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Intermediate guitar amps
arod_77
__BANNED USERS regular
__BANNED USERS regular
Ive' been playing for several months now and have come to the realization that my Fender 25R is kind of a piece of shit---I especially notice this now that I have a decent guitar (Gibson Studio Les Paul)
Basically--im' looking for the best amps for intermediate usage (practice--jamming with friends--messing with pedals)
Price range is anything up to about 800 dollars (not including heads if we want to talk stacks)
Basically--im' looking for the best amps for intermediate usage (practice--jamming with friends--messing with pedals)
Price range is anything up to about 800 dollars (not including heads if we want to talk stacks)
arod_77 on
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non combo: marshal jcm900, peavey 5150i/vtm60/butcher, vox ac30/ac50 heads. ad speakers for flavor.
better advice when supplied with what style/sound you want. cleans, dirtys, metal, teh brootalz, etc. everything listed is a tube amp, except for the roland jc120. thats more of a jazz, ultra clean, i want to play with pedals amp.
the state of music today means you craft your tone digitally anyways (since the first stomp box we have been moving that way for better or worse depending on your view) so it's pretty easy to get a decent heavy tone from anything with a passable clean tone.
mesa boogies are a decent all around working amp... most of the ones flatlinegraphics mentioned have a flavor all their own so you should listen to each one carefully before choosing if you have that opportunity.
in this world of instant tone and studio magic people forget to forge their own sound sometime. go with your ears and your fingers. amps really do feel different especially the louder you get them.
PSN: TheScrublet
-Terry Pratchett
Where're you located? Checking out smaller local brands may be a good idea
At $800 there is no real reason not to go for a fully tube amp unless you're REALLY into amp modelling and the like (but i'd still always reccomend tube if you can afford it)
I went and played with a marshall half stack and while it seemed relatively good to me I hear they are total crap--is that true?
Back in 1990 when I started playing all the hate was against Crate because they were known as THE METAL THRASH AMP in a time thrash was falling to hip hop and the coming grunge storm.
Then suddenly it was all about the VOX and Peavy Reissues and everything was modern vintage.
Taste change.
I have had probably six amps since 1990 and each was special in it's own way, just as an example:
1. A gorilla! They were the pawn shop specials before Behringer came out. I cut the speaker wire to it's 12" speaker and wired up 2x12 cabinets to it. It lasted about 10 years as a make shift p.a., a backline monitor what ever we could find for it. It sounded like crap but did the dirty duty no one wanted.
2. A Fender mid-seventies black face head w/ home made cabinets (2x12, 1x15) Absolutely devastating as a punk bass amp. The only reason I noticed it buried in the corner used at a shop was it said "Owned by Duff Mckegan on it) This was the LOUD amp that people were always borrowing from me when they wanted to make noise. Back in the high school days it did duty at more then one Papa Roach show, was at shows by Zaria (who was on Rockstar Supernova) and more currently was used by Myspace favorite The Secret Handshake when he had a really strange death metal band with a singer who HAD NO ARMS OR LEGS. This amp was tube so it's tempermental and requires actual care and feeding. But it does one good thing : Makes the front row move to the back row at only 50(?) watts? It's stupid loud.
3. A modern fender ultimate chorus (A decent 2x12 if that is your thing - check it out) that's just kind'a vanilla. I mean it plays dirty plays clean has chorus. It just doesn't have the flavor of uniqness that my other amps have. It usually has a POD feeding it so i can get something interesting out of it.
What ever you get you probably will keep forever or trade some day out of boredom or gear lust, only to repeat years later.
1. Go for versitility instead of some custom boutique at this point though - esp. if you're not doing a lot of recording.
2. Make sure it sounds good to you! I had a guitar player absolutely hate the way his amp sounded and it effected his playing so much that he got a crappy amp and started playing much better.
Not true. But you will get people tell you such because despite being the most well known amp manufacturer they aren't neccisarilly the best out there. Also they have a lot of not good models alongside their great ones. Quick guide:
MG series: Solid state, not good
AVT series: Hybrid: not great
JCM800: Legendary hard rock/metal amp, though not as high distortion as you might expet by todays standards
JCM900: An attempt to update the JCM800 for the 80's/90's, alright with the occasional duff one. Can be had quite cheap.
