Solid state amps

[dave_mc]

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.

+1

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

+1 (i haven't tried the VTXL... or the vypyrs yet).

[d1dsj]

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.

[Ian Price]

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?

[Philly Q]

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....

[HTH 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?

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.

[dave_mc]

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.

[Afghan Dave]

i tried the 5 watt version, and i liked it.

Did it taste of cherry chapstick?   :P

[Twinfan]

PMSL!  :lol:

[Ian Price]

i tried the 5 watt version, and i liked it.

Did it taste of cherry chapstick?   :P

 :lol:

[noodleplugerine]

i tried the 5 watt version, and i liked it.

Did it taste of cherry chapstick?   :P

You are on a ROLL today!

[MesaExplorer]

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.

[Matt77]

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

[matteo]

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!

[Elliot]

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.

[tomjackson]

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.....