Guitar Amps

[twinreverb]

As you know I have a 2001 G&L Asat Classic and my Amp is a reissue Fender
40th Anniversary Twin Reverb Sometime I think my Amp sounds sterile
and I know its not the guitar. I'm thinking of going back to a Vox AC30 or
even trying a Doctor Z now I play 60's music so when you guys buy and Amp
what do you look for With me its three things Reverb, Trem, and no
master Volume does anyone here look at that as being old school or are
there others on this board that look for the samething Just want to
get some ideas on this thanks in advance.

[pacrat1340]

If you are looking for a vintage sound, try the Kustom Coupe series. I'm no pro, But I think these amps are under rated. The '72 Coupe has everything you are looking for. It's a 2 channel, 72 watt amp with reverb and tremolo/vibrato. It comes with a 3 button footpedal, rhythm/lead, boost(10db), and effects. And, it has a tube driven effects loop. It also has an XLR direct out jack to plug directly into a mixer.
There are some big name players who use this amp. Check out Kustoms' webb site for the specs. There are links to youtube demos. Guitar World also did a demo on the Coupe series ( '36 and "72 ). You can also down load the owners manual to read more about it.
I have the '36 Coupe and love it. I also think it looks kinda sharp with its tuck and roll appearance. Check it out. It might just fit the tone you're looking for.

[RickT]

You don't get more old school than this amp. But the tone is really what seals the deal. Extremely portable, rugged, and toneful. Perfect for any venue, genre or guitar.
http://swartamps.com/swart_atomic_space_tone.htm

RickT

[Jim P]

As you know I have a 2001 G&L Asat Classic and my Amp is a reissue Fender
40th Anniversary Twin Reverb Sometime I think my Amp sounds sterile
and I know its not the guitar. I'm thinking of going back to a Vox AC30 or
even trying a Doctor Z now I play 60's music so when you guys buy and Amp
what do you look for With me its three things Reverb, Trem, and no
master Volume does anyone here look at that as being old school or are
there others on this board that look for the samething Just want to
get some ideas on this thanks in advance.

As others have said here, there are indeed some great amp alternatives, but you've got a 40th Anniversary Twin Reverb? That amp should sound pretty nice! Before switching amps, I think I'd be inclined to check the tubes while possibly thinking in terms of swapping them out for some newer ones before thinking of purchasing another amp. Your amp is also old enough that some caps might be questionalbe, too, especially if it's been extensively used. While I'm not sure what you're looking for, on the surface it appears you have a very nice amp. It just may need a little tweaking and a little TLC.

[echoSE7EN]

You don't get more old school than this amp. But the tone is really what seals the deal. Extremely portable, rugged, and toneful. Perfect for any venue, genre or guitar.

I second RickT. I love my Swart and wouldn't know what to do without it. Awesome reverb. Great break-up when pushed. Extremely easy to toss in the back seat of the car and head to a small show, or to a buddy's to jam. Great for recording.

[knotty]

Its funny that you say your twin is too sterile. Ive never liked twins for that reason.
Mesa Boogie makes some great amps.
The Night Train has an awesome tone.
I guess when you get your handle will change too?


Craig

[blargfromouterspace]

Its funny that you say your twin is too sterile. Ive never liked twins for that reason.
Mesa Boogie makes some great amps.
The Night Train has an awesome tone.
I guess when you get your handle will change too?


Craig

I would argue that a Mesa-Boogie is more sterile than a Twin. I had a Boogie and had to sell it because it had no soul, it was dead boring. It always did what it should...

I currently use a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe clone and its fantastic. I also have an Ampeg J-20 which is great too. Very nice vintage sounds from either of these amps. Princeton reissues are lovely little things too. They have that blackface sound in a much, much smaller package.

