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Looking for a new amp

Started by Deadicated Phan, July 10, 2014, 10:33:15 PM

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Deadicated Phan

Hey guys,

So I'm leaving for college in a month (UVM, phuck ya!) and am in need of a new amp since the twin won't fit in a dorm  :D I'm looking for a smaller one, something that will have a good all around tone, specifically good for trey stuff but I want something that's also good for jazz since that's what I'm majoring in, 1x12 would be ideal cause I just got a celestion gold that I've been loving. I've sorta narrowed it down to a Deluxe RI, or a Mesa Express 5:25, but I'm not sure either are exactly what I want, since I've heard pretty mixed feelings about the RIs and I'm not sure the express is what I want tone wise, so I'd love to hear your opinions on it!
RMC 3>Whammy 4>AM ts-9 Brown>Maxon OD808>GCX--Mutron 3+>Boss Octave>DOD 250+>Phase 100>DM2000>Microverb 1>Boomerang+

Guitar: PRS Hollowbody II, Fender American Strat w/ Custom Shop Fat 50s
Amp: 1965 Fender Deluxe Amp, 1972 Blackfaced Twin Reverb
Cabs: Deluxe w/ Celestial Gold, Twin w/ stock speakers, Marshall 4x12 w/ Emi. Red, White, and Blues, Hard Truckers JG-1 w/ JBL K120 (looking for another speaker to go with it)

Down_With_Sco

I was gonna say a Princeton Reverb, but yea a Deluxe Reverb or Express 5:25 would both be great selections. I'd recommend the Express if it's in your price range; they're pretty versatile.
Guitars: 2006 Gibson Les Paul standard, 1997 Fender Stratocaster, 90's Fender Telecaster, Xavier and Aria acoustics

Pedals: Furman SPB-8C; Epigaze Audio Neutrino buffer > RMC Wizard > Whammy DT > Korg pitchblack > Maxon AF9 > Maxon OD9 silver x2 > Analogman 2 knob compRossor > Analogman Astrotone fuzz > Black Cat mini trem > Black Cat Vibe > Boss 500FMH volume > Boss PH2 > FL9 > Ibanez DE7 > TC Nova Repeater > Xotic EP booster

FX loop: Boomerang Phrase sampler v1

Amps: 50w Rockitt Retro Plexi, '89 Simul-class Mesa MKIII Blue stripe combo (V30) > 3/4 closed back 2x12 (C90) Mesa cab, 3rd gen 40w Fender Hot Rod deluxe, 50w Marshall MG 1x12 combo

No Nice Guy

Quote from: Deadicated Phan on July 10, 2014, 10:33:15 PM
Hey guys,

So I'm leaving for college in a month (UVM, phuck ya!) and am in need of a new amp since the twin won't fit in a dorm  :D I'm looking for a smaller one, something that will have a good all around tone, specifically good for trey stuff but I want something that's also good for jazz since that's what I'm majoring in, 1x12 would be ideal cause I just got a celestion gold that I've been loving. I've sorta narrowed it down to a Deluxe RI, or a Mesa Express 5:25, but I'm not sure either are exactly what I want, since I've heard pretty mixed feelings about the RIs and I'm not sure the express is what I want tone wise, so I'd love to hear your opinions on it!

Blues Jr.
Guitars:  Phred Ernesto, Michael Kelly Hourglass

Pedal Chain:  Korg Tuner > TS9 > Silver TS9 > Ross Clone > Phase 90 > Boss Tremolo > Whammy V > TC Flashback > TC Ditto

Amp:  Blues Jr

Hoody

Dedicated Phan - Tried sending you a message, but says your inbox is full.  Think you need to delete them to receive more. 

Blues Jr. is a good amp for those needs, too.  I think any of those are good, DR, 5:25, Princeton, BJ.  One amp that in my opinion is really under priced and fantastic at low volumes and can handle higher volumes is the Fender Bandmaster.  You can get a blackface for around 600-750.  They sound identical to DR's, just less break up at low volumes, which can be awesome.  If you have a Celestion Gold, that would actually pair the best.  The market hasn't really caught up to the value of those amps, pretty hard to beat the exact same circuit (AB763) as the DR for about 2,000 less.

Buffered

How about a 5:50+? You'd want clean headroom for the Jazz. Plus the wattage settings will come in handy at a dorm. Or, are you looking at getting dirt from pedals? If that's the case the GT Soul-O 45 I had was great for clean jazz so that's another option. Bandmasters are great, but they would need to be rehoused for the 1x12 application.
Gibson ES-339, PRS DGT & 408
Redplate CD2, Valvetrain Beninngton Reverb, Fryette Power Station
Little Miss Sunshine - Keeley Tone Workstation - MuFX Micro-tron III - Keeley Delay Workstation

Heady Jam Fan

Just try as much as you can before you buy. Its really personal preference, but I'd suggest really trying to test out a Silverface DR thats in playing condition (the caps are new enough, tubes aren't beat, etc).

Any of the suggestions can work, but I personally thought the DRRI sounded pretty weak and uninspiring and I quickly grew tired of the Express line of amps after owning one.

If you just want a decent, cheap, portable amp for college, I'd even look at something like an old Roland Cube.
Headless Hollowbody > Mesa Boogie MK III > TRM Trucker 212 w/ V30's
Whammy 5 > Mini Wah > 74 Script Phase 90 > CP9Pro+ > 82 TS9 > 83 TS9 > Ross Compressor > Turbo-Tuner > 83 AD9

Hoody

Since you're going to UVM you'll actually be close to 2 of the best Fender amp doctors in the country.  One is in Burlington and the other in Bristol.  The guy in Burlington is incredible.

