Apprehensive on buying a tube amp

[Mec78]

At the risk of starting a fight here, I’d ask, do you gig or play in a band where you need to be heard over a drummer or cut through a mix? If it’s for home use (at home volume) I don’t know if you really “need” a tube amp meaning that unless you’re going to crank it (you obviously can get an attenuators) a tube amp really isn’t going to give you much more than solid state or modelers (which have come a long ways). But as always the heart wants what the heart wants.

 

[jak3af3r]

If I still gigged regularly, I'd experiment with a modeler to save weight dragging gear around...

I did this and was pleased with the results except for a handful of places that were real dumps where you couldn't run instruments through the mains.

At the end of the touring streak, I ended up using an amp and pedals anyways. The audience mostly can't tell the difference but it definitely feels different and affects the way you react to what comes through your monitors.

 

[Mec78]

I did this and was pleased with the results except for a handful of places that were real dumps where you couldn't run instruments through the mains.

At the end of the touring streak, I ended up using an amp and pedals anyways. The audience mostly can't tell the difference but it definitely feels different and affects the way you react to what comes through your monitors.

I think a lot of it is subjective, I’ve owned Fender Blues Jr and most of the Pawn Shop line of Fenders, all obviously not high end amps but good solid candidates. The responsiveness people speak about is lost on me. Not saying you can’t hear or feel it just saying some folks can and some folks can’t. I think before I’d drop 1K I’d get a buddy and head to a shop that has solid state, modelers and tube amps and do a blind test to see if I could even tell the difference

 

[Rockabilly69]

A vote for the Super Champ head and cabinet. I have a Super Champ X2 combo in my studio (with a Celestion G10 speaker in it), and a lot of people love that little amp! And in that studio there is a hard wired AC15, a 1964 Deluxe Reverb, and many boutique amps (Clark, Victoria, Dirty Girl, etc). The Super Champs are fun little amps but the speaker kind of sucks in them.

 

[jak3af3r]

I think a lot of it is subjective, I’ve owned Fender Blues Jr and most of the Pawn Shop line of Fenders, all obviously not high end amps but good solid candidates. The responsiveness people speak about is lost on me. Not saying you can’t hear or feel it just saying some folks can and some folks can’t. I think before I’d drop 1K I’d get a buddy and head to a shop that has solid state, modelers and tube amps and do a blind test to see if I could even tell the difference

I was on the fence about modellers until I heard a band at a gig I was on. I was blown away with the guitar tone only to find it's a helix direct to the board. That's when I decided I was going to get one and stop laughing amps around.

As far as responsiveness goes, there were some clubs we'd play with really good monitors and if I closed my eyes, I'd have difficulty differentiating the modeller compared to my amp. Then again, I made impulse responses of all my amps to use with the modeller so it was super close to what I was used to.

 

[aphantomvaper]

Good luck! My goal is an amp that doesn't color the sound and lets the true sound of the guitar through. Add an effect pedal or two to taste. I would recommend, but it goes against the grain of most guitar players thought process.

Tried them all and while tube amps are great, especially a Fender Twin at 6 or 7, the true sound of the guitar will be affected to some extent. Tube amps at higher volume have a natural compression which is pleasing! Modelers can get really close.

You will enjoy the same journey. If you are looking for less expensive bedroom style, the Boss Katana will get you there with models, effects tuner, really a fine little package. A Pignose is cool too, and is ultra portable.

 

[PRSfanboy46]

A vote for the Super Champ head and cabinet. I have a Super Champ X2 combo in my studio (with a Celestion G10 speaker in it), and a lot of people love that little amp! And in that studio there is a hard wired AC15, a 1964 Deluxe Reverb, and many boutique amps (Clark, Victoria, Dirty Girl, etc). The Super Champs are fun little amps but the speaker kind of sucks in them.

Is it a good amp? And would it be better if I got like an Orange 1x12 or switch out the speaker to a Celestion V30? I would honestly get that or the MT15 1x12 if I also save up for a head as well. Because I think my first intro to tube amps should be the Super Champ X2 then the MT15 or a sonzera personally.

 

[PRSfanboy46]

Good luck! My goal is an amp that doesn't color the sound and lets the true sound of the guitar through. Add an effect pedal or two to taste. I would recommend, but it goes against the grain of most guitar players thought process.

Tried them all and while tube amps are great, especially a Fender Twin at 6 or 7, the true sound of the guitar will be affected to some extent. Tube amps at higher volume have a natural compression which is pleasing! Modelers can get really close.