[Tom Valentine]

I dunno, just a home hacker here .. but for my sound its Tech-21 all the way. Trademark 10, Trademark 60, and Sans-Amp PSA-1 in a rack mount ... any sound ya want with just a flick of a switch or twist of a knob ... totally analog audio path, and although Solid-State, NOT a 'modeling amp' .. this is the *real* sound of a Twin, or a Marshall, or an Ampeg, or a Vox, or whatever. I am totally amazed at the natural sounding dynamic compression that comes out of these things as if they were real tube amps .. ie: saturation of the output stage of a tube amp ... these things 'breathe' like a tube amp, respond to playing dynamics like a tube amp, sound like a tube amp ... just simply amazing tones and dynamics, even with the small ones with little speakers

-- TV

[blargfromouterspace]

I dunno, just a home hacker here .. but for my sound its Tech-21 all the way. Trademark 10, Trademark 60, and Sans-Amp PSA-1 in a rack mount ... any sound ya want with just a flick of a switch or twist of a knob ... totally analog audio path, and although Solid-State, NOT a 'modeling amp' .. this is the *real* sound of a Twin, or a Marshall, or an Ampeg, or a Vox, or whatever. I am totally amazed at the natural sounding dynamic compression that comes out of these things as if they were real tube amps .. ie: saturation of the output stage of a tube amp ... these things 'breathe' like a tube amp, respond to playing dynamics like a tube amp, sound like a tube amp ... just simply amazing tones and dynamics, even with the small ones with little speakers

-- TV

Uh-oh. This could get ugly. I'm not gonna start

[Muleya]

I can see what you're saying about the twin sounding sterile. They are really clean amps, and I can see where some would call that sterile...I don't really agree...I'd love to have one, but can see it, none-the-less...if that makes any sense!!

I'd think you'd get less of that with either option you've mentioned...the AC-15 or a Dr. Z.

And in lieu of what Tom says about Tech-21...I will agree to a point. A friend has the Trademark 60, and it's definitely a great sounding amp...stands up well against his and my tube amps. However, we both feel that no other Tech 21 amp quite lives up to the standard. He's had a couple other Tech 21 amps, but never kept them for long. The TM60 just has a mojo the others don't have. Personally, I'd still take a good tube amp over one, but they are decent amps.

[Tom Valentine]

Uh-oh. This could get ugly. I'm not gonna start

Hahahaa ... OK, maybe saying "*real sound*" is a bit of a stretch, but they sure come darn close And for my purposes work very well ... home hacking/recording, an occasional casual jam session, that sort of thing ... they're very consistent and versatile to that end

Is there a bum rap on Tech-21 products around here that I was not aware of ??? In all the 11 years as a member of this board, I don't recall ever seeing them mentioned, one way or another ... maybe that means something, maybe it doesn't ... I dunno ... but for my purposes Tech-21 is up to the task

-- TV

[Jim P]

Well, in defense of the Twin Reverb, even though I haven't used one in years, I've had two of them in the past, and both were great sounding amps. As someone said earlier, it's a very clean amp, but I'd also add that the models with master volume controls really didn't do much justice for the overdrive. On the other hand, the Twin takes pedals very well, and a good overdrive pedal can make those amps really sing.

It's interesting that the OP has yet to reply, but regarding his thoughts about the amp sounding sterile, any amp with old tubes and faulty caps will cause the amp to sound dead and sterile. I haven't recommended that the OP get a different amp primarily because he may just have a gem on his hands without knowing it. I could be wrong, for I'm certain that some amps are just duds no matter what company manufactures them. And, of course, we're all going to recommend an amp that we personally like and what we're currently using. If it were me, I think I'd like to try to keep what I have while trying to save some money, too.

Regarding solid-state vs tube amps, I have yet to hear a solid-state amp that remotely resembles the sound of a tube amp with an all-tube preamp section, especially as the tubes become warmed and driven at moderate to higher volumes. I'm certainly not saying that one sounds better than the other, but I strongly feel there's a very distinct difference.

