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These Go to 11 - The Guitar Amp Thread

dcbc

By dcbc
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Chad Fuck
Chad Fuck

This just came home with me on the way to the shop.

noharleyyet
noharleyyet

Do amps still go here . . . NAD...  

AnotherUTFan
AnotherUTFan

Fuck ya!

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BoomMF

BoomMF 1,399

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NAD

I am a full blown Astoria fanboy. I've got it bad.

This is a limited edition Chicago Music Exchange Marshall Astoria Custom. Only a 100 were made.

I have an Astoria Custom head and cab (it's the red one) already, but I couldn't pass up the chance to own a CME version. It's stylish as fuck and always made my pants tight, but near impossible to find.

Side note, I bought a Fender Deluxe Reverb Custom, that hip silverface job with a combination blackface and updated custom circuits, from Guitar Center but had to return it when the CME Astoria came up. So, I was pretty close to finally getting my Deluxe Reverb. Some day soon. Or maybe not so soon.9ecbab73b95927a710f85b7fd20a83d2.jpg

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BoomMF

BoomMF 1,399

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What had happened was...

Dig this, I got it for a steal because it was damaged during shipping. If you look at the sides, you can see the tolex flaring from the sides where it took some pretty good hits. No damage to the front, top, or amp section, just the sides. I should be able to glue the tolex down until I take it somewhere to do a better job. But, you know, I could just do some damage to the front and the cloth and give it a proper relic'ing, post the pictures here, profit (knowing how much you assholes love the notion of relics). It's also missing the foot switch, and the Astoria branded replacements are impossible to replace. You can use a generic Marshall two-channel switch though, but fuck that. I have a proper Astoria Custom foot switch that came with the head, so I'll just bring that when we get together for the 3rd Annual Surly Jam and Pancake Social.

Apparently they learned a lesson because when it arrived, you would have thought I ordered a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Caucasian baby boy by the way this thing was packed. Someone from the warehouse went home with a full heart that day, lemme tell you. I don't think the garbage company will haul all these left-over packing materials away, I'm going to have to call and set up some kind of special haul-away service. The struggle is real.

I might eventually get an Astoria Classic (the green beast designed as a clean pedal platform and Marshall's first and only ever "blues amp") to complete the set, but since I have a JTM45, that I love and does much of what that amp does, I'm in no rush unless a Classic comes up for a stupid deal. And prices on the line are starting to do what everyone predicted they would, climb up. Possibly gone are the halcyon days of $2000 Astoria amp heads, it seems. It might be a while.

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Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17,811

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Pancake jam?  I haz disappoint.

However, to soothe my woes, I pulled the trigger on an American Deluxe Jazz Bass I've had my eye on for a while.  A friend was (still is) trying to get me to buy his vintage Jazz, but (a) it's 3x more expensive and (b) I'd feel nervous taking it to clubs.  So, here we are.  It was fate.  

Of course, I'll post pics when it arrives.  'Tis the season.

That said, I still have a pristine with hang tags American Select Precision for sale, as well as a Lakland Skyline Joe Osbourne (now called the 44-60).  I'm willing to deal if y'all are thinking of someone for Christmas.

 

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BoomMF

BoomMF 1,399

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According to Kiszka here (@28:42), there were only 25 Astoria Custom CME's made. He got his 3 from the CEO of Chicago Music Exchange directly, so ima go with that number because it sounds cooler.

 

I'd like to take this opportunity to point out that the kid has his mic'd better than the guy who demo'd it for CME in that previous video. The speaker is mounted offset, CME demo guy had his mic directly in the center of the cloth, which doesn't hit the speaker cone where you'd probably want to mic it. But that demo sounded good so I'm probably full of shit.  I was just appreciating the kid's commitment to detail.

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Deej

Deej 76,946

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1 hour ago, AnotherUTFan said:

I'm in Texas Dec 15 through the 30th, with a for sure trip to Austin on the 28th to see friends - so Im proposing the evening of Dec 27th at deej's Doyle Hargraves stage!

