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so right now i have a marshall jcm2000 dsl 401 combo, and i like the sound i get out of it, but its just not loud enough anymore. I need to upgrade and i will have a budget of $500-$700 (possibly more). I need something very versital. I play everything from droning sludge to weird indie rock to jazz. I need alot of range and i usually have my mids cranked pretty high. Needs to have 2 channels (not a fan of distortion pedals), and really loud. Theres alot of brands I havent gotten a chance to try, hi-watt, laney, sunn, sound city; those are the ones I'd really like opinions on.. It seems all the bands i see uses marshall or mesa. I'd like something different.

Anyway... suggestions are greatly appreciated. I know i've been pretty vague, and im not looking for some miracle amp, just something that sounds good.

Fender "Evil" Twin. NOT a red-knob or silver-face version, those suck ass. 100W all tube 2x12 combo. Very versatile amp with 2 channels, (one of which is a 2 in 1 kind of deal) clean and distortion. The clean channel (which is very clean) has a gain boost option to give you a mild overdrive sound, and the distortion channel has a metric shit-ton of gain. The reverb tank kicks ass, too! And you want loud? This mofo is the very definition of LOUD! It has a 3/4 power switch on the back which takes you from 100w to 25w, and that is where mine stays. Ear blistering L-O-U-D loud! I do not know what they are selling for on eBay, but a new one will run you about $1200...I know...a little out of your price range, but save your pennies, it's worth it.

If you like your sound now, why not add an extension cabinet? I'm pretty sure that amp has an external speaker jack, and the Celestion 75 speakers that come stock in most Marshalls aren't that efficient, and have no midrange (which might explain why you crank yours up so high).

Anyway, try your amp on top of a 4x12 cabinet loaded with Celestion V30's. I guarantee, it will be a fuckload louder.

If you have no luck with just using an extension cabinet, then get youself a DSL 100. Bloody loud. It also probably sounds a tad better than your smaller version. El34's instead of EL84's. Like a Marshall should do. Good luck.

1967-1976 TRAYNOR YBA-1 or 1A, either the 50 watt or the 90 watt model.



If you need HIGHER wattage and back pain, there's the YBA-3.



Extremely versatile. Fenderish-like clean sound, Marshall-plexish overdrive. I like to think of it as the amp that bridges the American tube amp sound and the English tube amp sound.

You can patch the four inputs together for some neat sounds.
Range expander knobs are just mid-controls.

Hands down, in my opinion, the best bang for the buck, currently. Built like a motherfucking tank. Easy to service, top pops off and the chassis is right inside. Takes EL34's and 12AX7's. Point to point wiring. Simple, no frills. Big Hammond transformers.

Doesn't break up much until it gets quite loud though, worth trying a power attenuator with it. I've used a Marshall PowerBrake with it..

Takes pedals well if you have to use them, but it isn't necessary.

Here's one dude's opinion: http://www.tone-lizard.com/Traynor_Amplifiers.htm

and search the forums here too for more info...

go for an ampeg V4. you can get one for around $500. very versatile EQ section--esp the midrange.

areopagite wrote:go for an ampeg V4. you can get one for around $500. very versatile EQ section--esp the midrange.

seconded!

I'd somewhat third the vote for the V4, and definitely second the vote for the YBA-3. The YBA-3, when totally cranked, is *wicked*. It's a Marshall killer, I think. Before I sold my YBA-3, as part of the testing process, after putting in the new output tubes, I played it fully cranked for quite a while, to make sure the tubes were gonna survive whatever the buyer was gonna put it through. I had all the knobs right around 8, which is absurdly loud and the best stoner-rock sound I've ever achieved. Part of the ceiling of my practice space fell onto my head. No joke. It was just little rust crumbs the size of pebbles, not like a big chunk or anything. But it had the HVAC system rattling through the whole place.

I'd get a YBA-3. If you want a V4, I'll sell you mine. It's still available. But for what you described, I'd say the YBA-3 is a better bet.

I'm not saying you should buy this, but somebody should. $175 start and no reserve.

weirdo Pignose 100 watt head in Bartlett