Hi,

I am looking to buy a new tube amp. I currently have a Mesa Boogie Mark IV combo. However, it has too many knobs and switches for my needs. It's also quite heavy and loud.

I am a session player so versatility is very important. However, I don't play metal so an amp with a ton of gain is not needed. I am looking for an amp with the following features:

- 1-2 channels
- Straightforward control layout
- Spring reverb
- Great cleans
- Smooth overdrive (Nothing that requires a pedal to sound good!)
- 40W max.
- Combo or head/2x12 cab
- Less than $1500CDN

To sum it up, I am looking for a versatile, boutique style amp. A Dr. Z on a budget, if you will. I have been looking at a few amps including the Hughes & Kettner Statesman Dual/Quad EL84. What do you guys suggest? Thanks in advance!

You played on an orange rockerverb? I have found them very good. They are valve amps, hey are good with gain if you need a little or a lot and have a good clean sound too. You can buy a combo rockerverb 30 or get a stack of a rockerverb 100.

www.orangeamps.com

Or you could always check out a fender hot rod deluxe or a fender twin.

Hope this is of some use.

Hey, id suggest a twin but you complained about heaviness so a twin isnt exactly known for its lightweight propperties....

How about a Soldano Lucky 13-50, its got all what you want but im not sure on the price.

Id have suggested a Diezel Schmidt but it could be too expensive.

Maybe a riviera would be right up your street, most of what they make sounds like those specifics, like a venus 5 or maybe a fandango.

Failing all of them i hear great things from Egnator, Look at either the renegade combo or the renegade head and a cab of your choice. They're a two channel, reverb, gain, and even though it is 65 watts, you can attenuate it down to 45, then 15 with the built in power soak.

Wow, talking about egnator is making me want one mind you, im not a big fan of the cream colours but hey ho.

_________________
"Oh, it's a windy and sunny day
And I can hear the faint sound of distant waves
The past weeks have been going by so fast
It's all the same, the bright sky and shining sun
I have a feeling it's gonna be a fun day"

40watt blues deluxe, clean w/o.d., 40watt hotrod deluxe, clean w/o.d and more o.d., both easy to lug around. I've had good luck with mine over the last couple of years. No need to lug pedals, just use the foot switch which is included. Nice tube amps w/reverb.

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2012 American Vintage Telecaster 1958
09 Fender american deluxe strat.
97 Gibson les paul special P90's double-cut
65 Princeton reverb re-issue
2010 Guild Gad-F40e

I'm crazy about my Hot Rod Deluxe. I bought it so I wouldn't have to lug my other heavy amp around. It has 2 channels.Plenty of watts for me. I know they get some mixed reviews on this board but I couldn't be happier!
To my ear this is one great sounding amp for the size and money.

I would recommend either a Deluxe VM or the Super Champ XD. The xd is small compact 15 watts and a very light versitile amp. I use it both in live venues and session recording. The Deluxe VX has 40 watts beautiful reverb and more power than you will need for sessions.
ABS

If you're a session player and rely on your equipment for you livelihood, I'd steer clear of the HRD or VM series. Currently I'm using an Egnater Rebel 20. It uses both 6V6 AND EL84 Power tubes which are blend-able to any degree as well as variable wattage from 1 watt to 20. There is also a 30 watt 2 channel combo that is footswitchable has the same tube and power configuration as well as separate reverb and eq for both channels and a silent record out. The 30 also comes in a head version also. These things are built like tanks. My Rebel 20 is played on a daily basis, and so far after 5 months has been bulletproof.

a Blues DeVille ot Hot Rod DeVille

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Current Gear: Ron Kirn Barnbuster Tele,
Marshall: 1971 SuperLead 100>1997 1960-TV, bunch of pedals
and a 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera coupe named Veronica

The Marshall Haze combo is a great 40W amp and dirties up nicely but doesn't get into the metal high gain territory also the Vox AC 30 is a fabulous amp and it's 30W seems more like 50.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3VeWCFPF-Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLpk6H5YX3A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX5QbY1PEX4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzfXHXA3J0E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2QEEhzwV-8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMBGpJkBbEM

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(80’s Hair Metal) = A snapshot in time before Grunge ruined Rock & Roll forever!!!!

Rivera R30-Twelve is light and small but has enough power for small venues but you'll need an ext. cab.

Since you already have a fairly high end amp why not try building your own from a kit like a Trinity Deluxe or something?

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

Thank you all for your replies! I should have mentioned in my original post that I am not really looking for a Fender amp. However, I do appreciate the suggestions.

Eccentric0, the only Orange amp I have played is the Tiny Terror. That little amp surprised me! I didn't like how it sounded through the Orange 1x12 cab it was running through.

Big The Cat/63supro, the Egnater Rebel 20 is one of the amps I have been looking at.

Guitslinger, I have played the Haze but it didn't quite do it for me.

Wtcumm00, the Mesa Electra Dyne is a nice amp but it's a bit out of my price range. They go for about $2000CDN where I live. I am trying not to spend more than $1500CDN.

BMW-KTM, the idea of building an amp has crossed my mind. The Trinity TC-15 seems like something I would like. However, they seem to be a bit out of my price range . Has anyone here played a Ceriatone?

If it helps, I have decided I would prefer a head and cab as opposed to a combo. Built-in reverb is not really a necessity.

Penguin_21…the Ceriatone is a great amp and what I was looking for before I went with the Mesa..for me the mesa covered more of what I was looking for but also the wait time was a lot less.. I have some buddies that swear by them and to be honest I have never heard anything bad about Ceriatone.. one of the other forums I go to a lot; there is a lot of ceriatone users there and they rave about them all the time. I think you may just find what you are looking for with them. Nik is a good guy to deal with and all thought I put my original project on hold for my Mesa I will have him build me an 18 watt or an HMR in the future. Here is a demo of a buddies of mine from another forums showing off their HMR's..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKBC7rc_ ... re=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqwcZScWlYY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g8M_9wgN28

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vIS-aAr ... re=related

http://www.ceriatone.com/

http://www.ceriatoneforum.com/

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(80’s Hair Metal) = A snapshot in time before Grunge ruined Rock & Roll forever!!!!

I know you said that you're looking for a Fender unit, but I've had a Peavy Delta Blues for years and it has served me well. 30w, straight forward controls, not too pricey. Mine has the 15" speaker, but they come with 4 10's also. It's sort of a clone on the old baseman with spring reverb and tremelo. Worth checking out.

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1999 Strat Delux Transparent Crimson
2000 MIA Tele Transparent White
2009 Gibson LP Studio Deluxe Vintageburst
2010 Gibson SG Std Wine Red
Peavey Delta Blues 115
Line6 POD HD500