Solid state amp head

midiglitch

Just thinking aloud here, but does anyone make a solid state, lightweight amp head?  

I don't want modelling, or drive channels, just a basic clean amp to be used with my existing cabs (16ohm) as a pedal platform.  Hopefully it will also be tiny, very light weight, and massively robust; otherwise there really isn't much point.

A benchmark on volume would be to exceed the volume of clean headroom of my jtm45 , so I'm guessing I'll be looking at something around 100-150 watts.  I'll be wanting plenty of headroom even on transients.

Anything out there?  Anyone any experiences going this route?

impmann

Not a head but tiny and I use one as such - ZT Lunchbox. 200w, great with pedals and light as a feather.

I wouldn't be without it!

mart

There are lots of solid state options. Have a read through:

http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/35712/solid-state-fans-rejoice/

http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/30616/no-decent-s-s-guitar-amps/

http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/33745/solid-state-amp-heads/

http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/35334/has-the-bluguitar-amp-1-died-before-it-got-going-nah/p1

for some of the current options!

Sassafras

Quilter amps?

I think the little one's called the Toneblock. 200 watts.

midiglitch

Thanks chaps.

Have read all those threads and not sure i'm any wiser tbh!  

That quilter toneblock looks ideal, except I think i need a bit more control over the EQ.

The zt lunchbox looks like a very good solution, because it could also be a stand-alone solution for taking to people's houses etc.  weirdly, perhaps, that would be the exception rather than the main use for me; which would be to use it as a head with an extension cab.  So I wonder if anyone is using it like that and can chime in as to how it performs in that context.  @impmann have you got one?

I may just go with a bass head.  Does everything i want, i just don't know if there are some fundamental differences to the tone?  Something like the laney rb9, or fender rumble, look fine.

Welcome thoughts and experiences

impmann

Yes I have a ZT Lunchbox plus a Montage cab - I've gigged them quite a bit. For big gigs, we've used the DI out into the desk and it sounds epic FOH.

As a standalone, the in built speaker is a bit boxy and a bit 'meh' tbh. It's ok but loses definition at high volume but hey it's only 6.5in so what do you want? In conjunction with the Swamp Thang Eminence loaded cab, it sounds wonderful though!

mart

midiglitch;591799" said:

...

I may just go with a bass head.  Does everything i want, i just don't know if there are some fundamental differences to the tone?  ....

If you put a guitar through a modern bass amp it generally won't sound great, even for clean sounds. But a cab emulator pedal, such as one of the Tech 21 character pedals or the Joyo clones, should be enough to help you get an ok guitar sound.

midiglitch

Yes, but would that not be more a function of the cab? A bass head into a guitar cab should sound no different to a ss guitar head into a guitar cab, no?

IanSavage

I've had a blast on six-string through my Ampeg Micro VR into the matching 2x10 cab, and it actually sounded really good - a pedal or two in front of it and a dedicated guitar cab and I reckon you'd be laughing! Ridiculously light as well - only had it a couple of months so can't comment with authority on the bomb-proof-ness, but it's stood up to being run quite hard in a five-piece blues band in some small-to-mid-sized venues...

ICBM

It's mostly the cabs, yes. A bass amp with a graphic EQ (like the Laney RB9 or any other 'Trace Elliot style' one) should be capable of being dialled in to sound roughly like a guitar amp, through guitar speakers.

But be careful with the power ratings - a 300W/4-ohm bass amp will still easily exceed 150W into 8 ohms and that's too much for many cabs - you might not notice how much power the amp is actually putting out either, since clean power doesn't sound as loud as overdriven, but can contain very big transients. You have a better chance of not frying anything with a 16-ohm cab.

midiglitch

Good advice. Thank you. Let's wait and see what ebay throws up