Amplifier Mistake (Blackstar)

thomasross20

OK, 2 channel isn't a disaster but I was really turned on by the simplicity of the Blues Junior. It doesn't have to be Fender. 

I'll check out all recommendations given here, thanks!

EDIT - should be simple, take pedals well, not heavy, not massively overpriced but not an issue if there is a perfect solution available. Must also have reverb. 

ICBM - that looks great (and has 0.5W feature for home practice!) - wonder how it takes pedals to give an 80s rock sound!

impmann

Danny1969 said:

I never understand the HRD's being so popular, drive channel sounds like arse and clean channel is a bit meh but some people love em

I agree with you on the Mk1 and Mk2... the latest ones with the Celestion speaker and the not-quite-so-hair-trigger volume control is actually a *lot* better.

But hey - maybe I like the pig-head in a shoe box tone...

p90fool

Voxman said:

The problem with a single channel amp is lack of clean headroom as you raise the gain. For home use, rehearsals and small club gigs its fine, and bigger gigs are OK if you mike up. But if you need to go backline at volume you need two channels.

What on earth does number of channels have to do with clean headroom?

ThePrettyDamned

thomasross20;449083" said:

OK, 2 channel isn't a disaster but I was really turned on by the simplicity of the Blues Junior. It doesn't have to be Fender. I'll check out all recommendations given here, thanks!

EDIT - should be simple, take pedals well, not heavy, not massively overpriced but not an issue if there is a perfect solution available.

Bantam!

It's so cute, and I might be projecting my own wants onto you, but at least I can admit that

EricTheWeary

A pair of Yerasov GTA 15's ! I've forgotten what's heavy now but 12kg each. http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o703/Babones/GTA15_002_zpsd76d3527.jpg

Voxman

p90fool;449092" said:

Voxman said:

The problem with a single channel amp is lack of clean headroom as you raise the gain. For home use, rehearsals and small club gigs its fine, and bigger gigs are OK if you mike up. But if you need to go backline at volume you need two channels.





What on earth does number of channels have to do with clean headroom?

Because a single channel amp (eg Laney Cub) will typically have volume and gain controls. On my cub you can max out the volume but if the gain goes above 3 it starts to distort. If you up the gain you get more volume but more distortion. So its clean headroom volume is limited and a lot less than its capable distorted volume.

With a two channel amp eg my Laney VC30 where one is the clean channel you've got way more scope to keep it clean at higher volumes. If you crank the clean channel it will move into some degree of distortion as the power valves are pushed of course, but you have much more scope for keeping it clean at higher volume because as its the clean channel its not being driven into overdrive by the preamp stage.

Jeremiah

I was trying to think of the Yerasov but couldn't remember the name.

thomasross20

Loads of great head/cab suggestions so far - will definitely  be checking them out, believe me!!

EricTheWeary

@allicio has one IIRC. The new one ( the one in the picture above) is £349 I think. Supposedly better than the Fender Pro Jr it is based on. The reviews are so glowing and I've watched a YouTube clip were your jaw hits the floor with the tones - quite 'rootsy' I guess, I don't mean as in rough but as in quite vintage tones rather than modern rock ones. About as far from the Blackstar that the OP started with as you could imagine!

ThePrettyDamned

Voxman said:

p90fool;449092" said:

Voxman said:

The problem with a single channel amp is lack of clean headroom as you raise the gain. For home use, rehearsals and small club gigs its fine, and bigger gigs are OK if you mike up. But if you need to go backline at volume you need two channels.





What on earth does number of channels have to do with clean headroom?

Because a single channel amp (eg Laney Cub) will typically have volume and gain controls. On my cub you can max out the volume but if the gain goes above 3 it starts to distort. If you up the gain you get more volume but more distortion. So its clean headroom volume is limited and a lot less than its capable distorted volume.

