Recording Amp

[AstroDan]

I'm looking to get a really versatile recording amp. I've just had a few instances where someone will bring in a solid state, crackle demon that can ruin a recording and wished I had a standby, for any style of music.

I've been thinking about that Gibson Goldtone 15 watt combo. I've heard some good things about it. Fender is a staple, I suppose. Vox AC-15? Little pricey, but if it's worth it...

What would you guys suggest for an all around workhorse that CAN'T sound bad on tape?

[markpar]

Well, you didn't say what price range you wanted so.....

I have a THD BiValve and THD 2x12 cab that sounds freakin' amazing. The clean tones sound great and the distortion is, to my ears, wonderful. You can mix and match any preamp and power amp tubes (even two different power amp tubes!). It's 30 watts. They also make a 15 watt UniValve that does the same thing with one power tube, instead of two. They also come with a Hot Plate built in so you can really drive the power amp tube(s). Love it, love it, love it.

-mark

[AstroDan]

Thanks Mark. I was thinking in the $600 range. I figured one could get a respectable tube combo for that.

[DeafinONEear]

about a year ago I got the Trace Elliot Velocette which is the exact same amp as that Goldtone (Gibson bought Elliot, changed a couple of resistors, put ceramic tube holders in it and ported all of the Velocette line over to the Gibson name). I can't quite speak for it's versitality, but I can say that it is a class-A EL84 spanky demon! This has become my main amp and I don't really play much else besides it. As I said, very spanky, prominent mid range, sensitive as hell and ca-reeeeemy! Really, it is a one trick pony, but oh, what a trick it is.
Actually, Swingdoc asked a similar question about this a while back, went and bought one and said he loved it... Swingdoc, you there? How's it going now?
I think that an old blackface Fender Princeton can be a really versitile thing, and if you get a speaker you like in there it can give you some lovely tones. That is, if you dig the Fender clean thing that they all do so well...

[black mariah]

The THD Univalve is pretty damn nice too. Throw in a tube, country tone. Throw a different one in, Van Halen. Damn loud too.

[inverseroom]

AstroDan--

I have two suggestions. One is a Gibson Skylark T--they can go for under $200 on eBay, and if you recap and retube them they sound bright and clear, with a killer distortion. Low wattage and great for recording. Mine is a 1967 Crestline model, with weird tubes. The other is, if you've got a day or two with nothing to do, build the Mission Amps Tweed Deluxe 5E3 clone kit, and buy a cab for it from them, too--Bruce has a special on the cabs right now, which are the same as the ones Victoria uses. Total cost is under $700 and you will have an amazing sounding amp that responds well to effects pedals.

--John.

[Red Rockets Glare]

Fender Princeton Reverb, silverface. These amps sound very nice with everything I've put through them from Pedal Steel (very high output pickups) to baritone guitar (really large low-end for a 8" speaker). You can find one for well under 600, and the best part, they're lightweight!

[thunderboy]

Princetons are nice for re-amping, as well. I've even re-amped my bass through one a few times with NICE results...

jt

[ottokbre]

for all my new fender bashings, the little blues deluxe can really wail for the wattage. not too many flavors though.

in your ball park is the new vox modeling amp. will roast all the line6 stuff with partymix to boot. it does'nt just buzz like all the amps its trying to copy, it "feels" like them too. which will translate over into the recordings.
set aside some money to replace the speaker though. the stock one will be a bit dark.

there are many EL84 amps. many class A, hitting the streets now, like the one Deaf mentioned. using the master on a good class A is like a compression knob before it gets to any crunch. even the clean tones can really splinter. i would rather have that and a san amp on back up for clean sounds.

[NewYorkDave]

I own something on the order of 30-40 guitar amps in various states of repair; and for my money, nothing can touch my '60s Ampeg SB-12 Portaflex (with 7868 output tubes) when it comes to getting a great sound on tape. It's fabulous for guitar OR bass, clean or distorted or even super-overdrive. And it's even loud enough for small gigs. The only bummer is that 7868 outputs are obsolete and hard to find; but if absolutely necessary, the amp can be rewired for the still-costly-but-now-back-in-production 7591. It's the same tube with a different basing.

[soundguy]

If you can build it, the Mission 5E3 kit is a greta affordable way to get intoa Deluxe. I just bought one of those kits.

If you've never recorded a deluxe before, in the iconoclastic words of the reverend billy G-

"douse that light!"

dave

[wayne kerr]

I have a '68 Princeton Reverb and it is without a doubt my "go to" amp. The early SF amps sound evry bit as good (ie: "brown") as the much more expensive blacks... try to find one with the aluminum grille if yer shopping SF, the'yre practically BF circuits!

Also, I've seen '80s 50W Marshalls go for around $300 lately. I just put a Vintage 30 in my JCM800 combo and it screams beautifully - even at "studio volumes!"

[jrsgodfrey]

All around, I like a Fender Pro Jr. Sounds great, only two knobs, and small.

[cheslix armhole]

i second the tweed deluxe, i didn't know about those kits soundguy is talking about but they're probably worth every penny.

the deluxe is unstoppable. neil young anyone?

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