Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Ian Price on December 09, 2008, 11:11:18 AM
-
Hello all,
I'm looking at buying a solid state amp for someone over the next few weeks. Can anyone recommend a decent one that is fairly cheap (sub £250!). EDIT - happy to go second hand.
Also, is there a major difference in sound/tone between a solid state and valve amp at bedroom volumes? I've never A/Bd them against each other before so would be interested to hear opinions on this!
Cheers,
Ian.
-
it really depends on the music style you play... hard to say without this basic information... :) ever tried a POD or something like that? anyway solid state amps usually sound almost the same whatever the volume is.
-
ok, i've read just now that's for a present... a used fender 212 could be nice... or a PODxt, i think it could be the best thing!
-
tech 21 amps can sound pretty good at low volumes
-
it really depends on the music style you play... hard to say without this basic information... :)
It would be mainly clean going up to blues rock (Black Crowes) sort of territory. Nothing too gainy!
-
Is it just for a home/practice amp or stage use too?
-
Is it just for a home/practice amp or stage use too?
Just home/practice.
-
Vox valvetronix should be your mates first port of call.
Not stricktly speaking SS, but near enough (especially price wise!)
-
The Roland Cube range gets a lot of love, we have the microcube which is pretty impressive, I believe the Cube 30 is supposed to be pretty good.
-
it really depends on the music style you play... hard to say without this basic information... :)
It would be mainly clean going up to blues rock (Black Crowes) sort of territory. Nothing too gainy!
hmm, that's the toughest type of tone to get with SS amps - pristine cleans or Dimebag distortions are easily available, but not much inbeween in my experience.
the Line6 SpiderII isn't a bad amp (used to have one myself as a backup) and the new Peavey modeling range is worth a look.
-
The old Marshall Valvestates are pretty good. The 8080 I had was OK for that sort of thing....
-
Vox valvetronix should be your mates first port of call.
Not stricktly speaking SS, but near enough (especially price wise!)
+1 I have an AD30VT, it's awesome
-
+1 for the 8080s as well.
They were pretty good.
But I think the ADVTs are better.
Cubes are decent for pretty much anything, but I'd only give the cube the edge if metal was on the cards.
For me, it goes like this
Cube - Good for metal and lots of other stuff
VT - Not as good as the cube for metal, but better for other stuff
VTXL - Best for metal, but metal only.
-
And there's the Peavey Vypyr range - I think they look fairly hideous but they're getting decent reviews.
-
Oh, the 8080s in this lineup I'd say are best for rock sounds, not so great for and breakup, but better than most SS amps.
They're at a big disadvantage against the cubes and VTs, because the latter sound pretty convincing in a wide range of applications. The 8080s have basically 1 sound (a small, tame, fizzy JCM800, to my ears) and you like it or dont. There are lots of sounds that fit the description available in the voxes and cubes.
I havent played the peaveys.
-
hmm, that's the toughest type of tone to get with SS amps - pristine cleans or Dimebag distortions are easily available, but not much inbeween in my experience.
+1For me, it goes like this
Cube - Good for metal and lots of other stuff
VT - Not as good as the cube for metal, but better for other stuff
+1 (i haven't tried the VTXL... or the vypyrs yet).
-
The Roland Cube range gets a lot of love, we have the microcube which is pretty impressive, I believe the Cube 30 is supposed to be pretty good.
+1.
I'd go for a Cube or Tech21 for sure.
-
Anyone heard anything good (or bad) about these:
http://guitarvillage.co.uk/product-detail.asp?id=5862&catid=30&manid=29&quantity=1&product=Fender+Super+Champ+XD+203v%2C+15+Watts%2C+New
I'm assuming it's not all valve? And what does class AB mean?
-
It's a valve/digital hybrid - haven't tried one, but I've read that they're excellent, better than the equivalent Vox and Roland amps.
I'm not going to attempt to explain the difference between Class A and Class AB, there are too many amp experts on this forum....
-
Anyone heard anything good (or bad) about these:
http://guitarvillage.co.uk/product-detail.asp?id=5862&catid=30&manid=29&quantity=1&product=Fender+Super+Champ+XD+203v%2C+15+Watts%2C+New
I'm assuming it's not all valve? And what does class AB mean?
it's essentially a DSP preamp mated to a class AB, push-pull valve output stage. the preamp valve is most likely a phase splitter/inverter that takes the preamp signal and splits it into two signals that are 180degress out of phase with eachother. this feeds each side of the output stage - one valve conducts for 180degress of the signal (negative cycle), then the other valve takes over and conducts for the positive cycle (in simple terms).
for comparison sake, all old Marshalls right upto the JCM900 range (at least) were class AB push-pull amps.
