These Go to 11 - The Guitar Amp Thread

[Deej 77,680]

Fucking nice!

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,858]

On 4/8/2018 at 6:47 PM, Deej said:

Video that sold me on my 68 Princeton "reissue". I can't say enough about how great that amp is.

 

You’re welcome. 

[Buzzrock 15,118]

So what’s the best way to get that iconic fender tube amp sound, but usable at bedroom levels, and not break the bank?

[Celery Man 21,078]

pick two

[Buzzrock 15,118]

Ok one and two. Twins and DRs and all those are great but they are too loud for me.

[Deej 77,680]

What's usable bedroom level for you? 

[AnotherUTFan 9,959]

So what’s the best way to get that iconic fender tube amp sound, but usable at bedroom levels, and not break the bank?

Princeton Reverb 1965 RI

 

The 1968 Custom is a great little amp too, but it's crunchier and more modern sounding. The 65 has that classic Fender sound.

[Deej 77,680]

As an owner of the 68 Custom Princeton, I find it quite a nice little bedroom amp exactly because of it's different sound. On 2 or 3 on the amp, my humbucker and P90 guitars have an nice, full, clean tone that can be easily controlled from the guitar, and that I can't get from any of my other amps. It's got more mids and a tighter low end that really work at lower volumes. It also likes dirt pedals, so I can get some decent crunch at low volume.  

I would recommend going out and playing through both.

[tbone_ 14,416]

See if you can find an old dual showman with the original 2x15 JBL cab. That should do the trick.

[Deej 77,680]

On 5/6/2018 at 10:58 AM, Judge Roybeanbag said:

You’re welcome. 

Wait...what?

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,858]

8 hours ago, AnotherUTFan said:

Princeton Reverb 1965 RI

 

The 1968 Custom is a great little amp too, but it's crunchier and more modern sounding. The 65 has that classic Fender sound.

I was gonna say ask this guy. He knows more about amps than I’ve ever seen. 

Edited May 8, 2018 by Judge Roybeanbag

[Buzzrock 15,118]

Got dammit I did it again. Been torturing myself trying to learn some more Mayer licks, and couldn’t figure out why the tone out of the Bassbreaker was total crap.

The wah was on again and cocked all the way back.

Next purchase is gonna be a Katana. Then I’ll refocus on getting that ideal single coil Fender sound.

[tbone_ 14,416]

Then I’ll refocus on getting that ideal single coil Fender sound.

Im not sure I'll ever quit focusing on this elusive unicorn.

[Buzzrock 15,118]

Im not sure I'll ever quit focusing on this elusive unicorn.

SSS Strat + Fender tube amp + Shag Screamer?

[Deej 77,680]

Tele through a Fender or a Vox amp.

[Buzzrock 15,118]

PRS Silver Sky through a Kemper?

[Celery Man 21,078]

James Wilsey (guitarist on Isaak's Wicked Game) chiming in on a thread asking about how to get "that tone" (on the topic of perfect single coil sound)

Quote

Funny topic. I played the lead guitar on Wicked Game and the first four Isaak LP's....

Stock Fender Strat. Stock silverface twin. A little amp reverb and a little digital delay on the amp. A volume pedal. In the mix the gtr was treated with a little compression and stereo delay to spread it out, but the basic sound of the guitar was the same. It was comped together from a few takes to get the best feel throughout the song. Nothing really unusual.

I hate to blow peoples' mind on a gearhead forum, but sometimes it's not WHAT STUFF you play but how you play and what notes you choose. That's the trick.

However the opening riff would be difficult (not impossible) on a non-vibrato guitar.... I assure you I could go into guitar center with any strat and a clean amp with a little echo and verb and play this song for you and it would sound like the record.

I'm not trying to say I'm a great guitar player (I know I'm not!!) but I play a particular way, this is a "style" that I have developed over years of playing . I tend to write parts that are simple enough for me to play.

http://www.fenderforum.com/forum.html?db=&topic_number=431091&offset=0

 

 

Edited May 12, 2018 by Celery Man

[Celery Man 21,078]

btw i just tested, and it's a strat into channel 1 of a Matchless DC30 through a Strymon Flint and an El Capistan.

