Does this Exist? - Fender Twin in a portable head format

SquireJapan

Right - I'm using a Mesa Boogie Mk1 1x12 combo at home. It has the density of a neutron star, and it's not great for carrying up flights of stairs.

I'm looking for a head I can carry to gigs and plug into whatever cab is available - All I really need is good "fender clean" sound, as I get a great sound right now from the pedals I have (mainly around using an Xotic SL Drive and Suhr Riot).

Main thing is headroom - I really really hate having an amp that gets compressed (I have an Xotic compressor if I want that).

What to do? All the portable heads are low power and when I've tried them at stage volume (as in, I could hear them over a drummer) they've nothing remotely like the headroom of the Boogie.

I ideally want to be able to carry the thing with with one hand ... I'm also not fussed about valves, so if I can get a good clean with that kind of headroom with solid state I'm happy.

EDIT: One thing on the list (but haven't tried) is the Matrix VB800 : https://usa.matrixamplification.com/guitar-amps/vb800.html

Winny_Pooh

Have someone build a head cab for you. The boogie is insanely heavy due to the EV (probly) speaker in there. Or possibly consider a Celestion creamback neo to replace the current speaker.

Modulus_Amps

a 100w valve amp head will always be heavy due to the weight of the transformers required for that power output.

The boogie would make a nice size head though.

Check out the recent thread on quilter amps and DV mark amps

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/160142/quilter-amps#latest

smigeon

Get a TC Electronics BAM 200 solid state head. This is a bass amp, but sounds great as a (clean only!!) guitar amp too. These go *extremely* loud and should work well as a pedal platform. They are tiny (fit in your pocket, tiny), but very powerful. There are other similar products such as the DV Mark bass heads which are worth a look for your use case. 

StefB

Mesa Express 5:50+

The clean channel rivals Fender and it has endless versatility and switching options you can use or not depending on your requirements.  Doesn't weigh and ton and is smaller and lighter than a standard 750mm width head.

brooom

The fender you're describing is the showman, if you want the reverb, the head will be bigger. And as @Modulus_Amps said, the transformers weight will always be there.

I've recently found the amp that does this for me, in the form of a Jim Kelley Reverb head.

Like @Winny_Pooh said, the biggest factor when it comes to weight in a combo with an EV speaker is the speaker itself. I could be wrong but I read just the speaker accounts for 2/3s of the weight.

Jalapeno

Surely any Boogie head would suffice ?  My Mini Rectifier 10w/25w is ace, great cleans and really light (and stupid loud).

Or get a Twin/Deluxe Reverb and swap speakers for Neodymium jobs.

Blueingreen

I've actually played a Twin head a number of times at a local rehearsal studio, although I don't know whether it was a rare Fender issue or whether someone had converted a combo into a head.  Much likelier the latter I suppose, but it was very professionally done.

I can't say I loved the sound, I found it surprisingly lacking in character and much preferred my Quilter at reasonable volumes.  YMMV etc.

Sassafras

How about the new Fender Tonemaster Twin Reverb?
That seems to have been well received on the forum.

Dopesick

Quilter is your answer. The new Tone Block 202 specifically.

SquireJapan

Thanks to those above - I'm liking the idea of the Quilter and BAM200. I don't fancy modifying the boogie I have (It's a nice little bit of furniture, and besides the weight I love everything about it).

I was sure when I played the Mini Rec that it didn't have much clean headroom? Sounds like I need to try one again - I'd tried one into a mesa 2x12. Same 2x12 sounded immense with a MKV head, but weedy with the mini rec.

The BAM200 is peanuts compared to any other head, so might try and pick one up used and just try running it a bit.

kennedydream1980

Try and find a Koch Twintone or Studiotone head secondhand. They have tons of clean headroom, are voiced like a Fender and are relatively compact and light heads. They also do a model called the Jupiter which is a hybrid amp (valve preamp / mosfet power amp) which sounds very similar.

https://m.thomann.de/gb/koch_amps_jupiter_head_jup45_h.htm

newi123

Check out the dv mark eric gales head........

bermudianbrit

another vote for Quilter here. I have a pro block 200 and it is the business.

monquixote

If you want valve H&K Puretone

Really well made, sound amazing, loads of headroom and beans SH.

drwiddly

The Bluguitar Amp 01 has a decent clean channel + there are three overdrive channels if you want them. Built in reverb and 100w so should be loud enough.

robinbowes

As others have already said, you're not going to get a traditional 100W valve amp that is light - the power and output transformers required are heavy, and they tend to be down one end of the chassis meaning the head is unbalanced.

Whereabouts are you? I have a Traynor YGL-3A head you could try. Sounds fantastic, but it's really, really heavy!

R.

Funkfingers

A friend of mine has a MESA/Boogie mk3c. It lives in a flight case with casters. This unfastens low on the sides, leaving the amp sitting on a "trolley", ready to work.