Blues amp showdown

I've narrowed down the list to a few amps and just want to see what everyone would pick.


Originally Posted by Quencho092I've narrowed down the list to a few amps and just want to see what everyone would pick.here is the thing bro...it sounds like you want a pretty damn clean blues tone...when I think of a killer blues amp i think about a Tweed fender cranked up or a smaller BF Fender amp that is cranked...one of the best amps I ever had, that had a killer Blues tone was a Gibson GA-70...they called it a Country and Westeren! It was very close to a tweed Pro, and had an amazing tone when you ran it up...

true....just that when i do chording, etc, i want it to be clean, you know what i mean?
My hot spot for tone is a 40-50 watt fender with my strat hooked up straight to it, volume at around 6, bass 3, treble 5.5. That's how i set my bandmaster and it sounds great, but it's cumbersome as hell, and i need it to keep its clean at higher volumes...but not THAT high.

I'm a clean blues/jazz type player, think Little Wing by Hendrix-clean and chimey, but waily. I like it clean and loud but on the verge of a light but smooth breakup-IOW a 50 watt Fender w/ reverb.....

So a 40-50 watt Fender amp would be just what the doctor ordered right?

The new custom vibrolux, as grits just informed me, has no negative feedback loop and breaks up big time with the volume at 4. I can't have that. I need it clean and chimey up until 5 or six minimum. Problem is, the only other fender that has that kind of tone is the Pro, and it's one of them new quot;professional tube BS channel switchersquot;. It's also the same price as the twin...

just get a stinkin Bassman LTD

I love the sound of a tweed bassman amp with some single coils pushing it. They're just soo damned loud that I could never use them for anywhere that I play.

BF Super and Tweed Bassman. Those are the benchmarks for Fender blues tones.

How about Class A? I fell in love with a Mesa Boogie Maverick that I played. too bad it's only 30 watts. If it had more wattage, or I had a quieter drummer, it would be in my house as we speak.

That damn Twin will tear hair off a cat at 20 yards. I'd go for the pro reverb on that list, but if it were up to me, I'd look at different amps altogether. YMMV

[QUOTE=Quencho092]

I'm a clean blues/jazz type player, think Little Wing by Hendrix-clean and chimey, but waily. I like it clean and loud but on the verge of a light but smooth breakup-IOW a 50 watt Fender w/ reverb.....

So a 40-50 watt Fender amp would be just what the doctor ordered right?

QUOTE]OK, just rethought this post. If you're into Hendrix's clean tone, then you like Marshall cleans (I think). Going from there logic dictates that you would want some sort of Plexi.

You did mention needing a convenient amp, though, and liking low power ouput.

This kind of points you towards the tweed Bassman. It's 40 watts, 4x10quot;, and it's the circuit design that the original Marshalls were based on.

If you combine that amp with your Antiquities and you don't get a killer blues sound, send me your guitar and amps, give up on the instrument, and take up the tuba or something.


Originally Posted by Quencho092true....just that when i do chording, etc, i want it to be clean, you know what i mean?
My hot spot for tone is a 40-50 watt fender with my strat hooked up straight to it, volume at around 6, bass 3, treble 5.5. That's how i set my bandmaster and it sounds great, but it's cumbersome as hell, and i need it to keep its clean at higher volumes...but not THAT high.

I'm a clean blues/jazz type player, think Little Wing by Hendrix-clean and chimey, but waily. I like it clean and loud but on the verge of a light but smooth breakup-IOW a 50 watt Fender w/ reverb.....

So a 40-50 watt Fender amp would be just what the doctor ordered right?

The new custom vibrolux, as grits just informed me, has no negative feedback loop and breaks up big time with the volume at 4. I can't have that. I need it clean and chimey up until 5 or six minimum. Problem is, the only other fender that has that kind of tone is the Pro, and it's one of them new quot;professional tube BS channel switchersquot;. It's also the same price as the twin...Get a Vibrolux Reverb like I have and replace the speakers with some Webers that will break up a little later. On my early 70s one, it breaks up around 4, so I'm sure a speaker change could prolong it to something like 6.


Originally Posted by Jeff_HThat damn Twin will tear hair off a cat at 20 yards. I'd go for the pro reverb on that list, but if it were up to me, I'd look at different amps altogether. YMMV

what would you be looking at for what i need? I NEED something that keeps it clean in decent volumes, 50 watts and a smooth tone reminiscent of a BF, with it's breakup at around 6 or 7, but I'm willing to go for other companies....700-1100 tops!

and what about the VOX AC30? How loud/ clean is that sucker?


