Tube amp for gibs 335

[localguitarist]

Great discussion! My bread and butter is acoustic fingerstyle. I've played electric for a while but mostly simple clean tones. I agree whole hearted about tube amps. I have yet to play a solid state that I like...HOWEVER I have not played any roland JC's, none in a million mile radius apparently. What dominates the market here is Line 6, beringer, and peavy(new). I'm playing more rock now (on electric), so I am looking for drive tones. I need to find the time to go play some. Allman_fan you mentioned stomp boxes. I picked up an OCD, and I love it! I used a dunlop wah (not thrilled) and a TC G-natural (don't use it in my acoustic rig anymore, and it's got killer delay, reverb, compression, and the mods are nice). I've got the 2X12 Deville. I've heard so many talk about the combination of two amps (stereo clean and drive mix) and switching back and forth. I am looking for versatility yet something different than the fender. I've been mixing my OCD tones with the drive channel on my deville with a lot of success. I'm just reaching the limits. Budget.... hmmm not set yet. I know that's dangerous, and I'm steering clear of anything that would require me to sell my first born. Seriously I'm think under 1500 at this point. My Deville is too powerful, so I'd be fine with a 10 or 20w. Any thoughts on speaker size? (insert obvious joke here) I prolly would lug both around to gigs.

chris

Originally Posted by stevecuss

Hi Chris,

well, first of all, I agree with TP on all accounts.

As for Mesa - very fine amps, but pretty pricey for what you get and also a very complex amp. They are known for their amp overdrive, which sounds like the opposite direction you're heading. (classic mesa sound is Creed, for example.)

We all have our favorites and there are so many incredible amps out there. Do you have a price range in mind? Hard to beat a Vox AC30 for British clean and slight breakup sound.

[localguitarist]

any opinions on Top Hat amps?

[BoB/335]

I've been an electric player my whole life (practically) and have owned a my 335 since 1968. I hear the discusiions of 2 amps and just don't get it. Yeah, "maybe" it might be nice to have a wider "palette" of sounds that YOU might enjoy. The audience would care less and could care less. If you have great tone and play well and "fit in the mix" people will love what you do. I have NEVER had someone tell me "that song is played with a Strat and it would sound better if you went out and bought a Strat". Now there is a much bigger difference between a Strat and a 335 than the difference between amps with "the right selection of stomp boxes".

I am the original owner of a 1968 Twin Reverb.
I have a beautiful 1969 Pro Reverb which is my main player.

I have a 1969 Princeton Reverb which impresses the $h*^ out of people. I use a FDII (mosfett) and an old KING Vox-Wah. I remember doing an audition with this setup in a rehearsal studio that was equipped with Marshal stacks and Twins and whatever and people were looking at me stange when I walked in with my Princeton.
I remember another audition where at the end they were asking about my setup. They couldn't understand that I didn't fiddle with my knobs all night. The last guitarist they had would be playing the get "the right sound" all night and ate into the rehearsal time. How do you get that great sound I was asked.

I go for the nice clean sound and color with pedals and concentrate on getting a great sound with as little gear to carry as possible (although I prefer my Pro even though it's heavier) but "I" would NEVER consider dragging a second amp.

[Hotraman]

Owning 3 semi hollow body guitars, I think a Mesa Express would sound great with your 335. My 83' has never sounded better.
5 watts on an Mesa Express works well.
Read Bob Womack's review about the Mesa 5:25

[JackD]

I have 6 amps and 20 guitars -- half of which are 335 type (semi hollow). I will now tell you the secret of life (but don't tell anyone):

Try a mid-60s blackface Fender Pro Reverb. If you find one in good working condition, they are not too expensive. That amp and a 335 sound amazing! It is essentially like a Deluxe but fuller and louder.

[localguitarist]

Originally Posted by JackD

I have 6 amps and 20 guitars -- half of which are 335 type (semi hollow). I will now tell you the secret of life (but don't tell anyone):

Try a mid-60s blackface Fender Pro Reverb. If you find one in good working condition, they are not too expensive. That amp and a 335 sound amazing! It is essentially like a Deluxe but fuller and louder.

Will do thanks for the tip. Don't worry your secret is safe with me!

[BoB/335]

Originally Posted by localguitarist

Will do thanks for the tip. Don't worry your secret is safe with me!

Late 60's / early 70's Silverface Pro Reverb is essentially the same as a BlackFace Pro and a much cheaper price than a Blackface.

