A general question about used amps

SlopeSoarer

I'm thinking of buying a used amp (I quite fancy a Yamaha THR10 if I can afford one however more likely to be something else) but am slightly concerned that they deteriorate with use and time. I'm basing that on recently viewing a Fender Mustang III which made all sorts of strange hissing and white noise at different settings.

Am I right to be concerned?

ICBM

No, not usually - especially not with solid-state amps.

skunkwerx

Depends what and when sometimes. 

For example my Boss Katana is almost silent. 
As the gain goes up, the noise floor (white noise) also goes up. 
Its inbuilt noisegate helps mitigate this. 

But If I have the gain cranked, the volume up a little, nothing crazy, and its power on 25w or 50w compared to the lowest 0.5 watt, then there is a lot more ‘hiss’. 

If I engage certain pedals with the amp on higher gain or volume settings, then I’ll hear more hiss/noise floor. Some pedals make odd noises, my old marshall regenerator would make its phaser/flanger sounds, albeit at lower volume than If I was playing, when it was on, even with the guitar volume rolled off. 

My boss octave adds extra hiss/noise floor. But then again I do use it on a high gain amp channel...


I think this is fairly normal, but I’m sure Icbm would correct me if not! Amps new, pedals are powered nicely etc. 

Some guitars are noisier than others too, picking up surrounding interference, which is then amplified by the amp.   

But if you just turned the amp on and it sounds like a spaceship then maybe avoid it. Especially on a clean channel. I can turn my solid state katana up fairly loud on its clean channels without hearing any noise floor or the like. 

Solid state amps should last and sound the same always, providing there arent any actual faults already there. They have less moving parts per se. 

Valve/tube amps have valves or tubes. 
These can deteriorate over time and need replacing. But having never owned a valve amp, I can’t say much on the matter. 

Speakers can be damaged, or blown out, but thats a pretty distinctive sound, and smell. 

I have a line 6 Spider iii 75w solid state amp. (First time I’ve said that on this forum). Lol! 
It was my first amp save the tiny practice amp that came with my guitar. 

I got that spider back in 2006. So its now 12 years old and guess what, still works and sounds like it did the day I got it. By that, I mean nothing has deteriorated or changed or anything.
(Cue the jokes about it having always sounded like shite).  
Regardless, it still sits in my room behind the katana, and its legacy continues. Haha. 

My advice is, save just a little, buy a Katana or Marshall code new, £180 odd, get a years warranty free, peace of mind that everything is normal, and a great sounding lil amp and go have fun discovering all that they can do! 

Teyeplayer

Totally agree with @skunkwerx and second the recommendation of a katana. The 50 is on Xmas sale at a number of places, cheapest I’ve seen is about 160 which is about the same as a secondhand thr10. Buy yourself a Xmas gift and enjoy.

Wazmeister

@SlopeSoarer - welcome to our beloved forum mate and thanks for posing an honest question...

Id personally try to buy new, if you can stretch to it at this price point. But def avoiding any hissing; i personally wouldnt buy anything that adds noise to my set up.

munckee

I have bought numerous 2nd hand amps and never had a problem with any of them.  I have only ever bought one amp brand new which was the THR.  If you are only ever going to play it at home they are absolutely great amps and as loud as you could need in a house.

SlopeSoarer

Thanks for the replies, especially Skunkwerx, all interesting reading. I'll checkout the suggested Katana and Marshall.

Thanks again.

SlopeSoarer

Well, I ended up buying a Vox VX II and am very pleased with sound, range of modelled amps & effects along with value for money (£105). Being all plastic it does have a cheapish look (but it will reside under a desk).

My experience  surrounding anything to do with electric guitars is very limited and to be honest I find it intimidating going in to shops and trying out equipment, though my confidence is growing.

Hopefully in time I'll outgrow the little amp but for now I'm very happy.

skunkwerx

Nice one man, hope you enjoy! 

What you playing through it? 

Dodge

Remember also if you buy new from somewhere like Thomann, you'll get a 3 year warranty.

SlopeSoarer

skunkwerx said:

Nice one man, hope you enjoy! 

What you playing through it? 

