Amps / Live

thomasross20

These Blackstar amps look really good value for money. So many of them though, I feel totally overwhelmed.

ICBM

thomasross20 said:

MAIN QUESTION:

If I'm only using clean and a distortion pedal for dirt.... does it matter if it's solid state or valve?

Yes, but not that much just from that alone. What does tend to matter is the size and power of the amp - it's still true that valve amps sound louder and fuller than comparable-sized/power solid-state ones even for clean sounds.

But a good 50W or 100W solid-state amp can make a very good platform for pedals, even if it's no louder than a 20 or 30W valve amp - although a solid-state amp of less than 50W with a good efficient 12" speaker is not likely to make a good pedal platform at all.

thomasross20

I'm literally sitting watching youtube amp demos and comparisons here..!

mike_l

@photek gigs a Blackstar head/cab with pedals for dirt.

A decent amp will win over a shitty amp everytime. Not every valve amp is good, not every SS is crap.

I used to have a Marshall AVT50, which had a valve in the pre-amp and a SS power section, which was a good 2 channel rock amp.

thomasross20

If I could get a great sounding solid state amp, I think I'd go for that just because of less maintenance ...

monquixote

thomasross20 said:

If I could get a great sounding solid state amp, I think I'd go for that just because of less maintenance ...

Seriously it's a non issue. 

Decent valve amps are very reliable and often when SS amps go pop they are unrepairable. 

I'd just buy a SH HRD or Classic 50 and then learn about what you like from there and if you don't like it just move it on for what you paid for it.

ThePrettyDamned

monquixote said:

thomasross20 said:

If I could get a great sounding solid state amp, I think I'd go for that just because of less maintenance ...

Seriously it's a non issue. 

Decent valve amps are very reliable and often when SS amps go pop they are unrepairable. 

I'd just buy a SH HRD or Classic 50 and then learn about what you like from there and if you don't like it just move it on for what you paid for it.

There is MUCH wisdom in this post.  

Not all solid state amps are bulletproof. 

And, while I love my bandit, I'd be lying if I said it sounded as nice as a nice valve amp.  That said, it does sound better than some bad valve amps, and being an old USA made bandit, it *is* bulletproof. 

Frankly, it's criminal to have guitars as nice as yours, and not reward them with a nice amp.  That DOESN'T mean super expensive boutique, but it does mean working out what you want to sound like and getting something that's good at that. 

You say you want to sound like Slash - you have your humbucker guitar, so now you want a Marshally voiced amp, or a Fender voiced amp with a marshally voiced dirt pedal.  

You could do much, MUCH worse than a decent valve amp, and the "benchmark" amp is the Hot Rod Deluxe.  It's the amp that you can't go wrong with unless you have a specialised tone need, like tight high gain, sludgyness or a particular clean sound. 

And you can ballpark most of those with a pedal and a hot rod deluxe anyway! 

If you go to a shop, be sure to try an 18 watt Brit voiced amp.  I reckon that might be your ideal answer, though only 1 channel, and limited clean headroom means you need good volume technique (knob and picking) to get the most from it. 

thomasross20

All I can say again is thanks and you know I'll be following up on all advice!!

FYI it looks like it was a Marshall MG100 half stack I played before:

http://7thharmonic.co.uk/rehearsals/

digitalscream

For what it's worth, I believe the old Laney AOR amps are Laney's take on the JCM800. You could definitely do worse than that if you're after Slash tones.

One here for £215:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LANEY-AOR-SERIES-PRO-TUBE-LEAD-COMBO-VALVE-AMPLIFIER-50-WATT-AMP-MADE-IN-ENGLAND-/221569704651?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL&hash=item33969562cb

thomasross20

And you're right. I'll regret not getting something GREAT given the guitars I just bought..!

digitalscream

thomasross20 said:

And you're right. I'll regret not getting something GREAT given the guitars I just bought..!

Have a wis for that. I've compromised based on money since I bought my first valve amp, and now that I've got the one I always wanted I feel a bit of a muppet for (almost) every single amp purchase I've ever made.

thomasross20

Heard of these Matrix amps!? They're tiny but loud:

http://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-amp-heads/pid33479/cid689/matrix-amplification-vb800-420w-guitar-amp-head.asp

thomasross20

Yep... when I decided to get a second PRS (ok, it was a bit mental but I'm glad I did) I was going to go for a  "normal" one but for £500 more I got a special edition with all the features that suit me to a T!

digitalscream

thomasross20 said:

Heard of these Matrix amps!? They're tiny but loud:

http://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-amp-heads/pid33479/cid689/matrix-amplification-vb800-420w-guitar-amp-head.asp

Yes - I heard one at the Brum guitar show last year (the prototype version, I think). Sounded pretty amazing, I have to say. The Andertons boys didn't seem to think it was particularly great-sounding, but my ears tell me they just had it set up wrong.

thomasross20

Look at the start of this video how light it is!! I wonder if it's loud enough for a gig. Unreal!! I think this is unbelievable! Very impressed..

http://www.guitar-bass.net/gear/matrix-elements-vb800-head-review/

thomasross20

I guess you can get similar heads that are also the same size/weight, though...

digitalscream

thomasross20 said:

I guess you can get similar heads that are also the same size/weight, though...

Not really. They've got a lightweight 2x12" that goes with it, and the head and cab together weigh less than most heads on their own.

thomasross20

Oh... I didn't realise. What do you think - waste of time or potential?

None anywhere near me to try, though.

digitalscream

thomasross20 said:

Oh... I didn't realise. What do you think - waste of time or potential?

None anywhere near me to try, though.

If you like your pedals, it'd be a great amp to go with. I would've got one, but it doesn't have enough channels for me

thomasross20

Wonder if they're loud enough. 

Looks good, to be honest. Small, light, simple....