Need some serious amp selection help... (Page 2 of 3)

Thanks for all the suggestions guys...

The retro wreck does seem really awesome, but I'm still a little weary of paying the same amount of money for a solid state amp, as say a Twin Reverb, you know?  But it sounds good nontheless.

I've heard good things about the Peavey Classics before this thread, so it doesn't surprise that they came up here.  I'd like to look into those more and maybe find one in the area that I could test out.

Dr Z, to be honest with you, I haven't been able to get into.  I don't know what it is, but for some reason, the tone of those amps just isn't for me.  And it probably doesn't help that they're a bit out of my budget either.

Mesa amps sound good, but are also a little pricey and I've heard they can be some-what unreliable.  Maybe not true?  The other problem I have is I can't play on one.  I haven't been to any guitar shops around here that carry them...not even Guitar Center.

But, while I'd love to have a new amp now, I'm really just gathering information and preparing for a new amp in the near future.  My band is growing both in popularity and material...so I'd like to have the sound and reliability of a pro-style tube amp.  So, my budget, if it really needs to, could possibly expand with more saving, but I'm pretty intent on trying to spend less than a grand right now--which I think is feasible, as there are a lot of great pro-style amps for under $1000.

Hey Trueblue,

What kind of guitar are you using, what kinda of music do you play, that will also determine what you need.

E

You might look at a Marshall JCM900 series amp. You can pick them up somewhat cheap & sound good. Don't let the tone snobs scare you away. Channel on can be clean just by turning down your guitars volume & get gritty by cranking the volume up. Channel two is straight ahead classic rock style gain. Once again use your volume knob to change your tone. Through in a tube screamer or your favorite overdrive pedal in the mix you can get a lot of tone colors out of a mid-level cheap set up.

Just my 2 cents.

Believe it or not, I'm mostly running single-coils, as I have 3 strat-style guitars (I know, your jaw probably just dropped).  The only humbucker guitar I have is a Dean Shadow ML, but I haven't used that in quite a while and I'm planning on selling that to buy something like a Les Paul (possibly the JB Epi).

I like to play anything really (I'm a sucker for versatility), but I play in a country/blues/rock band.  So the sound I'm striving for is targeted toward that.  We play stuff like Marshall Tucker Band, Drive By Truckers, Cream, Waylon and Shooter Jennings, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jet, Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix, etc.  Hopefully that gives a pretty good idea of what I'm going for...

By the way, I played a Deluxe Reverb in Guitar Center the other day and it sounded great.  Unfortunately they didn't have all the amps I'd like to try (like the Twin, Super, etc.), but at least the Deluxe was good.  I can't get the best idea of headroom or test with pedals and stuff like that, but from that little test it did seem quite loud.  But until I throw a band, including drums, on top of it, it's hard to tell...

TrueBlue,

Deluxe Reverb RI you played at GC is a great amp for price.  I mentioned buying new, mostly for the fact that you have a warranty, don't want to worry about issues with vintage amp might bring = tech visit = more money.  Also, GC probably has a 30-90 day return policy for in store credit.

You can bring a couple of pedals into GC they'll tag them at door and you can play with DR to check it out, but I think they'll take all pedals good, maybe not distorion pedals, which your style of music doesn't require.  Also, DR will allow you to crank it up more than some of the other amps models you mentioned, so you can get that great natural tube OD and use OD pedal more as a boost which is normally preferred method than simulating amp cranked.

20-watts of tube is loud when turned up, like 50-watts of solid state in volume comparison. Watch the neighbors come knocking...lol

Yeah I checked there originally but nothing was on the site.  Nothing mentioned on Retro Wreck site either.  I really don't need one, but they do seem interesting.  Worth checking out at least. -S.

I like to buy new if I can.  But somethings are just TOO expensive new, so then I prefer used.  Even saving 200-300 buying used, in excellent condition, is good.  Then again, I still believe a hundred bucks is a lot of money..  I see a lot of these Fender combo amps for sale, used.  I don't doubt their popularity, but constantly seeing them on consignment, ebay, craigslist, makes me wonder if people are not happy with them?  I've always wanted one, and still plan to buy one someday.  I think since the abundance of "used" products is in your favor, I'd stick with pre owned, the Deluxe since it IS what fits your needs, and make your money go further.  -Seth

I think you see a lot of Twins and Super reverbs for sale because the new craze is smaller, lighter, low wattage amp and both those amps are HEAVY and LOUD. Thats not to say they are not great amps because they are but you don't really need 110 watts of power to play an average sized club. But if I found either of those amps at a good price say a late 60's early 70's silver face and I needed an amp I would pick one up while prices are down.