I don’t know if this is the place to pose this question, but I’ve been gigging for a while now and because no one in my band can drive I end up using other peoples amps most of the time, which pisses me off something rotten as I never have enough time to get a tone I’m happy with. I’ve had enough and am going to start gigging my own amp (yeah I know I should have done this ages ago) but I need to buy a new one. I figured that this would be the best place to ask as I have very little knowledge about amps, but I’m after something that is loud but transportable has a nice tone and little or no inbuilt effects. Any suggestions? Oh wise and knowledgeable EA Forum members, I throw myself at your feet!

Yeah? how is it? I've had some trouble with a Peavey in the past, though that was a Classic 30.

What is your ceiling on price? How many watts? Are you opposed to miking it?

There is a huge love for Traynor here with good reason. Fender makes some awesome models too.

I have am Ampeg VT-120 (120w 6L6 amp) and a Crate Club 20 (15w EL84 amp).

Well, I’ll have to save for it so money isn’t really an issue, but ‘reasonable’ would be best. Again, I don’t really know about wattage- its more a question of being able to transport it, though I don’t want to compromise on sound too much. I don’t mind miking it either. Basically, it has to be loud enough to hear over a kit, bass, vocals and four piece brass section (most of that depends on the PA I guess) and still sound good.

Without miking you prolly want at least 40 watts....maybe 30. I like Fender a lot and IMO, Crate makes a few really good, low-priced tube amps like the V series.

What sound are you looking for?

Well, with the band I’ll be using it mostly for I have to slot into a lot of elements, but kind of a pretty warm sound. It’ll have to be fairly neutral as I use a few effects- Harmonic Percolator clone, a copicat or an analogue tape echo pedal, coloursound trem sometimes. We veer between dub and hardcore predominantly. I’ll also need it to be fairly versatile as I’m in another band with a more ‘angular’ sound (to put it in wanky terms). Cheers for the suggestions so far by the way!

I had an Ampeg Reverberocket combo for a while, which I liked ok. 50 watts (two EL34 tubes, or maybe they were 6L6s...), 2x12 speakers. I think I paid $300-400 for it, used, but it had some minor issues... it burned through a lot of tubes. An Ampeg Gemini probably would have been better... or a VT-22.

Sold it and got a steal on a Twin Reverb reissue (from Scott!) for $500. The Twin is *awesome*. I'd buy it again and again.

But if I were starting from scratch, I'd probably check out one of those Traynor all-tube YCV-### combos (I think there's a 20, 40, and higher). They look like the best bang for the buck, unless you get a good deal on a better-known brand.

As for peavey classic 30s... I have a friend who has been pretty happy with his for the last several years... honsetly! happy with a Peavey!

BadComrade wrote:I was just messin' with ya on the Peavey. I'm a resident asshole here.

Welcome to the board, jerkoff.

Dohhhhh! There's one in the chops for old Tom!
Ha, yeah thought as much. Now you gonna suggest something decent or have you gone outside to kick puppies and stamp budding daffodils into the ground?

gio wrote:But if I were starting from scratch, I'd probably check out one of those Traynor all-tube YCV-### combos (I think there's a 20, 40, and higher). They look like the best bang for the buck, unless you get a good deal on a better-known brand.

+1

I haven't had a chance to play one, but I'm very interested in them.

As for peavey classic 30s... I have a friend who has been pretty happy with his for the last several years... honsetly! happy with a Peavey!

Peavey and Crate both. I think they are making some very decent tube amps for the money these days.



I've also heard people say good things about the Vox Valvetronix amps. I'm pretty much done with solid state and hybrid amps, but I think it's worth mentioning.

It would prolly be best to make up a list and go down to your local music shop and try all these out first. Take the advice you get here, but play them all first.

This may sound a bit simplistic, so forgive me if it offends.

Have you played an amp that you really loved, no matter what the size? Most amps have identical or similar combo versions. Also, for giving a reccomendation, a measuring stick that you can provide would be good.

In pragmatic terms, I find that a lot of my favorite music is made by people who use uncommon or unpopular gear, accept that sound, exploit it, and then define a tone as their simply because they were the first to use a specific piece of gear in a specific way. Basically, I think avoiding a standard amp is a big leap into creating a unique and distinctive sound. In addition, I enjoy when artists take something that most people think is crap and make awesome music with it, like Thursrton Moore using Peavey Road Master amps.

Cheers!

Ben Adrian