[Submersible]

I've been gigging with G&L guitars and Dr. Z amps for about 12 years now. It's an awesome combination. For smaller gigs, I have a Maz Jr. head. For bigger gigs, a KT-45. The Maz Jr. is a little more polite, but not sterile. The KT-45 can get downright rude.

I've owned two high power combos in the past (VT-22 and Twin), but I didn't really connect with either one. Right now, the 45 watt KT-45 is providing the right mix of volume and headroom.

[Ov1]

With me its three things Reverb, Trem, and no
master Volume does anyone here look at that as being old school or are
there others on this board that look for the samething

Exactly the same with me. I'll echo Rick and a few others and say the Swart AST is awesome in this regard. The trem is excelent. No master volume on mine but I heard they were adding one to a later model.

[Jim P]

Ok....I guess I'll cave in here.....LOL. I guess I just thought that the guy (OP) should examine his Twin before parting with it. There's just good reason why so many great players have used and continue to use Twins, and if I were to step on stage with only a Twin to use in the backline, I typically wouldn't hesitate to use it.

That said, my favorite amp these days is a Fuchs ODS 100 (for live use) followed by another Fuchs ODS 25/50 (for recording & smaller venues). These are not old-school amps by any means, and they're very much a boutique amp that simulates the Dumble tone. I literally tried dozens of amps until I found the right one for me - definitely on a mission - but once I found the ODS 100, I never looked back. They're not cheap, but they're all tube while having some of the most dynamic response from any amp I've heard.

Now, from another viewpoint, I've also been on the search for a smaller amp that I can use for rehearsing as well as playing lower-key jams and smaller venues. While I haven't played the Swart amp, I played with RickT last fall at the MI Jam while he was using his Swart, and it's simply a great sounding amp! Without saying, Rick's a fabulous player, too, but his rig sounded great! I've been wanting a Swart even before hearing Rick's amp, but after hearing his, I've been GAS'ing for one even more. Once I sell another guitar or two, the Swart will more than likely be the next amp to occupy some space in my studio.

[joeismyname]

If you want a great amp with reverb and trem check out the Burris Royal Bluesman 18 watt head. They are made where I live in Lexington and they are very great sounding fendery amps, but it also has EL84s like AC30s and many Dr. Zs. It can also be had for right around $1000, so it isn't as expensive as a Dr. Z(although a Maz 18 or 38 is great and can be had with reverb) or an AC30. The trem and reverb are amazing sounding in these videos being played through a G&L. There is good reverb on the first, and good trem on the second. Also, the Fulltone SupaTrem is an amazing sounding tremolo pedal.

[youtube]bcnVD_EOIcw[/youtube]

[youtube]Mbh04qv_PJA[/youtube]

http://www.burrissamps.com/RoyalBluesman.htm

here is the Royal Bluesman webpage

[jts]

Its funny that you say your twin is too sterile. Ive never liked twins for that reason.
Mesa Boogie makes some great amps.
The Night Train has an awesome tone.
I guess when you get your handle will change too?


Craig

I would argue that a Mesa-Boogie is more sterile than a Twin. I had a Boogie and had to sell it because it had no soul, it was dead boring. It always did what it should...

I currently use a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe clone and its fantastic. I also have an Ampeg J-20 which is great too. Very nice vintage sounds from either of these amps. Princeton reissues are lovely little things too. They have that blackface sound in a much, much smaller package.

I've got a Mesa Lonestar combo and it's the nicest sounding amp I've ever played through in 14 years. I know what you're saying though - I've played other Boogies that are "sterile".

[suave eddie]

If you're looking for a "non sterile" sounding Mesa Boogie, try the Subway Blues--going for $400-$500 used (out of production). Single channel (with two voices--bright and fat) no master volume, one of the best sounding reverbs IMO, and one of the loudest 22 watt amps out there.
Even better for a few hundred dollars more is the Blue Angel. Similar simplicity, but dual rectifier with choice of using EL-84s or 6L6s or combination of both and the lushest reverb I have ever heard. The Blue Angel came with a single 12", 4x10", or a head version. Neither of these amps could be called "sterile" sounding. Of course if you must have tremolo, you're out of luck.