You will enjoy the same journey. If you are looking for less expensive bedroom style, the Boss Katana will get you there with models, effects tuner, really a fine little package. A Pignose is cool too, and is ultra portable.

I am running a Orange crush 20 RT and this thing is LOUD! I can get away with putting it at 4 or 5 but anything past that leads to way too loud or breakup. The drive channel is decent for a solid state practice amp. Gets you that black sabbath or cream or hendrix sound. My taste in gain and distortion is more of a tighter feel (think 5150 or Dual Rec or Randall RG100) I have looked into the mini 6505MH and I found a great deal, 400 bucks I think used. The MT15 amp from PRS is a great amp, I just think asking my parents "Hey can you drop 1 grand on me for an amplifier I can't even turn up past two without getting noise complaints?" The thing is ridiculously loud! I was watching a video that was showing the PRS amp department from Philip Mcknight and he was talking with one of the amp builders at PRS and the guy said "The MT15 is much more than 15 watts, I could make that thing into a 50 watt amp in 30 minutes" I have considered a Sonzera but haven't been able to try one. I have heard them and that they are great pedal platforms. And me, being a pedal addict would love that. I would like to shoot out both the MT15 and the Sonzera with my rig (all my pedals and my SE Custom 24) to see what would sound best and what works with my rig and my sound and what I want. I'm just apprehensive because I don't want to buy an amp that is known for one sound like a JCM 800 or a Fender Twin reverb or an Orange terror. I know tube amps aren't all versatile when it comes to tone due to what it's built and manufactured for. But if I could find that amp that could suit my needs that would be awesome. Because there are days where I want to noodle some Chet Atkins or chug to some Pantera or Slayer (which I have been doing recently!) I get my chug tone from a pedal which isn't the way I should be making my tone, but my amp just can't do that sound that I want, that tight high gain insanity. I am using a Boss MD2 which is an amazing pedal (I got it used at a guitar center) and it's a very good sounding pedal. But my music taste just ranges so heavily, I love Joe Satriani and Steve Vai and John Petrucci and Guthrie Govan and Dimebag and SRV and Hendrix and Clapton, Mac Demarco is one of my favorite's and so many more musicians. Heck there are days when I'm feeling the blues and plug away at some SRV or when I want to feel articulate and play some John Mayer. I've attempted Neon but that is ridiculous! But I am looking for that gem, that one amp that could do it all, from screeching gain to soft and warm clean.

 

[Tim S]

I think a lot of it is subjective, I’ve owned Fender Blues Jr and most of the Pawn Shop line of Fenders, all obviously not high end amps but good solid candidates. The responsiveness people speak about is lost on me.

No offense, but friends don’t let friends buy Blues Jrs. I only know because I have one (I bought it during a friendless time in my life)

For the OP: My immediate thought when someone says they want to buy a tube amp under $1,000 is “Marshall DSL40CR” (w/ 6 button footswitch). It’s an involuntary reaction.

There are great modelers out there and there are some tube amps that are very “meh” at best.

FWIW, a good amp isn’t good because it merely sounds good. A good amp *feels* good — You can play it as much as you play your guitar. You can use the advice of strangers on the Interest to narrow down choices, but in the end you have to try them yourself to know what will work best for you.

(FWIW, a couple of amps that work for me are the Mesa Mark V:25 & the Roland Blues Cube Artist... it doesn’t need to have tubes to be good)

 

[Outlier22]

Tim S - I had a blues jr, and I think that is a very good and capable tube amp for the price. It was a decent amp for me for carrying to jam sessions. It could fit in a mix with 2nd guitar player, bass and drummer. But it lacked low end. That was okay for a mix but I ended up selling it and replacing with a Supersonic 22 which is way better (and more expensive and heavier) I think if the Blues Jr had a bit of a bigger cab it would go a long way. ...But then it would be less portable.

PRS Fanboy - I don't recommend the blues jr for medal so I'd probably recommend one of the other options you listed. I think the MT15 is the way to go personally. I've been using a Marshall DSL 15 more often than the blues jr and that amp has a good OD channel and great cleans and way more bass than the Blues jr. So I'd recommend this one for rock and medal as well. (although go for the newer DSL 20 as it includes an effects loop and reverb so you've got more options. I think the 20 might have a headphone out and speaker emulation but not 100% sure. If so, those are nice features if you are playing more at home than at gigs. The 15 and 20w DSL are certainly loud enough to play with a band.)

My friend had the orange micro and tried to use that at practice sessions but it just didn't have the headroom to play with the band. I think that would be nice at home with a nice speaker cab but wouldn't recommend for gigging.