A Squier Affinity Strat at present. I'm going looking at Classic Vibe Telecaster's and Vintage V52/62  after Christmas.

munckee

SlopeSoarer said:

skunkwerx said:

Nice one man, hope you enjoy! 

What you playing through it? 

A Squier Affinity Strat at present. I'm going looking at Classic Vibe Telecaster's and Vintage V52/62  after Christmas.

Haven't tried the vintage but the classic vibes are great guitars.

ESBlonde

I've got a mid 60s valve amp that is gigged regularly as well as a couple of more modern amps. The millenium made solid state amp i have has been back to be fixed twice in it's first 5 years but is now quite stable. A good amp is a good amp.

JerkMoans

The only issues I've ever had with used amps is the need for new tubes, but I'd haul anything I bought in for a service and revalve unless it was absolutely pristine, anyway.  Think I'd be reluctant to part with my hard-earned without road-testing just a little, check there are no unexplained pops, hisses or losses of power (as much as one can in a 10-15 min run through).

My next project is to get a US Sears-Silvertone 1481 I've just acquired on this very forum converted to UK voltage, assuming the costs aren't too prohibitive.

Chalky

SlopeSoarer said:

skunkwerx said:

Nice one man, hope you enjoy! 

What you playing through it? 

A Squier Affinity Strat at present. I'm going looking at Classic Vibe Telecaster's and Vintage V52/62  after Christmas.

Haven't tried the vintage but the classic vibes are great guitars.

I have multiple Vintage V52, V58, V62 models. Some have pickups that cost more than the (secondhand) guitar.  For typically around £150 secondhand they are superb guitars.

SlopeSoarer

Chalky said:

I have multiple Vintage V52, V58, V62 models. Some have pickups that cost more than the (secondhand) guitar.  For typically around £150 secondhand they are superb guitars.

That's good to hear. Have they been consistent in quality over the years? Do you know if they are comparable in quality to CV's?

Fuengi

SlopeSoarer said:

... I'm basing that on recently viewing a Fender Mustang III which made all sorts of strange hissing and white noise at different settings.

Sounds like a perfectly normal Mustang III to me! 

Awful, awful amp. 

thecolourbox

JerkMoans said:

My next project is to get a US Sears-Silvertone 1481 I've just acquired on this very forum converted to UK voltage, assuming the costs aren't too prohibitive.

Oooh @JerkMoans ;could you let me/us know how you get on with the Silverstone please as I fell for that amp quite significantly but had to let it pass due to the voltage thing. 

Chalky

SlopeSoarer said:

Chalky said:

I have multiple Vintage V52, V58, V62 models. Some have pickups that cost more than the (secondhand) guitar.  For typically around £150 secondhand they are superb guitars.

That's good to hear. Have they been consistent in quality over the years? Do you know if they are comparable in quality to CV's?

I'll probably get flamed for this but I wasn't impressed by any of the CVs I tried.  By the way, I've owned a Fender Custom Shop Tele and a Fender Masterbuilt Tele for several years now, plus some other Teles before that, so I'm not an expert but also not a novice.

SlopeSoarer

Chalky said:

SlopeSoarer said:

Chalky said:

I have multiple Vintage V52, V58, V62 models. Some have pickups that cost more than the (secondhand) guitar.  For typically around £150 secondhand they are superb guitars.

That's good to hear. Have they been consistent in quality over the years? Do you know if they are comparable in quality to CV's?

I'll probably get flamed for this but I wasn't impressed by any of the CVs I tried.  By the way, I've owned a Fender Custom Shop Tele and a Fender Masterbuilt Tele for several years now, plus some other Teles before that, so I'm not an expert but also not a novice.

Haha... flamed! We are all allowed to have different opinions, the world would be a boring place if we didn't: )

I guess Squier sell much more CV's than Vintage do of their T styled guitars as it seems easier to find Squier CV's on the used market over the Vintage counterpart?

Clashman

The routing in my Fender Modern player telecaster wasn't bad but it's a problem though when they can't get the screw positions correct to screw the control panel on.Compared
with my MIM the neck feels like it's made of balsa wood it's
that light.The pick up covers are plastic,the screws on the bridge are sub standard. I wouldn't place the Chinese guitars above those made in Mexico.They do however sound good
once set up properly.