Your Favorite PRS Amp for Cleans?

sergiodeblanc

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I’m looking at some PRS amps for my singer. We recorded an EP and he wound up choosing my DG30 and HB for all his parts. He bought a HBII (as many of you know) and now we’re working on finding him an amp.

It took me awhile myself to come around to PRS amps, in the beginning, and especially at low volume, I wasn’t all that impressed. I now hear the error of my ways and I’m wondering what else I’ve missed out on?

I’ve noticed a ton of older PRS amps are selling used for practically nothing. Stuff like Custom 30’s, H’s, Texaplex II’s, etc. have been listed and not moving for redonkulously low prices, like $650 for heads, and a few of the older SE amps for $300.

I know the build quality of these are borderline “boutique” so the value just seems... uh.. obvious to at least consider over, or along with the usual Fender and Mesa amps I’d normally point him towards.

What do y’all think about these as clean amps? And I mean like, clean clean. Like R&B/funk clean. Dude will not be using the dirt channel on switchers, nor will he be looking for that edge-of-breakup Americana thing at low volumes.

Amp must have reverb! Yeah, I know you can get a pedal, but my dude wants it built in.

Thanks for any help or suggestions.
 
My old Custom 50 is for sale at TGP. Really good amp if you're gigging. But that's more than the price you're mentioning. My buddy who used to be a PRS dealer had the SE version of that amp in his store a few years ago, and fell in love with the amp. If an SE50 was for sale cheap, I'd look at one of those. I don't know how much difference there is, but he really loved that amp when it was in his store. He was going to buy it but someone local that he kept telling how great it was came in and he sold it to him, with the provision that if the guy ever wanted to sell it he got first dibs. 5 years or so later, the guy won't even consider selling it.
 
p.s. Stupid to say this now... but I find myself wishing I had played the Custom 50 through the Alnico Red Fang more before selling it. It might have never left. While I LOVE the amp I traded it for, I'd consider trading another amp to get it back.
 
You think that MT15 could be a viable alternative? That thing seemed loud AF at Riders.

I was going to say 2-channel C then 100W Archon as my favorites, and I realized I never really gave the MT15 a big evaluation on the clean channel. I will say this, though - when @BeerBatteredPhish and I were checking out the Silver Sky through the MT15, we were pretty much exclusive to the clean channel. Maybe five minutes out of an hour on the lead channel.

And yes, it's loud AF. I had it kicking 112db before it was all the way up on the clean channel.
 
You think that MT15 could be a viable alternative? That thing seemed loud AF at Riders.

I’ll add a +1 for the Custom 50, or the MT15, depending on what the volume requirements are. I have a pedalboard set up specifically for the Custom 50, and I was able to swap the MT15 into that setup seamlessly, so if he can’t get into a Custom in his budget, it’s a great option. The Custom has just a little more luscious warmth to the tone, Maryland hand-wiry goodness and all that, but the MT15 is no slouch. The only drawback to the MT15 is clean headroom. It’s definitely loud, but it does start to crunch in the power section when it gets cranking. Just depends on if it’ll be used live, and what the PA/monitor situation is. Both amps are squeaky clean until the power section reaches its ceiling.

For what your friend wants, I would steer clear of the SE amps. They have a lot of crunch even on the “clean” channel. Not sure about the C/H amps.
 
For what your friend wants, I would steer clear of the SE amps. They have a lot of crunch even on the “clean” channel. Not sure about the C/H amps.

Thanks, Andy. I was kinda hoping to hear from you about that.
 
A sonzera has everything he needs, at least in youtube world - ive never seen one. Definitely worth xchecking as similar price range to mt15 and the old uns
 
A sonzera has everything he needs, at least in youtube world - ive never seen one. Definitely worth xchecking as similar price range to mt15 and the old uns

Yeah, I’ve been looking at those videos!
 
I'm bringing it tomorrow for Jesse to check out. If you want to hang on to it for a couple of weeks for your boy to check out, I'm cool with that.

That’s nice of you, but I’m afraid my cat will puke on it.
 
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