Solid State amps

[tremolo3]

I'm not crazy about tubes and I'm just checking if there is some other cool stuff out there besides teh Beta Lead and Jazz Chorus that I must consider to replace a 68 Twin Reverb.
Head or combo, but preferably open 2x12 combo.
Budget ~$500.
All I need is a loud and "neutral" sounding amp.

My main concern with tube amps is the maintenance. I do know how to not die and can solder without any problem, I just want to have one less thing to worry about in the future.


Orange? Marshall? Music Man?

[SoaringTortoise]

Older Acoustic brand SS amps sound pretty good. The model 150 head is a nice one in particular. Older tuck and roll Kustoms also sound good and neutral, and if you don't like tuck and roll later models came with typical bland black tolex-y coverings.Both can get loud. Both are still pretty cheap.

[futuresailors]

KVLT.

[spacelordmother]

Yamaha G100 212, either v1 or v2

Loud, loves pedals, spring tank, parametric eq, and way cheaper than $500... unless you have to have one shipped!

[paulandpaul]

Look into red knobbed, Fender solid states. Particularly the Pro 185. I gauruntee you'd love it if you like a Twin clean tone.

[rot gut]

Yamaha G100 212, either v1 or v2

Loud, loves pedals, spring tank, parametric eq, and way cheaper than $500... unless you have to have one shipped!

backed hard!

[tremolo3]

Yamaha G100 212, either v1 or v2

I have read good things about those, and I'm a Yamaha fanboy, so why not?!


I will take a look at the others too. I do have a Fender red knob, it's an Eighty-Five and I fucking love it but it's not too loud.

[BoatRich]

Any of the Peavey solid state heads sound awesome.

[Gone Fission]

Not common on the ground, but the Yamaha JX series, like the G series, are also dead beautiful sounding amps that give a lot of blackface or silverface Fender vibe, and often go dirt cheap, probably because there don't seem to have famous users. The JX65 has two 12's. The VX series is probably worth a look, too, though there seems to be even fewer of these to find.

[fever606]

Lab Series are my sleeper solid state amps of choice...

[Strange Tales]

I forever back all 70s Acoustic stuff. Absolutely killer amps that can get mega loud.

[casecandy]

Look into red knobbed, Fender solid states. Particularly the Pro 185. I gauruntee you'd love it if you like a Twin clean tone.

Eric who runs Hungry Robot pedals owns one of these and claims it's a great amp, unless you're a tone snob who looks down their nose at a red knob Fender. I mean if he's testing all those pedals on it, it must be good.

[Inconuucl]

I was thinking of getting the orange SS head, is it any good?

[casecandy]

I was thinking of getting the orange SS head, is it any good?

I've never heard anything negative about it. The CR120 you mean?

[blakestree]

I was thinking of getting the orange SS head, is it any good?

I have my CR120 for sale, because it is too much for my needs. It has great clean power for pedals. But, it is not sterile like some solid states. The clean channel can be pushed into a bit of crunch. It has character.

It sounds like the OP is looking for a JC-120.