help me pick an amp

[colin]

If you want a single channel combo with good cleans that takes pedals well, sounds to me like a Fender will be perfect for you. The Deluxe Reverb, while plenty loud, will probably have more breakup than you want, so a Super Reverb or a Twin Reverb (which is too fiendishly loud for me, but I live in a basement suite and I'm not gigging) or a Bassman sounds like exactly what you want. I have a Deluxe Reverb reissue, but I've played through a few silverfaces as well as some boutique clones and to me the difference in tone was not nearly enough to justify paying the extra money. I've got no idea what the used market for amps is like in Germany, nor whether you have Craigslist or an equivalent, but I'd suggest trying out as many amps as you can and then trying to find what you decide you like used.

[colin]

Sorry for the double post, but I've just noticed that you're interested in the Matamp Gt50. I was really considering that amp before I bought my Deluxe Reverb, but the only one I know of in Canada (or all of North America to my knowledge) is nearly 5000 kilometres from me and I simply couldn't justify spending that money on an amp I hadn't played. If you find one to play through, please let me know your thoughts on it.

[phantasmagorovich]

Sorry for the double post, but I've just noticed that you're interested in the Matamp Gt50. I was really considering that amp before I bought my Deluxe Reverb, but the only one I know of in Canada (or all of North America to my knowledge) is nearly 5000 kilometres from me and I simply couldn't justify spending that money on an amp I hadn't played. If you find one to play through, please let me know your thoughts on it.

I think it might have been your posting a pic of it that brought the GT50 to my attention first. I have exchanged emails with the dude that represents Matamp over here and he said I could just order one. It is among the cheaper of the options I listed. At least compared to the boutique stuff that I have on my notepad the Matamp not only is cool as farque, but also most affordable. It's cheaper than a new 65 Super Reverb even. I'm just really not sure about buying an amp without being able to play it. And the dude's showroom is like 550km away. It's a fifth of your distance but still a long way to go. If I go by what eatyourguitar says it probably isn't right for me anyway, since it works with EL's not 6L6's.

If I sold both our cars and all of my gear I could also buy this:


Shit is sweet!

[tashiattack]

Fender Twin Reverb or Bassman + pedals ftw.

[CaptainWampum]

No, yeah, AC30.

[madmax1012]

i'm in the same situation. i'm thinking deluxe reverb right now tho. fender just came out with a limited edition one, and i think i might stop eating for a month to buy it. maybe even sell sperm/blood. i must have this amp.

[modernage]

If you want loud and clean, I would go with what has been mentioned a few times already, Twin Reverb! I've loved the idea of having a Hiwatt rig. Nothing says badass like a Hiwatt.

I've also been really impressed with what I've heard from Morgan Amps. I don't know how easy it would be to try, or obtain, one in DE though.

[eatyourguitar]

Btw that fuchs over drive supreme and the triple drive supreme are all dumle clones or modded 3 channel dumble style or something. Thats way more expensive than his one channel amps. He made a pure class A 7w lucky seven. And a 15 class A. I know the dealer and they say you can get andy fuchs on the phone directly and tell him yourself you want a 30 or 50 class A amp. His custom work is really close to the price of a noncustom one. Thats what the dealer told me. He makes the amps one at a time using pcb and point to point wiring. Email him.

[warwick.hoy]

Yes,...I was aware that Fuchs does Dumble clones. I think you can source schems and build your own but I'm guessing it's not for the novice solder monkey.

[phantasmagorovich]

Btw that fuchs over drive supreme and the triple drive supreme are all dumle clones or modded 3 channel dumble style or something. Thats way more expensive than his one channel amps. He made a pure class A 7w lucky seven. And a 15 class A. I know the dealer and they say you can get andy fuchs on the phone directly and tell him yourself you want a 30 or 50 class A amp. His custom work is really close to the price of a noncustom one. Thats what the dealer told me. He makes the amps one at a time using pcb and point to point wiring. Email him.