 

Edit to add that I will be there most of March too.

We could work something out.

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Foggy Notion

Foggy Notion 1,202

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Today is a good day.

For the past few months, I've been on a search for the right grill cloth for the 64 DR. I think the hunt is finally over. I just bought the grill cloth from a blackface Bassman cabinet on Ebay. This has been the main thing keeping me from getting a baffle made - I couldn't find the right grill cloth.

I've looked at every reproduction Fender grill cloth available. I even tracked down a piece of repro cloth made by a guy who died a couple years ago because it was supposed to be the closest to the old stuff - it's close. But none of them are exactly right. Most of them have a weave pattern that is slightly wider, they're all just off in some way. If someone really wants to see what I'm talking about, I can post some pics of original and repro blackface cloth. But I'm not sure yall wanna see all that, and frankly I'm kinda tired of looking at them.

This grill cloth issue has caused a lot of stress and consternation for me. I'm gonna sleep good tonight.

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Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17,811

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I'm down for a grill cloth tutoring.  

Also, I've been pondering getting a 1x15 that could handle the lower end of a steel guitar, as well as bass and perhaps guitar.  The early Fender Pros have their, well, pros.  But the cons are that they're (1) old, (2) have no xlr out and (3) are pretty heavy.  

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I've also been looking at some newer stuff based on older stuff, like the new Fender tweed Pro, various Milkman combinations, etc.  But they're pretty damned expensive.  

cj3zye9j3c1zsioor6mw.jpg

 

d75gani0djjxtxnsdqxe.jpgT

Then there's the totally new stuff like the Quilters or Milkman "The Amp."

iahume1fky4vnuflsyoh.jpg

f0jfzsajmfvrh7ruulpq.jpg

 

Or maybe I should just buy a kit and modify it to exactly what I want.  I have a friend who's an electronics wiz who can probably help me out.  

What says the brain trust?

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Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17,811

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I looked at those Milkmans. God they are not cheap. Milkman and other boutiques are selling 1 watt amps now for like $1,500.00 and up. I feel like John Travolta in Pulp Fiction. That's three tubes, some wires, a transformer and a speaker? They don't put bourbon or nothing in it?

Exactly. They’re pretty proud of them. I’m leaning pretty hard on an amp kit and doing my own mods.
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dcbc

dcbc 14,525

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16 hours ago, Chad Fuck said:


Exactly. They’re pretty proud of them. I’m leaning pretty hard on an amp kit and doing my own mods.

Unless you just want a 1x15 combo (which I understand), why not buy a 1x15 extension cabinet and put a good 15" speaker in it.  Run a line out from your favorite Fender amp or head and have fun.  If the favorite Fender Amp is a missing component and you don't like the old stuff, then shoot an email to Jim at Lil Dawg amps.  He does great work and is more reasonable on the price spectrum than most of the tweed builders.

His 5e5A combo is $1,129 (plus the cost of whatever speaker and tubes you decide to go with). 

http://www.littledawgamps.com/the-prodawg/

 

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Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17,811

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Just now, dcbc said:

Unless you just want a 1x15 combo (which I understand), why not buy a 1x15 extension cabinet and put a good 15" speaker in it.  Run a line out from your favorite Fender amp or head and have fun.  If the favorite Fender Amp is a missing component and you don't like the old stuff, then shoot an email to Jim at Lil Dawg amps.  He does great work and is more reasonable on the price spectrum than most of the tweed builders.

His 5e5A combo is $1,129 (plus the cost of whatever speaker and tubes you decide to go with). 

http://www.littledawgamps.com/the-prodawg/

 

Making a head and just buying a good 1x15 cab is the most likely thing to happen.  I'm thinking of using this kit:

https://www.mojotone.com/kits/TweedAmpKits_x/Tweed-Pro-Style-Small-Parts-Kit

There are all sorts of cabinet makers out there for the head.  This western thing looks pretty cool:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/5E3-Brown-Western-Deluxe-Cabinet/292769321775?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908131621%26meid%3Da7ebedc05730423f9aecdc54a0fd3463%26pid%3D100678%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D192547673203%26itm%3D292769321775&_trksid=p2481888.c100678.m3607&_trkparms=pageci%3A8020a6af-ffbf-11e8-a826-74dbd18004bc|parentrq%3Aad9abdd91670a9cba724192bffec0ef7|iid%3A1

 

I'm sure he could do it in a head if I asked.  A little pricey, but that's the deal with personalized stuff.