[Deej 77,680]

10 hours ago, Buzzrock said:

PRS Silver Sky through a Kemper?

Just wait until PRS introduces the world to their new Blackface Twin Reverb.

[noharleyyet 2,863]

Traded the Fender Acoustic 100 combo for a Fender Fighter 10...

 , 

..line it thru this

 , 

Less feedback issues, sounds great....but most important, loud as I want with the Baggs'd mic'd Martin twins.

 

[tbone_ 14,416]

SSS Strat + Fender tube amp + Shag Screamer?

Oh I have the correct equipment....

[BoomMF 1,401]

Sweetwater has a B-stock Marshall DSL40C for $400.  That's a lot of juice for not much dinero.  Hotrod it with a Creamback or Vintage 30 (I put a Creamback in mine, doesn't even need the C19 mod) and you'll be in Marshall bliss.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DSL40Cb--marshall-dsl40c-40-20w-1x12-inch-guitar-combo-amp

Also also wik,

Ever since Deej hipped us to the Deluxe Custom (I always just assumed it was a vanilla silverface reissue) I've been trying to find one to demo and finally did today.  Man, what a great amp. Hmm...

Edited May 21, 2018 by BoomMF

[Deej 77,680]

Silverface in aesthetics only. I've actually got the Custom 68 Princeton, but the whole range is nice. I played through the Custom 68 Twin a few weeks ago. I was tempted. Keeping my eye out for a used one. 

Guy on TDPRI has put a push/pull pot on his Custom Princeton (or Deluxe, can't remember) that switches his between the stock and blackface circuits. 

[AnotherUTFan 9,959]

Interesting, there are a lot of differences between a BF and SF circuit - more than Id think could be accomplished with a simple push/pull. Maybe since the reissues are PCB he has some kind of chip inside managing everything.

Shawn

[Deej 77,680]

It's not a true silverface circuit, from my understanding, at least on the Princeton. It's got a bassman-type tone stack, and reduced negative feedback. They really don't sound like a silverface. Much more low end, and the mid's aren't scooped. It's a beautiful tone, but it's not a silverface tone. I don't know what the difference internally is between this circuit and a blackface, but this guy said he did some minimal rewiring and put the push/pull in. I'll try to find the thread, but he did not use some sort of chip. Changed some resistor values and some minor rewiring. 

 

(Just looked it up, and the tone circuit is based on a blackface bassman, apparently.)

 

 

[Grandioso 2,592]

Quote

However the opening riff would be difficult (not impossible) on a non-vibrato guitar.

You can do a pretty convincing approximation by starting with a 1/2 to 3/4 bend on the b flat and releasing (third string, third fret), then bend up a half step from F (second string, sixth fret) to F#. I've also tried with full bend from E (second string, fifth fret) to F#, but I think sounds better to just do the half step but bend really slowly. 

Quote

Stock Fender Strat. Stock silverface twin. A little amp reverb and a little digital delay on the amp. A volume pedal. In the mix the gtr was treated with a little compression and stereo delay to spread it out, but the basic sound of the guitar was the same.

Totally by coincidence I started jacking around with this song very recently when I was visiting my folks' place and all I had was a tele and a 5F6 circuit amp with reverb and tremolo. I.e., I was looking for songs I could play with bare bones gear. Learned a lot of surf shit too. Wicked Game definitely sounds better with a touch of that spacey delay and a vibrato though. Fun song. 

Edited May 21, 2018 by Grandioso

[BoomMF 1,401]

Yeah, it seems the Deluxe and the Twin have both modes, which is stellar design work.

Also, Deej, the Guitar Center off Anderson has a used Custom Twin. 😮

[Deej 77,680]

29 minutes ago, BoomMF said:

Yeah, it seems the Deluxe and the Twin have both modes, which is stellar design work.

Also, Deej, the Guitar Center off Anderson has a used Custom Twin. 😮

I know they do. Stop it. 

