Just a heads up for fellow fans of this channel: I've been subscribed for quite a while but noticed when I clicked on this one I was oddly not subscribed anymore. Have heard of this happening before but its the first time its happened to me - as far as I'm aware. Anyway, just wanted to let you all know and maybe check your own.
I have had a number of people mention this lately. Notifications are also broken. If you have notifications enabled, please reset it to "all" or "personalised". I can see from the analytics, it's not working correctly. Cheers.
@@intheblues Yep! All done. I only "found" this vid as the algorithm recommended it to me, it didn't (as it should) appear in my list of notifications in the bell icon. Not good! Unlike your vids... which are great!
@@intheblues Yeah, I had the same problem. All fixed up now as you suggested. Keep up the good work with your videos and equipment pros and cons - all very helpful. I agree, the JC120's were very heavy.
Would really enjoy getting a review of the new Fender Tone Master Pro into a Roland JC-40. I’m 8 months from trying my JC-40 as I work overseas and don’t want one sent here then turn around and send it home in the mail. Should be an awesome combo. Thanks. Dig the left hand content as always.
Have been using JC120 for 50 years, nothing better. Thanks to my dad who busted his backside to buy his son something good. It was about 3 -4 weeks salary for him at that time. It’s my keeper
Nice I have 2 of the fender equivalent of the time, princeton chorus', total investment $25 ea after selling a couple speakers. Tons of features sounds great I later turned them both into heads and run them through my 412 ....sold all my expensive amps
Oh yes I have a Bandit 112 teal stripe with a stock scorpion speaker I love it. No one ever has heard me playing and complained or griped about it being solid state until they see it they don't know.
Yip, they are actually good, I got one for just 100 euros two years ago. They record well too. Only issue is that they are prone to a little hiss/hum. Bu I won't ever sell it. My son wants to learn guitar, so that will be his first amp. With a Squier CV Mustang, I picked up for 250. Which is a nice sounding, small, light rig to start on electric guitar. I don't love the drive tone on the Pathfinder 15R. But, I have some bargain basement but good sounding pedals, Behringer SF300, Mosky Golden Horse and Caline Blue Sky, could go quite a long way with those, maybe adding a cheap but solid delay, like the TC Electronic Bucket Brigade.
Around 1974-78, I had a Peavy Musician 210W, with 6-12s and a horn & a Kustom 100, blue metal flake tuck n roll, with 2-15s. We were kids and Wannabe Rock Stars. Now I have a desktop Yamaha THR 10. I love it. I can put headphones on & nobody even knows I'm home. 🎧🎸
I've never seen a 6-12 speaker cabinet for a guitar amp. My first big amp was the Peavey Musician III and a 412 cabinet. I knew somebody with one and was impressed. So I got one a year later. Now I live in a house with others as a roommate. I play without an amp or plug in my 10 watt amp using the headphones. My college fraternity needed a speaker for playing music. Nobody had a PA but I had the Musician III. We plugged it in and played music through it in mono. I could hear it two blocks away while walking to class.
@MrMoneyHelper For the original Musician 210w, it was a tall separate cabinet. It had 6-12's and a 4x10 at top, called a horn, for high range. I was a teenager, loading that into my '68 Cutlass. I should've had something more compact, but we wanted Big stuff!! Look up the series 400.
I had a Trademark 60 years back- excellent amp which I did many gigs with, and like you, I regret selling it. The only problem I had with that was I think it lacked an EQ on the drive channel. I also used Bandits for many gigs. I'm soon buying a new Laney Lionheart Foundry 60- solid state transistor amp (not digital). Probably wont go back to valves.
I still have a JC 60, it was made in mid 70s, had the ice cream cone as well, which fell apart about 10 years ago. but the amp is still pumpin, its still my go to, love it, heavy as though. love your reviews Shane.
Bedroom player here. I have 2 tube amps and a couple of modeling amps. I also have a blue stripe Peavey Bandit 65W. I find myself using my Katana 100 more than any of the others as I can get a good sound without being too loud. I was in Melborne for 3 weeks in February of this year, and visited Sky Music. It's a big store with lots of goodies. I almost expected to run into you there. Cheers!
I kept my Tech 21 Trademark 60 and I'm so glad that I did. Lately, I've been using my Fender Deluxe Reverb Tone Master or my Fender Super Reverb Tone Master. I have tube amps including a Marshall 100 watt JVM 410H but I've been leaving all of the tube amps at home.
You’re absolutely hitting the nail on the head. Repairable, inexpensive, and good sounding. I changed my Peavey backstage speaker to a Raging Cajun and it’s loud and usable. Digital models belong on a pedal.
I have a katana had Marshall using Bose L1 bought a HH IC1001 for nostalgia reasons Had it overhauled Wow the sound is Best I've had for years playing my US Fender Also US Shecter Downside Dear God its heavy has wheels have to use it on gigs so good Enjoyed your video thank you Brian
This is a follow up video to my recent podcast that you can find here - ruclips.net/video/FAt2bHfF7Og/видео.htmlsi=7JYMEwbmk16pVZcK Let me know your thoughts on these classic amps and if you have some other suggestions for folks to check out.
Shane, always a great insight on how you see it in the players world. I agree, the technology has greatly improved but the quality has not. My first “real” amp was the Bandit.(30 years ago) Gave it away to a pal of mine and he still has it, replaced a couple of parts some years back and was an easy fix. I love my tube amps but I still have my Fender Jazz King with a single 15 inch that was a backup for a 64 Vibroverb. The JK with the spring reverb and pedals can really get close and fill a room with that Fender tone we are all looking for.
Im going to say this again because i love the channel and the blues ! I haven't heard Shane mention bluguitar amp1 mercury or quilter mach 3 these are the absolute best boutique solid-state amps on the market....absolutely killer amplifiers all quilters are fantastic but bluguitar amp1 mercury is so amazing its just crazy!! Please do yourself a favor and at least try these amps
I used to have a Fender Princeton. Great clean tone. Sounded terrific with a Rat in front of it too. Now, I recently set aside my Marshall DSL20 for a Blues Cube Hot. Incredible little amp.
Great commentary on this topic, Shane. I’ve had plenty of experience with Tech 21, great tones from both the 60 and their SansAmp pedals with a couple of Power Engines (my current setup). I love the simplicity of turning knobs to get a good tone quickly. Thanks for all of your great content and equipment wisdom!
Just picked up a Box Mini Super Beetle. I don’t know if that qualifies as solid state by your definition however I was able to get great tone in minutes and there was no programming! Yea, you’re not going to gig with it but it is a tremendously satisfying practice amp. Works beautifully with my Rickenbacker.
Thanks for continuing to cover solid-state amps. The price of tubes alone becomes an issue for some of us to justify, when solid state does a great job if the amp is a good pick.
I have a Peavey Bandit 112 Red Stripe that I bought new when I was 19 or 20 years old. I didn't know what I was buying and just liked that it was loud and came with a foot switch 😂. I'm now 44 and amazed at how the Bandit is still talked about today. You're right about durability. Everything on it still works flawlessly and it's still my go to amp. 🎸🤘
Years ago a friend gave me a fender chorus 210 combo for free if I could fix it...I fixed it, I loved the amp soo much I bought another for $100 now I've got 2 for basically $25 ea cause I sold 2 of the speakers the amp has great features
I bought a Fender Deluxe 112 plus after a short video you made when you were in San Francisco gigging with it. It's by far the best solid state amp I've ever used.
