Later this year I will be looking to purchase a luxury (read: dream/expensive for me/once in a lifetime) amplifier later this year.
But it frightens the bejingo's out of me to read so many NAD posts along the lines of "best purchase I ever made" "I've found the sound in my head" "tonal nirvana" "cured my amp GAS", only to see said amp in the Amps £ section weeks/months later (YOU KNOW WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT!).
I've searched myself in circles on the internet trying to decide upon a "lifer" (and I have a shortlist) but, how do you avoid buying something you regret/realise is not what you were actually looking for?
When looking for "the one" should you choose the bestest most amazing one trick pony or do you buy something that'll do everything well enough (as who knows what I'll be playing when I'm in my 70's)? and what to do if you can't try before you buy ?
What's your experience of the finding the only amp you'll ever need/want? How did you find and decide upon the one? or did it find you?
Of course if you'd rather just hand out suggestions of the best amp in the world based on my requirements or your own opinions then you might just steer me towards an amp I haven't yet considered.
15-25W
master volume
cathode biased
prefer hand-wired/PTP but PCB not 100% ruled out.
mainstream manufacturers only - no self build kits/custom builds
I play in a covers band (60's to current - clean to hard rock), I like to ride the guitar volume for cleans, and I mic up at gigs. I set my amps up a little crunchy and use pedals to boost/add colour and extra gain when needed.
Comments
I DO know who you mean! But I am still going to say "Artisan 15" (not to be confused with the Artist 15 tho' they are pretty good I have read) . You might have to fit a 100dB speaker for gigging if you are not micing up and want loud cleans. (Creamback?)
I cannot promise it will be THE amp to last your lifetime but I CAN pretty much promise that the amp will outlive you! (except valves but they are not that hard on them even tho' a CB amp)
Dave.
My thoughts:
1. Bogner Atma - 3 channel 18w monster - will do anything you can chuck at it - doesn't have reverb though if that floats your boat.
2. Mesa Rectoverb 25 - 2 channels, 25w, mega loud, don't let the "rectifier" bit trick you into thinking it only does djent....it fooled me, and I ignored anything with the words Mesa + Rectifier in it purely for that reason!!
3. Slightly bigger amp but what I currently use and can't see or find anything that does it better - Mesa Stiletto Ace - 50w combo (mines the lighter 1x12) - 2 channels, Master volume + Solo boost - does the whole Marshall Plexi thing, does the whole Heavier Mesa thing and has great cleans - I use one in a covers band much like you and it covers it all with ease and plenty of poke to boot and the fun bit is that they can be had for very very decent money.
4. Friedman Dirty Shirley or Pink Taco - Single channel tone machines - next on my list to add to the arsenal.
5. Victory V40 - again, never been on my radar as they are not one of the big brands - but make some nice noises
The long answer is "have you considered all the variables, and played a load of different things, to be sure your feature shopping list is exactly right, and that you're not missing anything, or being too specific about something you actually don't care about?"
*Then* go and buy a Badcat
****
FWIW, I know I like single channel combos with good master volumes, generally in the Voxy-corner of tone but a bit more well-rounded and able to lean in a Marshally direction if pushed, with reverb, and rarely enjoy anything over 20W.
I really miss having one... *sigh*
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I’m joking
In all honesty my favourite day to day amp is a Laney Lionheart 4x10 combo. It just works for what I need from an amp and it makes the sound I like.
Its not expensive, it’s not posh but it works for my needs and that’s the point. Find what you need, take what everyone here says as a recommendation and then spend a few weeks trying out as many as you can using your guitars and pedals. You will find what you want. The looking is great but get in front of the amps rather than YouTube as you need to use your own ears rather than the quality of a video presentation.
Been through quite a few amps and the current box in the corner is digging in as a bit of a favourite.
MESA Express+ 5:25.
2 channels with 2 separate voicing choices each, fully independent gain, volume and tone controls.
Plus a graphic EQ that can be applied to either or both channels, a foot switchable and adjustable solo boost control and a 4 switch footswitch for channel change reverb, graphic EQ & boost.
Plus, multi-watt settings for both channels 5w/15w/25w
It can do sparkly cleans, to warmer fatter cleans, to light bluesy clipping to AC/DC style crunch to higher gain Santana type lead.
£1800 won't get you a new one but it's close.
I also have rather odd EQ settings on the amp, which I only came across after owning the amp for quite some time (bass and treble both around 2-3).
This probably doesn’t help at all, other than to say YouTube videos are almost useless, and that you should play your own guitar through an amp when you test it.
Friedman Dirty Shirley Mini
Soldano Astroverb 16
My feedback thread is here.
Mesa v 35 was sent back as i was underwhelmed for its price.
I wanted to buy from Thomman due to good service from them in the past.(3 yr guarantee which they honour.)
Add it to your list .