Yep, great design on those two channel amps. Really versatile. 

My 68 Custom PR is such a nice amp. Dead silent. A really rich tone I didn't find in the 65 PRRI. Played them both before buying. Love the silverface cosmetics. LOVES pedals.

One of my cork sniffer buddies who told me I was a fool for not buying an oringinal PR, now will only plug into mine when he comes over.

Dropped a pair of NOS Tung Sol 6v6's in it, and changed out the V1 for a NOS GE 5-Star 5751. It just loves a Les Paul with humbuckers on about 3 on the volume. Couldn't get that with the 65 PRRI. It's just butter.

[Buzzrock 15,118]

However the opening riff would be difficult (not impossible) on a non-vibrato guitar.

You can do a pretty convincing approximation by starting with a 1/2 to 3/4 bend on the b flat and releasing (third string, third fret), then bend up a half step from F (second string, sixth fret) to F#. I've also tried with full bend from E (second string, fifth fret) to F#, but I think sounds better to just do the half step but bend really slowly. 

Stock Fender Strat. Stock silverface twin. A little amp reverb and a little digital delay on the amp. A volume pedal. In the mix the gtr was treated with a little compression and stereo delay to spread it out, but the basic sound of the guitar was the same.

Totally by coincidence I started jacking around with this song very recently when I was visiting my folks' place and all I had was a tele and a 5F6 circuit amp with reverb and tremolo. I.e., I was looking for songs I could play with bare bones gear. Learned a lot of surf shit too. Wicked Game definitely sounds better with a touch of that spacey delay and a vibrato though. Fun song. 


I saw Filter bust out a few bars of that once on a high gain rig with a whammy bar. It was awesome.

The two note bend isn’t that hard. It’s the little run after it that’s tricky to pick out by ear.

[Grandioso 2,592]

2 hours ago, Buzzrock said:

The two note bend isn’t that hard. It’s the little run after it that’s tricky to pick out by ear.

I think he does a couple variations during the song. I've seen so many tabs and videos that show it differently from one another that I don't bother getting a note for note result. I like this guy's way of doing it the best, but even then I think he's a note off at one of the positions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJiQVKRWTJI

13:30 to about 16:30

[BrickHorn 18,427]

11 hours ago, Buzzrock said:

You can do a pretty convincing approximation by starting with a 1/2 to 3/4 bend on the b flat and releasing (third string, third fret), then bend up a half step from F (second string, sixth fret) to F#. I've also tried with full bend from E (second string, fifth fret) to F#, but I think sounds better to just do the half step but bend really slowly. 

That’s basically how I play it, though a PR clone with a little reverb and trem.  Honestly, I never knew he played it with a vibrato.  

[tbone_ 14,416]

Anybody have experience with Bad Cat amps? There's a nice looking Black Cat 30r on Craigslist here, head with matching 2x12 cab.

It has pinked my interest...

[Celery Man 21,078]

Googling to check and yeah, the Black Cat was designed by Mark Sampson (previously of Matchless) and is similar to the DC30 (I think the 1st non ef86 channel, which is mostly what I play through).

Those are good amps. Only thing I can say for sure is that the nameplate is ugly.
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/bad-cat-vs-matchless.572289/

[tbone_ 14,416]

You have the dc30 right?

[Celery Man 21,078]

Yeah.  I just looked up the invoice, I actually got a fairly good deal on it - Warped Tour and SXSW was worth artist pricing which brought it down to $2700.  If I had gotten it in a color I could sell to anyone but a Dolphins fan I could probably make some money on it.

 

[tbone_ 14,416]

That sounds glorious.

Dude is asking $1800 for the head and cab on the bad cat.

[Grandioso 2,592]

https://houston.craigslist.org/msg/d/fender-1967-twin-reverb-fsot/6595480303.html

Dude wants $1950 or a "Les Paul" for this blackface Twin Reverb in Houston. Looks like it's in pretty good shape. Dude needs to be waaaay more specific in his trade proposal.

