Valve. Amps. ?

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  • dindudedindude Frets: 8534
    I had the same moment but very early on in my playing days when a relative gave me a (probably unsafe) valve amp of unknown original found in a loft. I had a boss metal zone at the time and the difference it made plugged into the crappy valve amp compared to my sessionette was unreal. I’ve never not owned a valve amp since (getting on for almost 30 years ago).
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  • ArchtopDaveArchtopDave Frets: 1367
    edited October 2020
    I've thought about doing Maestro Rift's Course as well @TTony . Only trouble, from my point of view, is that I own three of his Amps already.
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  • martmart Frets: 5205
    edited October 2020
    TTony said:
    ..... 
    Errrrrm, @mart ;
    TTony said:
    ..... 
    Someones can now come along and tell me that there are so many, so better, valve amps.  Don't.  Not just yet.
    I'll have to shift a few other large noisy boxes before I buy (or build) another large noisy box ...  
    Pffft, you expect me to a have read all of your post?
    TTony said:
    ...
    I had an Epi Valve Jr for a while, many moons ago.  My old pub mate @Phil_aka_Pip bought that.  

    Hope he’s found himself a decent pub again ...
    And a decent takeaway.
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  • ennspekennspek Frets: 1626
    My first amps were valve amps. Over the years I have started to use solid state and then modellers more and more. Still can't part with the big valves I can't use anymore though.
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  • HAL9000HAL9000 Frets: 9551
    Yup, I used exclusively solid state for quite a while. Had tried mates’ Blues Jnr and Marshall DSL40 but only at bedroom volumes and wasn’t impressed. Then used an AC10 at an open mic - Wow! Once a valve amp once is turned up (which I really can’t do at home) it really does come to life. On the strength of that I bought myself a Blackstar Studio 10 6L6 (Compared to an AC10 in the shop the Blackstar was louder, more musical (to my ears) and had more ‘thump’ to it). I don’t see myself ever buying another solid state amp. Once the current restrictions are over I’d like to buy a 15-20W amp but for the time being 10W is plenty.
    I play guitar because I enjoy it rather than because I’m any good at it
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  • ChairsChairs Frets: 52
    It was a few years back when I popped over to grab a guitar from @TheMarlin (remember that Raygun Relics tele with the single Rebel Yell? Still loving it by the way!). I'm not sure what he was using at the time but he had a reverb tank plugged into it and it sounded gorgeous - ended up giving me GAS for a Suhr Badger 18w. I'll never look back.
    I've been around since MusicRadar as Schpudd. Current feedback here. Or eBay feedback on request.
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  • TINMAN82TINMAN82 Frets: 1845
    Hallelujah 
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  • I started on a SS amp with a multi effects, then moved onto a Marshall half stack when I had the room/money. I totally missed the versatility of SS/modelling/multifx however so now have a POD Go which sounds great after a bit of tweaking and getting used to the feel of it. 

    Only trouble is I now want something I can plug my tele into with maybe a TS and some reverb in front and just play away. I should have all bases covered by then. I really like modelling for high gain stuff, less so for the more natural, nuanced playing I also like to do.
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  • dogloaddogload Frets: 1495
    I also had that revelation @TTony ; - tranny amps set with a bit of edge but was starting to find the sound just wasn't doing it for me; felt like the aural equivalent of slapping the flat of one's hand against a concrete wall!

    So a few years ago I started using a 70's Selmer T&B that I had access to and that was it! Depth, warmth, clarity etc., etc. 

    Just makes me wish I'd discovered this years ago when you could get 'classic' valve amps for peanuts when everyone was getting all the latest solid state stuff!




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  • I had a Musicman valve combo some 30 years ago. If I remember correctly, it had a 12" speaker with a built in phase and was able to do quiet home use and miked up gig use. It was great, albeit fragile. Eventually I needed a bass amp for the band I was in, so sadly I had to sell it to get the cash together.

    Since then I have mainly played through either Fender or Vox transistor guitar amps (for home use). So, now the common problem - as I really really want to find a valve amp that is small enough to use in my attic (as in small enough with a volume and a gain in order to get a little crunch or saturation).

    I tried a Vox AC10, but it was still so powerful that I couldn't achieve a good sound at low volume. I tried a vintage Fender Super Champ, and whilst it was good for home, it needed a level of technical curating that was not for me.

    So, am currently playing through a Vox AV15, which is actually very good, and I get the versatility found in the transistor or hybrid amp for low volume - although it still does not quite have the chime/warmth that I crave. 

    TTony - your rehoused BJ III seems to be the ticket for you, albeit sounds like you are using pedals for your sound. Would you or anyone else have any other contemporary recommendations (I did wonder about the now defunct Princeton Recording amp ?) ?

    I find it strange that the major manufacturers do not seem to be targeting this market...
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  • Rich210Rich210 Frets: 577
    I had a Musicman valve combo some 30 years ago. If I remember correctly, it had a 12" speaker with a built in phase and was able to do quiet home use and miked up gig use. It was great, albeit fragile. Eventually I needed a bass amp for the band I was in, so sadly I had to sell it to get the cash together.

    Since then I have mainly played through either Fender or Vox transistor guitar amps (for home use). So, now the common problem - as I really really want to find a valve amp that is small enough to use in my attic (as in small enough with a volume and a gain in order to get a little crunch or saturation).

    I tried a Vox AC10, but it was still so powerful that I couldn't achieve a good sound at low volume. I tried a vintage Fender Super Champ, and whilst it was good for home, it needed a level of technical curating that was not for me.

    So, am currently playing through a Vox AV15, which is actually very good, and I get the versatility found in the transistor or hybrid amp for low volume - although it still does not quite have the chime/warmth that I crave. 

    TTony - your rehoused BJ III seems to be the ticket for you, albeit sounds like you are using pedals for your sound. Would you or anyone else have any other contemporary recommendations (I did wonder about the now defunct Princeton Recording amp ?) ?

    I find it strange that the major manufacturers do not seem to be targeting this market...
    Dude I use that exact same amp, the Musicman RP112 65 watter? It's actually an amazing bass amp plugged directly into a cab! Really kicks the bottom end out. 

    I went a bit silly and bought a really expensive amp that's a ridiculous pedal platform. I was liking the sound of a blackface princeton reissue, I'm sure you could swap some preamp valves to give more headroom?
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  • Yes, that may well be it ! Although I recall it being a little simpler (one input).

    I listened to an online clip of a Lazy J yesterday, and boy that sounded like just the job if I wanted to spend north of a grand (which I don't really) - hence I see a possible gap in the market for the majors ?
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  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27346

    TTony - your rehoused BJ III seems to be the ticket for you, albeit sounds like you are using pedals for your sound. 
    Absolutely right @SPECTRUM001 ;- without the pedals, the BJ III really wouldn't be ticking my boxes.

    But, it seems like it'd be a whole lot easier to find a pedal that gives the sound - at any volume - you want to create than to find an amp with the in-built capability to create that same sound, again, at any volume.

    And, if on another day you want a slightly different sound than the capability built into the amp. swapping pedals is a lot easier than swapping amps.

    Logically - use a clean amp for the basic foundation/platform, and then add pedals to taste?


    Having trouble posting images here?  This might help.
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  • monquixotemonquixote Frets: 17485
    edited October 2020 tFB Trader
    TTony said:

    TTony - your rehoused BJ III seems to be the ticket for you, albeit sounds like you are using pedals for your sound. 
    Absolutely right @SPECTRUM001 ;;- without the pedals, the BJ III really wouldn't be ticking my boxes.

    But, it seems like it'd be a whole lot easier to find a pedal that gives the sound - at any volume - you want to create than to find an amp with the in-built capability to create that same sound, again, at any volume.

    And, if on another day you want a slightly different sound than the capability built into the amp. swapping pedals is a lot easier than swapping amps.

    Logically - use a clean amp for the basic foundation/platform, and then add pedals to taste?




    That gets you so far, but...

    You then end up getting the idea that you want Fender cleans and Marshall gain and so you buy a Fender amp and go through a succession of "Marshall in a box" pedals which don't sound that great until you realise it doesn't quite work like that. 

    If you want a Marshall / Vox / Soldano type sound you really have to get the amp that does it, but luckily there is usually something like say a Jet City that does the various flavours for not too much money.

    That all being said with a Blues Jr and a few pedals you can really cover a huge variety of sounds.
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  • I picked up an Ibanez TS 9 and sadly have not bonded with it, as everything turns to mud. So have been using my old faithful Rat (which I have had for 30 years - it is still going strong) - So, yep, perhaps I need to try some clean Fender chime as a blank canvas behind some pedal overdrive/distortion.

    I do hanker for natural saturation though...

    I can feel a "beat the Lockdown" trip to PMT might be needed (and there's the other challenge, where to actually try out half a dozen different tube amps).
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  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27346
    TTony said:

    Logically - use a clean amp for the basic foundation/platform, and then add pedals to taste?


    That gets you so far, but...

    ;)

    That gets me as far as I want to go ...


    ... this year anyways!!
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  • RaymondLinRaymondLin Frets: 11813
    TTony said:
    TTony said:

    Logically - use a clean amp for the basic foundation/platform, and then add pedals to taste?


    That gets you so far, but...

    ;)

    That gets me as far as I want to go ...


    ... this year anyways!!
    There's only 2 months left...
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  • That gets you so far, but...

    You then end up getting the idea that you want Fender cleans and Marshall gain and so you buy a Fender amp and go through a succession of "Marshall in a box" pedals which don't sound that great until you realise it doesn't quite work like that. 

    If you want a Marshall / Vox / Soldano type sound you really have to get the amp that does it, but luckily there is usually something like say a Jet City that does the various flavours for not too much money.

    That all being said with a Blues Jr and a few pedals you can really cover a huge variety of sounds.

    Thanks for the suggestions on the previous messages - my optimum sound is a Fender chime pushed into overdrive, so not particularly focused on Marshall gain.

    Will definitely try the Blues and Pro Jr amps...
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  • Actually @TTony , I found the pedal that really worked well with the BJ3 was the Caline Pure Sky which is a Timmy Clone.

    If you havent already got something similar I can send you mine for a few weeks, see if you like it before paying out for one (they are only about £30 tbf)
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  • ESBlondeESBlonde Frets: 3576
    Points that need emphasising:-

    There are good and bad valve amps.
    There are different flavours of valve amps.
    There are big and small valve amps.
    There are master volumes, NMV and various other devices to 'tame' the volume.
    When you find something you really like - keep it, you can add more amps but keep those you fall in love with.
    Different 'overdrive/distortion/fuzz pedals work better or worse with certain types of valve circuit.
    Sometimes a change of speaker driver will blow your mind on what you already though was a great amp.
    Some classic amps are classics for a reason.
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