JCM2000: great if you know how to use it, mushy as hell if you dont.
JVM: Update for the 00's, pretty awesome with more features than you will ever use. Probably out of your pricerange.
Plus the older ones which I have no experience with.
Again I can't recommend the Nomad enough, I'm still amazed at the sheer variety of tones I can get from this thing, and don't let the low wattage scare you, this sucker is LOUD. For $800 you might be able to find a 55, but the 45 is plenty for me
-Terry Pratchett
It has been said before, but you just have to play things until you find your sound.
I'd stay away from stacks/heads if you just want to fool around. Those are for playing big shows where you know your amp won't be mic'd and you need to make sure everyone can hear your sweet sweet solo. If you are just fooling around playing with buddies (which I assumes mean moving the amp around) be sure to CHECK THE WEIGHT OF THE AMP. Carrying heavy expensive shit around when you are tired sucks.
took me several months before i decided on the 5150i, and thats after playing several less "metal" amps.
One of my more recent purchases has been a Fender Pro Jr 15 watt. I just wanted the thing to play around with as a decent combo. I've ended up gigging with it live against a Vintage Mesa Boogie 2x12 and can make it just as loud. Fender knows what they're doing with Tube amps. As soon as I get my Refund Check its going toward a Hot Rod Deluxe or if I wait until I get my stimulus check its going towards a 59 Bassman Reissue.
If you want a demo, here's a video of my band. I'm playing lead with an Ibanez Artcore through my Pro Jr. against a Mesa Boogie with a Les Paul Plugged in:
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=17641059
Bring your guitar to your local guitar place and check out any Fender tube. You're obviously not going to be able to crank it in the store but you WILL be able to keep up with much bigger amps. They are definitely worth checking out.
I'm in a hard rock/punk band mainly and play blues in my spare time, it serves both purposes. I am a huge fan of Fender tube amps.
Also, if you can find one, any guitar in existence will sound awesome through a Gibson Goldtone. I think you can get the 15w version of that for around 700 bucks. I played a Fender Nashville Deluxe through it and made it sound like a Fender Stevie Ray Vaughan Strat.
I had a Nomad 55 combo; to be honest I ended up wishing I had gotten a different model. It's still a Mesa Boogie though and had the balls and versatility to go with it, so it's not like I'd recommend against it.
This.
It's a fairly inexpensive and lightweight intermediate amp. Long & McQuade up in Canada carry it new for around $600, I don't know what the American price is. However, like anything, try before you buy. If you think you'll outgrow it too quickly, the Fender Deville or Vox AC30 might be something to check out, but if you're not doing anything other than jamming/practice or small gigs they really aren't necessary.
Holy shit nice
I couldn't figure out a way to get a nice distortion out of it--but I guess thats what pedals are for.
found this in my area on craigslist.
what do you guys think?
Go try it out, the Mesa site has the manual for you to download, and it has some presets you can dial in to try the versatility out. I love mine but I will warn you it's heavy as hell, probably 90 pounds if you want to gig with it I can see how it'll be a pain in the ass, however looks like the guys moded it with casters which is handy.
-Terry Pratchett
Shit..the hot rod must have been around 60 pounds anyway.
Can anyone confirm that the hot rod is able to manage a decent distortion sound with a DS-1 or something?
http://westpalmbeach.craigslist.org/msg/584050110.html
oh holy shit!
Why I love craig's list. I got my '93 Les Paul for at least $700 below book value. I suggest you go check out the hot rods and see which you like better, those or the Mesa.
-Terry Pratchett
I'd still check it out, I get wary for to cheap a deal. Looking at the harmony central reviews 350 is cheap but not a stupidly cheap deal, If you like the sound go for it. I'd still check out the Nomad, but I'm a little biased, and far from an authority on these things.
-Terry Pratchett
Still gotta save so I can pick up that studio les paul ive' got on layaway
Mesa Boogie Mark IV?
also this?
http://westpalmbeach.craigslist.org/msg/620006875.html
My uncle has a Mark IV and it's loud as hell, might be to much if you live in an apartment. I don't know about the price I'd check harmony central see what other folks have paid for it.
-Terry Pratchett