Tube! I've heard all the reasons for SS but doesn't work for me. Just a preference and no discussion needed. (for me )

G'day.
I am using, at the moment, a Fender 40watt De Luxe, all valve combo and a Fender Frontman 25R Solid State combo. I have to agree about the overdrive on the 40. If you use the more gain section it is a bit
much. Though on the first gain boost setting it sounds ok. This amp will cut it in fairly large rooms. The 25R I use mostly at home. Keep the locals happy. It is a rather versitile little beast, 2 channel with reverb. The overdrive is acceptable, though it only has a 10"driver and will get a bit crazy at high levels. Patch the 2 together and look out. It is an animal, make sure to give the neighbours a wide berth. They will not like this!
But this is the opinion of only one semi deaf old guy. Go and try heaps of amps, both new and second hand, use your guitar, play at the level you will normally play at. The guy in the store will want to make the sale, so let rip.
Cheers and lotsa luck.
Shane.

I have a little hybrid amp and I love what the preamp tube does to my sound

Why not both?

I like transistor amps--the early ones were not very good, and unfortunately that tainted their rep with some people who still think that way--or they heard from someone who still thinks that way and never checked it out for themselves.

I would just look for an amp you like, and not worry about whether it's tube/valve or solidstate/transistor.

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It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.

+1

I own several of both but I really prefer the sounds of my tubers. my 1970 twin reverb is love baby and the bassman is awesome my laney and carvin stuff almost makes you weep. Lets face it 99.999999% of all the professional music you hear is with valves. Back in the day the big guys (Clapton,Page,et.al) would have monster setups on stage,then in the studio they would use the little valve amps like Fender champs or old harmony's/Nationals/Dano's. I have a 1950 Danelectro Vibrovox Special. 3-5 watts 1x12 Rolo,its sweet as hell(needs a retube now after 30 years. My money's worth for sure.costs way more to retube it now then when I bought it about 33 years ago,lol. I have an old airline amp in case and a Dano amp in case with valves and I love the sound. I bought and still have some of the old Harmony,Dano,Teisco,Epiphone and some of those old kit valve amps from the day. I have to say I prefer Valve. when you want sweet its there,dirty its there. Low watt amps (1-22) is just the greatest way to go. If you want Fender look at blues Junior (15 watts 1x12) Pro Jr (15 1x10) or the excellent american made Carvin Vintage 16 (16 1x12) Fender and Carvin are great amps and both are well priced. If you look on the used market you will do even better. Try to play before you pay. Tubes can be expensive and the tech fees can add up if you don't do it yourself. Almost always the expense is worth it.Now with that said I also agree the if you find a solid state amp that you like buy it its about the music,the gear is just the brush and canvas.Make sure you play,YOUR guitar through the solid state amp as I have found over the years that SS amps can be very guitar picky and sensitive,much more so then Valve. Good Luck and Play On
my 1950 Dano Special

Hmmmm....the answer to your question is: TUBES!!!

How many solid state amp makers attempt to get a good tube tone. All of them.

How many tube amps try to get a good solid state tone? NONE!

Good amp tone. other than for metal, was pretty well nailed by the late fifties to early sixties. Marshal, Vox, Fender, etc. Those old amps were "hand wired, point to point", and sounded great.

I've had Fender Twins, a Bandmaster, a Dual Showman, and a Champ. All gave great clean sound. Recently had a Peavey Classic 30...sounded good enough in the store but sorta grated on my ears when I really started using it.

Currently using an Orange Tiny Terror through an Eminence Alnico speaker. Tone comes outta there like water out of a faucet. Gorgeous stuff.

The other thing I've found, at least for me, it that with a really good sounding amp, with lots of yummy overtones and sensivity to technique, it really pains me to put any effects in front of it. I'll do it, but I need a really good reason.