Shane, another absolutely awesome video! I wish I had embraced pedals and solid-state amps earlier. I'm currently using a nearly 50 year old Yamaha combo and couldn't be happier. I bought my first amp when my current amp was made (late '70s) and had I bought it back then, I could have spared myself years of buying and selling, etc. Of course I would have had to embrace pedals, something I didn't do until a couple years ago.
Living in Alabama I cut my teeth on Peavey. Most regular dudes couldn't afford a Twin or a Marshall stack. Peavey made many great solid state amps in the 70s and 80s, not just the Bandit. The Session 400 Pedal Steel 1x15, the Studio Chorus 2x12, the Reno 400 1x15 w horn (massive clean amp voiced for acoustic and steel),. I still love my Artist 240 1x12 hybrid amp from 1977 (2 ch SS front end w 4 6L6s power section) a beast of an amp. Basically any old big heavy Peavey from the 70s and 80s cleaned up and serviced with a good speaker will do a great job. Heck I know a guy who still has a 200w stereo 12 ch powered mixing board with a couple of big old SP3 speakers from the early 80s thats still going strong. As long as you dont mind the weight, an old Peavey will get whatever job you need done and it wont cost you an arm and a leg. When they packed up the manufacturing and left Mississippi things went downhill fast though. As far as modern SS goes I think Orange does a great job, the Crush 100w is a great head, and my little Crush 35rt is an awesome little grab and go, and you ant beat the little hybrid micro heads for an emergency backup at the gig.
3 месяца назад
Awesome episode :) I think solid state is totally underrated, The AMT Stonehead, Gallien Krueger ML series, Sunn Beta Lead, Peavey Wiggy etc etc there are so many more that sound fantastic and pretty unique
A couple of years age I bought a Gamma G25 110 from GC. Straight up solid state and love it. They also make a 50 watt 112 version. Good speaker and solid build.
I completely agree that pedals for drive tone FTW with solid-state amps. I mentioned the Orange Supercrush 100 head before. There's the Quilter Toneblock too, they sound good, are light and tiny, and ... 200W! But, for affordable solid-state amps, the Quilter Superblocks UK/US are damn good too, loud, inexpensive and portable. And those Harley Benton Creamback cabs are quite cheap, so the the Quilter and a cab with a nice speaker is about £500. But still, all told, I'd probably go with the Roland JC40. Unless I couldn't stretch the budget, then the Peavey Bandit would be my choice. Unless I was in such a heavy like band that justified the Orange 100. In which case, you might be wanting something a least as beefy as the Harley Benton 2x12 V30. Also, shout out again to Vox, their Transtube/Valvetronix amps do actually sound good, as is the dinky old Pathfinder 15R.
I had a Tech 21 10-watt practice amp. I liked it a lot but I traded it in for a Roland Blues Cube, which I have used at blues jams. Now, I mostly use a very lightweight Fender Mustang II. I keep it on the Bassman emulation and use an overdrive pedal. It's plenty loud enough - I used it recently at an outdoor gig.
Shane, kind of off topic, but thank you! I always find the speaker that I like with any amp before trying pedals or any other mods including selling the amp. The two transducers - speaker and pickups make the biggest difference. And add the third transducer - the microphone if recording. I'm about to try a Celestion Gold - 12 inch Alnico in my Blues Deluxe after trying a Creamback and a Fat Jimmy. My thought is if you don't love the sound with the speaker nothing else will fix that.
My favorite Solid State amplifiers are: Fender Ultra Chorus which is 2x12 with true stereo chorus circuit. Sounds GLORIOUS clean channel with chorus. Not a loud amp and the drive channel sounds meh. Fender Jazz King. 1x15. Stays clean at very high volume. Has very usable and functional direct out- no miking needed. Both amps are great pedal platforms.
Great discussion and I think you did a great job making the distinction between a solid state amp and a modeling amp. Many people wrongly believe there is only a solid state or tube amp. I have mostly tube amps but do have a Fender Deluxe 90 which is very good. I've also got an original Cyber Twin which to my ears is superior to the new Tonemasters. It is as you said a hybrid with 12AX7 tubes and solid state power section. Love your channel!
Nice to see the Princeton 65 get a shout. My friend got one new in the 90s and still has it. I had the Deluxe 90 version. Had a nice Celestion HT 100 speaker, and a Drive/More Drive channel option in the dirt channel. Basically a boost. What a lot of people don't seem to realize is these 90s Fender solid state amps were rebranded over and over. The Deluxe 112 Plus Shane gigged with in San Francisco is an older early 90s version of the Deluxe 90 I had in the early 00s. The Deluxe 90 and Princeton 65 were both rebranded eventually as the Frontman series, where they all were called "Frontman XX" with X = wattage of that particular model. Over time, Fender did slowly cheap out on them as Shane mentioned. The Deluxe 112 Plus he used was made in the USA. The later Deluxe 90 version I had was made in Mexico. The Frontmans and beyond (FM series with metal speaker grills was another iteration) were made in China. Each refresh felt a little crappier in build and the speakers slowly went downhill. In short, if you're interested in one of these Fender solid states from the 80s, 90s and 00s, don't let names throw you off. Look at the specs like wattage and speaker size, and try it out if it's local to you.
This has been my exact experience as well. I got a pristine early 90s USA Princeton Chorus about 15 years ago for under $200. I’ve gone thru many different tube amps but always came back to that one. Recently found a great deal on a 90s USA Princeton 112. Again…so satisfying…so much bang for the buck! The touchy volume knob complaint on these is easily remedied with a volume pedal in front or a JHS Little Black Box knob plugged into the effects loop. I’m so over being made to feel second class by the guitar world for not using a “real” (tube) amp.
Once I made the switch from solid state to tubes, I got rid of almost every solid state amp I’ve ever owned. The only two that have hung around have been my old 1997 Marshall Valvestate and the Katana head.
I have a new JC40, I love it, sounds beautiful clean and it takes my pedals so well. Lots of other features, fx loop, line out, stereo in. The drive channel sucks, but nothing a good pedal doesn't solve, besides, the on board chorus on it is where it's at.
Years ago, I was looking for a reasonably priced solid state amp with known quality. I looked around for an '80s Roland Cube, knowing that this was the kind of thing I was searching for. Couldn't find anything on E-Bay or anywhere else, I went to my local music store, they were running a special offer on the Roland GC-405 mini stack, £99 with the extension cab. What a revelation! Fantastic clean tones, fat yet neutral. A reasonably convincing tube distortion built in. This is an awesome Amp. 15 watts, 20 with the extension cab plugged in, if you can find one, get it. Better still, if you can find a GC-408, with 8" speakers instead of 5", buy it, it is awesome. Older Roland amps like these, the first series of Cube amps or even a Bolt, if you can find one in functioning order, are great sounding, reliable amplifiers.
