It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 4:52 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Help me choose a new amp!
Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 3:10 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 11:21 am
Posts: 17
Hi forumites,

I am in the market for a new 'grab n go' 1x12 combo and would appreciate your advice/guidance.

What I'm after is a twin channel amp, which has blackface style cleans (good headroom plus reverb) and a decent gain channel should I wish to do rehearsals or gigs without my pedal board. Ideally, an effects loop would be handy, along with footswitchable reverb and as I'm getting on in years now (36 next week) a relatively lightweight beast would be good! I am used to handwired amps (my last two combos have been a Marshall 1974, a Blackstar Artisan 30 and I still own a 1974 Twin with JBL's), so I want a high quality gigging and recording workhorse, which does not suffer from any unusual hiss or hum in the circuit!

Having researched many options, I am looking at the following shortlist:
Rivera Clubster Royale
Rivera Chubster 55
Rivera Venus 5 (over my budget, but I may save some more cash if it blows me away)
The new Fender Supersonic 60
Mesa 5:50 (over budget really)
Tone King Imperial (but I seriously doubt it has the clean headroom I'm after)

Cant really afford a Two-rock Jet or Gainmaster - the Mesa Electradyne is too heavy-dont want another Marshall, Blackstar or Orange combo - Fender Deluxe Reverb doesn't have a gain channel, Dr Z EZG50 is single channel etc. etc.

I'm a semi-pro musician who gigs regularly and just dont want to cart a hefty 2x12 around anymore! Most regularly play with a masterbuilt 58 strat and a Gibson custom shop block inlay 335 VOS.

Thanks in advance and look forward to hearing your thoughts folks.

:)


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Help me choose a new amp!
Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 4:41 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
I'd go after any of the Rivera amps especially the Chubster or the Tone King. Depending on how loud your band plays, the Tone King might give you some decent headroom. The SS 60's and 22's I've tried are noisy and you'll probably be on a quest of trying to quiet it down with either tube changes or mods. The Mesa 5:50 is really one of the only Mesa's I like.
Have you looked at Victoria? The reissue Supro amps are really sweet too.
http://www.suprousa.com/

If you're looking at amps with gain, you might want to look at Egnaters offerings. The Tourmaster series are pretty sweet and really versatile as well as the Renegade.

I have either heard or played out of most of the amps you mentioned and I mentioned. Seems like you want to venture outside the Fender box. Just remember you're on a Fender forum and everyone will suggest a DRRI, SRR, HRDxx, Bassman, Twin........

Try here too for information.
http://www.rig-talk.com/

The truth is only you can find the tone you want. Opinions are only opinions. I always looked at amps as sonic tools and have always used what suited my needs at the time. I've had lots of Fender, Ampeg, Dano, a couple of Peavey amps and borrowed and rented many others.
My latest rig is an Egnater Rebel 20 and two 1x12 cabs. I don't gig anywhere near what I use to and a nice 20 watter gives me everything I need.

_________________
Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me choose a new amp!
Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 5:18 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 11:21 am
Posts: 17
Thanks for your helpful reply 63supro. You're right of course, I should be careful posting on a fender forum given that I am interested in other amp manufacturers - but it really is the blackface cleans that I am after (in addition to a decent gain channel) so decided to enter the lions den :wink:

Haven't really looked at any Victorias yet as they are very scarce in the UK - I will try and find somwhere to demo one. I really liked some of the tones I heard in the youtube demos of the new Fender supersonics, plus the price is good, but the noise issues I have read about and which you make reference to are rather worrying. The vibro king is too expensive and too heavy (although I loved it when I played it) and I have owned a hotrod deluxe but it was very noisy and the drive channel was shite. The handwired twin is just too bulky and a bit too niche for me, plus I already have the silverface twin which is great, but fragile and very heavy!

Looked at some Egnaters and liked what I heard re:the rebel 30 and the new Tweaker 40 perhaps. Whats the build quality like? Are they all made in China?

Sounds like I need to spend some decent time with the Riveras perhaps.

Sorry fender folks, if this is too unrelated to your products.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me choose a new amp!
Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 5:47 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
The build quality on the Egnater amps is first rate. My Rebel 20 is made in China. First thing I did when I got it home was open it up. The boards are thick double sided board with plated through holes. All the soldering is neat and all the wiring is tidy. Heat generating components as far as I can see utilize heat sinks. I found no ribbon connectors. I've had mine for a year and a half and it has been gigged with and played nearly every day with absolutely zero problems and it sounds great. The Rebel Thirty's I've heard had some tube problems. The first early 15 watt Tweakers had some effect loop issues but only with certain effects and from what I've heard it's bee rectified.

On the Egnater forum on Rig Talk, Bruce and his son Ian address any issues and answer questions. Bruce has a lot riding on his company. It's his name and reputation. Just like Leo Fender in the early days. I remember Bruce in the 1970's. His amps were custom built and legendary. I couldn't afford one. Bruce also pioneered the amp modules that were in his amps as well as Randall amps.

The Tweakers are fun, great sounding amps. They have a 44 and an 88 watt Tweaker version also. Like I've said, I've had no reliability issues at all and if I did, I'd be the first one to say so.

It's no lions den LOL. Some of us just step outside the usual. I had a horrible experience with a HRDdlx that swore me off of any current production Fender amps. I also had a SF Twin for over 30 years. It was one of the most reliable amps I've ever owned.