One more thing I would keep in mind that Tube amps required periodic maintenance. I've never had to do anything to the Blue Jr in my time of owning it, But I had to have my DSL's tubes replaced and biased when I first got it which cost me somewhere around $80-$100 I think??? about 3 years later it's now making some static noise so I'm gonna have to bring it in to have it looked at. It has been played pretty hard over that time so its not unreasonable I don't think. But keep that in mind as it's part of owning a tube amp. I also had to have the tubes replaced and biased on the Supersonic 22 when I got it.

 

[Dirty_Boogie]

There's nothing wrong with using pedals for getting your tones - regardless if you want to chugga-chugga your way through a modern metal song, or play some SRV-inspired blues. In the past few months, I sold my Mesa/Boogie, and switched to a pedal-sized Quilter 40W solid state "amp" into a 1x12 Boogie cab. With two pedals (that I built) - based on a hot-rodded Marshall, and a Dual Rec - my guitar sounds better than it ever has - just ridiculously good. And I've owned several tube amps over the years, from classic Hiwatts to modern Boogies.

I've said this before in another of your posts - stop using the internet to be influenced by what everyone else says and does, as you just land up being a copy of a copy (thanks Trent Reznor.) Easier said than done, of course...

 

[Igotsoul4u]

I was looking for a tube amp recently to compliment my Laney Lionheart but ended up with a Fractal FX3. Man this thing is epic. Best decision ever. Check out the FM3 if you want to stay in your price range. The amount of amp tones is staggering. I was originally going to buy a Dr Z ZLux or a Fender Deluxe Reverb. Definitely wouldn't have regretted either but as a song writer/composer the Fractal is to good to be true.

 

[Mec78]

I was looking for a tube amp recently to compliment my Laney Lionheart but ended up with a

I am running a Orange crush 20 RT and this thing is LOUD! I can get away with putting it at 4 or 5 but anything past that leads to way too loud or breakup. The drive channel is decent for a solid state practice amp. Gets you that black sabbath or cream or hendrix sound. My taste in gain and distortion is more of a tighter feel (think 5150 or Dual Rec or Randall RG100) I have looked into the mini 6505MH and I found a great deal, 400 bucks I think used. The MT15 amp from PRS is a great amp, I just think asking my parents "Hey can you drop 1 grand on me for an amplifier I can't even turn up past two without getting noise complaints?" The thing is ridiculously loud! I was watching a video that was showing the PRS amp department from Philip Mcknight and he was talking with one of the amp builders at PRS and the guy said "The MT15 is much more than 15 watts, I could make that thing into a 50 watt amp in 30 minutes" I have considered a Sonzera but haven't been able to try one. I have heard them and that they are great pedal platforms. And me, being a pedal addict would love that. I would like to shoot out both the MT15 and the Sonzera with my rig (all my pedals and my SE Custom 24) to see what would sound best and what works with my rig and my sound and what I want. I'm just apprehensive because I don't want to buy an amp that is known for one sound like a JCM 800 or a Fender Twin reverb or an Orange terror. I know tube amps aren't all versatile when it comes to tone due to what it's built and manufactured for. But if I could find that amp that could suit my needs that would be awesome. Because there are days where I want to noodle some Chet Atkins or chug to some Pantera or Slayer (which I have been doing recently!) I get my chug tone from a pedal which isn't the way I should be making my tone, but my amp just can't do that sound that I want, that tight high gain insanity. I am using a Boss MD2 which is an amazing pedal (I got it used at a guitar center) and it's a very good sounding pedal. But my music taste just ranges so heavily, I love Joe Satriani and Steve Vai and John Petrucci and Guthrie Govan and Dimebag and SRV and Hendrix and Clapton, Mac Demarco is one of my favorite's and so many more musicians. Heck there are days when I'm feeling the blues and plug away at some SRV or when I want to feel articulate and play some John Mayer. I've attempted Neon but that is ridiculous! But I am looking for that gem, that one amp that could do it all, from screeching gain to soft and warm clean.

. Man this thing is epic. Best decision ever. Check out the FM3 if you want to stay in your price range. The amount of amp tones is staggering. I was originally going to buy a Dr Z ZLux or a Fender Deluxe Reverb. Definitely wouldn't have regretted either but as a song writer/composer the Fractal is to good to be true.

Again being budget conscious have you considered Positive Grid Spark or maybe even a strymon Iridium? They will do a lot of what you're asking about for home use.