My Peavey envoy 110 red stripe. And my Peavey teal stripe Bandit 112 with the stock scorpion speaker are my two favorite amps. I get my Skynyrd on with both of them.😮
The red knob Fender Deluxe 85 sounds amazing....along with the other red knobs...Power Chorus...Princeton Chorus (though 10" speakers)...Stage 185. All great. But needs recapping and probably a few new pots...a few new resistors inside. But great amps all of them
Another vote for the Fender Princeton 65. Built in Mexico in the 1990s, 1X 12 - lightweight, and it sounds like a 'real' Fender. I found one that had lived most of its life with a pit orchestra in Melbourne, and I do not feel like I am missing out on anything when playing my GL ASAT. It is plenty loud for anything I do these days.
Video idea: for a bedroom setup, what would you recommend and to what type of player (jazz cat, blues nut, high gain guy etc) Options: 1. Audio interface and plugins in DAW 2. Solid state amp - 3. Modelling amp - 4. Desktop amp (yamaha thr type) 5. Small valve amp and attenuator 6. Guitar processor (multi fx) into DI
Acoustic makes fantastic solid state amps. I've been using a B15 for almost a decade. It's technically a bass amp but it has a built in (non digital) overdrive, so I've mainly used it for guitar. It's incredibly clear sounding and the EQ adjustments make a huge difference. You can have nothing but treble or nothing but bass... and anything in between... and the low end is incredible for such a small amp.
I've just recently set up my wet-dry-wet rig. My center dry amp for my core tone is my Fender Mustang 3 v2 and my two wet amps running in stereo are both Boss Katana Artist 100 mk2 combos on the clean channel. I love the rig and is sounds incredible. Very immersive sound (especially with stereo panning harmonic tremolo). Also... everyone should try a quality EQ pedal.
I use my Peavey Classic 20H for blues/rock, but where Solid State is considered I LOVED the H&K Warp series amps from the early 2000s. Sold mine years ago as I don't have the space to keep SS heads hanging around, but I bought the Warp pedal to pump my Classic 20 when I'm in the mood.
... I really like the Peavey Classic 20 head. I tried twice to purchase one, but neither retail outlet put budge on the price at all. Too much money 🤑 too bad Harley.
@@barrybjerke9353 I picked it up used but mint from a good retailer. I've had to sell some guitars due to divorce, but held on to this. I know I'd get sellers remorse
Old fart here. 71 yr old. Been playing all my life and I still do so. Luv tube amps and their sound. However at my age , hauling heavy amps is difficult. I think it matters more to the musician. I think most people in audience cannot tell the difference.
@@cassavamellin My tube amp is a Priceron 65 re-issue. Love a deluxe amp. Have seen videos on the tonemaster series. I think they sound good. Smart choice.
After about 50 yrs of valve amps, I love my Roland amps - Blues Cube Hot and JC40! Tried the Tonemaster Deluxe and Vox vt40 and couldn't find what I wanted. I haven't tried a Tech21 amp, but I do use a Flyrig 5 V2 in front of the JC40
The underlying Amp in the Katana is a Class A/B. It has a transformer rather than a switching power supply like a Class D. It emulates the effects but the amp itself is a “real” solid-state amp. FWIW. I’m glad you’re making the call for more good Solid-State amps. Many are way better than we remember.
@@MurrayWilliams Thanks for pointing this out. Few remember this distinction. The Katana is one of those amps you can rely on because it's SS and not all digital.
I had a Fender Roc Pro 1000 and also a Vox AVT. They were really good. I did the whole tube thing but now I gig with a Boss Katana-100 head. It’s so good.
I have a Roland Cube 40. My favourite amp sim is the JC120. When my son was doing his music degree, one of his Uni friends had a proper JC. Not sure if it was a 40 or a 120, but it sounded fantastic.
Got to agree with you there Frank, heavy bugger 112 /100w with EQ , system , spring reverb. Bought in Geelong 2hd $400 AUD . A,simple repair job to reverb spring, been going well , since 2005. The "man with golden arm" put me onto them, as an under the radar goto solid state. Good advice !!
I have two Trademark 60 1x12's. I love the ean channel. The dirty channel is a bit thin. Both of mine have the Tech 21 NYC speaker. The drawback with these amps is getting your hands on a foot switch.
Roland JC 120’s are epic! Adrian Belew on ‘77/‘78 Zappa, ‘78 Bowie Heroes tour, Talking Heads, King Crimson: just the same two Roland JC 120’s! Only variabels: a growing amount of pedals and guitar synths and just a few new guitars next to the old Fenders! Tech21 NYC! I love their stuff for bass! I have all their models, but still use my first SansAmp Bassdriver preamp/DI I got new in 1996 every week! Just indestructible stuff. All analog, only uses digital capacity to store presets. Sometimes fellow bassists say the SansAmp stuff sounds a little bit too compressed. They tend to all use the blend knob at 100% SansAmp... But, this knob has been put there for a reason: to blend in the natural sound of your bass/guitar. I prefer 50/50 to 75/25% SansAmp/Dry. That’s the magic!! Use that knob. (Be careful with the gain.)😉 Peavey! I’ll play any old Peavey TKO or TNT basscombo for any style or gig! Preferably two of these indestructible beasts on the bigger bar or club gigs. Just as long as the famous magic ‘punch’ button on them is still working. 😂
I would take a look at the Laney Foundry Single Top and Dual Top amps. The only thing digital about them is the reverb and the IRs in the DI out, which you can disable and use your own. They're fully solid state, have an insert type FX loop and can be run without a cabinet for bedroom recording either using the DI out or the FX send.
I covered a high school gymnasium with an old Peavey back stage plus. This was when I was a teen in the 90’s, My tone was really good and filled the gym, nothing harsh fizzy or clippy, it was very warm and saturated. Peavey ruled back then. New years Y2K I was on bass, solid state bass amp of course, and guitar player singer was using a Fender M-80 half stack I think. That thing sounded incredible. But when you arent competing with other guitar players and amps, you can rock a solid state and not be worried about it as long as it sounds good it is good. Played drums in a band late 2010’s guitar player used that exact tech 21. We covered every venue we played. Again, 3 piece he had no other guitars to compete with, his tone was stratty and spanky loved it. Today I stay with a JC120 or 40. And all my amp sims are set the same. No matter what situation I am in. Pedal sim, VST sim, big amp, small amp, it doesnt matter. They are all JC120, my tone is always on tap. All sims do that amp spot on. So I just stuck with that. I do jumper the channels live on the JC120 though, so I do prefer that live if I can. No solid state hate here man.
Backline kings. Anything Peavey.. the odd CRATE amp and STACK. Cheap enough to leave at a jam space indefinitely good enough to actually rip it up. GT212 CRATE is a ripper with 3 channels.. oddly usable insanely loud clean 120w 212 Paired one with a Bandit Silverstripe and some pedals. Smiles always
My Tech 21 trademark 60 is my only amp, and worth mentioning that the clean channel takes pedals really well. When i can afford it, I would love to get a Princeton Reverb but for now it's all i need and i got it used for £100.
The HH IC100 is a classic solid state amp used by many big names in the 70s. The 2x12 combo is an indestructible beast of an amp and the control panel lights up bright green, what more do you need? The Gallien Kreuger 250ML combo was used by many 80s rock guitarists in the studio including Iron Maiden, Brian May, Alex Lifeson and Mick Mars. I have a Randall RH200SC at the studio which has been used on recordings (we have lots of other more expensive amps, but the Randall works best for some players). It takes distortion pedals really well. One side of the stereo amp has failed as has the chorus, but as a mono amp without built in chorus it still rocks pretty well.
