Confessions of An Ampaholic

Lee, my name is Ampguy and I am an ampaholic. I'm up to 60 amps and am probably short about 20-25 to have a perfect collection. Every time that I think about selling one of mine, I play it for several days and then conclude: I love this amp, I can't sell it! This is probably because I'm pretty selective, buy only mint amps and usually give each purchase a lot of thought.
If I am ever lucky with the lottery, a Dumble and a Trainwreck will be added. Until then, an HXDA and a MB JP-2C is on the short list. The King Snake was one of the latest additions and it is a keeper!
 
Ampguy said:
Lee, my name is Ampguy and I am an ampaholic. I'm up to 60 amps and am probably short about 20-25 to have a perfect collection.
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You are now my official hero!

I think we need pics of the whole schmeer. And we'll need to know what we're looking at! Also, would be great to know how you're using them, i.e., which amps, for which projects, what styles of music you're playing, etc.

And anything else you've got to say about them! Because living vicariously is always a fun thing.

As you've probably surmised, I've had a lot of amps over the years, but I've only hung onto three of them, because I've been all about that Next Shiny Object - though I'm starting to hang onto the stuff I like, a departure from my former standard operating procedure.

So I'm more of a serial collector than an actual collector who has a purpose, but life changes and one never knows. ;)
 
I am more of a collector than a player, but I do play some blues, rock and jazz. I have accumulated most of the major amps used for the music that has been created since the '60s, all dead mint, (eg). four Brown Fenders, seven BF Fenders, two SF Fenders, four '90s Fenders including a Vibro King, four Mesa Boogies including a Mark IIC+, three Marshalls including a Silver Jubilee, Bogner C.S. Shiva, two '66 Ampegs, Vox AC30, Music Man HD-50, Traynor YBA-1, Kustom 200, PRS 2-Channel, Orange and it goes on and on. All are hooked up, ready to play. And I own many extension cabs of various brands. Then there is the guitar addiction. Is it intervention time?
 
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Ampguy said:
Is it intervention time?
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Depends what's left on the list. ;)

If you've also got Standel, Vox, Magnatone, Hiwatt, and Supro covered...well, maybe....but you still need that Dumble and there's always something lurking under some unturned rock that might be nice and...oh yeah, lots of hits since the 90s using Matchless and other boutique generation amps that ought to be collectible at some point, right?

I think maybe I don't collect stuff because it....never....ends.... :eek:
 
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Ampguy said:
Lee, my name is Ampguy and I am an ampaholic. I'm up to 60 amps ....
If I am ever lucky with the lottery...
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Damn, son. I have more amps than Les, and I feel like I'm a bit overboard...(and I finally broke down and bought a Vox because of that video I posted elsewhere and that wide open no-negative-feedback sound)...

And I'm with you about the lottery except cats (and probably dogs -- all rescues). Yeah, 85 sounds like a good number...

I'd be curious what sort of tones you like out of each one...seeing the Fender aspect of your collection, I bet you like that vintage, edge of breakup sound...also curious if you're just a one-tone-per-amp guy.

Damn, now I have myself thinking about a way to digitally control analog amps, so that one could recall certain settings...especially something with lots of knobs and switches like the Mesa/Boogie...
 
LSchefman said:
Because living vicariously is always a fun thing.
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Boogie, I was with you on this until he said "I am more a collector than a player." Don't get that... and have a whole set of thoughts on it that are best left unsaid. ;)
 
Yeah, the longer list includes adding a DC-30, a Supro, a Magnatone, a Hiwatt, a Komet 60, a GA-40, Fuchs ODS, a Dr. Z, it goes on and on. All of the current amps get played at least once every few days. Nothing is neglected. When I get bored with my tone, I change to another amp and guitar. I sort of collect tone. I also collect speakers and like them all for different reasons. It is a sickness, but I could be addicted to something worse.

Collecting like this is enabled by not being married, unless you have the perfect woman. I did have a girlfriend for awhile that would say - you need another guitar, let's go to a Guitar Show. Unfortunately, she had issues that eventually negated statements like that. But they were the perfect words to say, at the time.
 
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If they get played, then I take back all those things I was thinking! LOL
 
Ampguy said:
I did have a girlfriend for awhile that would say - you need another guitar, let's go to a Guitar Show. Unfortunately, she had issues that eventually negated statements like that. But they were the perfect words to say, at the time.
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I'd take one like that, even with issues! Haha! :D

When I talk guitars/amps/effects/studio with my wife, her eyes glaze over because it's a subject that she not only has no interest in, it bores her to death, and after I get about three words out, she says, "Do you want to talk nail polish?"

I think that's why I come to the Forum. Like-minded individuals are actually around!
 
LSchefman said:
I get that, too. I spent some years with only one amp in the studio, and other years with a half dozen or more.

There have been times I have argued that a person only needs one truly great amp. And there have been times I've said I need a few amps.

I am wishy-washy on which thing works better for me, but right now, today, this hour and minute...I have a thing for several amps. ;)

The amp companies whose work appeals most to me are PRS, Mesa, and Two-Rock, though right now my #1 amps are PRS; I do have a Lone Star. I'd consider a Two-Rock Cardiff, a Vox style amp, if PRS doesn't make a Vox style amp at some point.
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Thoughts on the Mesa Mark V 35 Combo ?
 
Summer said:
Thoughts on the Mesa Mark V 35 Combo ?
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I had the 90W head with a Recto 212 cab, and I thought they were great, but I’ve only spent a short time trying out the 35 W amp. In Mesas, I generally go with the higher power option, because they have half power and 10W switches, and I like a lot of clean headroom when I’m in a clean channel. Also, in Mesas I like what they do with 6L6 amps - I think it’s really their thing.

I really should spend some quality time with the 35W version, but I’ve only tried it for a few minutes, and that was in a store. Sorry to be useless!
 
I'm with ya on the amps! I got a couple!

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