Everybody with a guitar amp...read!

[eric_montgomery]

...again i need some advice from people whith experience!

I'm going to buy a new amp. I've searched a lot to find
information. These are my choices:

Tube:

Marshall TSL 602 2 x 12" 60 watt
Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb 1 x 12" 22 watt

Transistor:

Fender Stage 160 2 x 12" 160 watt !
Fender Ultimate Chorus DSP 2 x 12" 2 x 65 watt

I prefer 2 speakers for the stereo sound. I hope you
will give some facts or advices.

Ciao,

Eric

[Zeppelin]

I'd get a tube amp
the choice between marshall and fender is up to you.
I myself would have taken the fender, but thats me and my fender fetish :rolleyes:

[mc9mm]

Get a tube amp.
My heart says fender, but my brain says Marshall.
I think 2x12 is way better than 1x12, and I dont really
care for the deluxe reverb. Tried it once and I didnt like it, I dont really know why.
But of course the Marshall is probably more expensive (?)

[eric_montgomery]

The Marshall is €1195 and the Fender €989.

The TSL has 6 tubes 2 x EL34 and 4 x ECC83

The Fender has 3 x 12AX7 2 x AT7 2 x 6V6 1 x 5AR4

But....22 watt with 8 tubes !? How much transistor watts
does it create? If you 60 watts from Marshall its reliable.
I don't know very much about tube amps...thats why i have
chosen 2 transistors. I'll hope you can help me with this
one...

[Lordathestrings]

Fender, Marshall, and Mesa are all seriously overpriced. Check out Yorkville Sound (http://www.yorkville.com/default.asp?p1=3&p2=0&p_id=32). They have brought back the Traynor line of all-tube guitar amplifiers. The Custom Valve 80 is an 80 Watt 2-12 combo, and the Custom Valve 80Q is an 80 Watt 4-10 combo. And they both rock!! :D

[N4Player]

Mesas are overpriced - Marshalls and Fender ?? I would go with the 2X 12. If going with Marshall - change out those Chinese 12Ax7's that they deliver in right away. No idea what Fender (Group) is sticking in their amps these days - I wouldn't touch 'em with a ten foot pole.

[mc9mm]

Overpriced they are. Indeed.
I would check out some Starfield (Ibanez) amps if
you can find any, they dont make them anymore.
I bought mine, a 120w 2x12 for 200$, and boy it
sounds like a dream!
My previous amp (a Marshall), costed 250$ (used), and
its a 12w 1x10 transistor.
So go to your local store and ask if they have any
old junk laying around in the basement. You might just
find the perfect amp for you.
But then your budget seems to be way bigger than mine,
so maybe this kind of sneeky business is'nt for you.

[markpro]

Marshall vs Fender is like day and night. Go for the amp that gives you the sound you want. Other less costly amps just don't give the same sound as the masters do, they come close but just don't quite make it

[eric_montgomery]

Hee men,

i've tested the '65 Deluxe Reverb amp...
WOW THE SOUND IS FANTASTIC!!! Sooo warm and clean...
and loud. It's not 22 watt says the dealer but...
100 watt TUBES! 1 speaker men...I also saw the 212 Hotrod
but...i don't know much about that line.

you...?

[u10ajf]

Why does everyone dis transistor amps? Mine's a Gallien Krueger 80ML. When I first played it with someone else's guitar I wanted that guitar. Then I tried it with my own and I wanted the amp.. I expect God bought the rest of their amps which might explain why they're so rare. I bought mine second hand. Sadly one day it farted at me and smelled of solder. It now only plays through one side, it's supposed to have stereo chorus and echo. Sad story. I weep. The end.

[Lordathestrings]

I have a Gallien Krueger BackLine 100. Its a3-channel, 100 Watt, 1-12 combo. For clean sounds, with built-in reverb, its a great amp, with wonderful tone at any volume. But I don't like the distortion sounds.

I have an old Ampeg G-18 10 Watt(?) transistor amp that has beautiful sound, including overdriven distortion. Its good enough to record with!!

I've pretty much given up on trying to convince people of the benefits of using small amps, with microphones feeding the soundboard.

[PonyOne]

Marshall Vs. Fender.... I vote Vox.

A 15-watt Vox AC15 is one of the purest tone beasts you can possibly get.

[eric_montgomery]

so i see.......

Tube amps is a favourite of yours..!
But if i choose the "Ultimate Chorus" and i buy a
Hughes and Kettner Tubeman (Tube pre-amp) ?
Or is it foolish...and should i better buy the Fender?

[Lordathestrings]

Close your eyes and LISTEN!!!

I bought a 1995 Gallien-Krueger BackLine 100 (100 Watt, transistor, 1-12" combo). It makes really good clean tone, but the distortion is kinda raspy.

So I bought a 1976 Ampeg VT-22 (120 Watt, all-tube, 2-12" combo). It sounds absolutely wicked! It also melts the first four rows of the audience, and deafens anyone within 30 feet.

So I bought a 1977 Ampeg VT-44 (60 Watt, all-tube, 4-10" combo). It sounds absolutely wickeder!! And people I jam with tell me to turn it down, which doesn't sound as good.

So I bought a 1982 Ampeg G18 (10 Watt, transistor, 1-8" combo). It sounds amazing! I don't have to wear earplugs, (so I can now hear what I really sound like), and by micing it into the soundboard, I can be sure of a good spot in the mix.

I was working on a 5 Watt all-tube amp a while ago, but this G18 sounds so good that I kinda lost interest.

The main thing is to try things out with your eyes closed, and let your ears decide! People don't hear your equipment inventory list, they hear the sounds you make.

[Dr_simon]

I think all of the above advice is fantastic. however I generally tend to think, first and for most about utility.

What are you going to use it for ?
Are you going to be gigging ?
Are you going to be playing it round the house ?
Do you have flat mates, a mother, wife / husband / children to consider ?
Do the neighbors practice marshal arts / are members of the NRA ?

Im not gigging at the moment so Im using a Pod pro (has headphones) or my Marshall micro stack (a whole 1 watt of power, easy there tiger) and both are very different. They both suit me down to the ground. So far blood has not been spilt and all is well.

This setup is not good for gigging !

[eric_montgomery]

...wow men. I'm truly shocked!
The people around me are having to many influences.
I must choose what's best for me. It's my choise!



And yes i'm gigging. Every time i used a marshall VS80
or a Fender Pro 185 from a friend of mine. But i think
it's time to have my own amp. And that time has come.

Thank you all for helping me...!

[janir123]

Also check out what Line6 has to offer. You can get the
Spider 212 for a reasonable price. Also 112 version even cheaper. I can tell you they sound absolutely fantastic. Also if you consider a 1x12" then the Tech21 Trademark 60 could be an option. I've heard nothing but good about it.
JMHO though. Again it's a matter of own's personal tastes.