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Post subject: New Amp Help - What size is RIGHT?
Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 3:15 pm
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Hi everyone...

I'm really hoping to find some more experienced amp advice here from those who know.

First off, the obligatory "about me". I have been playing for some 25+ years, so you would think I know by now, but I really want to make a more informed decision here... I play mostly classic rock, and some country mixed in. Think The Who, Tom Petty, Joe Walsh, EC, Bad Company, with some Toby Keith and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band mixed in?

Currently I own a Blues Jr for home / practice use, and a Hot Rod Deluxe for when I need a little more volume.

The guys I play with have 100-watt Marshall stacks, and they also own their own PA. In past, playing through the HRDx has been good enough, and I do enjoy the familiar Fender tones. I utilize any combination of a Boss GT10 and pedals to get my crunch / delay / etc, so I don't use the overdrive channels on amps I plug into generally.

Recently I got a chance to use the Marshall stacks and really liked the full, punchy sounds I was able to get without using a mic. Add to this the fact that we may not always be able or willing to set up the PA. Since gigging isn't a regular occurrence (for me anyway - these guys do a lot without me), I want to get a little more versatility with my amp combos.

I love the BJr for home use. Just the right amount of volume without killing my family and annoying my neighbors. But I'm wondering if I'm not better off exploring ways to get more sound / volume / fill with replacing my HRD with something else.

Some options I've considered:

- An extension 112 HRDx cabinet... may not really add power, but would it add more versatile room fill and apparent "punch"?

- A Hot Rod or Blues Deville... 60watts might be the sweet spot for being a little more able to gig without a PA sometimes and still be reasonable to practice with the guys in a more enclosed area?

- A Marshall... either a 60-watt or 100-watt (switchable to 50-watt) head with a 212 cabinet? I have a line on a local JCM2000 TSL60 (master volume control) and 1936 cab for a pretty reasonable price and know the seller well. Would I miss the Fender cleans? I doubt I'd ever run the crunch or lead on this head because as I said I have a pretty decent pedal / board setup. I know asking about Fender vs Marshall in a Fender forum is likely asking for skewed opinions, but I've got nothing but respect for many of you.

Anyone with experience with these different options or a similar situation care to comment? I really would prefer to avoid more vintage amp options as I have had some bad experiences with used gear I don't know how it's been cared for, and am no amp tech by any means.

Sorry if long winded, but wanted to spell out the whole situation for best advice.

Many thanks in advance and CHEERS!

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Post subject: Re: New Amp Help - What size is RIGHT?
Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 4:49 pm
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Hello,

Based on the headline, What size is right? I'd have to say it depends on the venue, and in your case, having to do battle with 100w Marshall's. :wink: . I've gigged with everything from a 18 watt Marshall clone to my 40w bandmasters and even a 100w Twin Reverb. I have even been asked to "turn down" my 18w. Needless to say, the trri was just way too much for what we do and I had to let it go.

On the other hand If I had to pick an amp, I would think about running another Fender with your HRD. The contrast between your Fenders and their Marshall amps would also make it easier to distinguish your sound from the other guitarist so you wouldn't have to compete with him/her, or have everything just blend in together and sound the same.

Just my 2c.

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Post subject: Re: New Amp Help - What size is RIGHT?
Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 5:19 pm
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If you are having to compete with 100 watt Marshalls, I would go with a nice early Silverface Super Reverb (72 or earlier). They have great tone, and are certainly loud enough to compete and still have your "Own" sound.

T2

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Post subject: Re: New Amp Help - What size is RIGHT?
Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 6:11 pm
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T2Stratman wrote:
If you are having to compete with 100 watt Marshalls, I would go with a nice early Silverface Super Reverb (72 or earlier). They have great tone, and are certainly loud enough to compete and still have your "Own" sound.


+1

That, or a SF Twin Reverb.

What I find incredulous though is that anybody is still using stacks -- most venues are too small and their owners too averse to thermonuclear decibel levels to make them viable in today's live-music marketplace. Unless it were some shoe-gazers playing a rave......

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: New Amp Help - What size is RIGHT?
Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 2:57 pm
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Thanks all for the thoughts everyone.

I guess I should be fair to my friends in that they have a large barn in the country to rehearse and jam in, and I'm sure the Marshalls aren't "cranked" by any means. More to do with the fact that it's hard in that environment playing with guys who can fill the space well with their gear when I'm running a single 12 HRDx.

As I mentioned, I knew I'd get the advice to search out some more vintage Fender tubes, which are no doubt gems when you find the right one. I just am too inexperienced and skeptical in examining them and ultimately repairing them to want to undertake the risk...

I visited a local retailer and they have a used HRDv that I'm going to rent and play around with. My concern is it's too loud for anything short of the situation I'm describing, but I'll test that out. I'm sure it's too loud for my use at home since the HRDx already seems to be, but not my major concern since I have the BJ for that purpose.

Today the retailer also tried to steer me towards a 59 Bassman RI, a Marshall DSL50, and an EVH 5150 50-watt combo as possible options to consider. I never thought of the Bassman, but sounds like it might be worth considering and comparing to the Blues or HR Devilles. Also he seems to imply that Fender played no small role in developing the clean channel of the EVH amps? Really? Did I hear him wrong??

Anyway, the deliberation continues... thanks again for the replies.

_________________
2011 Custom Shop Custom Deluxe HSS Strat
2011 Custom Shop Custom Deluxe SSS Strat
2011 Custom Shop Jeff Beck Strat
2012 Fender Select HSS
2013 American Deluxe Tele
59 Bassman 410, Blues Deluxe 410
Two Rock Studio Pro 35 and 410 Cab


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Post subject: Re: New Amp Help - What size is RIGHT?
Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 4:07 pm
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I didn't know these come in 4x12"

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-65-Super ... 2a2bd1bc6e


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Post subject: Re: New Amp Help - What size is RIGHT?
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 10:19 pm
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+1 for the super reverb, or a twin. I have also gigged many times with my 95 blues deville, as I don't drag out the vintage amps to a lot of the places I may play, it's plenty loud enough at 60w, and decent enough tone. I'm wondering to Arjay about who is lugging stacks around. Where are these guys playing. I get a back ache lugging around a 212 combo, and never crank it up past 3 most cases.

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Post subject: Re: New Amp Help - What size is RIGHT?
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 11:15 pm
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You didn't give a price range so I recommend a Boogie Mark V 112 combo and add a 112 ext cab for more volume if needed for competing with Marshall stacks. They have great Fender-like clean chimes as well as a wonderful rock 'n roll crunch.
IMO Boogie amps sound better for classic rock and blues than MESA amps such as the Rectifier series.

Mark V

If 100 watts is too much there is also the Rivera Quiana 112 at 50 watts. Rivera amps are extemely well built and they have some truly amazing tones in them. They are channel switching amps but not really in the normal sense. They are more like two single channel amps that you can switch between. Green channels are voiced for Fender tones and red channels are voiced for older Marshall Plexi type tones.

Quiana 112

Both of those amps will cost you a pretty penny but great tone is worth it.

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