Looking For an Amp

evenflow524

Im looking to buy a new amp to upgrade my Marshall 15watt. I play a fender strat and am looking for a real blues sound like Mike, John Mayer and SRV. I would like to keep it in the 300$ range so I know that limits it but I dont know whats out there really. Ive looked at a lot of Fender Amps and stuff but I just dont know. And I know its all about playing and going for what sounds best but I just was hoping to get some ideas about where to start. Only requirement is that it can support pedals cause I want a Wah too. Thanks for all your help

-Jeremy


5/24/06 Boston, 6/28/08 & 6/30/08 Mansfield

xtremehardy388

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Pro-Junior-Combo-Amp?sku=480511

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-SuperChamp-XD-120V-Guitar-Combo?sku=483075

Novawind

I think that Super Champ would be a great investment for you. It's a known fact- Strats and Fender amps just jive well together.

jeffwmartin

I have a Fender Blues Jr. and love it. 15 watts/12" speaker and is loud as hell.

xtremehardy388

Novawind wrote:

I think that Super Champ would be a great investment for you. It's a known fact- Strats and Fender amps just jive well together.

Right on!

evenflow524

that fender looks good, the super champ, and it supports a Wah and stuff?

ianvomsaal

Well, it sounds like you're still in the beginning stages of playing (15W Marshall - an MG15?).
Anyhow, the Line 6 Spider III 75-watt amp can be a lot of fun for the beginning/intermediate
player: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Spider3-75/
Now I'm not a huge Line-6 fan myself, but this amp will give you tons of sounds (built-in effects),
and you can even get a small Foot/Controller for about the cost of a pedal, or a much bigger one
for about the cost of 3-pedals): http://www.sweetwater.com/c629--Line_6--Guitar_Amp_Pedals,
You did say you wanted to get some pedals, and yes even a built in wah, so the amp plus F/C
actually takes care of that - plus all the sounds of popular bands and everything in between.
Now I'm personally on the TUBE AMP boat myself, but since you need to keep it under $300 . . .

- Ian

evenflow524

Thanks. I just wanna really thank everyone for all their help. Its so nice to here on a message board where everyone helps and no one is telling me im a joke looking for an amp for 300 and just telling me to save for a tube amp or some unrealistic. Thanks to everyone

Jeremy

mccreadyisgod

Hey, everyone has their budget...

That said, you don't need to save for a tube amp. The Epiphone Valve Jr can be had for less than $300 easy, and that leaves room for a decent overdrive pedal. The Fender Super Champ XD is a tube amp with a digital effects unit. Both are capable of jamming volumes, even gigging volumes, but small enough for the bedroom or a small apartment.

xtremehardy388

evenflow524 wrote:

Thanks. I just wanna really thank everyone for all their help. Its so nice to here on a message board where everyone helps and no one is telling me im a joke looking for an amp for 300 and just telling me to save for a tube amp or some unrealistic. Thanks to everyone

Jeremy

Welcome to the board, my friend...welcome

onejourney

I know there are cheaper fender's out there but I was in your boat about a month ago and I ended up with this: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Hot-Rod-Blues-Junior-NOS-1x12-Tube-Guitar-Combo-Amp?sku=483711
One of the best purchases I've ever made. I couldn't be happier, sounds great with my strat and pedals.

All Those Yesterdays

mccreadyisgod wrote:

Hey, everyone has their budget...

That said, you don't need to save for a tube amp. The Epiphone Valve Jr can be had for less than $300 easy, and that leaves room for a decent overdrive pedal. The Fender Super Champ XD is a tube amp with a digital effects unit. Both are capable of jamming volumes, even gigging volumes, but small enough for the bedroom or a small apartment.

2nd the Valve Jr. Ephiphone keeps doing improvements to that amp. Good bang for the buck. A lot of the "normal" mods people were performing, Ephiphone has added to the amp. Good piece. Slap a good OD in front of it, and you'll be set.

mccreadyisgod

All Those Yesterdays wrote:

2nd the Valve Jr. Ephiphone keeps doing improvements to that amp. Good bang for the buck. A lot of the "normal" mods people were performing, Ephiphone has added to the amp. Good piece. Slap a good OD in front of it, and you'll be set.

We ended up doubling up some info here:

http://forums.pearljam.com/showthread.php?t=292323

I'd probably go with a Valve Jr for the budget, get the head and matching cab. Play it for a few months, then start looking at the mods available out there.

If I were completely opposed to getting a tube amp, or just wanted more flexibility for the price, I'd look at either a small Line 6 Spider, or one of the newer Peavey Bandits. I get a lot of flak whenever I say it, but I do really like the TransTube Bandit and Bandit II....

lucylespian

Or you could get one of these

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hughes-Kettner-Edition-Tube-20th-Anniversary-Model-Combo-Amp?sku=480426&src=3SOSWXXA

ONly $400, but ten times more amp, with excellent OD channel built in.
I lifted the link from a thread on TGP, where a lot of peeps are very happy with their H&K.

xtremehardy388

lucylespian wrote:

Or you could get one of these

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hughes-Kettner-Edition-Tube-20th-Anniversary-Model-Combo-Amp?sku=480426&src=3SOSWXXA

ONly $400, but ten times more amp, with excellent OD channel built in.
I lifted the link from a thread on TGP, where a lot of peeps are very happy with their H&K.