I love solid state amps!! I get my overdriven tones largely from pedals for control/variety and love the immediacy of SS and sound good at any volume. Orange crush line are great, Peavey's, Vox pathfinders. The new laney foundry series looks interesting as does blackstars debut 50/100. I'm currently using an american sound pedal as my preamp into the power in of the katana with pedals before that. Not a tube in sight! I've had great tube amps too but I find I get more from playing SS.
I'm a fan of old school solid state amps, they make superb clean pedal platforms. A lot of them got a bad reputation purely because they usually came with crummy speakers.
The distinction between Digital Modelling and "Solid State" amps might be better decribed as Digital vs Analog. They are all solid state, in that they do not use tubes. But there are huge differences internally. The Peavey Bandit for example uses large power transistors in the power amp section, while most digital amps, like the Katana and the Catalyst use class D power amplifier statges. Also, the preamp stage is either all analog or it is digital. BTW, I think you might be incorrect about the Katana's clean channel - I believe ALL of the models in the Katan are digital. I picked up a Peavey Bandit 65 for $80 on Craigs List, and left it at a jam room (its a heavy beast due to that great speaker). I actually used it like a powered cabinet -- I plugged my HX Stomp into the fx return, and eliminated any IRs in my Stomp presets. Sounded great, but the fx return bypassed the final stage before the power amp, resulting in low volume. I solved that by placing a boost pedal in between the HXS and the return. It served me well for years. They generally cost about $200-$300, but I got a great deal on it.
Back in the '70s there was a great sounding ss amp called H[[H that had a valve emulation circuit that sounded very convincing. I also had a tuck-and-roll Kustom combo once that sounded not unlike a '54 Tremolux i had.
I had a Blonde Tweed Tolex covered Tech 21 Trademark 60 for about 10 years, great amp and one of the few I regret selling. I bought it used and it must have been a custom build for somebody as I have never seen another one with a Tweed covering. Great amp for cover gigs in smaller clubs and jams.
What about Orange solid state amps? I have the Crush 35Rt , I have used on dozens of small gigs…they have larger solid state of course. Good with pedals etc..
Amongst the amps I own are two Roland Cube 30s and two Roland Cube 60s. They are extraordinary pieces of kit, and even the 30W has enough 'oomph' in it to gig with. These things are SO loud!
The older Kustom KGA and Quad series amps have amazing clean channels and a serviceable lead/overdrive channel as long as you keep the gain knob below 9 o'clock.
I had the Princeton 65. After I got it, I started taking it to rehearsals and gigs, instead of my Peavey Classic 30, 'cause it sounded just as good and weighed a lot less.
Would really enjoy getting a review of the new Fender Tone Master Pro into a Roland JC-40. I’m 8 months from buying my new JC-40 as I work overseas and don’t want one sent here then turn around and send it home in the mail. Should be an awesome combo. Thanks. Dig the left hand content as always.
To me, its a kinda rare one but the Peavey Transtube XXL 2x12 Combo was just an amazing tone that sounds exactly like a tube with being a solid state. The thing is its so rare now but its just amazing
I actually have one of those Princeton 65 solid state amps. Paid $25 for it at a garage sale. I have been super impressed with it. It has a clean channel and a dirty channel and it gets loud.
Thanks for another great podcast. I learned a lot. The production was fantastic, with many amp pictures popping up to illustrate the conversation. The sound quality is also amazing (i.e., a clear voice, no noise at all). How did you achieve that on the highway? Oh, and by the way, thanks for the tour. Nice environment. Kudos
Hi mate. Thanks for the kind words. I recorded the audio using the Rode Wireless Go (internal recording) and used a noise remover option in final cut (and then just finessed the EQ a bit). Final Cut's noise removal works a treat.
Ive been using a modern peavey bandit 112 for a few years now. I put a eminence swamp thang in it and it made such a huge difference. Payed more for the new speaker than I did the used amp but it was worth it. I use two amps now though which is such a game changer with wet dry options Im considering just getting a second one to make a twin set since my second is currently a mg series marshall,but the peavey with an upgraded speaker is that good. Maybe its the extra 5 lbs of magnet lol bloody thing is huge and is twice the wattage of the blue marvel. On a side note my old peavey vyper vip 3 100w was great too. you could use an electric, acoustic or bass with it which is an option I havent seen since. Had some killer 6505+ tones in it for a budget home setup. Big ol sampera 2 pedal was a bit much though if youre used to a pedalboard setup but it had all the bells and whistles.
Have always been a big fan of the trademark amps. But the king dingaling of ss amps has to be the Yamaha g50/100 series designed by Paul Rivera. What a masterpiece.
I put an eminence legend 1058 in my mexican frontman 25r because the stock speaker started farting and a small piece of metal was loose behind the dome. The cabinet couldn't take the more efficient speaker (rattles), plus I could no longer play the amp quiet at home. The eminence is another cab now and the frontman has a celestion tube 10 which suits it really well.
![Twenty One Pilots - The Line (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Audio]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XCz7WUotXs8/mqdefault.jpg)
Just a heads up for fellow fans of this channel: I've been subscribed for quite a while but noticed when I clicked on this one I was oddly not subscribed anymore. Have heard of this happening before but its the first time its happened to me - as far as I'm aware. Anyway, just wanted to let you all know and maybe check your own.
I have had a number of people mention this lately. Notifications are also broken. If you have notifications enabled, please reset it to "all" or "personalised". I can see from the analytics, it's not working correctly. Cheers.
@@intheblues Yep! All done. I only "found" this vid as the algorithm recommended it to me, it didn't (as it should) appear in my list of notifications in the bell icon. Not good! Unlike your vids... which are great!
@@intheblues Yeah, I had the same problem. All fixed up now as you suggested. Keep up the good work with your videos and equipment pros and cons - all very helpful. I agree, the JC120's were very heavy.
Would really enjoy getting a review of the new Fender Tone Master Pro into a Roland JC-40. I’m 8 months from trying my JC-40 as I work overseas and don’t want one sent here then turn around and send it home in the mail. Should be an awesome combo. Thanks. Dig the left hand content as always.
I've had NO problem!
Have been using JC120 for 50 years, nothing better. Thanks to my dad who busted his backside to buy his son something good. It was about 3 -4 weeks salary for him at that time. It’s my keeper
Nice I have 2 of the fender equivalent of the time, princeton chorus', total investment $25 ea after selling a couple speakers. Tons of features sounds great I later turned them both into heads and run them through my 412 ....sold all my expensive amps
Quilter amps have been around for a long time and have a huge following, myself included.
Peavy Bandit Teal Stripe absolute unit of an amp
Oh yes I have a Bandit 112 teal stripe with a stock scorpion speaker I love it. No one ever has heard me playing and complained or griped about it being solid state until they see it they don't know.
Roland Blues Cube is a must
Roland Blues Cube Artist !! Is all ya need 🎸
That Princeton 65 is absolutely amazing. Love that amp. One of my favorites.
Shoutout to the Vox Pathfinder 15R.
If you can find one…get one.