[bluesfreek]

Have you looked at at the Peavey Classic series? I had a Classic 50 for years. Great clean tones from this amp. Extremely loud. I got rid of it due to it's size and weight. I now only use a vintage orange tolex Roland Cube 60 circa 1980. It's small, compact light weight, loud and gives me the clean tones I want at any volume. Unlike the current "Cube 60" amps the only effect this one has is spring reverb. Sure I too love the tone of a clean tube amp (with a little breakup) but I don't want to haul around an 80lb. Peavey Classic anymore. I did that for 15 years and I can't lift that stuff so I had to go to lighter smaller solid state equipment. I also have no desire to replace tubes if needed. I can take my Roland Cube on the bus to a gig in town here if I have to. It weighs only 32lbs.

[BoB/335]

Originally Posted by bluesfreek

Have you looked at at the Peavey Classic series? I had a Classic 50 for years. Great clean tones from this amp. Extremely loud. I got rid of it due to it's size and weight. I now only use a vintage orange tolex Roland Cube 60 circa 1980. It's small, compact light weight, loud and gives me the clean tones I want at any volume. Unlike the current "Cube 60" amps the only effect this one has is spring reverb. Sure I too love the tone of a clean tube amp (with a little breakup) but I don't want to haul around an 80lb. Peavey Classic anymore. I did that for 15 years and I can't lift that stuff so I had to go to lighter smaller solid state equipment. I also have no desire to replace tubes if needed. I can take my Roland Cube on the bus to a gig in town here if I have to. It weighs only 32lbs.

I played with a guy way back that had one of those ealry Cubes. Nice sounding amp but a far cry from a good tube amp. If I need something light to carry around I take my Princeton Reverb otherwise my Pro is about 50 lbs I think and worth every pound.
Sorry, I sound like I'm being too pushy but an orange Cube 60 on a recommendation for a tube amp for a 335 ???

[skyver]

Depends on the sound you want to get. Many pro jazz guys love solid state amps.

[Pnewsom]

My favorite 335 amp is a Fender Vibrolux, black or silver face. At 35watts, they are not too heavy, but still have enough headroom to hang tight with a medium loud drummer.
Also, I use a Sparkle Drive pedal to get a little boost for the solos.

[DaveNJ]

Or, you could just invest in an AxeFX or Pod HD500 and have a whole bunch of amps... The AxeFX could slide right into your existing rack...

[localguitarist]

Originally Posted by BoB/335

Late 60's / early 70's Silverface Pro Reverb is essentially the same as a BlackFace Pro and a much cheaper price than a Blackface.

Really?? I've read they have a higher voltage. Although they said that keeps it clean louder. I played a '74 silverface pro (2x12) that had been black faced and all they did was add a pot so you could bias the tubes easier. Disclaimer this sounds like I know just enough to trick a few into thinking I know what I'm talking about. I don't really. I've just researched them a bunch. But seriously what are the differences?

[BoB/335]

Originally Posted by localguitarist

Really?? I've read they have a higher voltage. Although they said that keeps it clean louder. I played a '74 silverface pro (2x12) that had been black faced and all they did was add a pot so you could bias the tubes easier. Disclaimer this sounds like I know just enough to trick a few into thinking I know what I'm talking about. I don't really. I've just researched them a bunch. But seriously what are the differences?

I'm not techy so I can't answer what you want. What I have been told is that each amp from the time CBS bought out Leo had undergone changes at different rates. The first few years were pretty much untouched. The more time went on the more changes came into play and still at different rates for different models. In other words, some amps underwent MORE changes than others. Somewhere around '74 Master Volumes were added to the bigger amps and started more changes. Later 70's ultralinear transformers were introduced to get higher watts and headroom. By then you can't even regognize the original circuit and I am told that you can NOT BF an ultrlinear transformer amp at all.

The best bang for the buck and closest to the original circuit are late '67 (first silverface) to around '72 (before the "glued-in" speaker baffles)

That's what "I" know. The allumimnum "drip-edge" (as it's known) was an alluminum trim around the speaker grill from '68 to early '69 and are probably one of the better values because of the possible rearity of this grill frame. (Personnally, I like the look and expect them to someday be worth more than the general early SF)

