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TEN PEAVEY BANDITS THEN!
I saw a Studio 110 in Cash Converters at the weekend, no price on it. I daren't ask, because although I really don't need one, one of my favourite bands in the 80s/90s always played through Bandits.
http://forums.prosoundweb.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=142692.0;attach=7202;image
They are really great - I actually prefer the sound to the Bandit of the same era. I used one in a band for a while, it replaced a Mesa Subway Rocket! Which was only borrowed, but I actually preferred the Peavey anyway.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
So given the budget, just buy a JTM45 Reissue, it ticks all the boxes no tranny amp ever has.
Even the 50w combo is loud enough but you have so many options in the range. All sub-£300.
... Get a new guitar too
On the other hand, a really good valve amp should only ever blow valves and fuses, so you can get it going again at a gig with just those - but a failed solid-state amp is always a workshop job.
Swings and roundabouts...
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
If the OP had asked for a cheap, lightweight solution I'd have gone along with many of the suggestions here, but with a big budget and no worries about portability there are some rock solid, future proof valve amps available.
I haven't had a valve amp die on me for over 35 years...
The worst thing is the uncertainty, valves are marketed as car tyres, look after them and they'll be fine, but that's just not the case.
i'm done with valves, it's the space year 2018 and I'd rather not have the niggling doubts and anxiety to kill my pre-gig buzz.
Your could pay over 2k for a valve amp and it would make no difference at all, a change in temp, humidity, a drop of water, and POP...
Game over as far as reliability is concerned.
A JTM45 reissue is also now well over a grand new, not including a cabinet. Even Orange's lower-priced amps - which are very good too - are getting up to that sort of money. The major exception I can think of is Jet City, which don't have any issues I know of. I'm not sure I would bet on something like a Mesa in the very long term either - too complex and with some specialist parts that may become difficult to get in 20 years' time or more.
I know what you mean about the way solid-state amps react to pedals too - we've talked about this before . (And digital amps seem to be even worse.) Whether that problem can be solved, I don't know - or whether there is even any pressure to do so now, since I can see all-digital systems becoming the norm in the future.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I've had a Marshall Superbass blow a fuse on me at a gig which was probably down to teenage ignorance on my part, and that was in early 1982. I've gigged the hell out of Fender, Marshall, Dynacord and Jet City valve amps ever since and never had a single one go down.
I've had four solid state PA cabs die on me at gigs in the last 20 months, and that's with very light vocal-only use. I know where my niggling doubts lie pre-gig, and it's not with any of our valve backline.
There are many reasons for choosing a solid state amp and not all of them are about how well they react to the volume control. Horses for courses.
But there are some really small lightweight solutions that you can easily stick in your gig bag if you are using a head and cab, or have the option to go through the PA. The Vox range of little MV50 amps with 'Nutube' weigh just 1lb and are tiny but can kick out between 12.5-50 watts depending on speaker cab, and come in 5 flavours (High gain, Boutique, Clean, AC and Rock). And a little Vox Stomp Lab (1.3lbs), Zoom G3n (2.8lbs) or similar plugged into the PA should easily get you through a gig.
But if you play a combo and don't have a PA to go through then you'll probably need to take a small, light back-up combo if you're worried about being left high & dry. And here a modelling amp is likely to be your best option purely re size/weight. Of course if you are happy to take a bigger, heavier, better second amp then go for it - but I was more thinking of something as minimal as possible.
OK you can’t change valves in the middle of a song - but unless you have it sitting there on stage all set up and ready to go you can’t change amps in the middle of a song either.
The one time I had a power valve blow, I had the amp back up and running in about two minutes. Admittedly it was an easy one where you don’t have to undo anything to get at them.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein