Amp advice needed - updated NAD - Video Link

[Stu]

Hi,

I'm new to the forum and was hoping I could get some recommendations for a new amp.
I play mostly funk, jazz and rock and use an Organic classic along with several pedals.
I'm looking to get a simple one channel clean amp to use at home for recording at low volumes as well as playing at higher volumes for small gigs.
I want a really responsive clean amp which will take pedals well. I currently use a T-rex mudhoney for overdrive/distortion, a T-rex tremster and a eventide timefactor. I guess 15-30 watts should give me enough clean headroom for using at live gigs but it needs to still sound good and dynamic at low volumes.
My budget could stretch to £1000 if the amp met all my needs.

Thanks for any input you may have,

Stu



UPDATE:

Here's a quick video I did of me playing my new Vox AC15 Heritage with my Organic Classic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMH4DdDZ7Qc

[Twinfan]

Hmmm.  The trouble with low wattage amps that are clean, its that they don't stay clean for long when you turn up the volume!  If you want gigging clean tones, you're going to need a louder amp than you're suggesting (IMHO).  You don't say if you want a head/cab or combo?

My amp of choice for this kind of thing is a JTM45, but they can get crunchy early.  Beautiful clean sound though and loud enough for gigging.

Don't bother with a Marshall though.  Speak to Martin at Martamp and he can build you a handwired JTM45 and 2x12 which will smoke anything Marshall have built recently.  If you're local to Manchester, you're welcome to try mine out any time  :)

(Ignore the Matamp Little Rock on top!)

[Stu]

Thanks for the recommendation Twinfan. I'm moving from a 25 watt zinky blue velvet which had enough clean headroom for all my uses but I know this changes from amp to amp. The clean channel was warm and smooth sounding but I am now looking for something more bright and Fenderish. I would like to get something fairly compact and portable as space is at a premium and I longer feel the need to have a head and 4x12 for the small venues I play. Either a combo or head and 1x12 would be suitable. Some of the amps I've been looking at are:
Fender Blues Junior
Cornell Romany
Cornford Hurricane
Bad Cat Classic Cat
Orange Tiny Terror
Vox AC 15 or 30
DR Z Carmen Ghia

The main requirement is to have a nice clear and detailed clean sound verging on breakup at gigging volumes yet still useable for recording. Power-scaling would be a bonus. I plan to try some amps out but it would be good to get some input from people who have used any amps that fit the bill at gig volumes as that is always hard to test in a shop.
The Martamp looks really good but I'm not sure if I can afford to wait for an amp to be built and as I live in Brighton I'm not sure where I could try one.

Cheers,

Stu

[Twinfan]

I don't think any of those will have the clean volume you require for gigging.  The AC30 with Alnico Blues would be lovely option as those speakers are worth the upgrade price, but they're a heavy amp  :(

I've never heard one in the flesh, just clips, but if I didn't buy custom amps from Martin I'd be looking at Dr Zs.  However the higher power, more Fender style ones are out of your budget.

Martin's amps are around 8-10 weeks build time I think, so a couple of months.  Not that long to wait?  He can also fit London Power Scaling if required.

I know you want to try some things out first, but I would give Martin a call and see what he can suggest.  He doesn't bite unless you put too much milk in his coffee  ;)  You won't get a better amp for the price, and in your choice of colours etc too......

[ailean]

I can't be a great deal of help here, but I do own an Orange TT and it's a great little amp, BUT it doesn't stay clean for long, bedroom levels only, after that distortion creeps in (and rocks :) )

I guess you really want a twin channel amp. I also own a Peavey ValveKing112, it has a very nice clean channel, but I'm not ovely impressed with the lead channel, so I play through a pedal (BlackStar HT Dual) into the clean channel and get what I want from it.

[martinw]

I wouldn't have thought any of the amps you've mentioned would have enough clean headroom for gigging.
 
If you want something bright and Fenderish, and clean at gigging volumes, then you'd need at least a Super/Pro 30W 2x6L6 type amplifier, and with a blackface circuit, as opposed to Tweed.
Of course "clean" covers a huge range.

To get something like that that also sounded good at low volumes, you'd definitely need Power Scaling, as "bright and Fendery" amps can sound a bit stiff at low volumes (if they are also big enough to gig with.)
Amps like the JTM45 which sound great at lower volumes are generally going to be warm sounding and break up quickly, which I gather isn't what you're after.

To get all this in a combo for under £1000, off the shelf, is a tall order! I can do it though.

Thanks for the mention, Dave!  8)

[Ted 'N' Leo]

I don't think any of those will have the clean volume you require for gigging.  The AC30 with Alnico Blues would be lovely option as those speakers are worth the upgrade price, but they're a heavy amp  :(

I've played one, and its one i can certainly vouch for!

Very nice bell like cleans, seemed like you would have to put the volume up pretty for far it to break up.