Originally Posted by Quencho092and what about the VOX AC30? How loud/ clean is that sucker?

Vox amps have a very unique tone (I know, I own one ). They have a good amount of headroom, but I'm not sure you'd like the breakup on them (they don't breakup like a Fender at all).

Vox amps have a warm and chimey type edge to them and a lot of people love the cleans when they're being quot;pushedquot; a little. I wouldn't ever think of taking one to a blues club without a pedal.

Blackface Fenders seem more up your alley because they have more headroom than many of the SF equivalents. Fenders break up very gradually and smoothly, which lends itself to jazz and blues styles IMO. If you want a Fender to break up at reasonable volumes, the power must be taken into consideration. A Dual Professional or Twin you would go deaf before hearing those suckers naturally breakup. This is why so many players like amps like the Deluxe Reverb (22 watts).

What about a Blues Junior? They are great for me. They can be miced if not loud enough for gigs. I love mine and will keep it around for as long as I play!!!

Vox AC30's are very loud amps and extremely heavy. I love 'em though!

Personally, I'd be looking at a Vibrolux Reverb or Pro Reverb.

The Super Reverb is awesome but again: loud and heavy...as is the Twin.

Lew

Dude, get a Triple Rec !!!!!!

Actually, the Mesa Boogie Blue Angel 4x10 is a blues/rock machine!!!

My Choices in the order that I would desire them:

1. Deluxe Reverb. The best Blues Amp EVER!!
2. SUPER REVERB. When more Headroom is Necessary (Larger venues)
3. Marshall Bluesbreaker This is an Awsome Amp, but it Lacks reverb. For Blues Reverb is a Must (IMO)

the deluxe aint loud enough i tell ya!!!

The super's too heavy and $$$

The bluesbreaker is also pricey and no reverb

I think it wil either be the pro or the vibrolux with a negative feedback circuit ADDED like hot grits did.

Don't forget about the Pro Tube Series Fender Pro, Concert, and Twin. Out of all the blues amps out there, they're the most versatile, and you can use them as good bedroom amps or stage amps. They're better than the Deville Series, and will offer more features than the Vintage Series.

Also, look at Peavey Classic 50's. Great clean tones! The OD is also better than most Fenders, besides the Pro Tube amps which have the best Fender gain circuit. From your list, the Ampeg Reverberockets were real sleeper amps. those make great affordable blues amps.

If you want the best sounding current Fender amps, the Bassman LTD and Bassbreaker are the best ones, at the top of your price range.

how much is the bassbreaker? Looks like a great buy!

WAIT a minute...no reverb, sorry! I'm a BF guy, i need vibrato and reverb!

I'm confused about what you really need. The Pro and Vibrolux are in the same ballpark as your Bandmaster, just in a combo format. I think they may prove just as cumbersome to move as all of the weight is in one package. Have you considered a smaller cab for your Bandmaster, perhaps combined with an attenuator to knock a little off the top?

I have a BF/blonde Tremolux which stays clean with single coils to around 6 and HBs to around 5 with the stock speakers, then it begins to break up very sweetly. The head and 2x10 cab are very compact and manageable. The Vibrolux is the 2x10 combo version of this amp. More efficient speakers, like the Weber 10F150T, would increase the volume before breakup. I think the Pro is basically the combo version of the Bandmaster. Now, the Tremolux and Vibrolux do have a tube rectifier, which provides sag and probably a little lower headroom compared to the Bandmaster (and some Pros). The Vox AC30 and similar amps are also tube rectified, but they seem much louder to me, which is why I tend to favor the 15 watt little brothers instead (like my Bad Cat Cub). It's also really tough to beat Fender tweed amps for blues, but finding the model with the right volume level may be tricky (but rewarding). Old Ampegs are great, but I'm not that familiar with the current line-up.

I personally don't see a need for reverb with a good amp, but that's a matter of personal taste. Others would prefer tremolo for blues. I also have no problem using a Fulldrive 2 with the drive at 9 o'clock to put things over the top when needed, but I think this sounds smoothest with a Fender or Vox-type amp that's just on the verge of breaking up. There's all kinds of blues, so it really depends on what your kind is.