_________________
Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me choose a new amp!
Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 5:50 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
63supro wrote:
The build quality on the Egnater amps is first rate. My Rebel 20 is made in China. First thing I did when I got it home was open it up. The boards are thick double sided board with plated through holes. All the soldering is neat and all the wiring is tidy. Heat generating components as far as I can see utilize heat sinks. I found no ribbon connectors. I've had mine for a year and a half and it has been gigged with and played nearly every day with absolutely zero problems and it sounds great. The Rebel Thirty's I've heard had some tube problems. The first early 15 watt Tweakers had some effect loop issues but only with certain effects and from what I've heard it's bee rectified.

On the Egnater forum on Rig Talk, Bruce and his son Ian address any issues and answer questions. Bruce has a lot riding on his company. It's his name and reputation. Just like Leo Fender in the early days. I remember Bruce in the 1970's. His amps were custom built and legendary. I couldn't afford one. Bruce also pioneered the amp modules that were in his amps as well as Randall amps.

The Tweakers are fun, great sounding amps. They have a 44 and an 88 watt Tweaker version also. Like I've said, I've had no reliability issues at all and if I did, I'd be the first one to say so. The gain channel in the Egnater amps sounds great to me. Very natural sounding and no fizz. I'm not a metal guy so I count vouch for how well it does metal. Egnater has amps designed just for Metal.

It's no lions den LOL. Some of us just step outside the usual. I had a horrible experience with a HRDdlx that swore me off of any current production Fender amps. I also had a SF Twin for over 30 years. It was one of the most reliable amps I've ever owned.

_________________
Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me choose a new amp!
Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 7:10 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur

Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:59 am
Posts: 134
Allen Amps Accomplice

http://www.allenamps.com/accomplice.php

They sound great hand made in USA. Not too expensive.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me choose a new amp!
Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 7:22 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
FXA wrote:
Allen Amps Accomplice

http://www.allenamps.com/accomplice.php

They sound great hand made in USA. Not too expensive.


Great amp like all Allen Amps, but it's based on the BF Fender Deluxe Reverb and 22 watts. I think TheSalmonMoose is looking for more headroom.

_________________
Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me choose a new amp!
Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 7:29 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur

Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:59 am
Posts: 134
Accomplice 35 watts with 6l6 or Old Flame 40 watts with 6l6.

Pretty loud I would say.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me choose a new amp!
Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 7:47 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
Forgot about the options. If the Mesa's out of his price range, the Allen is even more.
Nice amps though. If I remember the Accomplice is somewhere in the $15-1800 range. Allen Amps have always been a little steep, but good components and workmanship are a premium. Reliability is the return on your investment.

_________________
Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me choose a new amp!
Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 8:10 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur

Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:59 am
Posts: 134
1.5 - 1.8 k is about right.

I did get a little mixed signal there on cost.

I like the Blues deluxe for affordable tone at 40 watts. Not a great drive channel admittedly.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me choose a new amp!
Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 8:25 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 11:21 am
Posts: 17
Thanks for your input guys - much appreciated.

Costwise I'm starting at £1300 (Rivera Chubster price, Supersonic 60 etc.) and if I were to wait a little longer or sell a boutique pedal or two, I could stretch to £1700 (Tone King, Rivera Venus 5, Mesa 5:50). The tone king has great reverb and trem, so I could sell my Malekko Spring Chicken and Fulltone Supatrem to get the extra cash to fund that.

The Alllen Accomplice looks really intersting - however, the website says no exports due to transformer issues, so I am unlikely to find a UK model.

Maybe 20 - 22w would give me enough headroom, but my experience with the 18w Marshall 1974x makes me slightly concerned. It had an amazing tone, but when the drummer really dug in, any lead work tended to get lost.

Victorias and Supros are really rare here in the UK, so would struggle to try before I buy.

Once again, I appreciate your thoughts.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me choose a new amp!
Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 8:53 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 7:34 pm
Posts: 6911
break those chains that bind thee brother and run to that mesa boogie 5:50.
ok its a touch out of the price range but save save save. or, go look for a used one.
thats my amp of the yr this yr. i'll get one no matter what it takes lol.
those amps just plain out rock. high quality and some sweet features. the 5:50 option
is the perfect combo. 5 for the house, 50 for the gig. perfect. plus it fits everything your looking for and plus a bit extra. one of the better amps on the market in my opinion.
what more could you possibly need in a amp that this jewel doesnt deliver?

_________________
63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me choose a new amp!
Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 4:23 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 11:21 am
Posts: 17
Hi again - thought I'd provide an update.

My budget changed considerably, which wiped out high end, handwired or boutique amps. I now have approximately £1100 to spend.

Got to try a Rivera Venus 3 for a week. Seems like it would adequately cope with a drummer for rehearsals and small club shows. Liked the clean tones and the very tweakable eq, which makes it versatile with all of my guitars. Seemed to take pedals pretty well too. The reverb was quite noisy and there was a genreal 'class a' hum, but all in all, I liked it. The guy I borrowed it from is still deciding whether to sell or not though.

I also demoed a 65 deuxe reissue in guitar store. Sounded really great to my ears, but I was in a rush and it was a noisy store.

Would appreciate your thoughts on the 59 Bassman ltd. There is a local store that has one so I will try it later today, but what's the quality like in your opinion?


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: