wtb: head to be used as a pedal platform, mostly clean

bermudianbrit

Hi all,

I play a lot of country, Chet Atkins style or Brad Paisley, so no grit or just a bit of hair on it. But I also play in a band which requires some Marshall tones sometimes, so I have a Marshall-in-a-box pedal for that kind of thing. I currently am running through a Peavey classic 20 mini head, but that thing breaks up too quickly for the volumes I have it at in rehearsals, and also, when it breaks up, it becomes a bit of a hissing mess!

Head must:
1. Have a fantastic clean tone,
2. be between 30-50 watts or so.
I would prefer:
1. something small,
2. with reverb; and
3. With an FX loop
A Dr. Z or Victory v40 would make me very happy indeed.

But I can compromise on those last ones if the rest is awesome.

What ya got?

monquixote

Buy @photek Puretone if he hasn't already sold it. Best clean, pedal amp bar none

photek

What that man there said... I am going back to amp drive so the H&K can move on to a new keeper. I have had pretty much every other pedal platform going and the Puretone is the best.

V40 was great but lacking a bit in character, Dr Z MAZ was great but a bit too aggressive for brighter pedals. Hot Rod Deluxe is great as well but still not bloody available in head format!

Anyway give me a shout if you want to try the Puretone.

mattdavis

Hiya - I have a 2014 Badcat Black Cat 15r head. To me ticks your boxes (has spring reverb with individual settings on both channels) except the power range. However to me it seems like a bloody loud 15w compared to other amps I've had. You can switch out the master volume for max headroom and I've had some very loud cleans that way. Let me know if of interest and maybe check out the amp elsewhere on line - they are known to be loud little buggers. 
Cheers

bermudianbrit

I'll check out both you're suggestions above. thanks. Where are you guys located though? as these are a bit unknown I'd love to actually experience them.

variplexi

Tone King Metropolitan head? Might not be "small" and "with effects loop" but for the other criteria doesn't get much better.

Gassage

If you want a clean amp as a pedal platform an FX loop is superfluous.

The correct answer is of course a Hiwatt DR504.

mattdavis

PM'd. Cheers

hywelg

I have been working up to parting with my DrZ EZG head  for a while now. I am very reluctant as its a superb amp, but I'm not gigging and its not getting used.

IMO its is a brilliant amp for pedals, I've tried dozens of o/d, distortion, crunch and boost pedals and it hasn't met one that it doesn't like. Paired with a big cab it'll do heavy rock no bother, throw a boost pedal in front of it and it'll give you juicy blues tones at low volumes. It chucks out great gobs of bass if you want it, yet it can do a delicious Fender Super Reverb clean with a strat. (It is the Fender AB763 circuit used in quite a few Fender BF amps)

I'm in Nottingham, if you want to give it a go with your own pedals give me a shout and we can take it to our rehearsal room where you can wind it up through any number of cabs (your own included if you want).