Best Amp Head for pedals?

guitarcookie1

Maybe looking to get a new amp head, which will be run clean, to take my pedals for distortion, etc. What's recommended? It will be used at home as well as out & budget would be £400 max.

ICBM

A very open question really, but you could get a Marshall JTM45 reissue for that second hand. You won't find anything *better* for £400, although there are certainly *different* amps... if you see what I mean.

benvall

ICBM said:

A very open question really, but you could get a Marshall JTM45 reissue for that second hand. You won't find anything *better* for £400, although there are certainly *different* amps... if you see what I mean.

I'd really like a JTM45 do they stay fairly clean. I'm assuming they start to break up once pretty loud. I've got a 18 watt TMB with master volume. With the gain on 10 I only need the master on 1.5 to 2 to get over a drummer.

guitarcookie1

ICBM;52820" said:

A very open question really, but you could get a Marshall JTM45 reissue for that second hand. You won't find anything *better* for £400, although there are certainly *different* amps... if you see what I mean.

I meant it as an open question to get some ideas of what to look for; the only thing that sprung to mind was a Peavey Classic 30?

benvall

guitarcookie1 said:

ICBM;52820" said:

A very open question really, but you could get a Marshall JTM45 reissue for that second hand. You won't find anything *better* for £400, although there are certainly *different* amps... if you see what I mean.

I meant it as an open question to get some ideas of what to look for; the only thing that sprung to mind was a Peavey Classic 30?

Classic 30 or Hotrod Deluxe

monquixote

I'd go Classic 50 over a classic 30. 

They are excellent. The Puretone is awesome as a clean pedal platform, but you won't get one for £400. 

mike257

I had a Carlsbro 50 Top head for this very purpose. Clean as you like and loud as hell. Only reason I moved it on was it was too loud for most of my gigs. Barely tickled the lower regions of the volume knob for the function gigs and had no precise control because I was so low down.

In a louder band it would have been perfect and it sounded incredible through my Orange closed back 2x12 when I did get to push it past 2!

Depending on condition you'll get one between £200 and £300.

ICBM

The JTM45 is a lot louder than an 18W, or even a Classic 30 despite still being 'only' 30W - it's a much bigger sound. You can increase the headroom further if you need to by fitting a solid-state rectifier - no mod needed if you use a plug-in one.

I agree about the C50 being a much better amp than the C30 too. The problem with both over the Marshall is that they're not as well made (the 30 particularly), and you're putting money into stuff you don't need if you just want a pedal platform.

stickyfiddle

Also consider an AC30. The CC version came as a head, and I'm sure earlier ones did too. They aren't that common but usually around that price when they do come up.

ChrisMusic

ICBM said:   ...You can increase the headroom further if you need to by fitting a solid-state rectifier - no mod needed if you use a plug-in one. 

Quick question for @ICBM, I don't understand that, how does the rectifier change increase headroom?  I also assume its a valve replacement plug in module?  I don't know much about valve amps, but I am curious, and always hungry to learn, thanks, Chris

dindude

If you can find one....

http://www.vhtamp.com/products/the-special-series/special-1220-rt-head

Even has a 9v out to power pedals.

Cirrus

ICBM will give a much better answer, but a solid state rectifier doesn't sag the voltage when you play loud and hard like a valve rectifier does, so there's more power to reproduce accurately the low end and also transients like pick attack.

ThePrettyDamned

Jtm 45 would be my suggestion used. It'll get crunchy if you want it to, but it'll take gigging volume to get there.

Ac30s are a bit picky with pedals in my experience, even my mooer has the same tendencies. Luckily, a rat still sounds like a rat...

Laney lh50. Stunning clean sounds, one of my faves. Build quality is good, electronically, but there is the odd issue with them. However, mine was reliable, had balls loads of clean headroom, took pedals well and had a decent loop with switchable db ratings.

The drive channel was nice - think Paul gilbert. It wasn't the most inspiring drive channel for me, but as a clean amp, it was amazing.

ChrisMusic

Cirrus said:  ICBM will give a much better answer, but a solid state rectifier doesn't sag the voltage when you play loud and hard like a valve rectifier does, so there's more power to reproduce accurately the low end and also transients like pick attack.

Thanks @Cirrus, makes sense to me now  

ICBM

Cirrus said:

ICBM will give a much better answer, but a solid state rectifier doesn't sag the voltage when you play loud and hard like a valve rectifier does, so there's more power to reproduce accurately the low end and also transients like pick attack.

No need for me to add anything .

Other than to say that there are two types of solid-state rectifier plug-in - ones which emulate the sag of a valve (and are used to improve reliability) and those which don't (and are used mainly to improve headroom, although they also improve reliability). Easy to tell apart - the first type is about the size of a rectifier valve, the second is smaller and the size of the valve base only.

If you swap to either of them, and definitely the non-emulating type, you should check the valve bias and probably adjust, since it will increase the static voltage as well as reducing sag.

JD50

mike257 said:

I had a Carlsbro 50 Top head for this very purpose. Clean as you like and loud as hell. Only reason I moved it on was it was too loud for most of my gigs. Barely tickled the lower regions of the volume knob for the function gigs and had no precise control because I was so low down.

In a louder band it would have been perfect and it sounded incredible through my Orange closed back 2x12 when I did get to push it past 2!

Depending on condition you'll get one between £200 and £300.

I have one of the reissues from about 10 years ago, a Carlsbro 50 Top Evolution. Great amp but also has master volumes for both channels & you can switch it down from 50 to 25watts. In fact I love the dirt channel on this amp I no longer use pedals live.

Carlsbro have reissued this head again as the 50 Top DC, it appears to be the same as my amp with added reverb. These go for about £299 new.... I'm quite tempted to pick one up myself.

mike257

@JD50 - interesting stuff, didn't know about the re-reissue. Never heard the Evolution models but they sound like a totally different beast. I had a battered late 70's original, single channel, non-master volume, no reverb, basic three band EQ. No bells and whistles, just really clean and really bloody loud! Loved it! I'll keep an eye on the new ones, if they sound half as good then they'll be interesting, especially at that price.

Drew_TNBD

I've got this:



Works well with my Blackstar HT-Dual. It's my backup rig at the moment, until I get the stones to go entirely digital

p90fool

ICBM said:

A very open question really, but you could get a Marshall JTM45 reissue for that second hand. You won't find anything *better* for £400, although there are certainly *different* amps... if you see what I mean.

I came in just to say this. I use mine as a clean pedal platform for all kinds of bands. They do start to break up a little when the going gets VERY loud though, which is when I use two of 'em

That really is overkill though, one mic'ed up is plenty for even the biggest stages.

guitarcookie1

Any clones of the JTM45 worth considering?

hywelg

Ceriatone are just about the cheapest clone. Metropoulos up there at the top end along with many others. Ceriatone will do the job very well indeed, if you have the skills build it yourself, source the trannies from here or the US, get the cab built locally or build it yourself.