Also needs to post pics of the guts.

Edited May 23, 2018 by Grandioso

[BrickHorn 18,427]

13 hours ago, tbone_ said:

Anybody have experience with Bad Cat amps? There's a nice looking Black Cat 30r on Craigslist here, head with matching 2x12 cab.

It has pinked my interest...

I’ve read bad things about about their reliability.  No personal experience with them, though.

Edited May 23, 2018 by BrickHorn

[phdhorn 6,225]

Putting one of my two amps in here.. this is an '82 Twin Blackface Reissue.  A pretty good amp... I used it for my keyboard monitor, clean, although I really had to boost the bass, this thing would shatter your ears, god it could get loud.  Also, this reissue had no attached casters, and it's HEAVY as shit.  But man it's got a clean sound, very nice going into effects stuff, not a bad overdrive config on the amp itself.

[tbone_ 14,416]

Nothing beats a good twin.

[dcbc 14,644]

On 5/23/2018 at 7:59 PM, tbone_ said:

Nothing beats a good twin.

Agreed.  But a good tweed Bassman comes very close.  That said, here's my Tweed Twin (reissue).

Edited May 26, 2018 by dcbc

[Mojo Hand 4,580]

This 15-watt amp with spring reverb and Celestion speakers goes on sale from time to time, and right now it's $136 with coupon code.   Seems like a fun thing to play around with.

https://slickdeals.net/f/11638023-monoprice-15w-guitar-tube-amp-with-spring-reverb-135-99-s-h

[Anton Chigurh 3,334]

Edit: Mojo beat me to it while I was typing it out!

 

I’m still getting back into it, and only have a Katana 50 at the moment, but I bought this thing for basically nothing to noodle with and maybe mod.

 

https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=115&cp_id=11501&cs_id=1150102&p_id=611815

 

It’s on sale at $169.99 and the code 20WHITE makes it $135.99. You do have to pay tax and shipping, though.

 

It’s supposed to be a Laney Cub 12R clone.

 

The tube arrangement is 3 12AX7 preamp and 2 EL84 power. It is fixed bias but this is the second version of it which is supposed to be much improved (including a reverb tank that actually works). Celestion Seventy 80 speaker.

 

I may throw some matched JJs or Tung Sols in and a Ragin’ Cajun depending on what it sounds like stock.

 

 

[Equinox 95]

nm

Edited May 26, 2018 by Equinox

[JukeJointJunkie 43]

^^^I've got one and it's a great deal. 

They tend to put it on sale during holidays.

[Buzzrock 15,118]

I’m planning on ordering a Katana soon, and I’m trying to decide between 50 and 100W. I have no need for 100W of power, but the 100 has more presets and an effects loop. And I think it takes a channel switcher pedal and the 50 might not.

Any thoughts?

[Anton Chigurh 3,334]

I’m planning on ordering a Katana soon, and I’m trying to decide between 50 and 100W. I have no need for 100W of power, but the 100 has more presets and an effects loop. And I think it takes a channel switcher pedal and the 50 might not.

Any thoughts?

Hell I only really use the 0.5 watt mode on my 50.

If you’re using it away from a computer (which I’m sure you are) it would be nice to have the extra presets. I play with the amp connected to a computer so I can switch things on the fly using the software.

The 50 can make use of a channel footswitch, but cannot use the GA-FC multi effect footswitch.

Messing around with Boss Tone Studio on the computer is fun.

[Buzzrock 15,118]

Have you looked into the sneaky amps?

[BoomMF 1,401]

Katana 50 is plenty of amp, probably the best money you can spend on an amp today, but the features added to 100 offer a lot of value if they are something you can/would use.

Mine spends 99% of the time on .5 watts, too.

[Anton Chigurh 3,334]

Have you looked into the sneaky amps?

I have. Funny enough though while I was able to load them up, they didn’t seem to work. I was able to click on them and load the patch, but it didn’t really change like they should have. Something was off.

Instead of messing with it more, I downloaded several custom made ones and have started to use those, which work fantastically. There are a TON out there.