[Dave el Asattwanger]

Straight up two people gave you the ticket to one of the best sounding amps I have ever come across.

Swart AST

The only thing you will ever need to add to it is a Swart Atomic Boost or a Lizard Leg Flying Dragon.

You will never look back.

If you want a bigger amp. Dr.Z EZG 50

[twinreverb]

Thanks for all your advise I did change one tube and the amp does sound
better. I will say that my all time favorite amp is the Vox AC30 its the
sounds that I hear on the early Beatles, Searchers, and DC5 CD's. I've
also had a reissue Fender 59 Bassman LTD and to my ears that amp
was a perfect match for my G&L. Just a little lighter then the Twin Reverb
but it has a great sound. Don't know if its the 4X10 or the pine cab or both.
Where I live some of the other amps that you guys listed the music stores
do not stock them. We have one music store that has Doctor Z and the prices
are high.I guess that I'm old school when it comes to Amps Reverb, Trem and
no Master Volume and I know most of the newer amps are not like that. Went
last weekend to the local GC and told the salesman what I was looking for and
he said we don't have anything like that and to get what I want he said to look
at some Boutique Amps. I don't know anyone thoughts on amps with PC Boards
VS Point to Point yet for me I rather have an Amp with Point to Point or as they
say Hand Wired. This week I did get a to A/B my G&L and a freinds Parker Fly
Artist thru my Twin Reverb and both guitars sounded real good Do you guys
like an amp with or without Master Volume and with a PC Board or Hand Wired

[Boogie Bill]

Well, I'm a big fan of Boogie amps--I currently have six of them. Sold all my vintage Fenders and Marshalls, and kept the Mesas. I certainly don't think any of them sound sterile--even my 200 watt Mark III Coliseum half stack has a very organic feel and tone--even at low volume. Crank it up though, and it will level an entire city block! Whgen I want something closer to AC-30 tones, I use my Maverick 212. (It's a LOT more reliable and versatile than the VOX!)

I like to be able to control the gain and distortion levels, and having a great lead tone built into the amp is just convenient for me, if nothing else. The learning curve on a Boogie can be high, but it's well worth the effort. And Boogies have always had PCBs from day one, and they have been proven to be ultra reliable.

But, what works for me might not work for you. I like an amp with a little headroom and a great clean tone. The Mark Series Boogie amps were based around vintage Fender design. If a Boogie fails, it is rarely the PCB. Most often, it's a tube problem. Other manufacturers do skimp on their PCBs and I've heard some horror stories.

I think you might find that experimenting with tubes can get you a warmer tone. If you've got more than two years on the power tubes, a set of properly biased Groove Tube 6L6GE clones, or the SED/Winged C 6L6 power tube might bring back the sparkle and the warmth. You might try 12AX7s in your V2 socket from different manufacturers to see which one sounds best. The Tung-Sol, the EH, the JJ, the Sovteck and the Chinese tubes all have different characteristics, and can totally change the sound and feel of an amp. If you're desiring a more "pushed" tone from your rig, moving to a smaller amp like a Vibrolux Reverb (40 watts) or Deluxe Reverb (20 watts) could be the ticket. They don't sound like a big amp, but they can sound HUGE in a small club or recording studio.

And don't forget that weather can change the sound of your guitar--chalk it up to the barometer, I guess. And somedays, I think I hear differently. Watch those nights when you've been playing loud--you might be fatiguing your ears.

Twins are great amps, as are AC-30s. But my advice would be to make sure that the amp is 100% before I switched. Only then can you make a rational decision on finding the amp that fits your needs.

Good luck!

Bill

[Submersible]

We have one music store that has Doctor Z and the prices
are high.

I guess "high" is relative. Dr. Z is pretty reasonably priced compared to some of the super corksniffer boutique amps. Dr. Z's pricing is also reasonable when compared to vintage. You can get a used Maz Jr. combo for less than you can get a SF Princeton Reverb.

[RBHuckleberry]

Just my opinion, but that "sterile" sound is a by product of a high wattage amp that can't be pushed to it's sweet spot without blowing your head off. It is for that reason that I switched to a Dr. Z MAZ 18 Jr. and Dr. Z Monza, at 18 and 20 watts respectively. These are still LOUD amps, and easily keep up with a drummer, but sterile they aren't.

[twinreverb]

I've been playing around with my amp for the last couple of weeks
and its starting to sound better As finding the sweet spot that
will take a little more time. So I talked it over with my wife and she
said keep the amp and why don't you get another guitar and that
sounds fine with me

[JonL]

Just my opinion, but that "sterile" sound is a by product of a high wattage amp that can't be pushed to it's sweet spot without blowing your head off. It is for that reason that I switched to a Dr. Z MAZ 18 Jr. and Dr. Z Monza, at 18 and 20 watts respectively. These are still LOUD amps, and easily keep up with a drummer, but sterile they aren't.

I was reading this thread and getting ready to make exactly this point. IMO, if the OP bought a Twin to get that good clean (but warm, not sterile) Fender sound, with the great reverb and tremelo, he should stick with Fender and just move way down in power output. A Deluxe Reverb might be perfect. A little less grind and a sharper focus could be gotten from a Vibrolux Reverb. Want to stay clean but have a big, fat, warm sound? Try a Super Reverb. The Twin is a great amp if you are in an enormous room.

[David]

One thing to check out before buying an amp in how they sound with pedals. I've got a '68 Bassman head (internally blackfaced), a Dr Z Stang Ray, and a Mesa DC3. The Z is an awesome sounding amp, but it doesn't play well with some of my pedals. Just something to consider.

[Johnny Guest]

Sterile tone....what type of pedals are you running? When I read the original post, I thought...a bunch of Boss pedals running straight into the amp would do that...

Something to think about, good luck!

PS...I still love my Crate (GASP) v30. ClassA, 30 watt, effect loop, reverb, genuine clean that acts like an AC30, dirt channel that goes from mild to crazy. I've got JJ's in mind and a Vintage 30, and it just howls.

But, if I were to buy a new amp, it'd be the Egnater Tweaker. What a great combination of tones!

[twinreverb]

There have been some changes since my last post I sold my G&L Asat Classic and my Twin reverb
and back in Feb I bought a used reissue Fender 59 Bassman LTD

[louis cyfer]

Its funny that you say your twin is too sterile. Ive never liked twins for that reason.
Mesa Boogie makes some great amps.
The Night Train has an awesome tone.
I guess when you get your handle will change too?


Craig

I would argue that a Mesa-Boogie is more sterile than a Twin. I had a Boogie and had to sell it because it had no soul, it was dead boring. It always did what it should...

I currently use a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe clone and its fantastic. I also have an Ampeg J-20 which is great too. Very nice vintage sounds from either of these amps. Princeton reissues are lovely little things too. They have that blackface sound in a much, much smaller package.

i have to totally agree here. i bought the boogie lonestar and stiletto at the same time as the 40th anniversary twin. just to compare. the twin was miles better, still have it, the mesas had no soul. i have a 57 tweed deluxe and an apeg vintage reverberocket 2, and both of those sound phenomenal.

[louis cyfer]

There have been some changes since my last post I sold my G&L Asat Classic and my Twin reverb
and back in Feb I bought a used reissue Fender 59 Bassman LTD

i have the 59 reissue bassman as well as the 40th anniversary twin. while the bassman is a great amp, the twin is much better imnsho. it is anything but sterile.

