I need an amp

Michael Jones

Michael Jones

New member
For electric guitar.
I want to use it exclusively for recording in the studio.
I don't need (or want for that matter) a huge stack for live gigging.
I want something that'll give a classic rock sound.
I want something small for miking up.
I don't need (or want for that matter) crunchy distortion.

I'm thinking Ampeg, but I don't really know jack, which is why I'm asking here.

Budget: I dunno.... $500 - $600? More if need be.
 
I stumbled across a used Ampeg J-12T a few weeks ago (retail $500?), and while I am still in that new gear ga-ga phase I want to recommend it because it seems to fit your requirements nicely.

-15 watts Class A
-Comes w/ 12" speaker (mine's all modded to hell with 4x6" and a speaker out to a 2x12 cab)
-Quiet
-Breaks up nicely for that classic rock tone
-Dick Dale reverb
-Really interesting tremelo
-Ampeg customer service is excellent
-And lastly who wants to look at an ugly amp? If it is something you have to look at everday get something that the girlfriend or wife won't mind you having in the house. This thing is gorgeous.

Or hey I know the Laney LC-15 ($300-400) gets hyped a lot here. You may also want to check out the VC-30($400-500 used) I've played this one a bit and was very impressed, a bit loud though maybe.
 
Trace said:
I stumbled across a used Ampeg J-12T a few weeks ago (retail $500?), and while I am still in that new gear ga-ga phase I want to recommend it because it seems to fit your requirements nicely.

-15 watts Class A
-Comes w/ 12" speaker (mine's all modded to hell with 4x6" and a speaker out to a 2x12 cab)
-Quiet
-Breaks up nicely for that classic rock tone
-Dick Dale reverb
-Really interesting tremelo
-Ampeg customer service is excellent
-And lastly who wants to look at an ugly amp? If it is something you have to look at everday get something that the girlfriend or wife won't mind you having in the house. This thing is gorgeous.
Click to expand...

A second vote for the J12T. Sort of a cross between Vox and Fender sounds. I can go from swamp to surf to Neil Young to Brian Setzer just by noodling with the knobs. It also makes a killer harmonica amp.
 
Some good suggestions here, I'll throw out another....

Boogie Mark IV...........maybe more power than you were looking for, but it can be run@ 50w.

Great tone!

Rick
 
Trayner YCV30, gorgeous clean tones and can be cranked into sweet power tube saturation at modest volumes.
 
reshp1 said:
Trayner YCV30, gorgeous clean tones and can be cranked into sweet power tube saturation at modest volumes.
Click to expand...
OK. I just blew water out of my nose reading your signature line!!

Trayner YCV30 huh? I'll look into it... thanks.
:D
 
freshmattyp said:
A second vote for the J12T. Sort of a cross between Vox and Fender sounds. I can go from swamp to surf to Neil Young to Brian Setzer just by noodling with the knobs. It also makes a killer harmonica amp.
Click to expand...
Cool. A local music store has the J12T. I fooled around with it for a little bit.
Nice amp.
 
UpstateSteve is building and selling class A handwired tube amps. These things are amazing, one was demo'ed at Jamfest '04 and Treeline bought one about a week ago and loves it. Talk to Steve and/or Glenn, I doubt you'd be disappointed.
 
If vintage gear is under consideration, maybe something like a silverface Fender Deluxe Reverb or Princeton Reverb would suit. You wont record the reverb much, but the tremolo sounds are cool once in a while. Either of these will deliver a rich clean guitar tone for rock, blues, country.
 
the coolest amp that no one knows about is the seymour duncan convertible 100.

features:

full tube operation, all the way down to the rectifier.
variable wattage from 15 to 100
el34's (I love um, they're so... musical)

here's the REAL reason they rock:
preamp modules that you can pull out, replace and rearrange. it's TRUE TUBE modeling amp, you pull out the actual pieces of the preamp and work to find your own tone. there are 5 sockets (one pre amp, 2 for each channel) plus tube verb and effects loop (I think, still working through this amp).

anyways, this is a stellar sounding amp for the price and uncomparibly flexable. Ilove mine and would never sell it.

