Just after some thoughts on a few EL84 based amps that have popped up near to me in the last few weeks ... I've pretty much always used Marshall sounding amps with EL34's and 6L6's but fancy a bit of a change.
They're all roughly around the same price (between 350 - 500 quid) so that's not really a consideration - currently I've got these on offer near me:
Ceriatone DZ30 head (and a nice 2x12 cab with a modified G12H30 and a Greenback)
Vox AC15C1
Vox AC30CC2X
Vox AC30S1
Orange AD30 head
Orange AD30 combo
Orange TH30 head
I'm not so bothered about home use - I'm looking to start gigging again hopefully .. I think the Ceriatone intrigues me the most plus it would be handy to have another cab. I know I need to go try them out but what would you go for?
Comments
The AC30cc2x, if it's really inside that budget, would be my choice, but hard to recommend to someone else. I mod them quite a lot for tone reasons - stock, they can be pretty bright and harsh. Inside, they're a curious blend of being pretty well engineered in a lot of places but then having issues like dodgy jack contacts, cold solder joints and little switches on the back that go wrong easily. Easy to fix up if you know how but expensive amp tech trips if you don't. They also run valves hard & famously kill rectifiers due to a poorly implemented standby switch, which really needs removing or re-engineering.
I find the Orange "house tone" interesting but a bit one dimensional - they tend to be quite compressed, thick and not very open sounding. So for my taste I'd not go for one of those, but if you were worried about potentially sounding too thin/bright or naked on stage, an Orange is a safer bet.
Bandcamp
Spotify, Apple et al
I like the Orange AD30, but better as a head and a 2x12” with G12H-30s, and best with a solid-state rectifier fitted, or it does sound overly compressed (especially the combo with the V30).
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
The proviso here is that I think the cab is just as important as the amp head - orange do make good cabs!
Si
SH Bassbreaker 15 would be in your price range.
I've got a Marshall 2x12 (1962 Bluesbreaker) for bigger gigs, or when I can be arsed lugging it to and from the car, but the AC15C1 is enough for the pub gigs I tend to play. I'm not a fan of the Orange sound, and I've never heard or played a Ceriatone.
My trading feedback: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/210335/yorkie
It came up for the equivalent of 225 quid and it sounds bloody great! I’ve only had a quick blast but I’ve got some great tones from all the power settings and it takes pedals like a champ.
As it happened, the guy I bought it off also had an AC15C1 with a Greenback, so I had a quick blast on that as well and that sounded fantastic as well, so I’ll definitely be picking one up when one comes up at the right price.
The AC15C1 is a fantastic amp — I worship mine — but I keep telling folks to try one first if they can to manage expectations. It’s not a little AC30 — it’s got its own thing going on which not everyone likes :-)
My trading feedback: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/210335/yorkie
You may know this already too, but that’s one of the Oranges where it’s best not to use the standby switch, or it tends to blow rectifier valves. (Or fit a solid-state plug-in rectifier.)
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Celestion G12M Greenback
Celestion G12H 30w Anniversary
Celestion G12-65 Heritage
Celestion G12-75 Creamback
Eminence Cannabis Rex
Just wondering what pairings people have had success with? I’m definitely more of a fan of the British / Marshall sound …
I reckon 2 x Cannabis Rex together would sound great - but in all honesty the AD30 definitely sounds better through the current 2x12 with WGS’s than the 1x12 Cannabis Rex.