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Post subject: Looking to get a new amp with pedals. Help please!
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 12:45 am
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Hey all,

It's time for me to get a new amp, my Ibanez Spider III is good for portability but it's only like a $150 amp. All gigging musicians use all kinds of effects pedals and stuff, but most of those pedals just switch their tones to one that I can try to mimic on my ibanez amp. For playing blues/rock, is it a smarter idea to get a nice amp (fender, marshall, or something else with a good clean tone), and just use pedals for my effects/distortion? Like is that much better quality than just switching between clean/crunch on my amp, and different pickup switches on my strat? I have been playing guitar for a while now, I play blues/rock etc.

I've been looking into getting the Fender Twin Reverb, and then getting a Boss Blues Driver Pedal for that blues/rock distortion. Any feedback?

EDIT: I am ridiculously OBSESSED with John Mayer, 80% of what I play is his. I'm trying to mimic his tones as best as possible. I know he uses the Boss Blues Driver, but he's got the Keeley mod on it. Naturally I'm more in favor of that mod because he uses it :)

Thanks so much,

Tyler


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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a new amp with pedals. Help please!
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 5:46 am
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For that modern, jazz/blues tone, you want to get as close a you can to the boutiquey amps that Mayer uses (in his case, highly-tweaked Two Rocks and other gigabuck amps). A Twin Reverb is overpowered and too squeaky clean for what you're going for.

Rather than one gain stage, that kind of smooth overdrive is achieved by stacking gain stages. I get very good results by using a good compressor feeding a high-quality overdrive (a Hermida Zendrive, but a Keely-modded Blues Driver would do the same sort of thing) into an amp with a widely variable gain structure of its own (mine is an Eganter Rebel 20, but there are other choices). A set up like you're describing puts the entire weight of the tone on one pedal... A set up like mine lets you increase the gain a bit at a time, each device just slightly overdriving the next, for a smooth, sweet overdrive.

If you just have to have a Fender , a Supersonic is probably more in the ballpark than a Twin. But you should check out the Egnaters, the small Bogners, etc.

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a new amp with pedals. Help please!
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 8:06 am
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If this is for in-home use, a twin will tear the house apart, literally, it is a very loud amp.

I'd also agree on a Egnater, with an multi-effects processor if you don't want to buy individual pedals
(Boss, Line-6, digitech all make them as do others, I pointed to the top end unit for each brand)

I have a mustang modeling amp sitting among my amps and it is a fun practice amp (and very inexpensive), but it is slow to change presets, and amp does strange things sometimes all on its own.
It is also limited in the type of effects you can model, only 1 effect type from each of 4 groups can be selected.

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a new amp with pedals. Help please!
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 11:50 am
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Haha funny you guys mentioned the Rebel amp, I was talking to my old guitar teacher today and he recommended the same thing. I'm in a college dorm for most of the year, and my house for the summer/winter break. I'd like something that's loud enough to gig with, but quiet enough to play in a dorm (headphone port is ideal, but idk how possible that is with these amps)

So with a Rebel 30 (or 20, idk the difference), and the Keeley modded pedal, you guys think I could mimic John Mayer, Eric Clapton, Hendrix, and SRV pretty well? Compared to like, a Deluxe Reverb?

And no it doesn't NEED to be a Fender amp, I'm just an amateur when it comes to gear :)


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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a new amp with pedals. Help please!
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 12:41 pm
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Yes, i think you'll come closer to the sounds you're looking for with an amp like a Rebel 20, or, cheaper and better for a dorm room, an Egnater Tweaker 15 combo and your Keely-ed pedal. You have to crank a Deluxe Reverb pretty loud to get any amp distortion... but with my Zendrive and Rebel, I routinely get that creamy, liquid sound (or hairier distortion tones, if required) at volumes you can sing above without a mic. Go play a couple and see if you don't love 'em.

Not to disparage a DRRI at all... they're nice amps. but for what you're going for, I would just suggest that you try the Egnaters before you buy anything.

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a new amp with pedals. Help please!
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 12:47 pm
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EgFryer knows of what he speaks! I agree with his recommendations. Try them out and good luck!!


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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a new amp with pedals. Help please!
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 2:05 pm
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You guys are so helpful, thanks so much!

I'll try the Egnater before anything, and regardless I want the keeley modded blues driver, why exactly do you recommend the tweaker as well?

EDIT: Stupid question, looking at this pic

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=rebel+20 ... 29,r:1,s:0

Which one is the rebel 20? Like most videos have both of those boxes... idk what I need and what I dont lol.