-
Anyone heard anything good (or bad) about these:
http://guitarvillage.co.uk/product-detail.asp?id=5862&catid=30&manid=29&quantity=1&product=Fender+Super+Champ+XD+203v%2C+15+Watts%2C+New
I'm assuming it's not all valve? And what does class AB mean?
i tried the 5 watt version, and i liked it.
-
i tried the 5 watt version, and i liked it.
Did it taste of cherry chapstick? :P
-
PMSL! :lol:
-
i tried the 5 watt version, and i liked it.
Did it taste of cherry chapstick? :P
:lol:
-
i tried the 5 watt version, and i liked it.
Did it taste of cherry chapstick? :P
You are on a ROLL today!
-
i tried the 5 watt version, and i liked it.
Did it taste of cherry chapstick? :P
Hahah, I loled.
If you're playing blues, and classic rock I would go for the Fender. It has a little warmth the other modelers don't. Possibly a 5-15w tube amp, maybe a used Blues Jr.
-
2 cheap old but good ones if you can find them
Marshall Lead Overdrive 30 circa 1979
LAB Series L-5 which I think was made in the 70s by Gibson's parent company
-
i have a vypyr 30w and love it! bit too loud tho to be honest!!!!! not as well built as the roland but a wider variety of killer tones! well worth checking out!
-
The Fender Super Champ is great. Not really a true SS amp though.
Old Sessions are about the best pure SS amps for the tone you want.
-
I had a Vibro Champ XD for a while and it was excellent, some of the DSP distortions were not my thing but if you stick to the BF / tweed lower gain stuff and get the power tube going it sounded great. The reverb was great too.
I have a VOX DA5 for home practise now which is also great, for what it is, but not a patch on the XD. The only thing about the XD was no headphone socket which is the main reason I sold it - wish I hadn't. They sound great at low volume too.
Here's a clip I posetd a while ago of me playing through it.....
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9MagOWeWUMU
If you fancy the XD, pay the extra and get the Super rather than Vibro.....
-
Old Sessions are about the best pure SS amps for the tone you want.
+1
also if you get chance try a 70's vox ac30ss, i had one for years and for a solid state amp it had an incredible amount of warmth on tap and the cleans were awesome. all the features of a real ac30 except the valves... best bit is they sell for about £200-350. they have no distortion of their own but mine took pedals really well. worst bit is the weight!!
-
Old Sessions are about the best pure SS amps for the tone you want.
That reminds me, I've got an early-'80s Sessionette 75, but it hasn't worked for years. Wonder if I could get it fixed?
-
Old Sessions are about the best pure SS amps for the tone you want.
That reminds me, I've got an early-'80s Sessionette 75, but it hasn't worked for years. Wonder if I could get it fixed?
You should get it fixed up. There's an '80s Sessionette '75 in our rehearsal studio, and it's a phenomenally flattering SS amp. Far better than any other I've played. Bright and punchy, but with a real sparkle on the cleans and takes pedals very well. Oh, and LOUD. Not a patch on my 5150-II, mind, but then it'd take a pretty massive solid state rig to achieve that ;)
Roo
-
Old Sessions are about the best pure SS amps for the tone you want.
That reminds me, I've got an early-'80s Sessionette 75, but it hasn't worked for years. Wonder if I could get it fixed?
nah, its obviously junk...
... send it to me and i will dispose of it appropriately :P
-
Old Sessions are about the best pure SS amps for the tone you want.
That reminds me, I've got an early-'80s Sessionette 75, but it hasn't worked for years. Wonder if I could get it fixed?
nah, its obviously junk...
... send it to me and i will dispose of it appropriately :P
It's in the post.
But I only had a second class stamp so you won't get it before Christmas.
-
Old Sessions are about the best pure SS amps for the tone you want.
That reminds me, I've got an early-'80s Sessionette 75, but it hasn't worked for years. Wonder if I could get it fixed?
nah, its obviously junk...
... send it to me and i will dispose of it appropriately :P
It's in the post.
But I only had a second class stamp so you won't get it before Christmas.
You're an eternal optimist if you think it'd really get there in time with first class postage, Philly ;)
-
Blimey, I've never been called an optimist before! :lol:
-
If your interested in the Fender Champ. Check these out. I think they are the best reviews of the amp. its covers all parts of it in lots of detail and its a propper demo not a camera mic type rushed job. This is the 5 W version. Very sweet.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx38IIs2cZM&feature=channel
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VYjhTNWjYJM&feature=channel
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5VXOhWUAiyI&feature=channel