I guess I need to buy an amp for my PRS guitars.

[sergiodeblanc]

I need an amp. I don't like amps. I am resigned to buying whatever Mesa Mark series (combo) I can realistically afford since I have experience with them, but what else should I look at? I play mostly clean but I don't want a wimpy gain channel either. Small and light would be pretty nice too, I can't afford a PRS amp (Ok, I could afford a HG) so please no recommendations past the $600-800 range.

Or should I just say screw it, get a Fender Mustang III combo, cover it in Gucci and use the money I save to take a lady to an overnight waterpark that serves alcohol?

 

[watelessness]

Dude. Get a second job and find yourself a Dallas. :creep:

 

[justmund]

I don't know if you'll score a Mark x for those sort of $? What about an Express 5:25? Subway Blues/Rocket? I always liked the DC-3 too... No doubt "Boogie" can point you in the right direction

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I don't know if you'll score a Mark x for those sort of $? What about an Express 5:25? Subway Blues/Rocket? I always liked the DC-3 too... No doubt "Boogie" can point you in the right direction

I'm passing up a MK III for $750... Is that crazy?

 

[justmund]

If I saw one here for that money I would grab it on principle, you just don't see them that cheap over here. Different market tho, to me that sounds good but in the US? Perhaps check completed listings and on the Boogie board? What's the condition of the amp and tubes?

A Mark III is a great amp, versatile, reliable but not light by any means. Do you have a chance to demo it?

 

[sergiodeblanc]

If I saw one here for that money I would grab it on principle, you just don't see them that cheap over here. Different market tho, to me that sounds good but in the US? Perhaps check completed listings and on the Boogie board? What's the condition of the amp and tubes?

A Mark III is a great amp, versatile, reliable but not light by any means. Do you have a chance to demo it?

Yeah, the reverb is out, but it comes with a cover and three pedals... I'm just afraid it's a little too much amp for me... it's loaded too: EV, simul-class 100 watts, EQ.

 

[László]

Or should I just say screw it, get a Fender Mustang III combo, cover it in Gucci and use the money I save to take a lady to an overnight waterpark that serves alcohol?

If that's the alternative, you're better off taking your laptop and using Logic's amps, and putting the output into a powered stage speaker for under $500. You can always cover the speaker in Gucci or whatever...

In all seriousness, however, it's my belief that the amp part of the guitar/amp equation is every bit as important as the guitar, if not more important. You probably hear more amp than guitar on most songs.

Don't kid yourself. Do yourself a favor, and go to a good music shop that has great amps and play through them, regardless of cost. That will at least establish your benchmarks for what you want to hear.

Then play the less expensive amps and see what compromises you're willing to make.

If I were you, I'd sell some of the guitars you have, and put the money toward the best amp you can afford. By the way, the PRS amps rock, and I think the SEs are very good value for money.

If you fixed the reverb on the Mesa and had it tuned up, it'd still be a fine amp.

 

[Egads]

Yeah, the reverb is out, but it comes with a cover and three pedals... I'm just afraid it's a little too much amp for me... it's loaded too: EV, simul-class 100 watts, EQ.

It's an awesome amp, but too much amp. It weighs a frickin' ton. I love the 2 Channel series and the Sweet 16 and Sweet 16+, but the price is high.

Look at the Carvin V3M and Legacy. The bang for the buck is amazing, and they are very versatile.

If power isn't a concern, the Mesa TA15 is pretty cool. It's got 5, 15, and 25 (dynawatt) watt settings, and two very different channels. I know where you can get one marked down a couple hundred, too.

Also, as usual, Les is right, too.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

If I were you, I'd sell some of the guitars you have, and put the money toward the best amp you can afford. By the way, the PRS amps rock, and I think the SEs are very good value for money.

I really only look at it like I have two guitars; my CE's. The SE's as nice as they are, are kinda more like funky fashion accessories that can get bruised or soaked in a champagne fountain explosion. I'm also kinda emotionally attached to the ones I jacked up, I doubt I could get too much for them either.

I have been renting amps for the past few years, which usually comes down to a JCM 900 or a Twin, and I'm just looking to see what else people have had good experiences with besides those two. There is an SE50 head in the area as well, but I kinda don't want to carry a head and cab.