Yip, they are actually good, I got one for just 100 euros two years ago. They record well too. Only issue is that they are prone to a little hiss/hum. Bu I won't ever sell it. My son wants to learn guitar, so that will be his first amp. With a Squier CV Mustang, I picked up for 250. Which is a nice sounding, small, light rig to start on electric guitar. I don't love the drive tone on the Pathfinder 15R. But, I have some bargain basement but good sounding pedals, Behringer SF300, Mosky Golden Horse and Caline Blue Sky, could go quite a long way with those, maybe adding a cheap but solid delay, like the TC Electronic Bucket Brigade.
Around 1974-78, I had a Peavy Musician 210W, with 6-12s and a horn & a Kustom 100, blue metal flake tuck n roll, with 2-15s. We were kids and Wannabe Rock Stars. Now I have a desktop Yamaha THR 10. I love it. I can put headphones on & nobody even knows I'm home. 🎧🎸
I've never seen a 6-12 speaker cabinet for a guitar amp. My first big amp was the Peavey Musician III and a 412 cabinet. I knew somebody with one and was impressed. So I got one a year later. Now I live in a house with others as a roommate. I play without an amp or plug in my 10 watt amp using the headphones.
My college fraternity needed a speaker for playing music. Nobody had a PA but I had the Musician III. We plugged it in and played music through it in mono. I could hear it two blocks away while walking to class.
@MrMoneyHelper
For the original Musician 210w, it was a tall separate cabinet. It had 6-12's and a 4x10 at top, called a horn, for high range. I was a teenager, loading that into my '68 Cutlass. I should've had something more compact, but we wanted Big stuff!!
Look up the series 400.
Give a Quilter Labs a try I got a Super block US to use as a headphone amp but it turned to be a hole lot better than I thought.
I had a Trademark 60 years back- excellent amp which I did many gigs with, and like you, I regret selling it. The only problem I had with that was I think it lacked an EQ on the drive channel. I also used Bandits for many gigs. I'm soon buying a new Laney Lionheart Foundry 60- solid state transistor amp (not digital). Probably wont go back to valves.
Agreed, the Trademark 60 is great, especially channel 1, love mine. The original Tech 21 speaker sounds better than the 70/80 IMO.
I still have a JC 60, it was made in mid 70s, had the ice cream cone as well, which fell apart about 10 years ago. but the amp is still pumpin, its still my go to, love it, heavy as though. love your reviews Shane.
Bedroom player here. I have 2 tube amps and a couple of modeling amps. I also have a blue stripe Peavey Bandit 65W. I find myself using my Katana 100 more than any of the others as I can get a good sound without being too loud. I was in Melborne for 3 weeks in February of this year, and visited Sky Music. It's a big store with lots of goodies. I almost expected to run into you there. Cheers!
I kept my Tech 21 Trademark 60 and I'm so glad that I did. Lately, I've been using my Fender Deluxe Reverb Tone Master or my Fender Super Reverb Tone Master. I have tube amps including a Marshall 100 watt JVM 410H but I've been leaving all of the tube amps at home.
You’re absolutely hitting the nail on the head. Repairable, inexpensive, and good sounding. I changed my Peavey backstage speaker to a Raging Cajun and it’s loud and usable. Digital models belong on a pedal.
Did exactly the same to my PV Backstage Plus. Perfect match. 🖖
What about Yamaha G100 B212? I had one in the 70’s after they came out. Clean and loud. ❤
I have a katana had Marshall using Bose L1 bought a HH IC1001 for nostalgia reasons
Had it overhauled Wow the sound is Best I've had for years playing my US Fender
Also US Shecter Downside Dear God its heavy has
wheels have to use it on gigs
so good Enjoyed your video thank you Brian
This is a follow up video to my recent podcast that you can find here - ruclips.net/video/FAt2bHfF7Og/видео.htmlsi=7JYMEwbmk16pVZcK Let me know your thoughts on these classic amps and if you have some other suggestions for folks to check out.
Vox pathfinder 15r...if you find one cheap, don't turn your nose up at it
@@jasondorsey7110 Those are great amps. I put that in my best practice amps video. Amazing sound!
Check out the Quilter lineup: there is no one in the market that made quality SS full analog amplifier now like Quilter
Shane, always a great insight on how you see it in the players world. I agree, the technology has greatly improved but the quality has not. My first “real” amp was the Bandit.(30 years ago) Gave it away to a pal of mine and he still has it, replaced a couple of parts some years back and was an easy fix. I love my tube amps but I still have my Fender Jazz King with a single 15 inch that was a backup for a 64 Vibroverb. The JK with the spring reverb and pedals can really get close and fill a room with that Fender tone we are all looking for.
Im going to say this again because i love the channel and the blues ! I haven't heard Shane mention bluguitar amp1 mercury or quilter mach 3 these are the absolute best boutique solid-state amps on the market....absolutely killer amplifiers all quilters are fantastic but bluguitar amp1 mercury is so amazing its just crazy!! Please do yourself a favor and at least try these amps
Gotta agree, BluGuitar Mercury is phenomenal
I used to have a Fender Princeton. Great clean tone. Sounded terrific with a Rat in front of it too. Now, I recently set aside my Marshall DSL20 for a Blues Cube Hot. Incredible little amp.
Nice!
Is that the 'normal' Princeton or the Princeton Chorus?
@@tallthinkev Just a regular Princeton. It was many years ago. I believe was 40w…1 12… and loud. I had some pissed off neighbors to verify.
Great commentary on this topic, Shane. I’ve had plenty of experience with Tech 21, great tones from both the 60 and their SansAmp pedals with a couple of Power Engines (my current setup). I love the simplicity of turning knobs to get a good tone quickly. Thanks for all of your great content and equipment wisdom!
Just picked up a Box Mini Super Beetle. I don’t know if that qualifies as solid state by your definition however I was able to get great tone in minutes and there was no programming! Yea, you’re not going to gig with it but it is a tremendously satisfying practice amp. Works beautifully with my Rickenbacker.
Thanks for continuing to cover solid-state amps. The price of tubes alone becomes an issue for some of us to justify, when solid state does a great job if the amp is a good pick.
100% - There's so many great solid state amps out there (and more affordable options).
I have a Peavey Bandit 112 Red Stripe that I bought new when I was 19 or 20 years old. I didn't know what I was buying and just liked that it was loud and came with a foot switch 😂. I'm now 44 and amazed at how the Bandit is still talked about today. You're right about durability. Everything on it still works flawlessly and it's still my go to amp. 🎸🤘
Years ago a friend gave me a fender chorus 210 combo for free if I could fix it...I fixed it, I loved the amp soo much I bought another for $100 now I've got 2 for basically $25 ea cause I sold 2 of the speakers the amp has great features
I bought a Fender Deluxe 112 plus after a short video you made when you were in San Francisco gigging with it. It's by far the best solid state amp I've ever used.
Shane, another absolutely awesome video! I wish I had embraced pedals and solid-state amps earlier. I'm currently using a nearly 50 year old Yamaha combo and couldn't be happier. I bought my first amp when my current amp was made (late '70s) and had I bought it back then, I could have spared myself years of buying and selling, etc. Of course I would have had to embrace pedals, something I didn't do until a couple years ago.
