Best All-Around Guitar Amp ~$1000
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- audio school graduate
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Best All-Around Guitar Amp ~$1000
Hey guys.
I'm in the market for a new guitar amp, something that's versatile in the sounds it produces. I probably don't need anything over 40 watts, something that could be driven effectively for recording and sound good projected out into a small club setting. I play a fender strat with two stock pickups and a humbucker. Some of my favorite guitar sounds in bands are Low, Built to Spill, Bowie, Pedro the Lion, Quasi and Deerhoof (though I'm not sure how much the engineering has to do with the sounds I'm hearing on the records.) Also, my budget is $1000.
Sorry if this thread has been done to death, but I trust your ears. Any suggestions?
I'm in the market for a new guitar amp, something that's versatile in the sounds it produces. I probably don't need anything over 40 watts, something that could be driven effectively for recording and sound good projected out into a small club setting. I play a fender strat with two stock pickups and a humbucker. Some of my favorite guitar sounds in bands are Low, Built to Spill, Bowie, Pedro the Lion, Quasi and Deerhoof (though I'm not sure how much the engineering has to do with the sounds I'm hearing on the records.) Also, my budget is $1000.
Sorry if this thread has been done to death, but I trust your ears. Any suggestions?
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Twin Reverb is a good all around amp.
For the styles you mentioned, however, maybe you could go with something more British sounding; an el84, early break-up, "Class 'A'" kinda amp...
An Orange AD15 possibly?
For the styles you mentioned, however, maybe you could go with something more British sounding; an el84, early break-up, "Class 'A'" kinda amp...
An Orange AD15 possibly?
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Good question. It really depends on the rooms you're playing in the most. I have a 1964 Super Reverb that I like to use for festivals and larger venues. Supers really are great amps but they can be loud. Twins a very clean, but again, loud. For smaller venues I use a 65 deluxe reverb or a 1962 Tremolux.
I have a few other fender and electro amps that I use as well but my favorite all around amp is the fender Bassman. It has a ton of natural compression, it can be clean or warm, it looks like a little whore and I got it for $500.
The drawback with Bassman is that you'll need a stand alone reverb unit (if that's your thing). I use a 63 reissue and a Tremodillo.
With the exception of the Super, I got all of my amps for well under $1,000.
I have a few other fender and electro amps that I use as well but my favorite all around amp is the fender Bassman. It has a ton of natural compression, it can be clean or warm, it looks like a little whore and I got it for $500.
The drawback with Bassman is that you'll need a stand alone reverb unit (if that's your thing). I use a 63 reissue and a Tremodillo.
With the exception of the Super, I got all of my amps for well under $1,000.
I think twins are way too loud for the majority of circumstances. A silverface Fender Princeton Reverb in good condition can still be had for well under $1000.00. Tagboard cinstruction, blah de blah. Get it serviced, maybe stick one of those nice Weber speakers in it or, if you want go nuts, you can get a 12" baffle and install any good 12" speaker, including the venerable Celestion blue.
That amp will do incredible Fender cleans, it will do an almost Vox esque chime because of it's class A output. and it will overdrive and distort beautifully. I'm in the camp that thinks the small Fender amps are the best they ever made. I had a nice Deluxe Reverb once and even that sounded noticeably less sweet to my ears than either a Princeton or Champ.
I hear alot of good things about Dr Z. amps. We don't really get them in the UK but they're boutique, affordable and everyone who has them loves them.
That amp will do incredible Fender cleans, it will do an almost Vox esque chime because of it's class A output. and it will overdrive and distort beautifully. I'm in the camp that thinks the small Fender amps are the best they ever made. I had a nice Deluxe Reverb once and even that sounded noticeably less sweet to my ears than either a Princeton or Champ.
I hear alot of good things about Dr Z. amps. We don't really get them in the UK but they're boutique, affordable and everyone who has them loves them.
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