Best/Favorite SOLID STATE Amp (poll)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mr. C
  • Start date Start date

Best/Favorite Solid State Amp?

  • Peavey

    Votes: 30 10.4%

  • Fender

    Votes: 45 15.6%

  • Marshall

    Votes: 33 11.4%

  • Crate

    Votes: 25 8.7%

  • Randall

    Votes: 14 4.8%

  • Vox

    Votes: 27 9.3%

  • Line 6

    Votes: 21 7.3%

  • Ibanez

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Roland

    Votes: 44 15.2%

  • Other

    Votes: 50 17.3%
  • Total voters
    289
I voted "Peavey," because, overall, I think the Bandit112, all versions, is God's Own Answer to the working/touring guitarist's plea for a good, all-'round, reliable amp. The are:

Reliable- solid state, not over-stressed. The receipe for reliability.
Durable- tumble down a flight of stairs? Who cares? (Hey, that's going into a song...)
Versitle- enough different sounds, even from the pre- TransTube models. In fact, I prefer the pre's- ALL of them are US-made, and give you surprisingly good distorted sounds.
Powerful- 80 watts.
Economical- can be had for $150, occasionally under $100.
Economical-
 
My Peavey Bandit 65, made sometime in the 80s had been through hell and everything still worked on it when I finally sold it. Reliable, though the distortion was god awful.
My crate gt1200h that I just sold was a decent amp too, for the money. Didn't record well though
 
I'm a tube guy, at least for electric guitars. For acoustic guitars though, AER makes absolutely the best soild state amp I've ever heard. Prior to AER, I thought the Seymour Duncan Tara was a very nice sounding amp (although it had a few reliability glitches). I currently have an Ultrasound amp for acoustic work, but I'd love to get an AER.

http://www.aer-amps.info/
 
Sunn

I voted other for Sunn. I have a concert lead that is quickly moving up through my amp hierarchy. It's no "jack of all trades" kind of sound - it is what it is, and if you don't like it, tough. The more I play it, though, the more I like it.

Also, it is ludicrously loud. It is perfectly capable of handling bass guitar with obscene low end response.

Best $75 amp I've ever scored.
 
Tech 21

although I would go with a couple Character Series pedals into one of their power engines before buying a Trademark amp. The pedals are more versatile and sound a bit better imo.
 
I am pretty surprised to not see one comment for Rocktron!! I have a Chameleon 2000 preamp compared with a Rocktron Velocity 250 poweramp and they sound awesome together! I also have an ADA MP1 (which I know is tube) paired with another Velocity 250 and its sounds great as well. I actually prefer the rack with the Chameleon 2000 over the ADA hands down. It is much cleaner and articulate distortion than you'll ever find from a sloppy tube preamp!

Don't get me wrong, if I had the $$ I'd go buy a Mesa Boogie Triaxis in a heart beat... but I would still prefer the Chameleon.
 
Hughes & Kettner Edition Blue. I just love it. It has balls and does an extreme wide range of sounds. Would be nice if they had something more powerful than the 60w model.

I also have a retired Peavey Transfex 212s Pro. It's cool for "modern" sounds and is highly tweakable... but no classic tones in there. :(
 
I have a TransTube Bandit 112 for my "big" amp--what I'd take if I were getting paid. I also like my Fender Sidekick 25 and Rocktron R50C (my Curbside Upgrade Jazz/Chorus). I also have a few tube amps, but they'd need some work to be gig-worthy.
 
Supercreep said:
The JC120 is a one-trick pony.

But when you need an amp to do that one trick.....


Rickenbacker 360-12 into a pair of JC-120s = orgasm
Click to expand...

Hmm. A friend owns and plays thru a Roland Jazz Chorus 120. I asked him to play thru an older Peavey Stereo Chorus 212 (which is 92 points better than the Roland- you do the math...) and he said he actually liked the tone/sound of the Peavey better. I was surprised.
 
I've only owned 3 amps in 30 years. The first was a GBX with a cabinet of 4x12 speakers. I hated it. I traded that for a Fender twin and put in JBL 12" speakers but sold it to a friend because it kept dying mid-gig and weighed a ton. I replaced that with my Roland JC 120 which I still have and like. My friend recently brought the Fender to me to repair for him (it died again) and I replaced ALL the tubes and had to drop the electrics to repair it. The circuits are built on a thick piece of leather with brass rivits and hand wired. I did some investigating and found that this amp was produced in 1962. I am still kicking myself for selling it. I could use it in my studio. It sounds better now (after the repair) than it ever did when I owned it. Nice clean reverb and impressive vibrato. When combined with my '73 Strat, it's like honey from the comb. Did I mention that I'm still kicking myself?
 
ouch...1962 ..$$$...and the tone to "boot"

i just acquired a Randall combo, with a stock celestion MIEngland 80/70 and its the best SS I've heard in a long time. The deal was excellent and I have had a Fender Hot Rod Deville 2x12 stock for over a year. I recorded both the other weekend and it was amazing how well the Randall sounded.

Another very fine SS is the older Fender's, which I'm going to possibly get one for $150 today....2x12 Fender stock speakers, Ultra...made in US.....very very nice.

Yes the fine $800 all tube amp is sweet, and all that. But a good ss is nothing to be a snob about, imo.

this Randall amp at $100, is amazing and has changed my perspective of ss amps. Yes I have several of those beginner dinky crap boxes too laying around, and have heard some harsh ss junk amps.

but a $100 Randall RG combo or a Fender Ultra for $150...is very cool....very very "clean".

first 45 seconds is the Randall and the rest my Hot Rod Deville ...same mic,same guitar
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=9525419
 
I've said this before, but when i have had to play through SS, i have to have my little comp pedal. It softens the harsh tone and just makes it a little more pleasant to the ears. If i have enough time with an amp i can get used to just about any of them. Most amps have some kind of sweet spot somewhere.
 
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