H&K is amazing. I had an ATS 120 for a while that was nothing short of spectacular sounding AND you didn't lose tone when you turned down to bedroom levels.

satansbedbugs

ianvomsaal wrote:

Well, it sounds like you're still in the beginning stages of playing (15W Marshall - an MG15?).
Anyhow, the Line 6 Spider III 75-watt amp can be a lot of fun for the beginning/intermediate
player: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Spider3-75/
Now I'm not a huge Line-6 fan myself, but this amp will give you tons of sounds (built-in effects),
and you can even get a small Foot/Controller for about the cost of a pedal, or a much bigger one
for about the cost of 3-pedals): http://www.sweetwater.com/c629--Line_6--Guitar_Amp_Pedals,
You did say you wanted to get some pedals, and yes even a built in wah, so the amp plus F/C
actually takes care of that - plus all the sounds of popular bands and everything in between.
Now I'm personally on the TUBE AMP boat myself, but since you need to keep it under $300 . . .

- Ian

Just for your own knowledge, I bought this amp 4 months ago. When I got it home it broke. I also saw a floor model in NYC that kept cutting out. The amp looks great, but line 6 blows!! not a good buy. Look at some reviews of different amps from fender, vox, and marshall.....All quality brands.

xtremehardy388

satansbedbugs wrote:

Just for your own knowledge, I bought this amp 4 months ago. When I got it home it broke. I also saw a floor model in NYC that kept cutting out. The amp looks great, but line 6 blows!! not a good buy. Look at some reviews of different amps from fender, vox, and marshall.....All quality brands.

Heard the same thing about Line 6 amps...they about as reliable as the US Government's hurricane relief effort...

ianvomsaal

satansbedbugs wrote:

Just for your own knowledge, I bought this amp 4 months ago. When I got it home it broke. I also saw a floor model in NYC that kept cutting out. The amp looks great, but line 6 blows!! not a good buy. Look at some reviews of different amps from fender, vox, and marshall.....All quality brands.

As I said:

ianvomsaal wrote:

Now I'm not a huge Line-6 fan myself . . . I'm personally on the TUBE AMP boat myself

I never said if they were reliable or not - but they do have lots of tones (something beginners like) while keeping it cheap (also something beginners like).
Honestly, the reviews seem to span across the board (see for yourself): http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/product/Line+6/Spider+III+75/10/1 - which is fairly typical as far as gear goes - Some people like it alot and some don't like it at all - but as I said before, that's fairly typical of almost anything you buy.
There generally seems to be two categories of people who write reviews:
1) CAN'T STAND IT (and wanna tell everyone why) or 2) LOVE IT (and wanna tell everyone why). Not a lot of people who think something is okay for what it is take the time to write much of a review (if at all) - and hey it's a $300 amp - what do you want (it's an economy amp at an economy price - if the amp was the end of amps all they'd charge more - and do).
A good basic rule of thumb is: try something for yourself without any preconceived notions - decide for yourself if it works for you or doesn't.

evenflow524

Yeah a friend of mine has a Line 6 and I wasnt to impressed because of all the tech problems. Thanks for the help though, I def feel like I have been pointed in the right direction

PJim87

Anyone in here ever played thru a 59 fender bassman reissue? Cause i got a 200w solid state crate rfx stereo amp which aint bad but nothing great, and i got a late 70's early 80's peavey deuce vt possibly. Believe it is 100 or 120 watt with 2 12 inch celestions, s/s preamp with 4 power tubes. Dont sound bad either but takes pedals pretty well. However i am in the mood to play blues and i aint the fastest guy in the world, so i am thinking bout ditching the 2 amps and getting like a fender blues junior nos. But then i heard mike plays a bassman or had played one. And it looks like he was using it around 06-to possibly current. Anyone have any input on these amps. They are a bit pricey (1300.00), but i hear they are amazing. Seriously contemplating just saving and grabbing one of these over the blues junior.

mccreadyisgod

PJim87 wrote:

Anyone in here ever played thru a 59 fender bassman reissue? But then i heard mike plays a bassman or had played one. And it looks like he was using it around 06-to possibly current. Anyone have any input on these amps. They are a bit pricey (1300.00), but i hear they are amazing. Seriously contemplating just saving and grabbing one of these over the blues junior.

I haven't played the '59 Bassman RI, but they are a pretty good amp. Big and kinda heavy for a combo, but I assume you've thought of that. Good output, good enough for any gig, jam session, etc. Takes pedals pretty well, from what I've heard.

I'd suggest looking at the Fender Hot Rod DeVille and Fender Blues DeVille amps, which are roughly the same size and output, but add reverb and a drive channel. Cheaper, too, and easy to find used on eBay, Craig's List, etc.