SE 20's...any good?

[Bilbo Jangles]

I could use some hands on advice. I'm currently playing through a solid state Orange CR35RT. It really does everything I need it to do but, of course, I'd like a tube amp just because. My steady venue is my living room and I don't crank it. Having listened to a lot of YouTube demos, I've learned that i like EL84s a lot but, I also like 6L6s and 6V6s as well.
I see that there are still a few SE20s available new, as well as a few used. Anyone use them? Still have them? (I mean, if you gave them up, you must not have really liked them right?) Are they maybe a bit too much for a living room only amp? Or, would I be better off looking for a used Boogie or perhaps some Hot Rod out of Corona?
Any info you can give me would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[andy474x]

I have the 30, and I would probably not recommend the 20 for you. I love my 30, but it's a gigging amp for sure, it just doesn't hit the sweet spot until it's turned up fairly loud.

 

[László]

Well, a tube amp will give you some things that no solid state amp can; there's a different playing feel, a different type of saturation, more second-order (as opposed to third order) harmonics, a different kind of warmer clean tone vibe, different natural compression, and a more exponential response to picking dynamics...really the list could go on. Unless you're a jazz player, chances are that your favorite guitar recordings were made with tube amps. There were good reasons for that.

Whether you're a tube amp kind of guy is something you can only figure out by playing a tube amp for a while, and I don't mean five minutes in a store. And a lot depends on your expectations, skill set, musical style, and interest.

The SE amps are really good values, in my opinion, though I play PRS' US single channel tube amps because I have them for money-making session work, and because I really love their tone. Solid state amps have never satisfied my needs, though, even as a kid. So I have a definite bias toward tube amps.

The question of course is whether all the different things that tubes do matter to you, and that is the question that only you can answer.

 

[bricel24]

Had one sometime early last year, bought out of impulse when a local GC had it on clearance. It's not a bedroom/living room rocker, as these things require to be turned up to dial out the fizz off the dirt channel and give you a more articulate output. It's a good amp though, 20 watts is plenty.

 

[Mixstar]

Have a look at the Orange Micro Terror. Valve preamp and solid state power stage. It's almost as good through 'phones as my Marshall is without. You can buy the head on it's own or with a cab and they are very reasonably priced.

 

[László]

Don't listen to these "volume wusses."

Just get the darn thing and play louder! :biggrin:

 

[Bilbo Jangles]

Thanks for all of your replies. I've got some things to think about.