Not another home amp thread!!! Now a NAD

grungebob · April 2021

Apologies for yet another home amp thread but it seems I know more about guitars than I do the things you can plug them into.

I need a home amplification solution.

I currently use a Vox VT40x, it’s got decent sounds and some effects plus the ability to store presets etc.

What I don’t like about it is despite turning the noise gate off turning down the guitars volume on a gain tone doesn’t clean up just gets quieter. It’s also limited to the number or effects you can use at once.

I want something that sounds good, it must have knobs not menus so you can adjust on the fly, an effects loop is a must as is either 3 channels or the ability to store presets.

Footswitch controlled and a good master volume so late night playing is possible.

I’ve looked at Helix/pod go/ headrush but the lack of buttons puts me off and about there is where my knowledge of things ends.

I’ve thought of getting like an old fender frontman 100 2x12 and sticking something like a Victory Kraken or diezel V4 in the loop etc but don’t know how good those units would sound though a solid state amp.

I like bluesy cleans but also fender crystal cleans, marshal crunch but Mesa recto / 5150 types of gain.

If you had a budget of say circa £1000 what would you fine folk be choosing?

Benm39 · April 2021

I've a Mesa Boogie Mk V:25 head I'm thinking about selling... ticks most of your boxes I think... let me know if that's of any interest

Grumpyrocker · April 2021

I'd suggest a Boss Katana, which I think are brilliant.

But several people will be along in a moment to tell you why one of the best reviewed/selling amps of recent times is rubbish.

grungebob · April 2021

Grumpyrocker said:

I'd suggest a Boss Katana, which I think are brilliant.

But several people will be along in a moment to tell you why one of the best reviewed/selling amps of recent times is rubbish.

Had one, hated it.

I honestly couldn’t get a sound out of it I liked.

Even delving into tone studio.

@Benm39 thanks but just looking for options at the moment.

chris78 · April 2021

You need a Tone King Falcon.

Benm39 · April 2021

@grungebob , no worries

Something else to consider if you've also been looking at the modeller option for lots of presets etc would be the Fractal FM3.

Awesome amount of stuff to play with in there and sounds immense. I've barely gotten beyond the startup presets so far but it's an instant smile on face box... @Wazmeister has one also and can probably comment more as has better understanding and use of his... little bit above your budget but does so much and so well...

portobear_65 · April 2021

Bluguitar Amp 1 Mercury and Nano Cab.

Analog, buttons and knobs, easy to use and sounds great.

personalnadir · April 2021

Has anyone tried an amp like preamp pedal going into a power amp pedal into a cab of your choosing? Was thinking of one of those Origin Effects or Aclam ones where the amp layout has been painstakingly recreated.

thecolourbox · April 2021

personalnadir said:

Has anyone tried an amp like preamp pedal going into a power amp pedal into a cab of your choosing? Was thinking of one of those Origin Effects or Aclam ones where the amp layout has been painstakingly recreated.

I tried to do something like this albeit with a modelling preamp into a pedal amp (EHX Magnum 44). What I found most annoying (and what has prevented me doing it properly with a valve preamp) is the power supplies. The pedal amp is tiny, but the power supply is bigger than the amp itself and 24v, so then if you used a valve preamp or even some of the solid state preamps, they too require specific power supplies. Then you end up with two massive power supplies to accommodate before adding your normal pedal power supplies and it just becomes a pain in the ass to me. You might not be so bothered to be fair.

personalnadir · April 2021

thecolourbox said:

personalnadir said:

Has anyone tried an amp like preamp pedal going into a power amp pedal into a cab of your choosing? Was thinking of one of those Origin Effects or Aclam ones where the amp layout has been painstakingly recreated.

I tried to do something like this albeit with a modelling preamp into a pedal amp (EHX Magnum 44). What I found most annoying (and what has prevented me doing it properly with a valve preamp) is the power supplies. The pedal amp is tiny, but the power supply is bigger than the amp itself and 24v, so then if you used a valve preamp or even some of the solid state preamps, they too require specific power supplies. Then you end up with two massive power supplies to accommodate before adding your normal pedal power supplies and it just becomes a pain in the ass to me. You might not be so bothered to be fair.

I'm in the opposite camp at the moment: only buying things with their own power supplies to put off buying yet another pedalboard PSU

Non-9V supplies are scary though: last time I rebuilt my board I accidentally stuck a 12V plug into a 9V pedal. No harm done, but I can see that if there's a valve preamp there's a chance to do some real damage by mistake.

thumpingrug · April 2021

Im currently using a PodGo into a pair of monitor speakers. Sounds nice at very acceptable levels.

JD50 · April 2021

There/is was a Mesa Tremoverb in the classifieds.

I use one at home no problem thanks to the master volume and often play most evenings.
Has all the sounds and a loop that you could ask for.
I mainly live on the vintage channel with a hint of break up... riding the guitar volume.... and far too many pedals.

ICBM · April 2021

JD50 said:

There/is was a Mesa Tremoverb in the classifieds.

I use one at home no problem thanks to the master volume and often play most evenings.
Has all the sounds and a loop that you could ask for.
I mainly live on the vintage channel with a hint of break up... riding the guitar volume.... and far too many pedals.

I used mine at home volumes too - they sound great. With the loop master on they can be dialled down to a whisper despite being a 100W amp with two V30s.

Ironically my much less powerful Blue Angel is more or less unusable at bedroom volume because it doesn't have a master volume, hence is too noisy. I've cured it with an attenuator, but it just goes to show that power is not the important factor.

grungebob · April 2021

Thanks guys for the suggestions so far.

I think due to the spontaneous nature of my playing (ie when the little ones in bed and the Mrs is busy) valve might not be my best option.

I feel like I’d be wasting precious time on waiting for the valves to warm up before I could take it off standby?

I need 3 or 4 sounds and I prefer physical buttons rather than menus etc so the bluguitar seems ok but would still require me to mess about with EQ in between sounds.

Saying that though I remember being very happy with the Engl screamer 50 I once had.

olafgarten · April 2021

grungebob said:

Thanks guys for the suggestions so far.
I think due to the spontaneous nature of my playing (ie when the little ones in bed and the Mrs is busy) valve might not be my best option.
I feel like I’d be wasting precious time on waiting for the valves to warm up before I could take it off standby?

I need 3 or 4 sounds and I prefer physical buttons rather than menus etc so the bluguitar seems ok but would still require me to mess about with EQ in between sounds.
Saying that though I remember being very happy with the Engl screamer 50 I once had.

I don't think warmup time is actually needed. Even if it is, 30 seconds will be more than enough.

I think the idea behind it is to avoid any inrush current damaging things but in reality it's not something you need to worry about.

thecolourbox · April 2021

I think it takes me longer to switch on and plug in the modelling unit, mixer, monitor speakers etc than it does for a valve amp to warm up...

Jalapeno · April 2021

Another home amp thread, another THR answer.

Fishboy7 · April 2021

This is what I would go for:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FRIEDMAN-PINK-TACO-PT-20-COMBO-HAND-WIRED-20-WATT-GUITAR-BOUTIQUE-VALVE-AMP/143972156347?hash=item218568c3bb:g:yw0AAOSwutRgRoMU

grungebob · April 2021

Jalapeno said:

Another home amp thread, another THR answer.

Except you can’t channel switch with a footswitch can you?

rlw · April 2021

Fishboy7 said:

This is what I would go for:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FRIEDMAN-PINK-TACO-PT-20-COMBO-HAND-WIRED-20-WATT-GUITAR-BOUTIQUE-VALVE-AMP/143972156347?hash=item218568c3bb:g:yw0AAOSwutRgRoMU

But it would be too loud

grungebob · April 2021

There’s a DT25 near me, I had one way back but can’t recall it. Any views on them?

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Not another home amp thread!!! Now a NAD

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