wes
 
i'm only recommending this b/c it's what i do :D

i'd look into two amps, both small and neither boutique:

a used fender champ and a new vox pathfinder 15R.

the champ gives me that american "classic rock" sound (as well as country and blues). plug a strat or a tele into it and you're in tube amp heaven. nice breakup starting around 6 (depending on how hot your pickups are and how hard you play) and full-on drive at 10. it's got a 12ax7 in the pre, a 6v6 in the power and a 5y3 in the rectifier, and it's a whopping 6W. you can dial in a sweet tone and stand right in front of it and not go deaf. oh, and it's got that pristine fender clean, too. :D want a different sound, more headroom or grittier grit? play with different tubes.

the pathfinder gives me the british tone. i swear this thing sounds like an AC30. only it's 15W, all solid state, with spring reverb and tremolo, and a 2nd gain-boost channel that gets real nasty (almost too nasty, really--i don't use it much). it's a perfect match for my 2-humbucker ibanez artcore hollowbody and my buddy's ibanez les paul copy that seems to be at my house on permanent loan. :p keep the gain low and you're in beatles country, turn the gain to about 5 and you've got a nice crunch and with the gain around 8 or 9 you're in AC/DC territory. the reverb goes from subtle to surf, and the tremolo can easily dial in the "let it be" solo tone without even having to try. oh, and it's a LOUD 15w! i don't need the power but it's nice to know i could gig with it--the speaker out would be perfect for driving a 2x12 at a gig.

both have 8in speakers, and yes both can get a little "farty" sounding when driven exceedingly hard (so don't do that!). however, plugging them into a 1x12 cabinet really makes these amps sing, and it gives them the low-end balls that 8in speakers just don't have. but the 8in speakers certainly have their merit and their place, depending on the tone you're looking for. i'm lucky enough to have a couple 10's at my disposal as well, for when i need it.

anyway, used champs go for around $200--more if you look at a blackface or a tweed, and the vox's are $119 everywhere. add a 12in cabinet to it for around $100, and there's 2 great sounding amps with TONS of tonal flexibility for under $500. *and* the best part is that they're the real deal--none of that modelling or emulation stuff going on. :D


cheers,
wade
 
You seem to have quite a few responses on this, so I don't want to bog you down with the million suggestions I originally had, so I'll limit it to my current favorite studio amp: The Mesa/Boogie F30.


It's 30 watts, quite loud, and has the best clean channel I've heard from an amp yet (My carvin XV212 comes close). It's one of those sounds you have to hear to belive. It took me a couple of minutes to get it the way I wanted, but the sound is "glassy", yet somehow amazingly full.

The distortion channel is amazing, too. It's got 2 modes, one vintage style, and one modern, and both kick some booty. The vintage mode, when used in conjunction with drastic changes in the gain knob, can get you any kind of sound you would need for "classic" rock, from voxy, beatle-esque 'cleans', to higher gain rock sounds. The modern one is what you'd expect: crunchy, loud, and probably not be of much concern to you.


I've had mine for about 4 months now, have recorded 2 albums so far with it, and I can even get some soundclips, if it interests you. I got mine new for $900, and I'd imagine you could find a used one for much less. People seem to overlook them, being it's one of Mesa's cheapest amps (cost wise), and it's not a Recto. It may only be 30 watts, but it's the damn loudest 30 watts I've ever heard (at 3/4 volume, I can easily compete with a drummer, 400 watt bass rig, and a loud PA).
 
There are a lot of good suggestions.

I would say seriously consider atleast a 10" speaker in whatever guitar amp you are going for if you're going to record a bunch of players. Personally, I have never cared for the recorded sound of an 8", although they can have their place for lead or slide work. I find it lacks the low/mid thump of a 10" or 12"

Tubes, and an alnico speaker are nice for capturing a punchy compressed sound at reasonable volumes.

The Ampeg J12T might be a pretty cool option...

There are three mid 60's Gibson 10-12w amps on Ebay right now. With a little better speaker, these amps sound cool. I have the 66 GA-5T with a 10" P10R and after some work it has a great clean or lightly overdriven tone when recorded.
 
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