Plug and Play Amp Recommendations

RMJ

Whilst I love my Helix I miss having an amp that I can simply plug into and play when the opportunity arises. I'm currently skint, but when funds are recharged this is probably what I'd like to buy next.

Criteria:

• Budget up to £1k
• Single channel
• Combo
• Nice cleans - I like Fendery or Voxy
• Takes pedal well

I know Princetons get good press.  Any other good 'bang for buck' recommendations?

Ta

exocet

Roland Blues Cube Stage would cover this nicely. Very controllable volume level for home use. 

Modulus_Amps

Princeton or AC15 or variations of those two

Whatever you get make sure it has a good speaker fitted.

munckee

Have just bought a princeton 68 custom and love it so would recommend. Am selling the tweed 5 watt champion/5f1 champ I had previously, leave a lot of the grand left.  Ideal for only playing at home.

smigeon

Roland JC40. I just got one yesterday - and am loving it for cleans I also have a Princeton 68 RI. I love them both equally, I think. Considering new prices the JC is about 500 pounds and the Princeton about double that. 

stickyfiddle

AC15 (with a good speaker) or DRRI for me. Both are wonderful. Never sure why the PRRI gets more love than the DRRI when the latter is clearly better

paulmapp8306

Just get the princeton - my favourite sound on my AFX is the Preiceton, with a Timmy in front.  Thats wheat Im going for as my plug and lay amp.

Spent 3.5k on keyboards this year, so its on hold for a few months - but thats what makes my smile the most. 

kennedydream1980

Blackstar Artist 15. It’s 2 channels but not really to be thought of as a channel switcher. You get 2 flavours of clean, a mid pushed clean on channel 1, and a mid scooped clean on channel 2. So it can be tailored to suit any drive pedal.

I just  sold mine to go back to a digital setup, but if I were to go back to pedals this is the amp I would buy. They can be picked up for around £300 secondhand, which is nothing considering they sound like an amp costing 2/3 times as much.

They are big size wise but that translates to a big sound, but they are also relatively lightweight for a valve amp thanks to the birch ply cabinet.

They seem to be under the radar and overlooked by many, but I would recommend checking them out.

RMJ

kennedydream1980 said:

Blackstar Artist 15. It’s 2 channels but not really to be thought of as a channel switcher. You get 2 flavours of clean, a mid pushed clean on channel 1, and a mid scooped clean on channel 2. So it can be tailored to suit any drive pedal.

I just  sold mine to go back to a digital setup, but if I were to go back to pedals this is the amp I would buy. They can be picked up for around £300 secondhand, which is nothing considering they sound like an amp costing 2/3 times as much.

They are big size wise but that translates to a big sound, but they are also relatively lightweight for a valve amp thanks to the birch ply cabinet.

They seem to be under the radar and overlooked by many, but I would recommend checking them out.

Hmmm interesting. Seems a lot of spec for the money...

Jalapeno

Fender Pro Junior (much better than the overrated Blues Junior IMHO) possibly a new speaker, Ragin' Cajun for example.

www

smigeon said:

Roland JC40. I just got one yesterday - and am loving it for cleans I also have a Princeton 68 RI. I love them both equally, I think. Considering new prices the JC is about 500 pounds and the Princeton about double that. 

The Princeton can be had new for just over £800 now

terada

stickyfiddle said:

AC15 (with a good speaker) or DRRI for me. Both are wonderful. Never sure why the PRRI gets more love than the DRRI when the latter is clearly better

In what ways do you prefer the DRRI @stickyfiddle ;?

TTBZ

Whilst it's not really voxy or fendery the Marshall Origin has really nice cleans and edge of breakup tones and takes pedals really well.

RMJ

TTBZ said:

Whilst it's not really voxy or fendery the Marshall Origin has really nice cleans and edge of breakup tones and takes pedals really well.

Also worth looking at.

Ok I have a shortlist developing which are all similarly priced:

Blackstar Artist 15
Origin 20
AC15
Blues Cube
Princeton (more expensive) 

Sunburst

With a similar budget and objectives as you, in January I got a Brunetti Singleman 16 and I absolutely love it.  Wonderful, Fendery cleans are the base tone, but plenty of tweakability through different voicings, eq and power scaling. 

stickyfiddle

terada said:

stickyfiddle said:

AC15 (with a good speaker) or DRRI for me. Both are wonderful. Never sure why the PRRI gets more love than the DRRI when the latter is clearly better

In what ways do you prefer the DRRI @stickyfiddle ;?

Less boxy, more open sounding, much less ice-picky. 

I like Princetons when other people play them, but never got on with them when I've tried. But every time I've plugged into a DRRI I'm in heaven

menamestom

I occasionally think about upgrading my PRRI to a DRRI (or more likely a hand wired version from a UK builder).
I think Deluxe Reverbs sound bigger and also better cranked.

But Princeton's have better trem and sound sweeter at many of the volumes I play, so the only answer is probably both!


Saying that I have a 5E3 on the way and would like a JC40 as well, you can never have too many plug-and-play options!