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Post subject: Trying to Pick an Amp
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2016 8:14 am
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Hey everyone,

My band is starting to play more gigs and trying to take it to the next level, and so I am going to finally make the jump to a tube amp (been playing a Mustang III up to this point).

I am looking in the $1,000 range, and I am really interested in a 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue or a Supersonic 22. I also had a chance to play a Bassbreaker 45, which I really liked, and I like that you can control the wattage output.

We play alternative rock and some blues, so I like to have a great clean tone, but I'm going to pick up some a Maxon OD for lead playing and some other pedals for delay and reverb. I like to do some ambient playing as well.

I am wondering if anyone has experience playing with those amps, and has any advice on the pros and cons of each. I haven't had a chance to actually play a Supersonic, but from demos I've seen it seems like the clean sound is pretty similar to the Deluxe; I think the deluxe has a bit more chime but probably not enough to tell the difference in a live situation.

I am completely new to the world of tube amps so if anybody has advice I will gladly take it!

Thanks everyone,

Andrew


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Post subject: Re: Trying to Pick an Amp
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2016 9:19 am
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I traded in my Mustang for a SS22 early in year. The vintage channel is very close to the Deluxe. The burn channel adds to the variety and it is not nessarily just for metal. It can be dialed in for a nice bluesy growl.

Additionally the SS22 has an effects loop while the Deluxe does not. Deluxe is a great amp but I remain happy with my decision.

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Post subject: Re: Trying to Pick an Amp
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2016 10:06 am
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I favor the Deluxe Reverb for its traditional Fender features and gimmick-free operation. I'd like to recommend the new Bassbreaker line but for the moment those amps appear to suffer from some teething problems that hamstring their true potential.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Trying to Pick an Amp
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2016 10:57 am
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What kind of problems have people been having with the bassbreaker?


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Post subject: Re: Trying to Pick an Amp
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2016 11:48 am
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viewtopic.php?f=13&t=100963

You'll find some other threads here as well.

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Post subject: Re: Trying to Pick an Amp
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2016 12:27 pm
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Oh I've heard of the problem on the fx loop for the 15. However the 45 doesn't even have a loop, which kind of sucks but I don't think it will be a deal breaker. I'd like to have one but at the same time I don't think it makes a huge difference playing live.

I could be wrong, though.


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Post subject: Re: Trying to Pick an Amp
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2016 2:06 pm
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I would also second the Super Sonic 22. a great amp design in my humble opinion. It sounds similar to the classic Fenders on channel 1 and adds the foot switchable overdrive channel so you do not need any distortion pedals. It also has on board reverb. So right out of the amp you can get a variety of tones without the need of an external pedal board.

SS22 is my vote of the two you mentioned.....

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Post subject: Re: Trying to Pick an Amp
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2016 2:13 pm
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Here is a link to the SS 22 page, look below for the video link on Sweetwater's site

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SupSon22BK

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Post subject: Re: Trying to Pick an Amp
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2016 6:27 pm
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desertbluesman wrote:
So right out of the amp you can get a variety of tones without the need of an external pedal board.


Unless one of the covers your band plays is CCR's "Born On The Bayou" and you need that tremolo......

:mrgreen:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Trying to Pick an Amp
Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2016 7:26 am
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I have no hesitation in recommending the DRRI and if you can get a limited edition version (usually a different colour) that has a 40w alnico speaker in place of the usual 100w ceramic speaker, even better. It has great organic breakup once the volume passes 4 and with a couple of pedals there is a seemingly endless range of tones from clean to really quite dirty. I use a Free The Tone MS-SOV and Okko Diable Gain+ for my dirt but there will be others that suit your own tastes. I also changed all the tubes in my amp after several became noisy or microphonic within the first 6 months. After some experimentation I settles on TAD tubes in V1, V2, V4 and the power section.

In regard to the comparison between the DRRI and the SS22, I have to say that in my experience they are very different amps even though the SS22 clean channel is based on the 65 DR.

I play in a band using my DRRI Fudge Brownie Limited Edition and the other guitarist plays a SS22. The SS22 is capable of many different tones but I have never heard anything from it that sounds quite like my DRRI.


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Post subject: Re: Trying to Pick an Amp
Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2016 8:29 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
desertbluesman wrote:
So right out of the amp you can get a variety of tones without the need of an external pedal board.

Unless one of the covers your band plays is CCR's "Born On The Bayou" and you need that tremolo......
Arjay


One of the reasons I do not ever buy classic black/silverface Fender amps is because they have that tremolo. For my use, I would rather use that control space for something that I use. A tremolo is one thing I never found a use for. However I do have a use for a channel switching amp. Different strokes for different folks.

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Post subject: Re: Trying to Pick an Amp
Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2016 12:31 pm
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Adding channel-switching capability to an amp (any amp) costs about seventy-five bucks.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Trying to Pick an Amp
Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2016 3:51 pm
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I've been listening to demos all day... All three amps just sound fantastic. The feature I really like on the bassbreaker is the ability to adjust the wattage so I don't have to blow everyone away to drive the tubes. But the other two are tried and true great amps.

Fortunately I called my shop and he currently has the supersonic and the bassbreaker in stock so I can go narrow it down, and I'm sure guitar center has all of them, I just try not to buy from them.


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Post subject: Re: Trying to Pick an Amp
Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2016 5:34 pm
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Andy2theT wrote:
...and I'm sure guitar center has all of them, I just try not to buy from them.


I don't blame you. So much of their stuff is "scratch-and-dent" merchandise or customer returns (though they won't tell you that unless you specifically ask).

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Trying to Pick an Amp
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 5:12 am
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I will say this, though. I have a client who has a silverface deluxe reverb (not to mention a lot of sweet guitars & vintage pedals) in a room in her basement. Her husband played in some bands around here, and he passed away over 10 years ago so I have to assume it is an original from sometime in the '70s. Would love to take it off her hands but she's pretty attached to his things, understandably.


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