Living in Alabama I cut my teeth on Peavey. Most regular dudes couldn't afford a Twin or a Marshall stack. Peavey made many great solid state amps in the 70s and 80s, not just the Bandit. The Session 400 Pedal Steel 1x15, the Studio Chorus 2x12, the Reno 400 1x15 w horn (massive clean amp voiced for acoustic and steel),. I still love my Artist 240 1x12 hybrid amp from 1977 (2 ch SS front end w 4 6L6s power section) a beast of an amp. Basically any old big heavy Peavey from the 70s and 80s cleaned up and serviced with a good speaker will do a great job. Heck I know a guy who still has a 200w stereo 12 ch powered mixing board with a couple of big old SP3 speakers from the early 80s thats still going strong. As long as you dont mind the weight, an old Peavey will get whatever job you need done and it wont cost you an arm and a leg. When they packed up the manufacturing and left Mississippi things went downhill fast though.
As far as modern SS goes I think Orange does a great job, the Crush 100w is a great head, and my little Crush 35rt is an awesome little grab and go, and you ant beat the little hybrid micro heads for an emergency backup at the gig.
Awesome episode :) I think solid state is totally underrated, The AMT Stonehead, Gallien Krueger ML series, Sunn Beta Lead, Peavey Wiggy etc etc there are so many more that sound fantastic and pretty unique
My main is a Randall RG80 combo. It's so good.
ThevRoland jazz chorus is king. That got thrown around drop drugged on bumpy surfaces and still worked perfectly. 😊😊
A couple of years age I bought a Gamma G25 110 from GC. Straight up solid state and love it. They also make a 50 watt 112 version. Good speaker and solid build.
I completely agree that pedals for drive tone FTW with solid-state amps. I mentioned the Orange Supercrush 100 head before. There's the Quilter Toneblock too, they sound good, are light and tiny, and ... 200W! But, for affordable solid-state amps, the Quilter Superblocks UK/US are damn good too, loud, inexpensive and portable. And those Harley Benton Creamback cabs are quite cheap, so the the Quilter and a cab with a nice speaker is about £500. But still, all told, I'd probably go with the Roland JC40. Unless I couldn't stretch the budget, then the Peavey Bandit would be my choice. Unless I was in such a heavy like band that justified the Orange 100. In which case, you might be wanting something a least as beefy as the Harley Benton 2x12 V30. Also, shout out again to Vox, their Transtube/Valvetronix amps do actually sound good, as is the dinky old Pathfinder 15R.
I had a Tech 21 10-watt practice amp. I liked it a lot but I traded it in for a Roland Blues Cube, which I have used at blues jams. Now, I mostly use a very lightweight Fender Mustang II. I keep it on the Bassman emulation and use an overdrive pedal. It's plenty loud enough - I used it recently at an outdoor gig.
Shane, kind of off topic, but thank you! I always find the speaker that I like with any amp before trying pedals or any other mods including selling the amp. The two transducers - speaker and pickups make the biggest difference. And add the third transducer - the microphone if recording. I'm about to try a Celestion Gold - 12 inch Alnico in my Blues Deluxe after trying a Creamback and a Fat Jimmy. My thought is if you don't love the sound with the speaker nothing else will fix that.
My favorite Solid State amplifiers are:
Fender Ultra Chorus which is 2x12 with true stereo chorus circuit. Sounds GLORIOUS clean channel with chorus. Not a loud amp and the drive channel sounds meh.
Fender Jazz King. 1x15. Stays clean at very high volume. Has very usable and functional direct out- no miking needed.
Both amps are great pedal platforms.
Great discussion and I think you did a great job making the distinction between a solid state amp and a modeling amp. Many people wrongly believe there is only a solid state or tube amp. I have mostly tube amps but do have a Fender Deluxe 90 which is very good. I've also got an original Cyber Twin which to my ears is superior to the new Tonemasters. It is as you said a hybrid with 12AX7 tubes and solid state power section. Love your channel!
Nice to see the Princeton 65 get a shout. My friend got one new in the 90s and still has it. I had the Deluxe 90 version. Had a nice Celestion HT 100 speaker, and a Drive/More Drive channel option in the dirt channel. Basically a boost.
What a lot of people don't seem to realize is these 90s Fender solid state amps were rebranded over and over. The Deluxe 112 Plus Shane gigged with in San Francisco is an older early 90s version of the Deluxe 90 I had in the early 00s. The Deluxe 90 and Princeton 65 were both rebranded eventually as the Frontman series, where they all were called "Frontman XX" with X = wattage of that particular model.
Over time, Fender did slowly cheap out on them as Shane mentioned. The Deluxe 112 Plus he used was made in the USA. The later Deluxe 90 version I had was made in Mexico. The Frontmans and beyond (FM series with metal speaker grills was another iteration) were made in China. Each refresh felt a little crappier in build and the speakers slowly went downhill.
In short, if you're interested in one of these Fender solid states from the 80s, 90s and 00s, don't let names throw you off. Look at the specs like wattage and speaker size, and try it out if it's local to you.
This has been my exact experience as well. I got a pristine early 90s USA Princeton Chorus about 15 years ago for under $200. I’ve gone thru many different tube amps but always came back to that one. Recently found a great deal on a 90s USA Princeton 112. Again…so satisfying…so much bang for the buck! The touchy volume knob complaint on these is easily remedied with a volume pedal in front or a JHS Little Black Box knob plugged into the effects loop. I’m so over being made to feel second class by the guitar world for not using a “real” (tube) amp.
Once I made the switch from solid state to tubes, I got rid of almost every solid state amp I’ve ever owned. The only two that have hung around have been my old 1997 Marshall Valvestate and the Katana head.
I have a new JC40, I love it, sounds beautiful clean and it takes my pedals so well. Lots of other features, fx loop, line out, stereo in. The drive channel sucks, but nothing a good pedal doesn't solve, besides, the on board chorus on it is where it's at.
Years ago, I was looking for a reasonably priced solid state amp with known quality. I looked around for an '80s Roland Cube, knowing that this was the kind of thing I was searching for. Couldn't find anything on E-Bay or anywhere else, I went to my local music store, they were running a special offer on the Roland GC-405 mini stack, £99 with the extension cab. What a revelation! Fantastic clean tones, fat yet neutral. A reasonably convincing tube distortion built in. This is an awesome Amp. 15 watts, 20 with the extension cab plugged in, if you can find one, get it. Better still, if you can find a GC-408, with 8" speakers instead of 5", buy it, it is awesome. Older Roland amps like these, the first series of Cube amps or even a Bolt, if you can find one in functioning order, are great sounding, reliable amplifiers.
I played a JC-77 recently. It was the first JC I ever tried. It sounded so good! I definitely would like to get a JC sometime in the future.
I have a JC77 and love it. All the great sounds of the JC120 but in a more manageable form factor. 🤘
My Peavey envoy 110 red stripe. And my Peavey teal stripe Bandit 112 with the stock scorpion speaker are my two favorite amps. I get my Skynyrd on with both of them.😮
The red knob Fender Deluxe 85 sounds amazing....along with the other red knobs...Power Chorus...Princeton Chorus (though 10" speakers)...Stage 185. All great. But needs recapping and probably a few new pots...a few new resistors inside. But great amps all of them
Another vote for the Fender Princeton 65. Built in Mexico in the 1990s, 1X 12 - lightweight, and it sounds like a 'real' Fender. I found one that had lived most of its life with a pit orchestra in Melbourne, and I do not feel like I am missing out on anything when playing my GL ASAT. It is plenty loud for anything I do these days.
JC120 is one of my favourites.
Roland certainly nailed the circuitry, speakers and features
Used the JC120 in the 1980s
Video idea: for a bedroom setup, what would you recommend and to what type of player (jazz cat, blues nut, high gain guy etc)
Options:
1. Audio interface and plugins in DAW
2. Solid state amp -
3. Modelling amp -
4. Desktop amp (yamaha thr type)
5. Small valve amp and attenuator
6. Guitar processor (multi fx) into DI
Acoustic makes fantastic solid state amps. I've been using a B15 for almost a decade. It's technically a bass amp but it has a built in (non digital) overdrive, so I've mainly used it for guitar. It's incredibly clear sounding and the EQ adjustments make a huge difference. You can have nothing but treble or nothing but bass... and anything in between... and the low end is incredible for such a small amp.
I love old school solid state amps! I’m intrigued by the new Laney Lion heart amps
I've just recently set up my wet-dry-wet rig. My center dry amp for my core tone is my Fender Mustang 3 v2 and my two wet amps running in stereo are both Boss Katana Artist 100 mk2 combos on the clean channel. I love the rig and is sounds incredible. Very immersive sound (especially with stereo panning harmonic tremolo). Also... everyone should try a quality EQ pedal.
I've owned a Fender mustang 25w and even though I only like a couple of presets it does the job for me.
I use my Peavey Classic 20H for blues/rock, but where Solid State is considered I LOVED the H&K Warp series amps from the early 2000s. Sold mine years ago as I don't have the space to keep SS heads hanging around, but I bought the Warp pedal to pump my Classic 20 when I'm in the mood.
... I really like the Peavey Classic 20 head. I tried twice to purchase one, but neither retail outlet put budge on the price at all. Too much money 🤑 too bad Harley.
@@barrybjerke9353 I picked it up used but mint from a good retailer. I've had to sell some guitars due to divorce, but held on to this. I know I'd get sellers remorse
80´s Marshall lead series!
Galien Kruger guitar amps of the 70's through the mid 80's were amazing
Love the new content, you're really putting in the hours! Best guitar & amps content on YT.
Old fart here. 71 yr old. Been playing all my life and I still do so. Luv tube amps and their sound. However at my age , hauling heavy amps is difficult. I think it matters more to the musician. I think most people in audience cannot tell the difference.
I have a tonemaster deluxe reverb. 23 lbs of joy. Highly recommend if ur into vintage styles
@@cassavamellin My tube amp is a Priceron 65 re-issue. Love a deluxe amp. Have seen videos on the tonemaster series. I think they sound good. Smart choice.
I bought a red stripe studio pro after hearing you play one. With a speaker swap its been my trusty pedal platform for years.
After about 50 yrs of valve amps, I love my Roland amps - Blues Cube Hot and JC40! Tried the Tonemaster Deluxe and Vox vt40 and couldn't find what I wanted. I haven't tried a Tech21 amp, but I do use a Flyrig 5 V2 in front of the JC40
Mine... three Vox Pathfinder 15's (one is 15R) and a 1984 Fender Montreaux 100W. I have a few tube amps but still love my SS amps.
The underlying Amp in the Katana is a Class A/B. It has a transformer rather than a switching power supply like a Class D. It emulates the effects but the amp itself is a “real” solid-state amp. FWIW.
I’m glad you’re making the call for more good Solid-State amps. Many are way better than we remember.
@@MurrayWilliams Thanks for pointing this out. Few remember this distinction. The Katana is one of those amps you can rely on because it's SS and not all digital.
I had a Fender Roc Pro 1000 and also a Vox AVT. They were really good. I did the whole tube thing but now I gig with a Boss Katana-100 head. It’s so good.
I have a Roland Cube 40. My favourite amp sim is the JC120. When my son was doing his music degree, one of his Uni friends had a proper JC. Not sure if it was a 40 or a 120, but it sounded fantastic.
Nice video. Just wanted to add that Yamaha solid state amps from '70s-'80s are great.
Thanks, Frank. I've seen those amps around but I haven't tried one myself. Hopefully at some point I can test it out on the channel.
Got to agree with you there Frank, heavy bugger 112 /100w with EQ , system , spring reverb. Bought in Geelong 2hd $400 AUD . A,simple repair job to reverb spring, been going well , since 2005.
The "man with golden arm" put me onto them, as an under the radar goto solid state. Good advice !!
I have two Trademark 60 1x12's. I love the ean channel. The dirty channel is a bit thin. Both of mine have the Tech 21 NYC speaker. The drawback with these amps is getting your hands on a foot switch.
Roland JC 120’s are epic!
Adrian Belew on ‘77/‘78 Zappa, ‘78 Bowie Heroes tour, Talking Heads, King Crimson: just the same two Roland JC 120’s!
Only variabels: a growing amount of pedals and guitar synths and just a few new guitars next to the old Fenders!
Tech21 NYC! I love their stuff for bass! I have all their models, but still use my first SansAmp Bassdriver preamp/DI I got new in 1996 every week! Just indestructible stuff. All analog, only uses digital capacity to store presets.
Sometimes fellow bassists say the SansAmp stuff sounds a little bit too compressed. They tend to all use the blend knob at 100% SansAmp...
But, this knob has been put there for a reason: to blend in the natural sound of your bass/guitar. I prefer 50/50 to 75/25% SansAmp/Dry.
That’s the magic!! Use that knob. (Be careful with the gain.)😉
Peavey!
I’ll play any old Peavey TKO or TNT basscombo for any style or gig! Preferably two of these indestructible beasts on the bigger bar or club gigs.
Just as long as the famous magic ‘punch’ button on them is still working. 😂
I would take a look at the Laney Foundry Single Top and Dual Top amps. The only thing digital about them is the reverb and the IRs in the DI out, which you can disable and use your own. They're fully solid state, have an insert type FX loop and can be run without a cabinet for bedroom recording either using the DI out or the FX send.
I covered a high school gymnasium with an old Peavey back stage plus. This was when I was a teen in the 90’s, My tone was really good and filled the gym, nothing harsh fizzy or clippy, it was very warm and saturated. Peavey ruled back then. New years Y2K I was on bass, solid state bass amp of course, and guitar player singer was using a Fender M-80 half stack I think. That thing sounded incredible. But when you arent competing with other guitar players and amps, you can rock a solid state and not be worried about it as long as it sounds good it is good. Played drums in a band late 2010’s guitar player used that exact tech 21. We covered every venue we played. Again, 3 piece he had no other guitars to compete with, his tone was stratty and spanky loved it. Today I stay with a JC120 or 40. And all my amp sims are set the same. No matter what situation I am in. Pedal sim, VST sim, big amp, small amp, it doesnt matter. They are all JC120, my tone is always on tap. All sims do that amp spot on. So I just stuck with that. I do jumper the channels live on the JC120 though, so I do prefer that live if I can. No solid state hate here man.
Backline kings. Anything Peavey.. the odd CRATE amp and STACK.