Last edited by Tylercaster on Mon Oct 03, 2011 3:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a new amp with pedals. Help please!
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 2:41 pm
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The Tweaker comes in a 15 watt 1x12" combo configuration ($599 at GC), and gives you a bit more tone shaping control than even the Rebel. It's a grab-n-go, low-wattage amp that can burn at bedroom volumes or keep up at a jam... pretty much blows everything in its class away, at a nice price. I love my Rebel, but the Tweaker combo looks like ideal bedroom-to-gig amp.

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a new amp with pedals. Help please!
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 3:48 pm
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EgFryer wrote:
The Tweaker comes in a 15 watt 1x12" combo configuration ($599 at GC), and gives you a bit more tone shaping control than even the Rebel. It's a grab-n-go, low-wattage amp that can burn at bedroom volumes or keep up at a jam... pretty much blows everything in its class away, at a nice price. I love my Rebel, but the Tweaker combo looks like ideal bedroom-to-gig amp.


+1 I had a Twin for 30 years and I'll tell you what, your ears, back and testicles will thank you for not getting one. Great clean tone though. I bought an Egnater Rebel 20 and never looked back. :wink: The Tweakers are really sweet too. Both amps are far from a one trick pony. Rock solid amps that sound great.

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a new amp with pedals. Help please!
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 4:11 pm
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Tylercaster wrote:
Hey all,

It's time for me to get a new amp, my Ibanez Spider III is good for portability but it's only like a $150 amp. All gigging musicians use all kinds of effects pedals and stuff, but most of those pedals just switch their tones to one that I can try to mimic on my ibanez amp. For playing blues/rock, is it a smarter idea to get a nice amp (fender, marshall, or something else with a good clean tone), and just use pedals for my effects/distortion? Like is that much better quality than just switching between clean/crunch on my amp, and different pickup switches on my strat? I have been playing guitar for a while now, I play blues/rock etc.

I've been looking into getting the Fender Twin Reverb, and then getting a Boss Blues Driver Pedal for that blues/rock distortion. Any feedback?

EDIT: I am ridiculously OBSESSED with John Mayer, 80% of what I play is his. I'm trying to mimic his tones as best as possible. I know he uses the Boss Blues Driver, but he's got the Keeley mod on it. Naturally I'm more in favor of that mod because he uses it :)

Thanks so much,

Tyler



I am also obsessed with John Mayer :D . How much cash you willin to spend? If your like me, I would really recommend the Fender Hot Rod III Blues Junior. (Mayer used it in the studio for continuum) I love this amp, it's all EL-84 tube tone, and it says blues right in the name! Runs for about $500 new, and has a footswitch for a boost, and an amp cover (Both sold seperately :( , oh well). Nails the cleans, and has very decent headroom for a 15 watt, 12" speaker combo.

Running pedals into a tube amp is your best bet, tried and true.
I recommend the Keeley mod, my friend has it and there is a difference.

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a new amp with pedals. Help please!
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 4:50 pm
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If it says Blues in the name, it's gotta be a Blues amp! :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a new amp with pedals. Help please!
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 5:31 pm
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63supro wrote:
If it says Blues in the name, it's gotta be a Blues amp! :lol:



Yadda, yadda.


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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a new amp with pedals. Help please!
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 6:01 pm
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John Mayer didn't use a Blues Junior in the studio on "Continuum." He gave a long interview to Guitarist magazine on the recording of that album where they detailed all the guitars he used (mostly The Black One) and when they asked him what amps were used he said, "I use the same amps in the studio that I use live, the Two-Rock and the Dumble." You can find the interview on line.

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a new amp with pedals. Help please!
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 7:15 pm
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GTG wrote:
63supro wrote:
If it says Blues in the name, it's gotta be a Blues amp! :lol:



Yadda, yadda.


Right......!

:roll:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a new amp with pedals. Help please!
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 8:25 pm
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EgFryer wrote:
John Mayer didn't use a Blues Junior in the studio on "Continuum." He gave a long interview to Guitarist magazine on the recording of that album where they detailed all the guitars he used (mostly The Black One) and when they asked him what amps were used he said, "I use the same amps in the studio that I use live, the Two-Rock and the Dumble." You can find the interview on line.



You are right about "Continuum". :oops:
But... He has used them in the studio since 2008 (As reported in his may blog). At least thats what uberproaudio says, but it is entirely possible they are wrong.

http://www.uberproaudio.com/who-plays-w ... -equipment

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