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Post subject: Solid State Amp/Combos
Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2013 2:27 pm
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Hi there

I know many (almost all of you probably) prefer tube amps/combos over solid state ones. Therefore, this is probably an unpopular question, but here goes...

Are there any Fender Solid State Amp/Combos you'd recommend which are gig useable for bars and clubs? Other brands suggestions welcome too.

The thought of having to change out tubes and figure out when it has to be done kinda perplexes me. As does some potentially lean times ahead which may obstruct me in affording new tubes in future.

Thanks

Loakky


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Post subject: Re: Solid State Amp/Combos
Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2013 4:36 pm
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The DynaTouch series of amps were prolly the best s/s amps Fender ever made. They didn't last very long on the production line though. They didnt sell very well. Fender began changing them to try to make people want to buy them and ruined them in the process. Seems whenever Fender makes something decent these days nobody wants it. People only seem to buy the really crappy stuff. Find yourself a used DynaTouch. Make sure you get one of the earliest ones you can find. If there is any DSP on it at all ... leave it.

Turning the clock back even farther, the Princeton Chorus was a fairly decent amp.

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Post subject: Re: Solid State Amp/Combos
Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2013 4:58 pm
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I had a Fender Stage 112SE that was decent for keys and I'd use it for guitar at times.

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Specs:

LOUD

and

http://support.fender.com/manuals/guita ... manual.pdf

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Last edited by Miami Mike on Mon Sep 23, 2013 11:25 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Solid State Amp/Combos
Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2013 6:47 pm
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Mustang line, maybe?


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Post subject: Re: Solid State Amp/Combos
Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2013 7:13 pm
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I've never owned a fender solid state amp but back in the 70s I had a Lab series amp that was darn good


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Post subject: Re: Solid State Amp/Combos
Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 1:10 am
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A Sunn Beta Lead is one of the best sounding SS amps that I've ever heard. :idea:

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Post subject: Re: Solid State Amp/Combos
Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 8:38 am
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The Fender Frontman amps are good. The Fender Mustang iV and up is gig worthy.


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Post subject: Re: Solid State Amp/Combos
Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 2:47 pm
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Thanks for that

Some good suggestions there. I'll do some research on them all.

Regarding the Mustangs, I've just bout a Mustang Floor lol. :lol:

I really appreciate the input on this.

Going off-topic a little and regarding preamp and power tubes (obviously in tube models), is there a general shelf life for tubes even if the equipment is not used that much. Or do the tubes only require changing relative to actual hours worth of play time they've been through?

Thanks

Loakky


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Post subject: Re: Solid State Amp/Combos
Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 3:49 pm
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Check out the new Champion 40 or Champion 100.

Tubes don't age unless you are using them. People pay big money for 50 year old tubes that have been sitting in boxes.

I agree they are kind of a hassle. My problem with them is I keep switching them out questing for better tone instead of learning how to play the guitar better. When I leave the tube amps alone and play my Princeton 112 Plus I am happy and undistracted.


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Post subject: Re: Solid State Amp/Combos
Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 6:12 pm
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I have a Frontman 212R and really like it. The Champion 40 and 100, mentioned above, I plan on checking out soon. They really sound like good amps for a great price.

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Post subject: Re: Solid State Amp/Combos
Posted: Tue Sep 24, 2013 8:15 am
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The Mustang III is supremely giggable and sounds great for recording, too. 100 watts, small footprint, light weight.


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Post subject: Re: Solid State Amp/Combos
Posted: Tue Sep 24, 2013 2:24 pm
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Wayne2 wrote:
Check out the new Champion 40 or Champion 100.

Tubes don't age unless you are using them. People pay big money for 50 year old tubes that have been sitting in boxes.


I'm now looking at the Champions, Frontman 212r (which I can't find hardly anywhere just now) and one of the Mustangs.

Thanks for the advice and opinions folks. I really appreciate it.

Loakky


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Post subject: Re: Solid State Amp/Combos
Posted: Tue Sep 24, 2013 7:45 pm
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Wayne2 wrote:
Tubes don't age unless you are using them. People pay big money for 50 year old tubes that have been sitting in boxes.


Tubes age and wear out based partly on the integrity of the seal between the glass envelope and the phenolic base, just as with an incandescent light bulb. Once the vacuum is lost, air -- loaded with ambient impurities -- enters the bottle and begins to taint and corrode the elements. And repeated heating and cooling of the glass -- as with powering them up and down -- accelerates the process. And there's no guarantee whatsoever that a bonafide NOS tube stored for five decades will hold its vacuum any better than if it had been installed in a piece of equipment and used.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Solid State Amp/Combos
Posted: Tue Sep 24, 2013 9:34 pm
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Arjay, good way to tell if the vacuum is good is to look at the getter flash. Primo tubes will have a nice silver sheen. 1960's and older tubes may have a bit of brownish rainbow around the edges of the flash. This is ok, as the alloy of those tubes had more barium and thus the slightly different look.

Tubes that have a rust colored flash have been used and the flash has trapped its share of oxygen. Lifetime is limited. Tubes with white flash are dead.

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z32 ... CN1726.jpg


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Post subject: Re: Solid State Amp/Combos
Posted: Tue Sep 24, 2013 10:46 pm
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BMW2002Ti wrote:
Arjay, good way to tell if the vacuum is good is to look at the getter flash. Primo tubes will have a nice silver sheen. 1960's and older tubes may have a bit of brownish rainbow around the edges of the flash. This is ok, as the alloy of those tubes had more barium and thus the slightly different look.

Tubes that have a rust colored flash have been used and the flash has trapped its share of oxygen. Lifetime is limited. Tubes with white flash are dead.

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z32 ... CN1726.jpg


+1!

I've tossed my share of dead bottles and declined others hawked by the unscrupulous for those very issues. And of course, the only way to check for microphonic problems is to actually plug them in and fire 'em up.

Arjay

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