Do Cute Amps Matter?

[elvis]

I care. I generally like to mate a head with a matching cab. I generally have matching covers made for everything. I went to some trouble bugging PRS to have a nicer looking panel for my Archon (to their everlasting credit). I've upgraded Mesa amps with wicker. I don't buy amps in colors I don't like. I also keep my music room neat (don't you dare try to confirm that with Mrs. elvis).

Even more, I like to turn on all my gear so the lights are all pretty, turn off the lights in my room and jam. I've gone to some trouble to change out some of the lights on the gear so they are predominately blue. Fetish? Who can say?

 

[CandidPicker]

You will never, ever understand my humor.

You're kidding.

"Girlfriend calls her boyfriend and says, "Honey, I need you to stop on over. I'm working on a really difficult jigsaw puzzle, and I can't quite figure it out."

Boyfriend asks, "What's on the cover of the jigsaw box?"

Girlfriend says, "It's a picture of a tiger."

Boyfriend says, "I'll be right over."

So the boyfriend hops into his car, drives over to his girlfriend's house. He opens the front door, sees the puzzle strewn all over the coffee table, the box with the tiger next to it, the girlfriend sitting looking perplexed. The boyfriend takes a look at the puzzle, the box, his girlfriend and says,

"Honey, I love you very much, but I'd like you to go into the kitchen, make yourself a cup of tea, come back in, sit down, and put your feet up. I'll put the Frosted Flakes back into the box."

Fortunately, Les, you're one mystery I don't need try and figure out.

 

[elvis]

You mean something like this thing covered in Ostrich leather with the wicker grill sitting in my craptastic studio?

Or this one in black leather, because, leather?

I had my Electradyne redone by Mesa in ostrich-imprinted leather. I also have ostrich boots. Huzzah!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I have a rather “plain Jane” but I like the tones I’m getting. Would it be cool if it was covered in snakeskin tolex, or wrapped in a flamed maple (purple) carcass and a wicker front, yes of course. Would it sound better?

Hell yeah!

 

[László]

Fortunately, Les, you're one mystery I don't need try and figure out.

Good joke btw, but when I call an inanimate object “cute”, etc., it’s for humor. To poke a little fun.

Of course, that doesn’t mean my inanimate objects lack feelings.

 

[László]

I had my Electradyne redone by Mesa in ostrich-imprinted leather. I also have ostrich boots. Huzzah!

I love ostrich anything, boots being an object of particular joy!

I, uh, went with black leather for the Fillmore because my current boots are black leather. And I’m that dweeby.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I’ll be buried in a plaid zoot suit!

Fairly rare, but plaid sounds best:

You say plaid and I say tartan! Let’s call the whole thing off!

 

[CandidPicker]

Good joke btw, but when I call an inanimate object “cute”, etc., it’s for humor. To poke a little fun.

Of course, that doesn’t mean my inanimate objects lack feelings.

It's OK, Les, I usually try to show love to my amp whenever it feels anxious, sad, or upset. Just last week, it said, "Why don't you take me anyplace anymore?"

Couldn't argue with that logic, so, I put the amp in the car, and drove it around for a while, just to give the amp some fresh air. That seemed to solve the problem.

 

[elvis]

Unfortunately when I find an amp I LOVE, and upgrade the appearance, it pretty much means I'll be selling it very soon.

The Archon has been the only exception.

 

[CandidPicker]

Unfortunately when I find an amp I LOVE, and upgrade the appearance, it pretty much means I'll be selling it very soon.

The Archon has been the only exception.

My current amp (Brunetti 35W Singleman 1x12 Combo) is one amp I'd not part with. Only mods that had been done were a speaker swap (lighter-weight neodymium) and tube complement for more my signature sound. (TAD 6L6WGCs, JJ preamps) An amp I'd prefer to keep for quite a while.

 

[andy474x]

Huh... I never really thought about very much, but most of my amps aren’t really stunners in the looks department. The Custom 50 with a paisley shell and black gold faceplate is certainly bold, but TBH I bought it more for being a Custom 50 than for looks. It’s grown on me, especially now that I have a matching cab, but probably not what I would custom order.