If you can get a good silver DR, he can get it in incredible shape and voice it perfectly for about $150.  I'd go that route.  you'll never regret having a great DR, but the Boogie would give you some nice diversity w/ your Twin, and DR in a lot of ways would sound similar.

Jkendrick

I actually don't likenthe Blues Jr for Trey - like tone. I've actually got one for sale right now. I'm not sure why you'd want a DRRI over a used SFDR. Same price range.  On advice from this site I compared the SF to the RI and it wasn't even close.
1989 Paul Reed Smith Custom 24 (Seymour Duncan 59s), POS Fender acoustic
'78 Silverface Fender Deluxe Reverb (Weber California w/ paper cone)
Teese RMC3 Wah> Boss Tu-3 Tuner> MXR Phase 45> Ibanez TS9 (Keeley modded)> TS808 (Analogman TV)> Keeley Compressor (two knob)>VFE Rocket Boost EQ> Boss DD-3> DigiTech JamMan Solo XT

Stiles12

anyone ever check out some of the Kemper amps... I was reading some things about them and they seem great for recording. any one ever try one?
Guitars- Parker Fly Mojo, McInturff Standard, gibson 446.
effect and amp chain- Ts9 silver (X2), Rmc-3, (To Rack) Groove Tube Trio> BBE Compressor> GCX Audio Switcher> Whammy II> Boomerang> D-Two> Dm-2000> Tc electronics M-one XL> VHT 2:90:2
SPL Transducer

Deadicated Phan

Thanks for all the info guys!

Hoody- I did get your message, let me know if mine sent

As far as the SFDRs go, I just don't think I can afford it. I see RIs for between 600 and 900 on craigslist and eBay, but I've never seen a SF for less then 1200 or 1300.
The bandmaster is a really interesting option, I've never played one before, and while I was preferably looking for a combo I could be persuaded  :D Has anyone here done Trey stuff with one? What exactly are the differences between them and the deluxe?
I think the 5:50 is just a bit to much for what I'll need, I think 25 watts will get me all the headroom I need.
RMC 3>Whammy 4>AM ts-9 Brown>Maxon OD808>GCX--Mutron 3+>Boss Octave>DOD 250+>Phase 100>DM2000>Microverb 1>Boomerang+

Guitar: PRS Hollowbody II, Fender American Strat w/ Custom Shop Fat 50s
Amp: 1965 Fender Deluxe Amp, 1972 Blackfaced Twin Reverb
Cabs: Deluxe w/ Celestial Gold, Twin w/ stock speakers, Marshall 4x12 w/ Emi. Red, White, and Blues, Hard Truckers JG-1 w/ JBL K120 (looking for another speaker to go with it)

Jkendrick

I just got a SF for $900. It had had a cap job within the year.  I still put a new speaker in it, but I had one already so that was no additional cost. I think they can be had by keeping an eye on Craigslist if you're patient.  It took me about a month. I would guess Burlington would be a good place to find one too.
1989 Paul Reed Smith Custom 24 (Seymour Duncan 59s), POS Fender acoustic
'78 Silverface Fender Deluxe Reverb (Weber California w/ paper cone)
Teese RMC3 Wah> Boss Tu-3 Tuner> MXR Phase 45> Ibanez TS9 (Keeley modded)> TS808 (Analogman TV)> Keeley Compressor (two knob)>VFE Rocket Boost EQ> Boss DD-3> DigiTech JamMan Solo XT

Down_With_Sco

Pretty sure Trey used a Bandmaster at one point, might be before he got the Mesa.

Guitars: 2006 Gibson Les Paul standard, 1997 Fender Stratocaster, 90's Fender Telecaster, Xavier and Aria acoustics

Pedals: Furman SPB-8C; Epigaze Audio Neutrino buffer > RMC Wizard > Whammy DT > Korg pitchblack > Maxon AF9 > Maxon OD9 silver x2 > Analogman 2 knob compRossor > Analogman Astrotone fuzz > Black Cat mini trem > Black Cat Vibe > Boss 500FMH volume > Boss PH2 > FL9 > Ibanez DE7 > TC Nova Repeater > Xotic EP booster

FX loop: Boomerang Phrase sampler v1

Amps: 50w Rockitt Retro Plexi, '89 Simul-class Mesa MKIII Blue stripe combo (V30) > 3/4 closed back 2x12 (C90) Mesa cab, 3rd gen 40w Fender Hot Rod deluxe, 50w Marshall MG 1x12 combo

sour d

Phiga bolt or Resurrection phishy hollowbody>bc rich emp 45 5 loop switcher. LOOP1: Emma discumbobulator>RMC joe walsh wah>'82 ts9>silver mod od9>ross compressor. LOOP2: add mid '80's proco rat LOOP3: add whammyII> digitech ex7. LOOP4: add microverb X2> dm2000> boomerang> digitech JML2. LOOP5: guitar into amp. '76 fender twin or a '64 fender deluxe

dontpanic

You could go for a Superchamp X2 or XD. For around $225 with an all tube clean channel, it's not a bad option. 15 watts on the superchamps or 5 watts on the vibrochamp xd, which is only like $150 on the bay, and they also have the digital voicings for various fender amps which can be fun. I plan to use one to power my leslie.

Hoody

The Bandmaster is a great option, and yes Trey did have one.  Think Jon Mayer uses one all the time, too.  They basically sound just like a blackface DR, except you can get the head for $600 and it has 40 watts and not 22 watts.  But they sound amazing. 

Another option is actually a Fender 30.  Very little known, but a tremendous amp.  Trey used one of these forever, too, and I think he still has it or gave it to Paul.

Both of those are great amps and you could get them for around 600/700.  They can do bedroom or gigs.

You definitely do not need a 50 watt Express.  the 25 is VERY loud.