Any love for Quilter amps here?

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Boy no kiddin' that weight begins to weigh on one's thinking after about age 60
Currently I have two combo tube amps the weigh in at 47 lbs and 59 lbs. and while I have taken the 47lbs out and about to play, the other one stays at home...

I'm with ya, Kev...

With the aftermarket Eminence Swamp Thang installed, my go-to Bugera V22 scales in a bit over 50 pounds - heavier than the 100W SS Frontman 212R I now use for big-hall/outdoor gigs in place of my '65 Super Reverb RI (that weighs just a couple pounds less than the Chevy Trailblazer I use to haul it ) - and our bass player (with whom I trade off lead guitar duty) has since relegated his Twin, Super Twin (remember those...?), and Ampeg Jupiter to the practice room in favor of a ZT Lunchbox and a couple well-chosen stompboxes...

I'm seriously considering a Quilter Steelaire - I'm mostly a clean player anyway, it's about half the weight of the Super in a comparably-sized cab, and if I really need to move some air there's a matching 1x15" extension available (Dick Dale lives )...

[roylor4]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

I'm with ya, Kev...

With the aftermarket Eminence Swamp Thang installed, my go-to Bugera V22 scales in a bit over 50 pounds - heavier than the 100W SS Frontman 212R I now use for big-hall/outdoor gigs in place of my '65 Super Reverb RI (that weighs just a couple pounds less than the Chevy Trailblazer I use to haul it ) - and our bass player (with whom I trade off lead guitar duty) has since relegated his Twin, Super Twin (remember those...?), and Ampeg Jupiter to the practice room in favor of a ZT Lunchbox and a couple well-chosen stompboxes...

I'm seriously considering a Quilter Steelaire - I'm mostly a clean player anyway, it's about half the weight of the Super in a comparably-sized cab, and if I really need to move some air there's a matching 1x15" extension available (Dick Dale lives )...

Steve, I STRONGLY recommend trying a Vox MV50 Clean. True tube tone. The head weighs just over one pound. These amps are the real deal 25 real tube watts through an 8 ohm cab. Fantastic tone. The tone is even good through the minute BC108 cab and stellar through a good 12". No reverb, but sounds great nonetheless.

I absolutely love my MV50 AC. Cleans up well with volume knob and gets quite dirty when needed. My next purchase will be an MV50 clean and a Hot Wax dual overdrive.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by roylor4

Steve, I STRONGLY recommend trying a Vox MV50 Clean. True tube tone. The head weighs just over one pound. These amps are the real deal 25 real tube watts through an 8 ohm cab. Fantastic tone. The tone is even good through the minute BC108 cab and stellar through a good 12". No reverb, but sounds great nonetheless.

I absolutely love my MV50 AC. Cleans up well with volume knob and gets quite dirty when needed. My next purchase will be an MV50 clean and a Hot Wax dual overdrive.

Thanks Roy, I've read some very good things about the Vox MV amps (including a few of your own past comments ), but for my style I really need the 'verb (as well as trem), which means the additional expense of an outboard unit of some kind; truth be told, I've never been a stompbox kinda guy - I use a Cool Cat trem pedal with my Bugeras and Frontman out of sheer necessity - and I like to keep to a guitar-cable-amp (including built-in effects) setup as much as possible. That's why I find the Steelaire so appealing - kind of a latter-day Vibrosonic in execution (albeit solid-state), high power on tap to move air in a larger setting (I have low-/mid-power amps that I can still carry around - including both my Bugeras - for 85-90% of what I do), and the fact that it's only about 35 pounds out-the-door is icing on the cake - but as with anything else, YMMV. My bandmate, on the other hand, has a different outlook when it comes to floorboards - and I'll pass your comments along...

[roylor4]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Thanks Roy, I've read some very good things about the Vox MV amps (including a few of your own past comments ), but for my style I really need the 'verb (as well as trem), which means the additional expense of an outboard unit of some kind; truth be told, I've never been a stompbox kinda guy - I use a Cool Cat trem pedal with my Bugeras and Frontman out of sheer necessity - and I like to keep to a guitar-cable-amp (including built-in effects) setup as much as possible. That's why I find the Steelaire so appealing - kind of a latter-day Vibrosonic in execution (albeit solid-state), high power on tap to move air in a larger setting (I have low-/mid-power amps that I can still carry around - including both my Bugeras - for 85-90% of what I do), and the fact that it's only about 35 pounds out-the-door is icing on the cake - but as with anything else, YMMV. My bandmate, on the other hand, has a different outlook when it comes to floorboards - and I'll pass your comments along...

Gotcha. I really thought I would miss the verb, but really haven't. The AC head is a bit dark sounding but the Clean head is awesome and it's own kind of thing. Not really a Fender/mid-scooped tone. Mids are much more present than on a typical Fender.

I do understand the amp/cable/guitar thing though. The AC head is kind of my KISS unit. Not super clean, but clean enough for most of my applications R&B, Blues and Classic Rock. Lot's of gain on tap when needed. The volume knob and switching from HB to single coil give me almost all the control i need in the tone department.

I do go into Ted Nugent/Carlos Santana/Joe Bonnamasa mode occasionally and want more gain. I'll probably try the HotWax pedal with the AC head before I buy the Clean.

I played an outdoor venue last week and used the tiny 8" cab with the head at less than 1/3rd volume. Performed great. If you get a Quilter, let me know what you think. I was considering the small Aviator Gold.

[PTony]

I too own the MV50 head (my live stage rig).

I own the Clean version. Outstanding head. Headroom for days. I do use pedals (Archer Ikon overdrive, MXR Analog chorus and Carbon Copy delay, along with an EH Holy Grail reverb).

I absolutely love the simplicity of putting the lid on my pedalboard (the MV50 head is on my board. Basically it’s pedal sized), and then using the line out to the PA.

I utilize a hotspot monitor, but can also run the speaker out to a cab if needed. Built in attenuator. Simple.

Great clean tones with PLENTY of power on tap. Sounds fantastic.

While it may not be for everyone, these are great solutions to keeping a stage free of clutter, while providing a fantastic “fly rig”.

I believe roylor4 is who turned me on to them.

I’ve also owned the V22 & V55 (gave the 55 to my Father when I bought my 65 TRRI), as well as my current home rig (Tweaker 15 with 2 1x12 cabs, Earthquaker Devices Dispatch Master, and a Tube Screamer).

All of the amps recommended by everyone are truly great amps. I guess only you can decide what meets your needs.

I needed a simple solution for live stage use without taking up more “real estate” as we have 11 people on stage.

[aknow]

I have their little 101, and the Bass block 800. Both are excellent sounding. The 101 really upgrades with the speaker they make for it. Lot's of power and sound for such tiny components, and highly recommended.