I know it's completely shallow, but the Carvin stuff does nothing for my excitement levels visually or emotionally.... I'm a tool, I know... I'm trying to deal with it.

I'm super spoiled with the amps that are in the studios I frequent, but I'm starting to feel like it's irresponsible of me to not have my own amp and I haven't gone amp shopping in well over a decade so I'm not sure what's out there. Combine that with the fact that I enjoy hanging in guitar stores as much as I do getting punched in the nuts, I figured I'd ask for some ideas first of what to check out.

 

[Jedi]

Sell one of your PRS's and buy a good amp to compliment your other PRS guitars.

 

[jfine]

The PRS SE amps sound great--I tried an SE30 a while back. They're a little on the heavy side, over 50 lbs. but I thought it sounded really good. Unfortunately, my sound is only as big as my back can handle (these days, not much!), so I've used solid-state amps for years, for better or worse. Currently I'm using a Quilter MicroPro 200 (100 watts, 8" speaker)--weighs 20 lbs. and sounds terrific. They're also available with 1-10" or 1-12" speaker setups, and their new Aviator line (same power, a few less features) comes as a head, or a 1-8", 1-12", or 2-10" combo. I think the heaviest one weighs 35 lbs. or so. I'm not a tube-amp purist--my back won't let me be!

 

[RichardJ]

I have a buddy in SF who has recently bought a Quilter Aviator and raves about it. Apparently go for the 12" cab version as it moves some serious air. He's a pickin' Tele guy and his main squeeze was a Fender DRRI but now he actually prefers the Quilter.

 

[sleary]

Hughes and Kettner....either the tubemeister or the 36 . The switchblade is also a great choice, h&k are between a Marshall and a Mesa IMO . Great amps, love my tubemeister 18 .....

 

[CoreyT]

Low cost, low weight, and sounds great with a PRS to boot.
I have a Blackstar HT5R-H amp, but I kind of like these too, and may check one out.

 

[Jet Whitey]

You want clean and a good dirty channel for a small price = Used Rivera.

 

[JustRob]

Hughes and Kettner....either the tubemeister or the 36 . The switchblade is also a great choice, h&k are between a Marshall and a Mesa IMO . Great amps, love my tubemeister 18 .....

Dont forget, it's Sergio. Does H&K make one in "not blue". I like what I've seen of the demos for the tubemeister 18. The attenuation for practicing at night is a big feature for me, but might not matter for Sergio.

 

[veinbuster]

I'm passing up a MK III for $750... Is that crazy?

I think you'll have a hard time finding a better amp for that money. My combo weighs 80-90 lbs though, so it is by no means a light weight. It sounds excellent even at living room volume.
Excellent cleans, nice dirt when you want it.
Some find the controls interact a bit much between channels. I've used mine for 25 years.

 

[Boogie]

Dude. Get a second job and find yourself a Dallas. :creep:

Go bold and make it a Super Dallas. :wave:

A MkIII is a good buy and, if it was well cared for, should be reliable for several years to come. I just gigged mine again last weekend and forgot how much I love it. And though I've retired it after 23 years of exclusivity, I wouldn't hesitate to put it back into rotation. The Express is probably what I would buy today. Neither of those are light unless you convert the combo to a head and take a 1x12 cab. The MkIII combo w/ EV weighs 62.5 lbs. But for $750, that's a hellova deal.

If you get it and need some help getting it into shape, look me up...happy to help.

 

[Tosca]

Third vote for Rivera...I had one of these, wish I hadn't sold it. Used Budda SD18 combo would also be a good choice...
http://m.guitarcenter.com/Item/Default.aspx?itemno=2301534&urx=1

 

[jrw32]

I recently picked up a used Koch Studiotone head for $600. 20 watts, by far the best/most versatile amp I've owned, and both channels are very useable. I'm also amazed by how great it sounds at both bedroom and band volumes. I too play mostly clean or with light break up, though the lead channel scorches when I want more distortion. It also has spring reverb, an effects loop, direct out, all in a very compact/portable package. I have played a lot of the amps in this price range (Fender, Rivera, Mesa TA/F series, Vox, and Carvin), and for my needs, the Koch wins in every aspect.