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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4026
Location: Utah | I'm in need of a better amp for the Hamer semi-hollow electric. The old amp was (now sold) a Roland Cube 30. For an inexpensive basic amp it is an excellent value, but no "life" to the tone. The Hamer deserves a better amp.
Something in the 15 watt range, more or less, with a good clean tone. Something that brings out the full range of sound. It doesn't have to have any effects or special features. A line-out would be nice, and I'm thinking tubes would be good.
Price range is ~$500 or so, or less is better. Used is fine.
Recommended so far by others have been the Fender Princeton Reverb or the Fender Princeton Recording amp. I've tried the Recording amp at GC and it sure sounded nice. They had a little Fender Super Champ XD which sounded quite good as well. But it is hard to get a good listen in GC with all the noise.
What other brands or models should I be looking at? How much real difference would a 12" speaker make over a 10"? |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | 15-18 tube watts is the way to go. However there are differences in tubes. I like EL84 power tube amps. These are known for the "British" crunchy sound. The other tubes are 6V6 or 6L6 which have a better clean sound, more headroom and are slower to break up. This is the Fender/Amderican sound.
I don't think that there's a big difference betweeen a 10" or 12" speaker. The quality of speaker is probably more important.
A nice EL84 amp is the Traynor YCV20 which you'll see quite a few of on Ebay for $400. I have one and it's a great little two-channel reverb job. If you prefer the clean chimey Fender sound, get a Fender Blues Junior. For not much more, there's the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe which is 40 watts. This is quite possibly the most popular guitar amp ever made. There's also the Fender Deluxe Reverb re-issue. |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | There' a nice Traynor YCV20 with upgraded tubes and speaker on eBay with a BIN of $350:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Traynor-YCV-20-guitar-amplifier-MINT-CONDITION_... |
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Joined:
March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | +1+1+1 on the Blues Jr. Mine has a 12" Celestion lead speaker (I think gx112) and is absolutely awesome tone. It's a 15w, but with the 12" speaker and all tube power it can seriously crank. I use it sometimes in our Sunday morning set, and in the smaller room we're in I only get the volume to about 4/12 and it is WAY plenty.
The Twin Rev Dlx is great, but only if you want one arm to be longer than the other. ;) |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6992
Location: Jet City | I played my Tornado through one of these recently. I was pretty impressed.
Handwired Vox AC15 head/cab
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | The Vox AC15 combo is the same amp as above, but in one cabinet, and a bit less expensive sans the handwiring feature. |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6992
Location: Jet City | oops... didn't see the price range. The one Brad suggested is right around the budget I think.
"a bit less expensive" is an understatement. |
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Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | Fender Blues JR |
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Recommend an amp for semi-hollow electric