Was the AC30CC2X i played, with the alnico blue speakers. You can usually get those at around a grand.

[hamfist]

Cornell Romany - not enough headroom.

TT - not enough headroom

Cornford Hurricane - possibly not enough headroom .... these have less than a Blue Velvet 25W.

Not familiar with the Bad Cat or the Dr.Z, but the Dr.Z amps are well thought of for their Fenderesque clean tones.

The AC30 Heritage is a beautiful amp, which can get some pretty darn loud cleans, certainly greater clean headroom than a Blue Velvet 25W (I have owned both amps).

As MartinW says, you probably would be better off with a 2x6L6 Blackface type amp (yes, and ideally with Power scaling too)

  Not sure which amps to suggest, as I'm not really into that type of music. I do know that you can get decent, genuine 1970's Twin's, Super's and the like for well under a grand. Add on a bit more for a tech to give it the once over, and you've got the real deal !
  If you want to get a new amp, the Dr.Z's have a good reputation for Fendery type sounds, wth rather better build quality.
Like Marshall these days, Fender's general build quality is pretty appalling unless you splash out on one of their hand-wired/custom shop type amps.

  I know Dave (Twinfan) is a Martamp zealot, but Martin at Martamp could certainly build you a very nice amp, specifically for your needs, at the price point you are looking at. Well worth a chat with him maybe.  The build quality would be excellent too.

As you live in Brighton, I'm sure you'll take a stroll down to GAK, and have a play through the Fenders they have in stock there as well.

Happy amp-hunting !

[Twinfan]

I know Dave (Twinfan) is a Martamp zealot, but Martin at Martamp could certainly build you a very nice amp, specifically for your needs, at the price point you are looking at. Well worth a chat with him maybe.  The build quality would be excellent too.

A zealot, how dare you!  It's not like I have 3 of his amps already, and two in build is it????  ;)

:lol:

[HTH AMPS]

Sounds like you want a Fender BF preamp with a cathode biased dual 6L6 output stage (around 30w).  Do Fender make anything like that at the minute? (not up on current Fender stuff).

[Twinfan]

I don't think they do  :(

Another option would be a 'Big Deluxe', a tweed Deluxe preamp with 6L6 power section, in a 1x12 combo.

Martin can build you one and if you hang on a few weeks, I'll let you know what mine's like  ;)

[d1dsj]

If you can find a good deal on a secondhand one... I'd go Cornford Hellcat, it does it all. Cheers.

Sorry, home now so a bit more info if it helps. I had a Hellcat and an MK50. Both great amps, but the Hellcat covers more ground... fantastic cleans on the vintage channel with the gain down and volume up, or get the gain up and the volume down (unless of course you really want the windows changing!) and you gone to vintage crunch, maybe just beyond. Then the modern channel can go from crunchy cleans up to fluid, smooth lead. I unfortunately had to sell one of my amps, and chose to sell the Hellcat over the MK as the MK is a bit more rough and ready... like me! Lol. The Hellcat is a really versatile amp that can hold it's own in most situations. Although rated at 35watts, it can sound great at low volume... and just gets better the more you turn up. It runs EL84's, my view is that it's like a good AC30 on steroids. I played Oxford Town Hall with mine and it was awesome. It takes pedals well especially if you set them up with the cleaner vintage channel... and the drive is to die for. The effects loop is great.. I put my chorus, delay and Micro amp for lead breaks in the loop. I've seen these amps sell for as low as £850 on EVilbay... madness when you consider they were about £1700 new when first out. I paid £1550 for mine... and man do I regret selling it.

Anyway, all the best in your search!

[Stu]

Thank's so much for all your comments. I am realy impressed with how helpfull everyone on this forum is.
Having looked around on the web, if I did need a 30 watt amp to get the clean sound at volume then there isn't a huge amount of quality amps within my price bracket.
The idea of getting a perpous built amp to meet my needs does really apeal especialy if the quality is as good as you say.
My only problem is that I don't have a huge amount of experience with different amps in order to know their sound. This would make it hard for me to specify the specific type of circuit/tubes I would want to get the sound I'm looking for.
Martin - Do you keep any amps around for potential customers to try? Also where are you based as it would be good to chat to you about what would suit my needs best.
Given I'm getting a custom Gus G1 guitar built  for me it would be fitting to get an amp which is just as original.
Cheers for your help

Stu

[Twinfan]

Martin is in Derbyshire.  He doesn't have a stock of amps available for testing as that isn't financially viable for a small maker like him.  He can certainly advise what you might like from a description of the tone you're after though.  I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed.  :)

Shame you're so far away, as I have a few you could try.

[martinw]

I was going to say that!  :D  Just kidding!

Give me a call Stu if you want a chat. You can tell me what you want in terms of sound/music type and perhaps point me at some examples if needs be. With that info and the size of venue you want to play, I can give you a recommendation. I won't be offended if you choose not to accept it!  :D

Number's on the website.