Combo Amp for Pedulz REDUX!

[t-rey]

Except not really redux. Maybe more of a directors cut? Fuck, I don't know.

What I do know is this:

I played a Peavey Classic 30 and liked it, but holy fuck they are way louder than I expected. Local ones go for like $400.
There's a 68 Custom Vibrolux (one of the new ones with the 'bassman' channel) on my craigslist for $600.
I can get a 1970 Traynor YGM-3 for $550. Looks like it's literally never been used (can't really play it first though because distance, but have read they are essentially Deluxe Reverb circuits?).
And there is also the Blooze Juniors for about $350-$400 as well.

What do? My gut is saying Traynor, but I've never owned a vintage amp and don't know what all may come up in terms of maintenance costs/associated headaches.

Or do I listen to the last bit of advice in the other thread and go for a solid state amp (since I mostly just play at home at reasonable volumes) and blow the rest of the budget on pedals?

[gnomethrone]

I know I was hyping that classic 30 but yeah they're loooud. If you won't get to crank it on the regular it's probably not a good choice. You tried any little solid states yet? You could get one of those orange crush combos and have plenty of pedal money. Try one out if you get a chance.

[t-rey]

Yeah I really liked it, and probably would've bought it that day, but the store wanted like $475 for it and wouldn't budge on the price. It sounded really good at low volumes, but I was just caught off guard with how loud it actually was.

Haven't played any ss stuff - I need to try a Pathfinder 15, since they've been on my radar for a couple of years now, but they never pop up around here. There is a store that carries Orange stuff, I haven't made it over there to see if they have any of the Crush stuff. I just kind of assumed they would be all about copping the Rockerverb gain thing - do they take pedals well too?

[Ghost Hip]

My first thoughts: I used to hype Classic 30s but nowadays they have too much midrange honk for me whenever I try them. And they are ridiculously loud for how small they are. The Vibrolux is cool, especially with that bassman channel, and that is a smokin' deal. I don't have much experience with Traynors but I would take it over a classic 30. Blues juniors sound like trash with fuzz pedals IMO. They have this annoying lower midrange that takes away any character the fuzz has to my ears.

[gnomethrone]

Thats a pretty steep price for the peavey. I think I payed like 350 but the reverb wasn't working. The crush series are pretty cool. The clean channel actually has just a little grit to it which could be good or bad depending on your preference. I haven't tried pedals into one but have heard good things. No idea if it would work for you but its a cheap option to explore.

[popvulture]

I've never owned a vintage amp and don't know what all may come up in terms of maintenance costs/associated headaches.

Usually with old amps (in my experience), the simplicity usually just means you've gotta get a couple of things replaced (caps, maybe tubes) and you're generally headache free. It's usually newer amps with PCBs and shit that'll give you major headaches.

If you're considering solid state, why not look at the Quilters with a small cab or maybe one of the smaller Roland JCs used? Fwiw I know Quilter makes combos, but I've never played one. Was impressed with the head tho.

[Ghost Hip]

I've never owned a vintage amp and don't know what all may come up in terms of maintenance costs/associated headaches.

Usually with old amps (in my experience), the simplicity usually just means you've gotta get a couple of things replaced (caps, maybe tubes) and you're generally headache free. It's usually newer amps with PCBs and shit that'll give you major headaches.

If you're considering solid state, why not look at the Quilters with a small cab or maybe one of the smaller Roland JCs used? Fwiw I know Quilter makes combos, but I've never played one. Was impressed with the head tho.

I was also going to suggest the Roland JC40. That amp was way cool when I gave it a go in a shop.

[t-rey]

My first thoughts: I used to hype Classic 30s but nowadays they have too much midrange honk for me whenever I try them. And they are ridiculously loud for how small they are. The Vibrolux is cool, especially with that bassman channel, and that is a smokin' deal. I don't have much experience with Traynors but I would take it over a classic 30. Blues juniors sound like trash with fuzz pedals IMO. They have this annoying lower midrange that takes away any character the fuzz has to my ears.

Vibrolux take pedals pretty well, I assume?

I've never owned a vintage amp and don't know what all may come up in terms of maintenance costs/associated headaches.

Usually with old amps (in my experience), the simplicity usually just means you've gotta get a couple of things replaced (caps, maybe tubes) and you're generally headache free. It's usually newer amps with PCBs and shit that'll give you major headaches.

If you're considering solid state, why not look at the Quilters with a small cab or maybe one of the smaller Roland JCs used? Fwiw I know Quilter makes combos, but I've never played one. Was impressed with the head tho.

That's good to know. Kind of like an older car, I guess?

I looked at the Quilter heads a while back. Might have to look at them again.

I was also going to suggest the Roland JC40. That amp was way cool when I gave it a go in a shop.

JCs have always had my interest. How are the built in stereo effects on the little ones?

[repoman]

You probably can't go wrong with any of them.

Classic 30s are usually more like 300-350 used in my neck of the woods.

I had a Custom VIbrolux and really liked it, 600 for one of the new ones is a really good deal.

Never had a Traynor YGM but I have had a couple DRRIs and I found them awesome amps, but they were also the most picky amps I've ever had when it comes to pedals. Tons of pedals that sounded awesome through other amps would sound tinny and anemic through the DRRIs, especially delays. I think the lack of mids was the culprit, the 68 Vibrolux has boosted mids so that might make it better as a pedal platform. They roar more like non-master volume Marshalls when cranked too, not so much typical Fender sound.

[neonblack]

Quilter, man. I've never been happier with my tone.

Hit me up if you're near downtown sometime. You can come try mine out.

[MechaGodzilla]

Get that goddamn Traynor and put a beastly motherfucking speaker in it.

[Paul_C]

I'm running my pedals through a Boss Katana 50 combo - it's far and away the best solid state amp I've heard, so no valve worries and it's stupidly cheap 9in the UK at least, I don't know about US prices).

50w (loud) switchable to 25w (still loud) and 0.5W (plenty loud enough for home use).

[JonnyAngle]

I didn't notice a budget but try out a bandit 112. It can get loud enough on its own but sounds good when it's quiet. You can add an extension cab also

[frigid midget]

Traynor YGM all the way.

Other combos I've been curious about myself that might be worth checking:
Fender Bassbreaker 15 (toob)
Boss Katana 50 (no toobs, but a used one shouldn't cost ya a whole lot more than a decent pair of shoes)

Used to have a tiny terror combo that I stupidly sold. That fucking amp had everything. Highish gain growl in an un-marshally way, half power switch, GREAT speaker,...And you should be able to find one in the same price range as a PV C30, if not cheaper.

My living room amp these days: Sunn Alpah 112R. The onboard dirt sucks ass, but with the gain down it's a more than decent pedal platform that can be found dirt cheap.

[The Eristic]

I just checked your CL. Slim pickin's, but:

Dunno if he'll sell outright, but if you can get it cheapish and it's at 100%, these are amazing. They really do sound like "deluxe" Ampeg Reverberockets, though they mostly evolved in parallel. https://wilmington.craigslist.org/msg/d ... 91555.html

This is technically a keyboard/synth amp, but most of their small form amps from this era share a fairly similar topology and it should work well for clean guitar tones (though I can't say how it'll do with pedals, but I do love the 200RCB with effects). The price is stupid cheap, too. You should buy it just to double your money. https://wilmington.craigslist.org/msg/d ... 18453.html

These usually sound damn good for certain stuff, but they do have a distinct flavor you'll either love or hate. Also dirt cheap. https://wilmington.craigslist.org/msg/d ... 69359.html