Solid state or Tube

B

bixlmalta

New member
I am about to buy my third amp and i need some advice from guitar players who play a dynamic range of music. I currently own two tube amps. One an old Magnatone that I fit two celestians into, I belive that it is a fifty watt amp, and a Fender Princeton that I really don't care much for the sound. I also get pissed off at the tempermental characteristics of tube amps and have not owned a solid state amp for about four years now. Have the solid state technology got much better than previously? Do most of you still prefer the sound of tube amps? I have been messing around with all types of amps but it is hard for me to tell what they will sound like at my home studio. I seem to have mixed feelings about tube vs. solid state.
 
Everyone has their favorite...and everyone disagrees with each other about the issue. I personally use tube amps only, but hey thats me. My personal opinion is that the Vox AC30 and AC 15 are the best amps made. But ten people will disagree and try to say that the Line6 modelers are better. I also have owned several Fender tube amps and liked them all. I also had a JCM2000TSL, a couple mesas, an old ampeg, a Trace Elliot...and liked those all too.

You just have to play them. Play them ALL.

H2H
 
Well ..... ya' know that neither of the amps you've used really qualify as really good amps ....... no offense ...... but they're on the lower end of the quality scale.
So some of the tempermentalness of them could be the amps themselves rather than tube amps in general.

I personally , switched to solid state around 1975 or so when it was really replacing tubes. I started using tubes again about 8 years ago and I wouldn't go back. Tubes are the shiznit when it comes to tone IMO.
Not saying solid state can't sound good ....... mine always did. But tubes just have something that I find missing in solid state or the modelers. And I have 5 different modelers that I use for recording so I'm familiar with them and know how to tweak them but on a live gig they just come OOhhh so close but no cigar.

As far as being tempermental ..... you're gonna laugh but THE biggest single thing you need to do to have few problems with a tube amp is to let the tubes cool off at the end of a gig before you move the amp AT ALL!
Tube filaments are extremely fragile when they're hot ....... in fact, one of the ways the FAA tells about things in a small plane crash like were the landing gear down or the stall light on is to see if that particular lights' filament is broken. If the light's on, then the shock of the crash will break the filament. Doesn't break if it's not lit.

So many people turn their amp off and then thro it on a dolly and bounce it across the concrete to their truck.
I turn mine off first thing and then don't touch it 'till I've torn down all the cables and my axes and stuff. By then the tubes are completely cool and then I move it.
 
Good advice. I've got a trove of tubers from a '63 Silvertone Twin Twelve to an '82 Carvin. The only solid state amp I ever bought I ended up giving away. I don't analyze it...I just use 'em.
 
I prefer tube amps by far, but if you get a 4 x 12 cab, a solid state can work out well.


The only reason that I'd ever get a solid state over a tube is for versatility though. Tubes are just...........better.
 
Hard2Hear said:
Everyone has their favorite...and everyone disagrees with each other about the issue. I personally use tube amps only, but hey thats me. My personal opinion is that the Vox AC30 and AC 15 are the best amps made. But ten people will disagree and try to say that the Line6 modelers are better. I also have owned several Fender tube amps and liked them all. I also had a JCM2000TSL, a couple mesas, an old ampeg, a Trace Elliot...and liked those all too.

You just have to play them. Play them ALL.

H2H
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The AC30 is an excellent amp.....I actually think that the Bogner copy is even better, have you heard it?

But yeah, I know what you mean, but really I don't understand how someone can think that a Line 6 is better then an AC30, or a Bogner, etc.
 
I appreciate the advice from everyone. What are some of your favorites that go from the real clean to the heavy distortion? I think that the sounds that I can get on the studio sound much better than what I am getting live. I know that my current amps blow. I have a budget of $600.00 - $800.00 any recomendations?
 
bixlmalta said:
I appreciate the advice from everyone. What are some of your favorites that go from the real clean to the heavy distortion? I think that the sounds that I can get on the studio sound much better than what I am getting live. I know that my current amps blow. I have a budget of $600.00 - $800.00 any recomendations?
Click to expand...

Well theres the Line6 stuff{I have a Flextone 2 in the studio}...However I'd look into a Mesa mark 3 simalclass used..should be in your price range..I think Nervana's guitars were done with a Mark 3,so they can grind pretty well..I think for solidstate Randall made some amps that were pretty good for "metalic sounds"...anyways good luck in your search
 
Are you using any effect pedals or just going straight from amp to guitar? That makes a big difference as to what you may want to get.

H2H
 
SOLID STATE I used to be a fender twin guy. Go, take your guitars, and spend some time with a
ROLAND JC the 120 the 90 or a used 77 (thats me)


after awhile tubes are a fuggin hassle. The Roland JC series are excellent amps. Built like tanks and handle whatever you can throw at them. I would'nt reccommend them for grindcore but other than that it suits any need.
 
I will be using some effects pedals (distortion, chorus, etc.) I was also thinking about what amps have a more colorless sound that I can tweek myself. I suppose that would give me more control over the tome.
 
The Roland JC only puts out what you put into it. It has some personality but deffinately does not overly color your tonality. It is extroidinarily Clean and transparent as much so as a guitar amp can be anyway. I cannot urge you enough to take your rig to a dealer and check one out. It's really an amazing, versatile, reliable piece of equipment. Ever since I traded in my fender twin for one I feel as if a weight as been lifted from my shoulders. Remember it's the JC series not the cube or modeling amps. P.S. These things are marketed based on the built in chorus effect, and it is pretty amazing, but I never use the chorus it's a fantastic amp without it. Go do it try it come on already ......
 
tube or solid state?

Could you make BB King's guitar and amp sound like he makes it sound if he handed it to you on stage? I doubt it. I know I couldn't. It's the person's feel and amp combo. All preference. I like tubes of the '59 Bassman's I run 2 of 'em. It will take years of messing around til you find the right combo.
 
Do you have any amp techs in your area? They me able to hotrod your Princeton and help get the tone you want.

The Roland JC's are great for clean stuff but I've never heard any hard rockin tones out of one that were any good. Not saying it's impossible I've just never heard any good tones.
 
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