The dealer nearby has the Lucky Seven in store. It's even at a special price. But 7w is a little too less headroom for what I need. Can I get the amp to put out much more cleans if I pop in a 6L6 instead of the EL34? Is that possible at all?

[mikeyhegs]

I'd go with a twin reverb/fender tube amp. also if you can track down an old plush p1000s for cheap then i'd get that with a 2x12 cab. the clean tone is killer on those things. I got mine for $100 and I see them in the states for around that price pretty often. the old musicman combos are pretty good too if you can get over the fact that they're hybrid amps. they'll be cheaper than a new fender/vox fo sho'. happy hunting

[mauerkraut]

Look into Goodsell amps. Sweet amps, boutique high grade build and nice prices used. I love my Ampeg SVT, sounds great on guitar or bass and you have to get it LOUD to break up. MusicMan amps are cool too for hybrids. Marshalls are always priced good used and sound superb.

For combos, the new Fender tweed Blues Deluxe is nice. Vox always has a good rep, but I hear they don't like a truckload of dirt. Dunno.

[01010111]

I'd suggest a twin and the lowest cost twins are the red knob or "evil" twins here's one that's about twice as much as they usually cost:
http://cgi.ebay.com/1987-Twin-Fender-/4 ... 1588wt_905

I use one that I got for $400 and it's clean, loud, and handles pedals well

[phantasmagorovich]

Well, the case is semi-closed. Roost Session Master 100 w/reverb

I went to the store where I know people will at least not get on my nerves when I try stuff, They're pretty laid back with that. You can just pick up any guitar save the vintage ones, play it, fire up any amp etc. So the dude that's in charge of the amp department is not there and this old guy just shoves me into the room tells me to try anything, if I can't get an amp to run, either call him or best wait for Eddy. So I check out the vintage WEM the old guy tried to sell me, it's nice-ish but it does have a noticeable breakup when I dig in, and the chassis rattles with certain high notes. No way I'm going to buy this. Next up: AC30. Honestly don't know which one it was, price-wise it should've been the CC2 though. Breaks up far too easily, not for me. The Bassman LTD doesn't work, next I try an Engl Classic 50, not so bad. Next up is the Deluxe Reverb. Nice! It does break up, but nicely, not as edgy sounding as the Vox. So, everybody was right, I think, and plug into the Silverface Pro Reverb. Glassy tones, not at all unpleasant, clear, defined, no breakup, this might be it I think when Eddy shows up, asks me if I want an amp for clean. I say yes and before I start to explain what i like about the Pro, he's out the door. Next the two interns come in, carrying what seems to be the heaviest amp ever built. Eddy (who is a New Metal dude and looks exactly like it. Well, no masks or mascara, but you get what I mean) comes in right behind them and just tells me to try it. It says Roost, which sounds not too promising - Eddy admits he hadn't heard of them before as well. I plug in and it blows me away. Apparently for stuff to blow me away it has to be different from what I am looking for. For sure, the amp does clean, very well. But noone can say this guy is clear or analytical. It really is warm and smooth. The chords don't come out as clusters of single notes but as full blooming beautiful entities. Eddy still told me he accredited the sound to the speakers - Celestion Yellowbacks - but all I know is that it sounds heavenly. You can also jumper it's normal and bright channels for extra mojoes. I didn't have the patience to try it yet, but I think by jumpering the channels you can get an overdriven sound at pretty low volumes. If you want. Fact is, I tried various guitars over it, in every price range and it could make them all sound good. Very usable tone control. Full bass made my trousers flap. I love it. From what I gathered from the net Roost were a tiny business operating through the seventies. Apparently the amps are sort of a mix between Hiwatts and Marshalls. And it sounds soo good. They let me pay a small deposit and I can pay the rest next month.



Mine is like this but in slightly better shape.

[univalve]

then i can only say gratulations to the new amp!!! And next months is already quite near (thank god!).