Versatile Tube Amp

  • Thread starter Thread starter JuliánFernández
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JuliánFernández

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Hi guys! I´m planning to buy my first valve head for my studio... I´m a drummer and even i can tell the difference between a solid state amp and a tube amp distortion, i´m not gonna buy 2 or 3 head to achieve different sound...
I need an all tube head (50w would be better) with the ability of deliver sound from real clean (almost jazzy tones) to heavy rock guitar tones...
Any idea? Some guy talk about a Plexi reissue... should i go in that direction?
 
JuliánFernández said:
Hi guys! I´m planning to buy my first valve head for my studio... I´m a drummer and even i can tell the difference between a solid state amp and a tube amp distortion, i´m not gonna buy 2 or 3 head to achieve different sound...
I need an all tube head (50w would be better) with the ability of deliver sound from real clean (almost jazzy tones) to heavy rock guitar tones...
Any idea? Some guy talk about a Plexi reissue... should i go in that direction?
Click to expand...


How much money do you have?

Jazzy clean is the Roland JC120. Its a combo amp but you can get it used for under $400 a lot of times.

Then buy a rock head. The plexi won't do 'jazz' IMO.
 
genz benz el diablo has what you need, super crisp cleans, dirty rock and heavy distortion, switches beween 100 watt for live use and 50 watt for recording, tonnes of features, overall a really good all around tube head. The cabinets are by far superior to most made these days. Definatley check it out!
 
I have played around on a Peavey JSX a few times and I was really impressed by it. A good range of tones, and an excellent clean sound.
Definitely worth checking out.
 
I just picked up a Rivera Fandango and it is the most versitile amp I've
ever played thru.Check one out if you get the chance.
 
You could probably even get a few amps...think about it. If you're going for a tube amp, you really want to push the volume of a tube amp to get it to sound its best. If you get a small Gibson amp, or small Fender, you may be very pleased with the rock/blues/jazz tone. That would leave you to buy something else for metal...which you could do any of the above, or you could do a Marshall and add on an overdrive pedal like the Tube Screamer. Also, you don't mention what guitars you are playing, but I'm sure you know that different guitars will help you obtain better sounds for each genre. What guitars are you using/planning to use?

TONS of options here. Good luck!
 
Thanks guys! I wanna spend >1000 bucks... (just the head)...
I know that it´s important to match the head with fine guitars, but i have a couple of Strats (loaded with Dimarzios and Lace Sensors) and a LP Studio USA... Nice axes...
Maybe i should use the head for pop/rock/metal and buy and used solid state amp for jazz... what do u think?

Any other recomendation? I still need a really versatile head...
Thanks!
 
jkokura said:
First amp I thought of...

http://www.mesaboogie.com/Product_Info/Out_of _Production/Nomad_Designs/Nomad_55/nomad_55.html

Pretty versatile... A Mesa Mark IV would work well too. I'd personally think that getting an amp with 3 or 4 channels would be a good idea if you want that broad strokes amp - "everything from clean to scream and inbetween"

Jacob
Click to expand...

I was actually going to recommend a cousin to those, the Dual Caliber series by Mesa. I got this amp cheap and its amazing. It does everything but really high gain metal tones, and it even gets pretty close to that. BTW if its all tube 50w's isn't totally needed. My DC is 35watts and it blew away the 100watt marshall solid state as far as volume goes, well it blew it away in ever aspect. You get up to 3 on the mastervolume and you're ears start to hurt. I can't imagine gettin that thing up to 10.

PS The jc120 mentioned before is an amazing clean solid state amp. I use a buddy's all the time and I always offer to buy it off him.
 
Heres an idea: A few of the guys are mentioning Mesas (I don't know, I don't use Mesa). You should check out the amp they have recommended. That will be good for rock/metal. Then check out either a small fender tube amp like the blues deluxe reissue or the roland JC120 for clean.

The advantage of the tube fender over the JC120 is that you can REALLY drive the fender and get a great rock overdrive sound with it if you want to. Therefore, you get two uses out of the one amp.

Hope that helps!
 
First, though the JC series amps are great sounding, they are Solid State.

I really like a one channel tube head, then drive it with with pedals. I love my '65 bassman head. It sounds great with just about anything going through it, you can crank it up for some rock sounds, turn it down for some cleaner sounds.

As far as new heads, how about an AC-30 head?
 
My Fender Hot Rod Deville does it all.From clean to dirt it's all good.
 
If you're looking for versatility from one amp, I'll second a couple of others here and say a Boogie Mark IV will really do the trick.

But my experience recording tells me that single-amp versatility may not be the best option. You'd probably be better off with a myriad of less-expensive amps. You might try a Roland JC90, a Fender Deluxe Reverb or a Fender CVR, and another amp for high gain stuff...maybe a decent tube Marshall combo.

Also, if you're recording, 4X12s can pose a real problem. Getting the volume up to output tube saturation with even a 50w head and 4X12 cab can get a little, say, numbing. With a smaller amp combo, you can push it a lot harder without killing your ears or your wimpy mics. And, although you'd lose the ability to change out cabs with a smaller combo, you might be able to avoid having to worry about floor vibrations and shockmounts and all that crap.

Oh, and one more thing--look at cheapie amps, too, just to build a repertoire. Those new Epiphone Valve Juniors are pretty sweet for 110 bucks, and some of the little Vox amps have their uses. Check out the Peavey Classic series amps, as well.
 
Man, I talk too much. Anyway, I know in your original post that you said you didn't want to buy multiple amps for a different sound. Even then, I'd probably stay with a really good one-trick pony rather than a "really versatile amp". Most of the time that versatility isn't all it's cracked up to be because of the thirty things the amp does, none of them are really great. I'd want at least one great sounding tone.
 
Rivera Amps.

Try the 40 watter, maybe even the 25. I have a 2-12 55w Quiana and it screams.

Versatile channel switching and creamy smooth to crunchy crunch.

But it's the loudest 55w amp I've ever played, hands down.
 
The most versatile amps, imho, aren't the ones with channel switching and a zillion knobs (*coughcoughboogiecough*)... they're the ones with simple, interactive controls that really let the sound of the guitar and the guitarist's technique shine through.

This assumes, however, that your guitarist doesn't suck. Nothing like a really fine amp to let you know just where your problems are!

For a recording amp, I'd HIGHLY recommend sticking to smaller combos. If you're willing to lay out the cash on one amp, check out the Marshall 1974x reissue. It's an 18 watt tube combo that can do Plexi-style tones with more sensitivity and flexibility, at much saner volumes than a stack. It'll also do gorgeous cleans at lower volumes. However, it's still loud enough to play with reasonable drummers.

Personally, I think Dr Z amps are the best sounding new ones I've heard, for similar money. But I'd recommend, as others have, that you invest in multiple less expensive amps than one "flexible" one. A good Fender blackface Super from the 1960s can do a lot. So can a tweed Deluxe, or a Vox AC-30.

To be fair, none of the amps I mentioned will give you a tight, modern metal sound. Oh well.
 
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