So, I'm open to suggestions. I'll be as brief as possible.

What I need is a new amp. Stack, combo ... that doesn't matter to me. I'm not against buying a kit to build what I want should there not be something off the shelf that fits the bill and I'm not against modifying something to hell and back. What I want, though, is as follows:

-Beautiful cleans with decent headroom, perhaps like a DR.
-Gritty, creamy gain like an Orange.
-At least 30 watts so it's gigworthy.
-It must have a master volume that can be defeatable.
-Don't care too much about reverb, but wouldn't mind having it around.
-Must be affordable.

Any suggestions. I'm drawing a blank and my old Airline combo isn't what I want to use as an everyday amp outside of recording.

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2006 Fender AVRI 70s Stratocaster: Natural Ash | Sovtek MIG 60 & A No Name Cabinet | Pedals & Junk

Why not just go for a DRRI?

Vox AC30

phoenix-caster, looking at your requirements including power, the vintage reissue Twin Reverb or Twin Reverb Custom should work fine anywhere around 200 people size venue. If you are playing to bigger crowds in larger venues go through the PA (mic your rig).

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

Not enough watts. He set the low at 30 watts.

You need to tell us what you can spend.

No need to worry, the 22 W DRRI can keep up with most 30 or 40 W amps, all it takes is the right speaker

Word!



Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Here's a few people who sell quality amp kits: http://www.mojotone.com/ http://metroamp.com/ http://plexireplicas.com/ .Also the Vox Valvtronix amps can give you the cleanest clearest tones yet also can crank out the raunch of a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier.They also have a couple of Dumble models built in-one clean and one Overdrive Special.I have an AD120 VTH with the VC12 Foot Controller and I swear by it,they are also available in 15,30,50 and 60W.The AD 120s etc. aren't made any more but can be bought used for pretty good prices and they are just about bullet proof. The newer Valvetronix have as many as 22 amp models built in and just as many effects.
They are hybrid amps there's a 12AX7 tube in the preamp and the power amp is S/S but it sounds just like a tube amp.

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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.

My maximum budget is around $400 to $450 cash. If I go with a stack, I'll buy the head first, cabinet later.

The Twins are an interesting route to go down, as is the AC30, but even with the ability to buy these at cost, they're out of my price range.

I might have to break down and finally get a credit card for this one ... not sure.

guitslinger: I'm going to check out those kits and thanks for the links!

As for the Vox Valvetronix amps, ehhh ... I'm not that big on hybrid amps. I had the chance to buy a used, blonde Fender Deluxe VM for about $400 today but decided to let the store have it instead. My ears can't get around the tone of 'em and, in the case of the Valvetronix amps, my eyes can't digest everything that's going on with the control panel. I'll admit, they do make a lot of sense for home practice.

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2006 Fender AVRI 70s Stratocaster: Natural Ash | Sovtek MIG 60 & A No Name Cabinet | Pedals & Junk