I feel like I need to watch my back for a paisley clad hit man now. He should be easy to spot.

I like the industrial vibe of the MT15, but in a bare-bones kind of way. My ‘68 Custom Vibrolux has then silverface drip edge look, which I don’t hate, but is certainly my least favorite of all Fender amp schemes. I would’ve been tickled with tweed, or maybe blackface.

Strangely enough, I think my “cutest” amp, in true reverence to the term, is my little Valve Jr. stack. Crimson and cream front with a salt and pepper grill... the stock ones look a lot better than they sound. Fortunately, mine is modded to also sound nice!

I think the reason mediocre looking amps don’t bother me, is that guitar amps are inherently bad ass, so even plain looking ones are still cool. That being said, I would love to have some of the lookers in Les’ studio. Especially a DG30... shawinggggg!!!

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I had my Electradyne redone by Mesa in ostrich-imprinted leather. I also have ostrich boots. Huzzah!

Now THAT is a stage rig! Boots match the amp. Yes sir!

 

[bodia]

Who cares! We all look dumb wearing amps around our necks. Guitars are much better!

 

[Sekunda]

Yes. In fact, thinking about a cab for the Fillmore led to this thread. I haven’t ordered one yet.

I’m toying with a few ideas. The obvious thing would be to just match the head, but I dunno. I’m intrigued by the sonic possibilities of hardwood.

Les, do you have a Fillmore now? I got a Fillmore 50 combo for last Christmas in Barcelona red crocodile... love it! Waiting to get the matching cab to go with it.

 

[dkilpatrick]

The lack of pics in this thread is disturbing

 

[bodia]

The lack of pics in this thread is disturbing

What's really disturbing is that I'm content with what I have, but I can't stop looking at MDTs, Dallases, Original Sewells, and Blistertones. I know something "bad" is likely to happen!

 

[László]

Les, do you have a Fillmore now? I got a Fillmore 50 combo for last Christmas in Barcelona red crocodile... love it! Waiting to get the matching cab to go with it.

Yes, the black leather Fillmore pictured in the thread above is mine. It’s a cool amp IMHO, and is different enough from my beloved PRS amps that there isn’t really an overlap. So I don’t feel guilty (much).

I was kind of going for a semi-vintage Hiwatt color scheme. Not my usual thing, but...

I usually do match head and cab, but black leather kind of goes with anything. I’m still thinking hardwood, like mahogany or blackwood. I figure it’d be just fine.

I LOVE the Barcelona Red Croc! I almost ordered it that way! Which grille material did you get? I think pics are needed.

Mine was supposed to have a black leather ‘grille’ instead of a woven grille material, but when it came I liked it with the black woven grille, so I decided not to return it.

 

[László]

It's OK, Les, I usually try to show love to my amp whenever it feels anxious, sad, or upset. Just last week, it said, "Why don't you take me anyplace anymore?"

Couldn't argue with that logic, so, I put the amp in the car, and drove it around for a while, just to give the amp some fresh air. That seemed to solve the problem.

I’m glad you mentioned that.

My amps usually fall asleep in the car.

 

[tiboy]

I have a black Marshall Vintage Modern. I have the accompanying 425 cab in purple. Both bought used at different times. IMO the color contrast is minimal and perhaps not especially noticeable unless you look closely. The mismatch (and therefore not cute) set up does not phase me in the least.

Besides when I plug in and close my eyes I’m a bad ass stadium playing rock star dodging flying g-strings (the panties kind). Cute ain’t in my persona.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

What's really disturbing is that I'm content with what I have, but I can't stop looking at MDTs, Dallases, Original Sewells, and Blistertones. I know something "bad" is likely to happen!

MDT is the one that gets me, based more on the namesakes, than any tones I’ve heard. I’ve come SO close twice, but it wasn’t the latest version with the mids knob and I managed to let the deals slide. Still... I mean come on... Marshall Dumble Tweed... who doesn’t want that!