Solid state fan....I've decided!!

Guitarse

I have recently been using my Fender Mustang 2, solid state amp for band practises and much prefer it over my vintage Marshall JMP 50, as it suits the band's sound and style better.

So, I'd like to get a 50-100 watt head to sit on my 100 watt cab and gig with. Mostly play with distortion at varying levels for punk rock. Not into mega metal distortion.

Any suggestions before I Google myself to oblivion?


Thanks 

Al

57Deluxe

Orange recently introduced some SS heads n shit... seem well priced.

monquixote

AMT Stonehead if you want solid state Blackstar ID if you want modelling.

ThePrettyDamned

Standard answers include Peavey Bandit (there is a head version called the supreme I think, but it's rare), Blackstar ID, AMT Stonehead, Marshall MG (new ones), Marshall MOSFET Lead 100...

For punky stuff, I reckon the MG would probably cover you quite nicely.  There is also the Orange Crush Pro, but not tried it.

ICBM

Just because you like your Mustang doesn't necessarily mean you'll like another solid-state amp. They're as different, or more so, as valve amps.

I would get a Mustang V head. 75W into 8 ohms, just use one half of the power amp.

Drew_TNBD

The Mustang isn't solid-state. It is modelling. The distinction is important, because it doesn't use IC's and surface mount components to make the amplified sound. It uses digital signal processing, meaning it is much closer to a computer than a solid state amp.

ICBM

Drew_fx said:

The Mustang isn't solid-state. It is modelling. The distinction is important, because it doesn't use IC's and surface mount components to make the amplified sound. It uses digital signal processing, meaning it is much closer to a computer than a solid state amp.

Just for once I decided to avoid my usual pedantry, but you went and spoiled it!

lol

(Technically it does have an analogue solid-state output section too.)

Guitarse

ICBM said:

Just because you like your Mustang doesn't necessarily mean you'll like another solid-state amp. They're as different, or more so, as valve amps.

I would get a Mustang V head. 75W into 8 ohms, just use one half of the power amp.

Oh. Usual rules apply then i.e. try a few out. May go for the Mustang head. Cheers!

Drew_TNBD

ICBM said:

Drew_fx said:

The Mustang isn't solid-state. It is modelling. The distinction is important, because it doesn't use IC's and surface mount components to make the amplified sound. It uses digital signal processing, meaning it is much closer to a computer than a solid state amp.

Just for once I decided to avoid my usual pedantry, but you went and spoiled it!

lol

(Technically it does have an analogue solid-state output section too.)

eheheheheh....

kelvinburn

I really like the sound of some of the old '70s and '80s SS amps I've tried (Fal, HH, Carlsbro etc). I tend to use them semi clean with a combination of Visual Sound Jeckyl and Hyde and a Nobels Pre 01 for different dirt levels. Not exactly a Boutique blues tone but not all of us want that. Cheap as chips too

EdGrip

What the pedants mean is it's complicated solid-state instead of simple solid-state. There are more transistors, but they are very very little.

equalsql

57Deluxe said:

Orange recently introduced some SS heads n shit... seem well priced.

This... they've been getting good reviews too and the prices are good (especially for Orange kit).

Drew_TNBD

I really wanna try one of those Orange heads.

Nige458

I've been gigging a CR120H since early December (usually use my JVM 410H).

Thus far it has "cut the mustard" and I have had comments on how good it sounds (from band members and punters), plus it also cuts through the mix very well (we are a twin guitar band).

Originally bought it as a back up but thought I would give it a try on one of the gigs. Since then I have taken both amps and have always used the orange.

Drive channel on its own is very usable, but in some situations I push it with a Zombie Klone or a Suhr Riot.

Both channels take pedals really well but excels when the amp is on the edge of breakup.

Makes a nice change not having to worry about valve failure............

bertie

Drew_fx said:

I really wanna try one of those Orange heads.

57Deluxe

bertie said:

Drew_fx said:

I really wanna try one of those Orange heads.

yeah but this only has 'cheap chips' - and prone to getting on your nerves after a while...

martinw

It's certainly not pedantry to say that 'solid-state' amps are different animals to modelling amps, despite the obvious point that modelling amps contain solid state electronics. As Drew said.

To say they're the same is a bit like saying that a bridge and a fork are the same because they're both made of metal.

If the OP bought a Bandit expecting it to sound like a Mustang, I'm pretty sure he would be disappointed. (Not knocking Bandits of course, just they don't sound the same).

The pedantry might be in the terminology (as always) rather than the actuality. Pedantically, we should refer to 'non-modelling solid-state amps' maybe? Perhaps the pedantry is pointing out the incorrect or inconsistent use of words, when in reality usage of same is well understood.

Jalapeno

ZT Lunchbox & 4x10 or 4x12 ?

EricTheWeary

ICBM said:

Just because you like your Mustang doesn't necessarily mean you'll like another solid-state amp. They're as different, or more so, as valve amps.

I would get a Mustang V head. 75W into 8 ohms, just use one half of the power amp.

One of those things were you wonder if they can be improved ( or at least not made worse)by going for a better speaker/cab or if they have been voiced with the proprietary Fender cab in mind?

In the case of the OP @Guitararse wether he would be getting the best out of it with his existing cab.Particularly brought to mind as @ICBM posted this and IIRC his experiment with the Blackstar ID's was that you pretty much need to stick to the intended ID cabs.

Grumpyrocker

Solid state and digital modelling ARE very different. A solid state amp is closer to a valve amp than a modeller - they use different components to amplify a signal and blast it out of a speaker. Both are devices for taking a small electrical signal and making it into a big one. 

A digital modeller is a very different beast. It is a computer. It might be given the look of a traditional amp - but it is still a computer. And that computer is used for taking your input signal and using it to control digital simulations of amplifiers. 

DartmoorHedgehog

Drew_fx said:

ICBM said:

Drew_fx said:

The Mustang isn't solid-state. It is modelling. The distinction is important, because it doesn't use IC's and surface mount components to make the amplified sound. It uses digital signal processing, meaning it is much closer to a computer than a solid state amp.

Just for once I decided to avoid my usual pedantry, but you went and spoiled it!

lol

(Technically it does have an analogue solid-state output section too.)

eheheheheh....

(Sorry to be a cock, but...)
Of course the Mustang is solid state! It's also a digital modeller. The distinction is between ANALOGUE solid state circuits like a Bandit and digital modelling solid state like the Mustang. You could in theory build a digital modeller using valves instead of transistors, which would then not be solid state, but it would be the size of a house and drain most of the national grid, and would no doubt be far too slow to run the modelling software... but that's not the point.