Looking for tube amp for rock, british blues, some jazz

JedimasterPaul · #1 05-20-2006, 03:00 PM

OK - in another thread I inquired about amp kits, but have decided I'm going to just buy one already built.

What I like to play on the electric is this:

rock, british blues (think Cream or Zeppelin)
some jazz - fingerstyle or picked

I definitely would prefer a no-frills old school tube amp.

I want it to be able to give me some 60s-type overdrive, but also have a nice FAT clean sound.

The guitar I'll be using is my Les Paul 58 Reissue.

My budget would be around $1k, plus or minus. If an amp I really liked cost a bit more, I would not disqualify it because of the price. Conversely, if there is a tube amp I liked that could do the job for under $1k, I'd get that.

What I'm looking for here are some suggestions so that when I go to try some out I can have a gameplan.

moo cow · #2 05-20-2006, 03:44 PM

i have a fender blues deville 4x10 tweed tube amp (not the hot rod deville, which is what it morphed into) and it can handle all the above mentioned styles easily. you may need a tubescreamer or other overdrive pedal to coax the nasty stuff out of it but the clean is as warm and smooth as anything i've ever heard in a combo. it's loud, 60 watts, so there's plenty headroom when you back off it but breaks up nicely when pushed.
they quit making these back in the late 90's but you can still find them around. BUT fender just re-issued them because so many folks requested them in their original configuration. should be able to find a new reissue well under a grand.

sully · #3 05-20-2006, 05:04 PM

In that price range I'd check out a Fender twin reverb.

There's a lot of good selections these days!

JedimasterPaul · #4 05-20-2006, 05:13 PM

yes, the Twin was one of the ones on my list to audition.

HereIGoAgain · #5 05-20-2006, 05:41 PM

The Blues Deluxe Re-Issue is a really sweet-sounding amp. I don't own one, but I've demoed one with a few different guitars. I like it on the overdrive channel with the post-gain turned up and using the pre-gain as a "volume control." That will get you some sweet sustain and crunch with your Les Paul.

If you've got big venues to carry, go for the DeVille. If you're doing smaller venues, try the Deluxe. (But the Deluxe is *loud loud loud*.)

One of the conspiracy theories is that Fender uses linear pots for the gain and volume controls instead of the audio-type "log" pots. It has been said that a so-equipped Fender amp can hit full volume around 10:00 on the dial. (My local Fender dealer told me that "If Fender's doing it, everybody's doing it" when I asked him about this.)

Anyway, another good amp is the Peavey Classic 30. I used to have one. It's a killer blues and vintage rock amp.

Also look at the Traynor line. The YCV20WR is a sweet blues amp, but for straight-up hard rock, the YCV50BLUE may be a better choice.

Sage97 · #6 05-20-2006, 05:46 PM

If you can add just a few more bucks, get a Cornford.

http://www.cornfordamps.com/

Bob Womack · #7 05-20-2006, 06:27 PM

The Traynor Custom Valve 50Blue is a specific for your specifications. See it HERE.

It is well within your budget and features a sparkly clean channel and British sounding drive and lead channels. The power amp is based on EL34 tubes that will give it that Marshall bark when pushed.

All this from a Marshall man, no less.

Bob

JedimasterPaul · #8 05-20-2006, 07:07 PM

Thanks Bob. Hopefully someplace near me carries Traynor. I would definitely like to check it out.

1x12 may be be better suited for my needs. I won't be gigging with it, but playing it around the house.

British overdriven sound is what I want. Any clean tone, that is not too bright, will give me what I want for the jazz stuff.

jhm-614 · #9 05-20-2006, 07:24 PM

Since you are just in the house, you definately want to look at 15 & 18 watt amps. Those 50 and 60 watt tube are LOUD and to rget that overdriven sound you need to crank them. If you go with that high of wattage, you'll prob. have to look at some sort of power soak.

mjz · #10 05-20-2006, 07:52 PM

Vox AC30 sounds just like what you are looking for.
Classic British tones
See it here.

Of course if you had the cash the Marshal SLPX would certainly do the trick

max

JedimasterPaul · #11 05-20-2006, 09:34 PM

If I had my way, the Marshall Bluesbreaker would probably be just what I want.

However, it really is more amp than I need. So, then next logical step would be to get the mini-bluesbreaker, which I think is available these days as the marshall 12 1974x handwired. Problem is, because it is handwired, it costs as much as the 2x12 version.

And yeah, I know I'd have to pony up for a powerbrake to get the sound I'm after, at reasonable volumes, on those old-style amps w/out master volume.

thanks for all the great info / ideas so far, and please keep it coming.

dahn8 · #12 05-20-2006, 10:00 PM

I've been looking for a good amp with similar qualifications, and since im in the area, this is what i've found so far.

For Traynor amps, go email or call Music Go Round (their info should be on the website). If i remember correctly, there's a store in Cockeysville. When i went there a few weeks earlier, they had a Traynor YCV40WR and a used YCV20WR in stock. Didn't try the 40WR but the 20WR had a nice clean sound, but the overdrive didn't quite cut it for me. They didn't carry the 50Blue though, but im sure they can order it if you'd want. The Yorkville website also said Chuck Levin's is a traynor dealer, but when i asked them, the salespeople said they never carried it... so i dunno.

I've also tried a Vox AC15CC1 at the Towson Guitar Center, which had a pretty nice sound to it as well. You might want to look for a used Dr. Z amp. Music Go Round also had a used Mini-Z, which had a really nice OD sound to it, but had no headroom. If you will be playing mostly overdriven music and less clean, it might work. And at 5 watts, it wont kill your ears. A used Carmen Ghia would be just under your price range as well. Never played one, but my friend swears by them. He's also recorded with them and it sounds great. Unfortunately, i havent been able to locate a used one or even a dealer in MD though.

Another option i'm going to try out soon is the Hughes and Kettner Edition Tube 20th Anniversary amp. Has EL84 tubes too so it should give that british sound, though it is built in Germany. I've heard some good things about it though. I believe most of the dealers are towards DC however, so its a bit of a drive.

Mr. IJaK · #13 05-21-2006, 02:31 AM

I'd go for a VOX AC15 (the one with the celestion speakers, not vox's own), if you're going to use it as a practice amp.

Doc · #14 05-22-2006, 07:35 PM

I'm always a day late and a dollar short. Largely because I'm a total amp freak.....

So much depends on how serious/picky you, your ears, and your aspirations are. My two cents say you need either a) two different valve amps (Fender and Marshall), perhaps, a third (AC15/30 depending on your Class A/chime lust), or, b) one good modeling/flat amp.

I'm a vintage guy, but I'm feeling something or other from the Line 6 catalog will keep your jets the coolest. You're looking to cover a lot of ground.

Enjoy the quest and best wishes,

Doc

dahn8 · #15 05-22-2006, 08:33 PM

Just an update. Tried the Hughes and Kettner and wasn't so impressed with it. Cleans were okay but the OD channel seemed a bit brittle to me. Might have been the amp though...