44 replies to this topic

[Stratrat]

Noodler said:

Yeah, I'm talking loud enough for the local golf club bistro, supporting at a pub, etc.

It's hard to know what the HotRod series is supposed to be. It is the same wattage as other Fender amps that cost twice and 3 times as much. Is it "entry-level"? Why would you spring for a Pro reverb for $3K, when you can get similar specs in a HR Deluxe for under $1500? Or more to the point, if a good Fender-sounding amp costs $3K, are you only getting a pale imitation in a $1400 one?

Reason I ask is that $1400 is a lot to spend for something that sounds "a bit like" something else. You can get a modelling amp to do that for a lot less. Do you think it is worth the money to save for the next level up? ($3K) What do you get for the extra dough?

Fender touts the Deluxe Reverb as "one of the most recorded amps in the history of music". Many, many people have gigged with Deluxe Reverbs, Bassmans (Bassmen?), Twin Reverbs, etc. over the years - all of which are well below that $3K mark for the top end models.

If I had $3K to spend on an amp, it certainly wouldn't be spent on a Fender. There are many "boutique" amp builders that sell far better amps for that kind of money - or less! (Dr. Z, Fuchs, Carr, /13, Bogner, 65 Amps, Swart - just to name a few).

BTW - A Pro Reverb can be had for a lot less than $3K. I recently saw a used '68 vintage model that sold for $1500 in one of the local shops.

"What you get for the bucks" on the higher-end amps is usually hand-built/hand-soldered point-to-point / tag board wiring instead of mass-produced machine built/wave-soldered printed circuit boards; higher-quality components (capacitors, resistors, transformers, etc.); higher-end speakers; better cabinet materials, etc. Is it worth the extra outlay? That's a question that each of us can only answer for ourselves. I own a couple of fairly nice amps - their tone is great, but the weak link is that it's still my playing coming out of their speakers!

[acousticis4me]

Thanks for the info. I wouldn't buy an amp just because the majority use it, beside I am content with the amp that I currently have!

[BeyondbeginnerKimmel]

I've noticed that tube amps sound very nice.

[bugly]

Stratrat said:

Fender touts the Deluxe Reverb as "one of the most recorded amps in the history of music". Many, many people have gigged with Deluxe Reverbs, Bassmans (Bassmen?), Twin Reverbs, etc. over the years - all of which are well below that $3K mark for the top end models.

If I had $3K to spend on an amp, it certainly wouldn't be spent on a Fender. There are many "boutique" amp builders that sell far better amps for that kind of money - or less! (Dr. Z, Fuchs, Carr, /13, Bogner, 65 Amps, Swart - just to name a few).

BTW - A Pro Reverb can be had for a lot less than $3K. I recently saw a used '68 vintage model that sold for $1500 in one of the local shops.

"What you get for the bucks" on the higher-end amps is usually hand-built/hand-soldered point-to-point / tag board wiring instead of mass-produced machine built/wave-soldered printed circuit boards; higher-quality components (capacitors, resistors, transformers, etc.); higher-end speakers; better cabinet materials, etc. Is it worth the extra outlay? That's a question that each of us can only answer for ourselves. I own a couple of fairly nice amps - their tone is great, but the weak link is that it's still my playing coming out of their speakers!

Unfortuantly here in Australia the prices are a LOT higher

[Noodler]

Yeah, Stratrat's just forgotten...although you can get a new 65 FDR Reissue for about A$2200 if you shop around. To compare, on Bananas you can get a Princeton Recording amp for under $1000US. You will not get one for under A$3000 in Australia. They are rare as hens' teeth. Here's a link to an example of a shop with what is considered a wide range and the cheapest prices where we live:

Electric Guitar Amps - Amplifiers

Have a look at the prices for something sweet like a Bad Cat.

People in the US are blessed. I would not be able to find a 65 amps or more to my taste, a Dr Z in Brisbane, if Australia. I looked. The American market is so big people can just go to a shop and buy cool stuff for a lot less mark-up. You can stay in the same country and get pedals modded, etc. You've just got so much variety. Except for the web, if you lived in Australia, you'd probably think the only amp makers were Fender, Marshall, Vox, Line 6 and the only effects were Boss, pretty much. It's all mass-market. The closest we get to boutique is pretty much the hand-wired Vox AC15 (still made in China).

We do have one shop where you can get cooler stuff (Tyms) but it's not cheap either. But they may have things like Indyguitarist, Way Huge, old MIJ Boss, BYOC. I was able to track down a Plextortion for A$300, so that's pretty cool.

----End Rant----

As for valve amps, IMO the Tiny Terror or similar can't be beat (of what we have to chose from, Stratrat). You need something small that you can crank loud enough for power tube distortion. I love my H&K Statesman (20W), but it rarely goes past 1.

Heck, buy a Champ 600 or some other little 5 watter for tubey sounds, and just grab a Vox AD30VT for the rest of the time. Save some money.

Quote

I own a couple of fairly nice amps - their tone is great, but the weak link is that it's still my playing coming out of their speakers!

You could afford them and enjoy their tone, that's the main thing! IMO, collecting gear/ building a rig is its own hobby. I know we both dig it. At the end of the day, you can crank a Tiny Terror on 7 watts, maximum gain and play some simple pentatonic thing or power chords and it's going to sound great.