddy. I can't survive without reverb, and prefer it built into the amp rather than from pedals.
My favorite all-round home/gig amps, in no particular order: Fender Deluxe Reverb (either vintage or modern reissue); Peavey Classic 30; 60s vintage Ampeg Reverberocket.
All are 30 watts or under, all are tube amps, all have a single 12" speaker and reverb. (The Deluxe and the Reverberocket have none-better world-class reverb; the Peavey's is just acceptable.)
The C30 is also arguably more versatile, as it has a very good overdrive/distortion channel producing pleasing dirt at controllable low levels.
Music Man amps from the late 70s through mid-80s are also good choices, but they're 50 watts and up. Ditto the Fender Concert 1-12 combo amp from the mid-80s. All have beautiful Fender "blackface" tone (so-named because it's characteristic of the bright, clean, full-bodied tone of Fender's amps with black face plates, which emerged in the early 60s), lush reverb, and room-filling presence.
I'm also fond of the Vox AC-15, which has a sonic character distinct from the Fenders, something like the Peavey. (More like vice versa, since the Peavey comes YEARS after the Vox design.)
These are all mass-produced amps listing well under 1,000.00, and available for 40 - 60% OF THAT. (The vintage Ampegs and used Music Mans come in the same neighborhood.) All provide completely professional performance.
If you're looking for smaller than 12" and less expensive, the Blues Jr. is a good tube choice. I'm also impressed by the new Fender VibroChamp XD, which is a "modeling" amp, meaning it uses digital circuitry to emulate the sound of a variety of amps and effects. It does well at many of them (not as good as having the real thing), which makes it a good value.
If you're interested in none-better, heirloom, I-never-heard-anything-better amps (made in smaller quantities, usually by hand, for the boutique market), I have personal grail favorites there.
The Matchless Lightning Reverb, 18 watts and a single speaker, retailing around 2,200.00, is sonically very versatile, and when fooling with one in the local store, I could NOT dial in a sound I didn't like.
And at the top end of "someday it will be mine" is the Gretsch Variety, followed by the Gretsch Executive. Sound samples can be found around here somewhere...
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- Rated: 40 ↑
Sep 6, 2008 1:56 p.m. JC:
What about that new Fender Princeton reissue recording amp? I've been hearing good reports about it.
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Sep 6, 2008 2:32 p.m. Gigatron:
I have two guitar amps: a Laney LC15R (tube amp) and a Tech 21 Trademark 30 (solid state). The Laney has a great sparkly clean sound, and a nice crunch when I crank it up. The Tech 21 has a different kind of sound, but I like it too. I've owned Fender amps, and liked them, and that's what most people will recommend (they also hold their value when you go to resell them). I'd recommend you try out a Tech 21. I've heard of several well-known professionals who use them.
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- Rated: 71 ↑
Sep 6, 2008 3:03 p.m. bonedaddy:
Let me second JC's recommendation of the Princeton reissue. Simply amazing sounding amps.
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- Rated: 28 ↑
Sep 6, 2008 5:46 p.m. Wishinfora(nother)Falcon:
I like that you said "a collection of amps" because I know, personally, I will never get every tone I want from one single amp (even with pedals).
If I had to recommend just one to start with, I will second Proteus' recommendo for a mid '60s Reverberocket. It's absolutely Fantastic. It's unique and it's one of the more affordable Vintage amps you can buy. When people catch on (and they already are) the prices on them will definitely go up (and they already are). If you like Fender sparkle with a little something different and want to make a good investment, that's the one to get, no question.
Now if you are not concerned with any of that and are just looking for a good tone at bedroom levels, then there's a bunch out there. Do you like Fender tones, Vox tones, Marshall tones or what? That's sort of how I break them down. There's lots of variations on the themes but those are the biggies to me. Is there an artist out there that you just completely covet their tone?
I'm also a huge fan of Vox. They sound particularly great with Gretsches and Ricks as well as Strats and Teles.
But I have to say, honestly, I think Gretsches sound awesome with ANY amp (as long as it's tube driven of course). Some guitars are fussy but not Gretsches.