With a two channel amp eg my Laney VC30 where one is the clean channel you've got way more scope to keep it clean at higher volumes. If you crank the clean channel it will move into some degree of distortion as the power valves are pushed of course, but you have much more scope for keeping it clean at higher volume.

That's just because it's a higher powered amp surely?

A single channel fender or Marshall Major (these are sort of single channel) or a Hiwatt head with a lot of watts will stay clean until it's ready to destroy eardrums. 

Or small towns. 

thomasross20

Laney wins on price, that's for sure... then Hayden (and maybe the Matrix VB800??), then Victory and finally Mesa. 

So many choices.....

If a valve goes bang mid-gig...... is the amp rendered useless?

thomasross20

This is a great demo for that Hayden. The player is very talented...

The Victory amp is amazing but in the same overall price bracket as Mesa which is really pushing it for me right now..

What about the H&K Tubemeister 18? Looks very light!

Danny1969

thomasross20 said:

Laney wins on price, that's for sure... then Hayden (and maybe the Matrix VB800??), then Victory and finally Mesa. 

So many choices.....

If a valve goes bang mid-gig...... is the amp rendered useless?

Depends on the design of the amp, some will carry on clean channel if the pre amp valve used for more dirt dies but some won't. A power tube going will generally stop things and take a fuse as well

I wouldn't sweat it about valves failing, it can happen but in my experience not often. I've done about 100 gigs this year and not had one valve failure. Like most people I got a backup - GT10 into PA but I;ve never used it

thomasross20

Thanks, Danny. 

Maybe it's time I checked out a valve head and steered away from SS. 

Just checking out the H&K Tubemeister demos now.

Jalapeno

thomasross20 said:

If a valve goes bang mid-gig...... is the amp rendered useless?

Marshall MG100 Head (even ICBM thinks the new ones are ok)

Or get a s/h Roland Cube80.

thomasross20

Not sure about Marshall, sort of fell out of love with them years ago. That was a while back.. maybe worth trying them again. 

ICBM

Jalapeno said:

Marshall MG100 Head (even ICBM thinks the new ones are ok)

Yes - but absolutely *not* the DFX version!

Very important .

thomasross20

Egnater Rebel 20 any good?

ICBM, I see you aren't a fan of the Hayden Mofo's?

p90fool

Voxman said:

p90fool;449092" said:

Voxman said:

The problem with a single channel amp is lack of clean headroom as you raise the gain. For home use, rehearsals and small club gigs its fine, and bigger gigs are OK if you mike up. But if you need to go backline at volume you need two channels.





What on earth does number of channels have to do with clean headroom?

Because a single channel amp (eg Laney Cub) will typically have volume and gain controls. On my cub you can max out the volume but if the gain goes above 3 it starts to distort. If you up the gain you get more volume but more distortion. So its clean headroom volume is limited and a lot less than its capable distorted volume.

That's because it's supposed to, its only channel is a distortion channel. The distortion is not caused by it having only a single channel, it's caused by its preamp design.

I've gigged single channel valve amps for thirty years and only one of them ever had a gain control, all the others were/are non-MV.
Number of channels has absolutely nothing at all to do with clean headroom.

paulmapp8306

ICBM said:

thomasross20 said:

The Blues Junior was 15W valve (would it sound guff at home levels??)

Yes.

The Blues Junior sounds guff at *any* volume level.

















If you want to go down the lightweight, giggable Fender amp that sounds great at home volume and takes pedals well route, get a '68 Deluxe.

Far better sounding than the Blues Junior and better built.

Princeton ?  I agree the Juniors are awful - but was mightily impressed with the reissue Princeton I tried a few months back before picking up my Machete. 

Pretty sure it was the 65 model not the 68:

http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_amps_detail.asp?stock=08070411241529&gclid=CjwKEAiAk8qkBRDOqYediILQ5BMSJAB40A5U9I5BJcQcgYomj-qN16p1yt1LWJpM8mZufLD97swwExoCk3fw_wcB

One of those.