I am the original owner of a '68 Twin Reverb. I do not remember the last time it was even turned on. I got a '69 Princeton Reverb many years ago when no one was looking for small amps. This one has the drip-edge grill in mint shape but for some reason someone must have changed the faceplate to a black one. I got this amp also long before the interest in "vintage" amps and I got it for a great deal and had no idea about the faceplate. (Or at least I don't remember)
The '69 Pro Reverb I bought off ebay maybe 7 years ago. It looked very clean in the pics. It was way better than I expected and a clear keeper. I love everything about this amp.
I also had bought a DRRI and returned it within a few weeks. Sounded great in the store and my house. Didn't do what I wanted in a live setting.
Got another great deal on what I was told was a '74 Vibrolux Reverb. Turned out to be a '76. This amp was cleaner than clean and minter than mint. It literally looked like it just came out of the box brand new. You should have seen the sparkle in the grill cloth. People were astonished that it wasn't brand new. I wanted to like that amp real bad. It was a nice size and weight. Some say I should have had it worked over and maybe change out the speakers. Maybe I should have. Maybe I just couldn't get used to the two 10's. I don't know. I sold that to someone I know and I think he still has it. (I haven't seen him in a long time)

I bought the Pro soon after I sold the Vibrolux. Wasn't really in the market for an amp at the time but I was scanning ebay and there it was. Best thing I ever did. The two 12's are just so much fatter and deeper than the 10's. WAY lighter than the Twin even though it's the same physical size. Just the right weight (although I liked the VR weight better) and sound for me.
I use a Fulltone FDII anniversay edition on the "mosfet" setting. I get great clean (no pedals), some crunch, and then more crunch with the FDII. Like having 3 channels.
I know many here like to get the natural crunch from a lower watt tube amp cranked up a bit. I would terribly miss that Fender clean that can only come from some headroom of a Fender amp.

Hope all of this helps!

[localguitarist]

This helps a lot! I've played quite a few since my last posting. A '74 pro reverb, a reissue 60's deluxe, and a super sonic, also a couple of messa's including one with a mouse living in it (long story)! The pro reverb had 2X12's (my preference), but I wasn't blown away. I was actually blown away by the reissue. I also like the super sonic drive although the clean broke up a little too early. I like the mesa's but they seem hard to dial in.

chris

Originally Posted by BoB/335

I'm not techy so I can't answer what you want. What I have been told is that each amp from the time CBS bought out Leo had undergone changes at different rates. The first few years were pretty much untouched. The more time went on the more changes came into play and still at different rates for different models. In other words, some amps underwent MORE changes than others. Somewhere around '74 Master Volumes were added to the bigger amps and started more changes. Later 70's ultralinear transformers were introduced to get higher watts and headroom. By then you can't even regognize the original circuit and I am told that you can NOT BF an ultrlinear transformer amp at all.

The best bang for the buck and closest to the original circuit are late '67 (first silverface) to around '72 (before the "glued-in" speaker baffles)

That's what "I" know. The allumimnum "drip-edge" (as it's known) was an alluminum trim around the speaker grill from '68 to early '69 and are probably one of the better values because of the possible rearity of this grill frame. (Personnally, I like the look and expect them to someday be worth more than the general early SF)

I am the original owner of a '68 Twin Reverb. I do not remember the last time it was even turned on. I got a '69 Princeton Reverb many years ago when no one was looking for small amps. This one has the drip-edge grill in mint shape but for some reason someone must have changed the faceplate to a black one. I got this amp also long before the interest in "vintage" amps and I got it for a great deal and had no idea about the faceplate. (Or at least I don't remember)
The '69 Pro Reverb I bought off ebay maybe 7 years ago. It looked very clean in the pics. It was way better than I expected and a clear keeper. I love everything about this amp.
I also had bought a DRRI and returned it within a few weeks. Sounded great in the store and my house. Didn't do what I wanted in a live setting.
Got another great deal on what I was told was a '74 Vibrolux Reverb. Turned out to be a '76. This amp was cleaner than clean and minter than mint. It literally looked like it just came out of the box brand new. You should have seen the sparkle in the grill cloth. People were astonished that it wasn't brand new. I wanted to like that amp real bad. It was a nice size and weight. Some say I should have had it worked over and maybe change out the speakers. Maybe I should have. Maybe I just couldn't get used to the two 10's. I don't know. I sold that to someone I know and I think he still has it. (I haven't seen him in a long time)

I bought the Pro soon after I sold the Vibrolux. Wasn't really in the market for an amp at the time but I was scanning ebay and there it was. Best thing I ever did. The two 12's are just so much fatter and deeper than the 10's. WAY lighter than the Twin even though it's the same physical size. Just the right weight (although I liked the VR weight better) and sound for me.
I use a Fulltone FDII anniversay edition on the "mosfet" setting. I get great clean (no pedals), some crunch, and then more crunch with the FDII. Like having 3 channels.
I know many here like to get the natural crunch from a lower watt tube amp cranked up a bit. I would terribly miss that Fender clean that can only come from some headroom of a Fender amp.

Hope all of this helps!