what amp comes to mind?

[littleredguitars2]

So without naming any brands, I'm looking for something somewhat specific but I'm curious to see what comes to mind so i can consider more options without putting myself in a box from the get go.  So anyways here i go. I'm looking for something modernish with vintagey sounding gain options.  I want a sound that isn't grinding but more organic.  I'm leaning towards a British tone overall so I'm guessing EL34s or something similar. I want something that can be tight when needed.  I don't need a 100 watt head.  Something around 20, 30, 50 will work fine. 

For reference,  I've been using my mesa boogie dual rectifier roadster for a couple years now and I'm just not loving the boominess i sometimes get and how grinding it usually is.  I've been sticking to my axe fx more and more lately with hot rod British style amp models mostly but i need a head.  I'm looking to spend $1200 or less.  And i dont mind buying used.

So i definitely appreciate any recommendations you can give and if i need to try to explain anything better Just say so!  Thanks

[Dave Sloven]

JSX d00d.

/jks

[gwEm]

I'd look into some kind of Splawn

[Toe-Knee]

So without naming any brands, I'm looking for something somewhat specific but I'm curious to see what comes to mind so i can consider more options without putting myself in a box from the get go.  So anyways here i go. I'm looking for something modernish with vintagey sounding gain options.  I want a sound that isn't grinding but more organic.  I'm leaning towards a British tone overall so I'm guessing EL34s or something similar. I want something that can be tight when needed.  I don't need a 100 watt head.  Something around 20, 30, 50 will work fine. 

For reference,  I've been using my mesa boogie dual rectifier roadster for a couple years now and I'm just not loving the boominess i sometimes get and how grinding it usually is.  I've been sticking to my axe fx more and more lately with hot rod British style amp models mostly but i need a head.  I'm looking to spend $1200 or less.  And i dont mind buying used.

So i definitely appreciate any recommendations you can give and if i need to try to explain anything better Just say so!  Thanks

you want a Ceriatone yeti. Seriously. It is exactly what you described.

[Telerocker]

Orange TH30? Engl Ironball? EVH 50? H&K Grandmeister/Tubemeister?

[littleredguitars2]

Tony, the yeti was one of the few i was actually highly considering. The son of yeti actually. They sound awesome.

Telerocker, the th30 is not my type of amp. Had it a while back and it was too stonery. Ive wondered about those small hughes and kettner amps and while i loved the heavy tone of my 5150 a whole back, i wonder how versatile the new fender evh amps are... thoughts?

[Dave Sloven]

If you were considering an EVH amp I would probably say that my suggestion of a JSX is not a bad one, even though I was joking because I thought you were looking for something more along the lines of a Vox or Marshall.

The JSX has an excellent clean sound.  The only complaints I have seen about it relate to it being biased too cold from the factory (a common complaint about Peaveys, they do it to avoid paying for tubes under warranty) and it being honky in the mids.  If you bought a second-hand one (they are no longer called the JSX - a Joe Satriani signature - but are still available as the XXX 2) you could do a tube change and a bias and have a very nice amp for decent money. In the first video below the guy says how he changed the EL34s out for 6L6s to reduce the honk.  You might like the honk, it's hard to say, but there's always that option for toning it down.  It's certainly a more cultured amp than the 5150/6505 series and more in the vein of the EVH series.  If you want to pay a lot of money for an amp made in Mexico the EVH is probably not bad.  I would look at the JSX first though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohEZTGjEVss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0WsfGiAyWA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS4X3fYiLzA

[blue]

you said you're leaning away from a 100 watt head, and it's probably too expensive as well, but soundwise what you're saying sounds a lot like the Marshall Satriani JVM.  Yep, another Satriani amp! :)

[PK]

I can highly recommend the Budda Superdrives

[richard]

I'd look for a used Cornford Roadhouse 30w or 50w. The earlier models were EL34 but they later switched to 6L6 although I understand they are easily modded to take 34s. My 30w combo has been keeping me happy for years. They sound like Marshalls ought to. A lot more punch than an Orange although I do rather like Orange amps myself. This guy was Cornford's USA dealer but I don't know if this e-mail is still valid - wally@cornfordusa.com

[Yellowjacket]

Revv Generator 7 - 40.  Will do from beautiful cleans and blues all the way to hard rock and even metal.  High gain Lead / Solo feel gives the Mark V a run for its money and the tone has clarity and articulation with a nice midrange bark.  It's a 6v6 platform but it's voiced with a british inspired midrange.  I've never tried an amp like this before and I'd highly recommend it. 

(Obviously the Electra Dyne comes to mind as well but the Revv is a different beast.  It's tighter, way more versatile, it can be quieter, and it is clearer with less mud.  It has FAR more gain saturation on tap and it's can be much more aggressive.  Brighter overall than the 'Dyne) 

[PK]

Or a Koch Multitone

[Telerocker]

Or a Koch Multitone

I had one. Good, but generic tones. I missed real tone in this one. Clean channel is the best. Third highgainchannel is (for me) totally useless. You need to turn up the gain to get some beef, but it is neither warm nor very organic. It doesn't like single coils too.

[Slartibartfarst42]

Another vote for the H&K here. Great little amps, either as 18w or 36w