Amp Suggestions???

[RP]

Would like suggestions for an amp for clean, classic tones to be used in living room, and probably never gigged. Will be playing a Stratocaster. Lots of people swear by tube amps but I can go with either solid state or tubes. Thanks....

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by RP

Would like suggestions for an amp for clean, classic tones to be used in living room, and probably never gigged. Will be playing a Stratocaster. Lots of people swear by tube amps but I can go with either solid state or tubes. Thanks....

Budget range ?

[RP]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Budget range ?

I'd like to stay <$800. My frame of reference would be either a Fender Hot Rod or a Fender Champion 40/100, but I'm wondering if I'm excluding some good alternatives....

[The Old Gaffer]

This is an ancient search. I think the answer depends on where your living room is. In a typical suburban house, you could get by with a small tube amp like a 5W Fender Champ, 12W Princeton Reverb or even a DRRI - whatever type of amp you like. If you share a wall, ceiling or floor with another residence, I would advise you to play through earphones. YMMV.

[RP]

Originally Posted by The Old Gaffer

This is an ancient search. I think the answer depends on where your living room is. In a typical suburban house, you could get by with a small tube amp like a 5W Fender Champ, 12W Princeton Reverb or even a DRRI - whatever type of amp you like. If you share a wall, ceiling or floor with another residence, I would advise you to play through earphones. YMMV.

Ancient search??? I posted it 30 minutes ago. As for my home, I have a cabin in the woods with neighbors 30-40 ads away. Short answer, I can really crank it up....

[MBDiagMan]

This is one of those things that is a matter of taste and personal preference. If you have time to shop and a store is nearby, go plug into some amps and give them a test drive. I was unable to do that a few months ago and bought a Bugera V22 based on a reccomendation from Steve Derosa on this forum. Might have been the best music equipment advice I have ever had. It is a LOT of amplifier for the money and under $400. It is a really sweet sounding amp clean and is extremely versatile with a great reverb and can be overdriven. I have never looked back. It is a tube type amp and responds well to modification although I am really satisfied with it just as it came out of the box.

[KevWind]

Having only gotten back into electric guitar a little over a year ago, I am not an expert by any stretch .
That said I have been seriously involved in audio sound since 1973

For guitar amplification I tend prefer Tube (so far)

With a budget range of 800 max, you have a pretty big range of arguably pretty good options

As it happens right now Sweetwater is having a sale on a 25 watt Supro 1X10 combo that looks attractive on sale for $699 from a MSRP of $1660

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Supreme
It is running 6V6 power tubes, so maybe one of the more knowledgeable folks can chime in about the sound of those. It is cathode biased (which I understand means you can put in new tubes without having to re bias )

Also it provides two channels that can be accessed from one input and is footswitchable for more tone possibility.

Here is the company web site page https://suprousa.com/1600-supreme/
I took advantage of a similar steep discount sale they had of a different Supro w/ 6L6 tubes last year and it will be staying with me . I am still thrilled with it

[J Patrick]

...a Princeton reissue...either the 65 for classic cleans or the 68 for a warmer slightly less hi-fi tone...

[roylor4]

Fender Blues Jr. - Beautiful cleans. Tons of power, more than you'll ever need for most gigs and certainly at home.

Vox AC10C1 - Same qualities as the Junior, but more British flavor.

Blackstar HT5R - Beautiful cleans and a pretty good distortion channel at more manageable levels. Most 5 watters don't have any clean headroom - this amp does.

The Fender Champion series have a really nice clean tone. SS, but doesn't sound overly digital. I have a Fender Frontman 25R I just picked up for $40 and I'm thrilled with the cleans. I played through the Champion stuff last weekend and the 40 may deliver what you want. A LOT of volume for a SS amp, great clean channel and the ability to switch to other modeling options on a 2nd channel.

The Super Champ X2 is a step up from the Champion stuff IMO, but not by as much as you would think and at more than 2x the price.

There is a lot of options at your price point. Good luck and take your time. Beware of "dark " sounding tube amps. No way to add sparkle without putting a pedal or modeler in front.

[Gmountain]

one amp that has beautiful cleans- really nice, is the Ibanez TSA15. Check one out.

[roylor4]

Originally Posted by Gmountain

one amp that has beautiful cleans- really nice, is the Ibanez TSA15. Check one out.

Agreed. Only thing missing is reverb.

[roylor4]

I just received an email from Carvin. They have the vintage 16 amp back in stock.

American Built. Reverb. 5/15 watt pentode/triode switch. 12" speaker. $359

Don't get much better than that

[1neeto]

If tube, Blackstar HT1R. Solid state, you can’t beat the Fender Mustang.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by roylor4

I just received an email from Carvin. They have the vintage 16 amp back in stock.

American Built. Reverb. 5/15 watt pentode/triode switch. 12" speaker. $359

Don't get much better than that

I thought they announced in Oct. they were going out of business

[roylor4]

Originally Posted by KevWind

I thought they announced in Oct. they were going out of business

They are. My guess is that they are trying to keep employees busy while they blow out other, less desirable stuff. I get offers every week from them - 10% so & so, blah, blah. 10% off = little interest for me (and apparently others too).