I think if If tubes were as reliable as they used to be, it would be a no brainer. Tube reliability is a huge issue with tube amps today. All the buttons, presets and controls in modeling amps kill the whole experience for me. Man, even my GDec 30 drives me nuts and sounds like digital arse.

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Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal

Maybe not a Twin, not enough headroom, but a cranked Champ? Way Cool, have you recorded with yours yet? You'll be really, really surprised .

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Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal

dude, my pignose, ocd, and carbon copy is my goto rig. i love the setup.
i like it better than my 68 champ with the same pedals even.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

i am putting my money into a very solid tube amp. Although i think there is value to the modeling style of amp it isn't for me. I would rather have a decent tube amp and use various pedals for my sound. I have a little more money to put into the effort, when i was a teen and didn't have much money a modeling mustang III would have been incredible.

I guess it depends on how you look at the question - surpassing tube amps how? In sheer numbers of units sold? In the prices collectors are willing to pay? In terms of what the average gigging musician wants to haul around with him?

I've got plenty of amps, including a fair number of tube amps, but truth be told, when I hit the bars I'm generally carrying SS amps. As far as modeling amps truly emulating the sound of a Bassman or a Twin, I really couldn't care less. I get the sound I want out of the amp and go from there.

I like a good clean sound most of the time, but when I want to push overdrive, it's nice to have a good two-channel amp that can supply the distortion I want. I like my VOX hybrid, I like my Super Champ XD, I like my Mustangs. A purist I'm not and neither is the average bar hound who comes out to hear me play.

I used to carry a bunch of pedals and then I went to one of the big all-inclusive pedal boards, but I eventually got tired of lugging that thing around, too. I can't get any of my tube amps to overdrive without huge volume or pedals in front, so I'll take the lower volume and the simplicity of a good solid-state amp.

When it comes to solid-state versus tube - I think we'll always have plenty of both, but the drive right now seems to be toward more and better (and more affordable, hence better selling) modeling type amps.

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Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963

I have only tube amps; I like the depth, the soul, and the tones that only an overdriven tube amp produces. As for tubes, there is an enormous amount of NOS tubes out there for a reasonable price, especially 12AX7s, EL84s, 6V6s. EL34s are a bit more, but even those are plentiful.

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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

Solid state wise, do you know what I would love to have???


a Roland JC-120.


Tube wise... Either a Fender Super Sonic or a Tone King Galaxy ( Sadly it comes with a price tag that's "out of this world" )

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Kid: "Hey Smokey! Where did you get your name?"
Smokey the Bear: "Well..."
(former user jimbo612)

I just recently bought a Mustang V and although it sounds really good, it just doesn't respond like a traditional tube amp. It still seems like a processed signal. Butfor the money, it is a great amp.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

I use both as do many who have posted. I am partial to my Twin because it has a depth and warmth that no solid state amp can duplicate. On the other hand it is a royal pain to lug around and the pedal board and assorted pedals I use with it create a whole other hazard. Therefore it spends most of its life in my music room where I selfishly enjoy its tone while torturing/entertaining my next door neighbor.
I use a Line6 Podx3 in my Church gig because of its convenience and the multitude of effects and amp models. I can tell the difference but I doubt that 5 people in 500 in that congregation could distinguish the difference. I do believe there will be an increase in both the quality and quantity of solid state modeling as the technology improves . I also believe that it will move to rack effects and floor models as the need for stage amps becomes unnecessary. I mean why mike a modeling amp when you can run direct? I really like the HD500 from line 6 as I've played with one and it is a big improvement over my board; but plug into an AXFX ultra and it blows the HD out of the water.
The problem with any modeling device is the learning curve. You need to be technically savy to program it and the more effects you add the less like a guitar your instrument begins to sound.

I read that line6 had really closed the gap with the HD and AXFX. I have not done a side by side or anything. I did see a side by side with pod farm and the HD series and that was a big difference to me.

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My ability to spell is in direct proportion to the amount of coffee I've had.

Hey Matt I've not tried the two of them side by side myself. I've only heard the difference and the AXFX was in a studio setting and the HD was live in a Church so there could be some bias there. I know this. I can afford the HD500. I can't afford the AXFX...