Cheap enough to leave at a jam space indefinitely good enough to actually rip it up.
GT212 CRATE is a ripper with 3 channels.. oddly usable insanely loud clean 120w 212
Paired one with a Bandit Silverstripe and some pedals. Smiles always
My Tech 21 trademark 60 is my only amp, and worth mentioning that the clean channel takes pedals really well. When i can afford it, I would love to get a Princeton Reverb but for now it's all i need and i got it used for £100.
The HH IC100 is a classic solid state amp used by many big names in the 70s. The 2x12 combo is an indestructible beast of an amp and the control panel lights up bright green, what more do you need? The Gallien Kreuger 250ML combo was used by many 80s rock guitarists in the studio including Iron Maiden, Brian May, Alex Lifeson and Mick Mars. I have a Randall RH200SC at the studio which has been used on recordings (we have lots of other more expensive amps, but the Randall works best for some players). It takes distortion pedals really well. One side of the stereo amp has failed as has the chorus, but as a mono amp without built in chorus it still rocks pretty well.
Just picked up a silver line Peavey SP112 for $75 and it’s amazing! I may swap the speaker out eventually but it’s such an excellent amp as is.
I love solid state amps!! I get my overdriven tones largely from pedals for control/variety and love the immediacy of SS and sound good at any volume. Orange crush line are great, Peavey's, Vox pathfinders. The new laney foundry series looks interesting as does blackstars debut 50/100. I'm currently using an american sound pedal as my preamp into the power in of the katana with pedals before that. Not a tube in sight! I've had great tube amps too but I find I get more from playing SS.
Tech 21, Trademark 60, Power-engine and Power-engine Deuce Deluxe.
I'm a fan of old school solid state amps, they make superb clean pedal platforms. A lot of them got a bad reputation purely because they usually came with crummy speakers.
I love the old ev speakers in a Ss amp very heavy but they really work with ss
Big thumbs up for Quilter labs.
The distinction between Digital Modelling and "Solid State" amps might be better decribed as Digital vs Analog. They are all solid state, in that they do not use tubes. But there are huge differences internally. The Peavey Bandit for example uses large power transistors in the power amp section, while most digital amps, like the Katana and the Catalyst use class D power amplifier statges. Also, the preamp stage is either all analog or it is digital. BTW, I think you might be incorrect about the Katana's clean channel - I believe ALL of the models in the Katan are digital.
I picked up a Peavey Bandit 65 for $80 on Craigs List, and left it at a jam room (its a heavy beast due to that great speaker). I actually used it like a powered cabinet -- I plugged my HX Stomp into the fx return, and eliminated any IRs in my Stomp presets. Sounded great, but the fx return bypassed the final stage before the power amp, resulting in low volume. I solved that by placing a boost pedal in between the HXS and the return. It served me well for years. They generally cost about $200-$300, but I got a great deal on it.
Katana power amp is Class A/B not Class D
Kustom Tolex Series, as a bass amp, have served admirably.
(III Bass, IV Bass)
Back in the '70s there was a great sounding ss amp called H[[H that had a valve emulation circuit that sounded very convincing.
I also had a tuck-and-roll Kustom combo once that sounded not unlike a '54 Tremolux i had.
I see a Tech 21 Trademark 60 for sale in my area and I'm tempted now to pick up.
Recommend you get it.
I had a Blonde Tweed Tolex covered Tech 21 Trademark 60 for about 10 years, great amp and one of the few I regret selling. I bought it used and it must have been a custom build for somebody as I have never seen another one with a Tweed covering. Great amp for cover gigs in smaller clubs and jams.
What about Orange solid state amps? I have the Crush 35Rt , I have used on dozens of small gigs…they have larger solid state of course. Good with pedals etc..
Amongst the amps I own are two Roland Cube 30s and two Roland Cube 60s. They are extraordinary pieces of kit, and even the 30W has enough 'oomph' in it to gig with. These things are SO loud!
I have good success with Black star when it comes to solid state. I use it mainly for practice, but I have enjoyed the 100W ID series amp head.
The older Kustom KGA and Quad series amps have amazing clean channels and a serviceable lead/overdrive channel as long as you keep the gain knob below 9 o'clock.
I used a Trademark 60 live for a few years, brilliant and bombproof
I had the Princeton 65. After I got it, I started taking it to rehearsals and gigs, instead of my Peavey Classic 30, 'cause it sounded just as good and weighed a lot less.
Would really enjoy getting a review of the new Fender Tone Master Pro into a Roland JC-40. I’m 8 months from buying my new JC-40 as I work overseas and don’t want one sent here then turn around and send it home in the mail. Should be an awesome combo. Thanks. Dig the left hand content as always.
To me, its a kinda rare one but the Peavey Transtube XXL 2x12 Combo was just an amazing tone that sounds exactly like a tube with being a solid state. The thing is its so rare now but its just amazing
I actually have one of those Princeton 65 solid state amps. Paid $25 for it at a garage sale. I have been super impressed with it. It has a clean channel and a dirty channel and it gets loud.
Thanks for another great podcast. I learned a lot. The production was fantastic, with many amp pictures popping up to illustrate the conversation. The sound quality is also amazing (i.e., a clear voice, no noise at all). How did you achieve that on the highway? Oh, and by the way, thanks for the tour. Nice environment. Kudos
Hi mate. Thanks for the kind words. I recorded the audio using the Rode Wireless Go (internal recording) and used a noise remover option in final cut (and then just finessed the EQ a bit). Final Cut's noise removal works a treat.
Ive been using a modern peavey bandit 112 for a few years now. I put a eminence swamp thang in it and it made such a huge difference. Payed more for the new speaker than I did the used amp but it was worth it. I use two amps now though which is such a game changer with wet dry options Im considering just getting a second one to make a twin set since my second is currently a mg series marshall,but the peavey with an upgraded speaker is that good. Maybe its the extra 5 lbs of magnet lol bloody thing is huge and is twice the wattage of the blue marvel. On a side note my old peavey vyper vip 3 100w was great too. you could use an electric, acoustic or bass with it which is an option I havent seen since. Had some killer 6505+ tones in it for a budget home setup. Big ol sampera 2 pedal was a bit much though if youre used to a pedalboard setup but it had all the bells and whistles.
Quilter Aviator! Orange Super Crush/Crush Pro! Laney Foundry series!
Have always been a big fan of the trademark amps. But the king dingaling of ss amps has to be the Yamaha g50/100 series designed by Paul Rivera. What a masterpiece.
Hay Shane. Sunny So. Cal here. Love the content
Thanks for the kind words. Rock on.
The Marshall Valvestate 80 is a good amp imo and can be picked up cheap. Has a great range of sound. Only 1 Tube to change out.
Yeah , i get it. I had a JC120 and could not handle the drive channel . Each to their own i guess. Loved the Cleans though. :)
Gotta say I’m Doing Real Well with my Quilter Cub and my Fender Mustang 100…and Yeah I’ve got Good tube amps as well.
I put an eminence legend 1058 in my mexican frontman 25r because the stock speaker started farting and a small piece of metal was loose behind the dome.
The cabinet couldn't take the more efficient speaker (rattles), plus I could no longer play the amp quiet at home.
The eminence is another cab now and the frontman has a celestion tube 10 which suits it really well.