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Deej

Deej 76,946

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29 minutes ago, dcbc said:

Unless you just want a 1x15 combo (which I understand), why not buy a 1x15 extension cabinet and put a good 15" speaker in it. 

 

And just like that, dcbc takes away a new amp day from the rest of us. Thanks, man. 

Edited by Deej
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Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17,811

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43 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

I’d buy a beat to shit early 70s silver face twin (pre master) and put the chassis in a head cab from mojo. Matching 1x15 cab.

 

You can find those old twins for 6-700 if you look. A decent tech can make them sound like God.

 

Yeah, that's a good option as well.  I've been looking for a deal on one of these, if it comes up. 

B1AEk0Fmj4S._SX425_.jpg

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dcbc

dcbc 14,525

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7 hours ago, Chad Fuck said:

Making a head and just buying a good 1x15 cab is the most likely thing to happen.  I'm thinking of using this kit:

https://www.mojotone.com/kits/TweedAmpKits_x/Tweed-Pro-Style-Small-Parts-Kit

There are all sorts of cabinet makers out there for the head.  This western thing looks pretty cool:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/5E3-Brown-Western-Deluxe-Cabinet/292769321775?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908131621%26meid%3Da7ebedc05730423f9aecdc54a0fd3463%26pid%3D100678%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D192547673203%26itm%3D292769321775&_trksid=p2481888.c100678.m3607&_trkparms=pageci%3A8020a6af-ffbf-11e8-a826-74dbd18004bc|parentrq%3Aad9abdd91670a9cba724192bffec0ef7|iid%3A1

 

I'm sure he could do it in a head if I asked.  A little pricey, but that's the deal with personalized stuff.

Get a Mather cab.  Top quality and the price is about the same. 

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dcbc

dcbc 14,525

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7 hours ago, Deej said:

And just like that, dcbc takes away a new amp day from the rest of us. Thanks, man. 

Read the rest, I recommended a 5e5a.  :)

 

If you go the Twin route, skip the extension cab and get a good baffle made for a 15.  I think there was a cool 1x15 Fender Twin combo made in the 70s.  Vibrosonic Reverb right?

Here's one with a 15" JBL for $799 and a return policy.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Fender/Vintage-1972-Vibrosonic-Reverb-Tube-Guitar-Combo-Amp-114830257.gc?cntry=us&source=4WWRWXGP&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7Yiticqg3wIVTLnACh29vQqJEAQYAiABEgKMGfD_BwE

Careful putting a Twin Reverb in a head cabinet.  The transformers are huge and the reverb pan sits so close that you get some terrible hum.  Friend of mine tried it (to save weight) and couldn't live with it.

Best deal going if you're only going to use it for pedal steel is to grab one of those mid to late 70s twins (ultralinear with 130 watts).  Clean as anything ever has been and loud as the voice of a giant. 

Edited by dcbc
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dcbc

dcbc 14,525

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2 hours ago, tbone_ said:

Yea the ultralinear twins would be great. I tend to not think about them because they aren’t that great for guitar.

I picked up and paid for one for a friend of mine.  I plugged it in and cranked it to see if it was functioning.  Did the first few bars of Lenny on a strat, and it did not disappoint.  The only downsides I can see is that they are (1) heavy, (2) clean in perpetuity, and (3) David Allen won't work on them (that's who I use for service).  But the slide players love them. 

Here's the quick and very dirty demo I shot for my buddy once I had it home.

 

 

Edited by dcbc
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