buying a new amp...

i have a price range of about 300-500 bucks. guitar center has their memorial day sale and well...my amp blew out at practice so i thought it very fitting that i should really look into a bigger, better one now. unfortunately i loaned a buddy of mine 400 bucks which i wont see till mid-summer, so my bank account is looking especially measly after buying a car and whatnot. i have about 500 bucks-tops.

im leaning towards getting a stack, but i know that its more of a looks thing than an actual necesity. i want your guys' opinions on a good amp to get. im in a ska band, so i need a crisp, clean tone with some 'verb and some tremolo, but i guess pedals work just the same if i have to. if i got a stack, i could get a very basic, run of the line crate for 500 even. its nice, but im wondering if i should go for a smaller combo amp that will give me more tonal options. i was looking into some modeling amps, like the beringher style or whatnot. they seem pretty cool, and even though a combo doesnt look as hardcore as a stack while playing a venue, im willing to compromise if its a better deal. i was also looking into orange amps also, just cause theyre brittish and look sexy.

opinions, anyone? keep in mind the price range, and i want at least 2x12 speakers in these babies.

I don't care what people say look into the Line 6 Spider II series. 4 Channels effects are decent and the cleans in my opinion are as good as anything.

could try doing what i'm about to do, get a modeller (pod or a vamp) a Crate Powerblock and a cheap cab. though not sure whether that fits into your budget but im pretty sure it would. good luck on the new amp purchase, half stacks look cool and are pretty awesome imo, even though they're impractical they are still fun to mess with.

Fender Twin Reverb Used (to help save $) It has all you are looking for tone and effects wise.

2 cents

Originally Posted by: jimmy_kwtxFender Twin Reverb Used (to help save $) It has all you are looking for tone and effects wise.

2 cents

This one too but a 2x12 won't come cheap even used but well worth saving for in the future.

Originally Posted by: jimmy_kwtxFender Twin Reverb Used (to help save $) It has all you are looking for tone and effects wise.

2 cents

a math teacher at my school actually overheard me talking about buying a new amp and was selling his vintage twin reverb amp. hes selling it for 800 though, and its a bit out of my budget.

Try looking into the Peavey Twin.

Played around with one at Gtr Cntr used section.Would have set me back by about 250.00. But it had what you were looking for.

And at over the 50Watt range you have a good go/play anywhere amp.

With Fender. If it has "vintage" before it it is definately going to cost $. :eek:

as long as you don't want distortion, fender amps are definately the way to go. they make some REALLY good clean sounds. but, tube amps make AMAZING clean tones.

my reccomendations:
fender FM212R - I had one, and it had an amazing clean tone, and amazingly LOUD!!!
peavey valveking - I haven't tried one, but I hear they sound really good, plus it's all tube!
Peavey classic 50 - ask PRSplaya, he'll tell you the tone is amazing, and it's incredibly loud! you'll have to find used though, as it's discontinued
and maybe look around for some Ampeg's (?) Lordathastrings likes 'em, so they must be good!!!

if you want good tone, I'd suggest staying away from crate. who care's if you've got a stack or not? if you sound terrible, people won't care that your amp "looks cool". however I have heard those Marshall MG100DFX half stacks in action (and tried one out at guitar center once) and they really don't sound half bad, so if you're looking for a half stack on a budget, I'd suggest you go with that one over the crate. however to the however I've only really extensively heard their distortion channel, the clean may be crap.

I'm with Ninjie...you cant go wrong with a Line6 Spider2...it is the best amp in its price range imo.

6strngs also has a great point. Fender amps are awesome clean.
I wouldnt go with the frontman...try find a Deville used or summin like that...Fender valve amps= sparkly awesome clean tone.

Dunno if they're available in your price range tho

Originally Posted by: Andrew Sa6strngs also has a great point. Fender amps are awesome clean.
I wouldnt go with the frontman...try find a Deville used or summin like that...Fender valve amps= sparkly awesome clean tone.

I don't know why you would say not to go with the frontman. I owned one for several months, it's clean tone was extremely good. the distortion was kinda blah. I only sold it because it was just too damn loud. I played shows in a medium sized room for 30-50 people weekly and had to keep the volume around 2-3

Originally Posted by: 6strngs_2hmbkrsI don't know why you would say not to go with the frontman. I owned one for several months, it's clean tone was extremely good. the distortion was kinda blah. I only sold it because it was just too damn loud. I played shows in a medium sized room for 30-50 people weekly and had to keep the volume around 2-3

yea i had to sell my 10 watt fender amp because of that. i had to keep it around 1.. plus it only had gain clean treble and bass

for ska, youre going to want a good tube amp. it needs to be able to be clean, but you can push it into a slight natural distortion.

Ive actually found that a nice tube blues amp can handle it well.

if you're doing a more skapunk-ish feel, I'd say try out some mesaboogie.

Originally Posted by: Andrew SaI'm with Ninjie...you cant go wrong with a Line6 Spider2...it is the best amp in its price range imo.

6strngs also has a great point. Fender amps are awesome clean.
I wouldnt go with the frontman...try find a Deville used or summin like that...Fender valve amps= sparkly awesome clean tone.

Dunno if they're available in your price range tho

haha...funny that a few people mentioned this amp...cause thats the one i ended up nabbing after about 30 seconds of sessioning it. memorial day went like this: stood in line with a bunch of guitar nerds whilst eating doughnuts and drinking coffee, went inside, saw the line 6 spider II, played it, had an orgasm, and bought it cash money immediately afterward. it was pretty rad cause i got it with the 2x12'' combo, which is more than enough power for anything i would need in my band. keeping into consideration that i love playing all kinds of music, from ska to death metal, i really wanted some versitile mods on the amp. i just got it yesterday and its over at my band's jam room as we speak, and im craving it like heroin....its soooo sick. nuff said. hmmm....putting that baby on twang with the reverb and light tremolo...what an awesome buy. imma take it home tonight and rock out till the wee hours of the morning!

I'm waiting for the Spider III to get a big'un like your 2x12. I got a Spider II 15 and I know what it can do so I can imagine your extacy over the large version.