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Post subject: Smallish amp for 'that' Fender valve sound
Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 8:54 am
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As a devotee of distorted amps and humbuckers for many years, my maturing seems to be bringing me around to a different (some might say more polite) way of thinking :D My recent (first ever) Strat purchase has got me wondering which amp might best accompany it.

I currently run a clone of a Marshall 1974x (18 watts, gets dirty very quickly, lovely thing) and I'm thinking about partnering it with a similar volume clean amp.

If I had to pick one sound to get you in the ballpark of what I'd like, I'd say the current clean live tone of John Mayer (eg on Slow Dancing or Gravity).

I love amp Trem/Vibrato, and I love Reverb. Any amp would need to have at least one of these.

Suggest away !

thanks.


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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:34 am
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Fender Champion 600 - 5W - no reverb
Fender Blues Junior - 15W - reverb
Fender Blues Deluxe or HotRod Deluxe - 40W - reverb

After that you are into the tube blackfaces and the price takes a big jump.

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Last edited by peterp on Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:40 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:38 am
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Does the Blues Jr stay clean as you turn it up, or break up? I have dirt covered with the other amp or from teh floor - really want a nice bold clean sound for Jams


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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:47 am
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The hotrod circuit amps (blues junior/blues deluxe/hotrod deluxe) seem to reach max volume around 3 or 4 on the volume dial. After that they don't get louder just distort a bit more.

However they, especially the blues ones are designed to deliver that very clean sound characteristic of Fenders before they hit that max volume setting.

I was setting my BD to max volume just before it starts to overdirve and used the volume on my guitar to control volume levels.
Don't have to do that any more since I had it serviced, but I can't say what they altered as I suspect it would upset my warranty :D

Jump over to steviesnacks.com and listen to his equipment demos using the Blues Junior
http://www.steviesnacks.com/gear/gear-demos/

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Last edited by peterp on Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:49 am
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Another that has both reverb (a very good reverb) and amp tremolo is the Fender Deluxe Reverb reissue.
At 22 watts, it's a good all around amp.

I had a Blues Jr and to my ears the reverb wasn't anywhere as good as the Deluxe Reverb reissue. But you may like the BJ better. Bottom line - you need to hear them and judge with your ears.

And my favorite amp of all time is my Cyber Twin SE. Yeah, I know, it's bigger, and with 2 x 12s - but it can easily do bedroom playing or gigs. Also does clean or dirty. Plus give you a variety of amps to work with. Just for some thought.


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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:51 am
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Thanks man, will do.

Also just found this - by heckity that sounds nice : http://www.proguitarshop.com/product.ph ... ategoryID=


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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:55 am
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Agree if you want that heavy reverb like for surf sound, you may want to look into an external tube driven reverb unit too.

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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:57 am
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what do you want it for home use or gigs? If its all valve your after your going to end up paying through the nose. I'm a marshall devotee but went with a vibrochampXD for clean sounds at home. Despite its dsp frontend and cheap speaker its depth of sound on clean tones is fantastic and you get every effect you listed. Its not in the same league as my 800's but for home use its more than enough.


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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:13 am
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And I am a huge fan of my Superchamp XD. All the effects you mentioned and more. Great clean sound and several voices.

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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:25 am
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For jams and small gigs.


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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:53 am
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RedUK wrote:
For jams and small gigs.


For jams and small gigs, my thoughts are the same as I posted earlier.

The Deluxe Reverb, while being a good all tube amp, is a bit basic. In that, no effects loop, no "outs" for recording are provided. It is a reissue of the '65 Deluxe Reverb, which was before all those things came into being. However, with it's killer reverb and tremolo - it had it all - for 1965. Very Nice, for a reissue.

If you like to run effects (or something else) through an effects loop - The CT SE has that. I don't think the others listed above have that, but I'm not familiar with all of them.

Also, if you like to record some of your music, the CT SE has stereo XLR outs. Also an SPDIF out if you need it. I don't think the others have this either, but, again, I'm not familiar with all of them.

Another point, if you need to use headphones, the CT SE has an outlet jack for that too.

And, it was designed, and made, with jams and gigs in mind.


Decisions, decisions - don't cha just love it? :lol:


Last edited by rholloman on Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:59 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:56 am
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I'd go with one of the blackface range or a twin reverb. From what i remember of the 1974 you may do better to fit 6L6's and some ecc81's to lower the gain. Their not far removed from bassman circuits but do operate with more gain.


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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 12:29 pm
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nikininja wrote:
I'd go with one of the blackface range or a twin reverb. From what i remember of the 1974 you may do better to fit 6L6's and some ecc81's to lower the gain. Their not far removed from bassman circuits but do operate with more gain.


Whoa there - wash your mouth out - that amp is perfection at what it does - this is 'as well as', not 'instead of' :D


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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 12:51 pm
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Troublecall wrote:
And I am a huge fan of my Superchamp XD. All the effects you mentioned and more. Great clean sound and several voices.


I'd second that. I've had one for three weeks now and I've been very happy. For my taste, it's loud enough at about 3. On the gain channel, volume at 3 and gain about halfway was very loud and very distorted. I have not had it above 3 on either channel, so I can't say what might happen with that.

The effects are reasonable, especially given the price and the overall sound is great -- classic Fender in some settings. I've used it with a Strat, Hwy 1 Tele and both of my Thinline Teles (68 reissue and 72 reissue) and it's been a (pardon the pun) Champ with every one. I'd highly recommend this in the small amp class.


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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 4:44 pm
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RedUK wrote:

Whoa there - wash your mouth out - that amp is perfection at what it does - this is 'as well as', not 'instead of' :D


Wouldnt ever deny the splendour of marshall greatness, but Jim did nick the idea off Leo.

seriously though you should do ok with a 15watt fender valve amp. Remember that clean headroom makes a 45watt sound like a 200watt. They are way louder than marshalls (i gig 2 jcm800s set at 7). The customshop tweed twin is the pinnacle of amp beauty for me. If the funds are there get that one.


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