1x12 combo 'all rounder' amp - what's your favourite and why?

JD50

Had Tremoverb for a little while now.
It does everything I need and more.
I could gig without pedals happily.

Gassage

J20 or a Princeton if 1 x 10 allowed.

olafgarten

RandallFlagg said:

olafgarten said:

The mesa Rectoverb 25 is the best amp I've played. It's just so versatile and it sounds great. You can go from Fenderish Cleans to full on Dual Rec style gain and everything in between. 

The demos of the Rectoverb 25 on Youtube sound like they lack low end and the distortion is a bit raspy. I know it's hard to tell through these videos.

I think it depends on the channel, the first Channel is sort of a more Fender style, so the gain there is a like a pushed fender rather than the fatter Marshall sound. It also doesn't do the highest gain settings perfectly, it does lack a low end a bit, but I never use that amount of gain so it's perfect for me. 

Wazmeister

I'll add another... Redplate Blackverb/Blues Machine/RP50R in combo form. The larger trannies really show through on the RPs.

Incredible amps.

Teetonetal

My Brunetti. So long as you have dirt from pedals. Sounds Immense with a BD2-W infront

Wazmeister

Dominic said:

Wazmeister said:

Anyone who knows me will know my answer in advance...

Carr Rambler.

I dont believe that there are many amps that can do great cleans to crunch.

So, the cleans are hardest to find - and the Rambler has this in spades.

Crunch - Pedals are the answer here with the Rambler, as it takes pedals SO well.

A superb all-rounder of an amp, that let's you notice the subtle variance of each pick up...

Absolutely agree ......nothing I have ever tried/owned comes close other than Slant V6

The Slant 6V is one of my fave ever amps in a live situation...

crunchman

RandallFlagg said:

5/25 vs Rectoverb 25?

anyone have a view, I like warmer, fatter cleans?

Lazy J 20 has warm fat cleans.  With a Blue you can get cleans at reasonable level.  Use boost/overdrive to tip it over the edge.

For the OP talking about "glassy cleans" with a Strat then Princeton Reverb or Deluxe Reverb and drive from pedals.  The 68 Custom Princeton Reverb sounds a lot better with a WGS Veteran than with the stock speaker.

If you do need more volume then a Hot Rod Deluxe with a better speaker.  I had a Weber 12F150 in my old one and it sounded superb.  I only sold it because I just don't need that much volume.

andy1839

My only keeper amp is my Matchless Independence Reverb 112 with a Celestion Alnico Cream. 

Three channels, master volume, good reverb and takes pedals very well. 

It's not going anywhere. 

Sploosh!

ecc83

Just as a benchmark chaps, what do folks consider 'heavy'? I found the Artist I suggested is 22.5kg or 50lbs. Now, I would consider that a bit of a heft but I am old and feeble.

Dave.

ICBM

ecc83 said:

Just as a benchmark chaps, what do folks consider 'heavy'?

Heavy (pounds) > 100 - age (years)

stratman3142

ICBM said:

ecc83 said:

Just as a benchmark chaps, what do folks consider 'heavy'?

Heavy (pounds) > 100 - age (years)

I agree with your equation. I believe a HRD3 is about 45lb and I probably decided it was too heavy when I turned 55

Here's a maths test: My Blues Cube Artist is listed at slightly over 35lb, so I'll have to get a new amp in two years. How old am I?

richardhomer

stratman3142 said:

ICBM said:

ecc83 said:

Just as a benchmark chaps, what do folks consider 'heavy'?

Heavy (pounds) > 100 - age (years)

I agree with your equation. I believe a HRD3 is about 45lb and I probably decided it was too heavy when I turned 55

Here's a maths test: My Blues Cube Artist is listed at slightly over 35lb, so I'll have to get a new amp in two years. How old am I?

63

stratman3142

richardhomer said:

stratman3142 said:

ICBM said:

ecc83 said:

Just as a benchmark chaps, what do folks consider 'heavy'?

Heavy (pounds) > 100 - age (years)

I agree with your equation. I believe a HRD3 is about 45lb and I probably decided it was too heavy when I turned 55

Here's a maths test: My Blues Cube Artist is listed at slightly over 35lb, so I'll have to get a new amp in two years. How old am I?

63

Yes. I suppose I'm going to end up with a Roland Microcube before long.