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- Rated: 31 ↑
Sep 6, 2008 9:19 p.m. do not be afraid:
i use one of those “reissue” Fender Champs you get for next to nothing, and i've fallen hopelessly in love! i don't think i'll ever buy an amp with more than one knob ever again! i did miss the reverb, but i got a Holy Grail reverb pedal thingy, and problem solved! but, then that's got me thinking about a tremolo pedal, and an overdrive, and so on, and so forth, and… wait — okay, back on track: it looks great, sounds great, has plenty of “character”, is dirt fucking cheap, and requires absolutely no brain power to operate! what more could you want?
oh, that's right: a Vox! oh well…
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- Rated: 28 ↑
Sep 6, 2008 9:28 p.m. Wishinfora(nother)Falcon:
This thread needs a little eye candy!!
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- Rated: 205 ↑
Sep 6, 2008 9:34 p.m. Proteus:
Ah reckin you got it COVered, there, WishinFor! Nice arsenal.
Some might say you need a Marshall and a tweed to make it complete (but I'm not one of them).
Now you've got me feeling all Voxless.
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- Rated: 53 ↑
Sep 6, 2008 9:45 p.m. Bear:
So much eye candy there I got eye-abetes... sorry!
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- Rated: 205 ↑
Sep 6, 2008 10:05 p.m. Proteus:
ba-dump-bump.
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- Rated: 28 ↑
Sep 6, 2008 10:05 p.m. Wishinfora(nother)Falcon:
Proteus said: Some might say you need a Marshall and a tweed to make it complete
I actually have a late 70's Marshall JMP 800 half stack but no pics. And the Tweed is on top of the Reverberocket 4th pic down.
What I NEED (OK maybe need is a strong word) is an Orange to complete the arsenal.
I'd actually go for a Bluesbreaker or Plexi over the Marshall I have now but I got it for a super deal. The 412 cab has great speakers and is a rock solid work horse but the head leaves a bit to be desired. I'm gonna see if a tube change makes it any better.
Anyway...I'm Wishin' and I'm an ampaholic....
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- Rated: 28 ↑
Sep 6, 2008 10:16 p.m. Wishinfora(nother)Falcon:
Proteus said: Now you've got me feeling all Voxless
Everybody needs one!! You know you'd love that AC15 in Mahogany with a tube rec. Or maybe the blonde Heritage head....
Sorry, I'm an enabler! As soon as you make your first million from your True Arcs, I bet you get one huh?
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- Rated: 31 ↑
Sep 6, 2008 10:29 p.m. do not be afraid:
well, i decided to take a few photos myself (and i noodled around with them in iPhoto a bit too, out of sheer boredom):
and, just in case you want to get that ever-elusive DNBA signature tone, here's my settings:
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- Rated: 205 ↑
Sep 7, 2008 12:39 a.m. Proteus:
Yer a funny man, dnba. Great pics too.
I think the only Marshall I'd ever hanker for would be the 18-watter. And I have me a tweed, but I'm not a fan of the tone...I ought to sell it for an AC-15.
I'm a bit over-invested in blackfaces too.
And STILL, someday gotta have a Matchless Lightning Rev and a Gretsch Variety. But those WILL have to wait for a LOT more Tru-Arc money!
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- Rated: 205 ↑
Sep 7, 2008 12:39 a.m. Proteus:
And where's our fragrant rose, now that we've bombarded her with amporn?
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- Rated: 20 ↑
Sep 7, 2008 1:00 a.m. TAG4:
Hey Wishin--What year model is your Super Reverb? How do you like it? I have a well traveled '69 that a guy put a 15" JBL in and played a bass through it for years. It's got non-original grille cloth and some of the knobs are distrissed and the foot switch is missing. But it's truly a wonderful thing--only drawback--It weighs about as much as a tombstone!
TAG4
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- Rated: 66 ↑
Sep 7, 2008 2:42 a.m. Walter Broes:
Proteus said: I'm a bit over-invested in blackfaces too.
Ah, I had no idea!? Anything you're looking to sell?And try a bigger tweed. Don't let that princeton get you off tweeds, you're missing out!
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