[RickT]

I do love a good amp and there are so many of them out there these days. These boutique people have gone crazy with the very best reproductions, tone wise, of the classics...Marshall, Fender Tweed, Vox, etc. I've got a Swart AST and I still think it is one of the greatest amps every made. There is tone and soul in every note that comes out of that amp.

I purchased a new Mesa Mark V combo some months back. I've owned a few Mesas in the past and just never got into them. The clean tones just weren't "clean" enough and the distorted tones just weren't what I wanted. And, of course, Mesa amps have a lot of knobs, I mean a lot of knobs. This Mark V is basically 3 amps housed in one chassis with a lot of knobs in each channel along with some in the back of the amp. But, I have come to appreciate the variety of tones I can get with this amp. It took me a while to dial up a tone I like, but I've got 3 really good tones now that range from clean to classic Mesa overdrive and all available at the tap of a footswitch. And, I've learned how to tweak that tone for the different guitars I own. This amp has soul and tone. I bought this primarily to use at our outdoor gigs and am looking forward to our first one of the year at the end of this month.

RickT

[Tundra]

Great reading! Just curious, when they test the guitars at the factory what amp type do they use? Or knowing tone is personal.. how did they go about meeting the middle of the tone spectrum? Or basically did they wound the pickups until they got to within the range of resistance where these guitars will sound the way they are? I've been swapping out between c. 70 SF Fender Vibrolux, jensen brown label speakers, RCA tube set and then the c.71 SF Deluxe, Weber speaker and NOS RCA tubes. So I guess its what works for you!!

[louis cyfer]

Great reading! Just curious, when they test the guitars at the factory what amp type do they use? Or knowing tone is personal.. how did they go about meeting the middle of the tone spectrum? Or basically did they wound the pickups until they got to within the range of resistance where these guitars will sound the way they are? I've been swapping out between c. 70 SF Fender Vibrolux, jensen brown label speakers, RCA tube set and then the c.71 SF Deluxe, Weber speaker and NOS RCA tubes. So I guess its what works for you!!

there is a whole lot more than dc resistance to the sound of pups. that is only one of the factors and not even the most important one.

[hazy]

Thanks for all your advise I did change one tube and the amp does sound
better. I will say that my all time favorite amp is the Vox AC30 its the
sounds that I hear on the early Beatles, Searchers, and DC5 CD's. I've
also had a reissue Fender 59 Bassman LTD and to my ears that amp
was a perfect match for my G&L. Just a little lighter then the Twin Reverb
but it has a great sound. Don't know if its the 4X10 or the pine cab or both.
Where I live some of the other amps that you guys listed the music stores
do not stock them. We have one music store that has Doctor Z and the prices
are high.I guess that I'm old school when it comes to Amps Reverb, Trem and
no Master Volume and I know most of the newer amps are not like that. Went
last weekend to the local GC and told the salesman what I was looking for and
he said we don't have anything like that and to get what I want he said to look
at some Boutique Amps. I don't know anyone thoughts on amps with PC Boards
VS Point to Point yet for me I rather have an Amp with Point to Point or as they
say Hand Wired. This week I did get a to A/B my G&L and a freinds Parker Fly
Artist thru my Twin Reverb and both guitars sounded real good Do you guys
like an amp with or without Master Volume and with a PC Board or Hand Wired

Here's what ya do...1) Buy a 65 - 67 Fender Bandmaster Head on The Bay for less than $600. 2) Buy a 1x12 Bandmaster sized combo cab for about $250 from a guy on The Net (http://newellamps.com, recommendation only but I highly recommend). 3) Get a Weber 4 ohm 12" Ceramic 12V for $110 (need 4 ohm as Bandmaster OT is for 4 ohm). Now, you're in for $960, + shipped...so $1000 shipped. Put the speaker in the cab, put the head in the cab and now you have the amp that never was...uh, like mine. 40 watt Bandmaster combo. BRILLIANT!! You can't buy better vintage than vintage. AB763 Blackface circuit. Trem only with Bandmaster. Great under-rated amp. -Hazy