Beexter

I've got the head version of the Mesa Express 5:25+ but I'm sure the combo version will sound just as good.
I've recently been amp shopping, looking to replace my head/cab with a combo. I've tried
Carr Skylark, Sportsman and Lincoln, Bad Cat Black Cat 15, Morgan AC20, Louis Electric, Dr. Z MAZ 18, Monza and another Z I can't remember. None of them could tempt me away from the Mesa. With all the switchable channels, switchable EQ (graphic or contour) and switchable wattage, it's ridiculously versatile and sounds great.

thebreeze

I just love the clean Rhythm channel of the Tone King Imperial, I don't think you can beat it.  But after that you're left with a kind of half-arsed tweed sound from the Lead channel, but pedals can cover the drive and it only weighs about 30lbs so you're laughing there.  However, my other amp is a Fender Blues Deluxe (USA original, no speaker change) and if you're looking for "an all rounder" this has to be in with a shot.  It covers all you ask for (and then some) in your stipulations/requests...........until you get to the Les Paul hard rock.  I think by that you mean Marshally drive which it just can't do, but again pedals sound great through this amp.  

fretfinder

stratman3142 said:

richardhomer said:

stratman3142 said:

ICBM said:

ecc83 said:

Just as a benchmark chaps, what do folks consider 'heavy'?

Heavy (pounds) > 100 - age (years)

I agree with your equation. I believe a HRD3 is about 45lb and I probably decided it was too heavy when I turned 55

Here's a maths test: My Blues Cube Artist is listed at slightly over 35lb, so I'll have to get a new amp in two years. How old am I?

63

Yes. I suppose I'm going to end up with a Roland Microcube before long.

Oh no - that formula means my two main combos are each about 6lbs too heavy for my age!

Wazmeister

Beexter said:

I've got the head version of the Mesa Express 5:25+ but I'm sure the combo version will sound just as good.
I've recently been amp shopping, looking to replace my head/cab with a combo. I've tried
Carr Skylark, Sportsman and Lincoln, Bad Cat Black Cat 15, Morgan AC20, Louis Electric, Dr. Z MAZ 18, Monza and another Z I can't remember. None of them could tempt me away from the Mesa. With all the switchable channels, switchable EQ (graphic or contour) and switchable wattage, it's ridiculously versatile and sounds great.

Good shout...

The Mesa 5:25 Plus is probably the most versatile all rounder Ive tried. I preferred it over the MV and the other newer incarnations.

Great second hand value. 

TTBZ

Depends on your definition of all round but I can do everything I want with my Mini Jubilee combo. Classic rock, modern rock, stoner rock and metal. The clean channel is nice if you're into that sort of thing which I'm not, but lead channel cleans up nice as well.

Stinkfoot

I gigged a Fender HRD III for several years and was generally vry happy with it. Only ever used the clean channel and got the drive from a Jetter GS3 pedal. On gigs where i had to keep the stage volume down very low I did struggle getting a usable tone out of it. I also had issues (common with most amps I guess) that on un-mic'd gigs it was very directional...stand in the firing line and it would rip your ears off / stand a bit too much off axis and you couldn't hear it.

Now dabbling with the Helix direct to PA to hopefully alleviate some of these issues, but I don't think I'll ever get rid of the HRD as it's the amp I've stuck with for the longest time until recently going the digital route. Plus it looks pretty cool, in its limited edition two-tone retro finish!

fandango

crunchman said:

RandallFlagg said:

5/25 vs Rectoverb 25?

anyone have a view, I like warmer, fatter cleans?

Lazy J 20 has warm fat cleans.  With a Blue you can get cleans at reasonable level.  Use boost/overdrive to tip it over the edge.

For the OP talking about "glassy cleans" with a Strat then Princeton Reverb or Deluxe Reverb and drive from pedals.  The 68 Custom Princeton Reverb sounds a lot better with a WGS Veteran than with the stock speaker.

If you do need more volume then a Hot Rod Deluxe with a better speaker.  I had a Weber 12F150 in my old one and it sounded superb.  I only sold it because I just don't need that much volume.

@crunchman - Ah, but WGS rate the 10" veteran at only 20 watts. I thought the perceived wisdom was that a speaker should have the 'capacity' to be able to handle 2-1/2 to 3 times the stated output of the amp. In the 68 CPR, since the amp is 12 watts, a minimum of 30 watts (as per the OEM Celestion Ten-30) would surely be required. So, if were staying with WGS, I might be looking at the G10C, Retro 10 or an ET10.

But there's also Celestion G10 Greenback and the G10 Vintage, as well as the Eminence Lil' Buddy, Legend, RF10C. I'd love Fane to make a 10" speaker, and/or Celestion to make a 10" Neo Creamback.

Sorry for going off topic.