Ideal amp for covers/functions band?

[CommonCourtesy]

This year I'm looking to get into a covers band. I have a range of guitars to suit most styles, a strat, tele and a les paul so most tonal bases are covered.

However, being an owner of a 6505+ its not the most versatile of amps to use for rock/blues/funk/pop/etc. The rhythm channel may work with a pedal to drive it or the crunch switch acting as my "dirty".

Willing to get another amp though after stupidly selling my old Marshall JCM2000 3 years ago.

What do you suggest so I cover most tones I need for covers? Marshall JCM800/2000? Orange?

And for wattages is 100 watts really necessary for pub-sized venues? Do I really need a half-stack? (Or can I get away with using a 40 watt combo, say)

[screamingdaisy]

I'd say this question can't really be answered without knowing what kind of covers you intend on performing and how non-offensive you want your guitar to sound.  Top-40 vs bar band vs wedding band vs genre specific vs decade specific (50s, 60s, 70s, etc).

[CommonCourtesy]

Probably stuff from the 80's to the modern classics.

[gwEm]

I don't think you could really go wrong with a DSL40 combo for that stuff.

[Telerocker]

Have a look at the Tubemeister 36 and the Grandmeister, the Engl Ironball and the Laney IRT 60.

[CommonCourtesy]

A good shout on the DSL40 combo!! Around £521 RRP right, now, still not convinced how a 1 x 12 speaker will hold up vs a loud drummer lol.

Never heard of Tubemeister but will look it up. Engl have a good rep for heads too.

[Dave Sloven]

I would go for 50/60W.

If you can find one for cheap (there's one going locally for under $1K, retail was $2.7K) the Peavey Butcher is a lower gain amp with a 50/100W switch that turns one pair of tubes off.  It would be a cheap alternative to a Marshall if there are any at fire sale prices in your area.  I don't see any of those on ebay.co.uk though.  This one in Adelaide keeps staring me in the face!

Seriously though any amp that is of a more Marshall character around 50W into a 212 should suit.  Although I do know a band who play plenty loud enough for bar settings who use Laney Lionheart 20W Class A tube heads through 212 cabs.  They are expensive amps but it does suggest that anything in the 50W ballpark will be loud enough

Sound is a bit cr@p in my video but this is them playing through those Laneys.  As you can tell they can get above the drummer pretty easily.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IihLPDN4y8

[CommonCourtesy]

Seen a couple of 50w Marshall heads online, but they're over £500 I think. I looked at some Laney amps and the display controls look ridiculously complicated, and in a gig situation I don't want 2000 knobs to mess about with!! Maybe that was just one particular head but for me its simple setup - guitar into amp with 2 sounds - 1 clean 1 dirty and a boost for solos. Colour comes from chorus and delays.

Pretty decent tone though on those guitars in the vid though, though that drummer isn't nearly as loud as the one I usually play with in my originals band - I might ask him to play for me in this function band!

[Dave Sloven]

The Les Paul Standard has a SD JB/Jazz set; the Les Paul Studio has a BKP Emerald set that I installed.

[evan_m]

+1 on the Peavey Butcher, fantastic amp. The Lionheart is another great choice, it runs for a bit more money. ENGL and Hughes and Kettner are amazing companies. You have a ridiculous amount of choices, just get to a guitar store and jam on something. I'd especially recommend the DSL40C for versatility.

[38thBeatle]

Coming at this a bit late. I use a 30 w amp and have done for years and it has been more than capable over that time and got out of breath only on one occasion when everyone took leave of their senses and cranked things to ridiculous levels. Mine happens to be a Laney VC30 which covers a lot of ground but it depends upon the material you play I suppose.

[CommonCourtesy]

I'm guessing all the typical numbers from the 60's to the stuff in the charts material wise, so a wide range of tones needed from classic rock to funk.

I'd like 3 amps to have a shoot-out with in a guitar shop so I can compare. The DSL40 is top of the list to try out, I already have an MG15R which is not quite the same but can get loads of tones from it for teaching purposes (can't play anything louder in the house due to noise).

Think we've already established a 100watt head isn't necessary, so half that or around that area.

[AnnunakiMassacr]

What is your budget?

[CommonCourtesy]

Around £300-400? Don't want to spend loads but I guess if this is something I want to make money from if it means spending an extra few hundred to get the right amp then I'll consider.

[Toe-Knee]

Around £300-400? Don't want to spend loads but I guess if this is something I want to make money from if it means spending an extra few hundred to get the right amp then I'll consider.

You should be able to get pretty much anything used in that price range. I'm on a few facebook groups and it seems £400 is the top of the asking range for most amps other than a mesa mkV thats come up for £1300 which is still a bargain with it being ridiculously expensive in stores.

I would suggest taking a look at the Laney LC or VC range. Pretty versatile amps and they usually go for about £200 on ebay