Guitar amp advice needed

[simorchid]

Hi all,

Newbie here who needs some advise on which guitar amp to buy.

I am after a mid priced all tube guitar amp in the $1300-1700 USD range. I would like to get sparkling clean tones, bluesy OD's and classic rock high gain for solos. A 2x12" combo would be my preference.

The guitars I own are a Gibson Les Paul 1980 silverburst custom, an Ibanez 1970-something Musician guitar and i'm saving up for a Fender Hotrod Deluxe Telecaster.

The tones I would like to emulate are Jeff Buckley and Dave Gilmour for clean and blues tones and Jimmy Page and Jerry Cantrell for the classic rock and high gain tones.

The amps I am considering are the Fender Hotrod Deville III 2x12", Bogner Alchemist 2x12" and the Peavey Classic 50 2x12".

So out of these which one?

Other suggestions are welcome too.

[Gibsonman63]

I would like to get sparkling clean tones, bluesy OD's and classic rock high gain for solos. A 2x12" combo would be my preference.

The tones I would like to emulate are Jeff Buckley and Dave Gilmour for clean and blues tones and Jimmy Page and Jerry Cantrell for the classic rock and high gain tones.

That is a lot to ask from a single amp and will probably be a compromise either way. For the kind of money you are looking to spend, you can get a nice clean, shimmering reverby amp and and beefy, crunchy sounding single channel amp and switch between the two.

My vote, Fender Twin reverb for clean and Marshall 800 Combo for crunchy classic rock. Shop it hard and you can get both (used) within your budget. They both do what they do well. Add a TS-9 for solos and a A-B box and you are in business. Work the hell out of the volume know on the guitar for all the in-between sounds.

There are many other amps that will fit the bill instead of my two preferences, but you get the idea.
(check out Eric Johnson's rig for an expanded example of this concept)

[FlyingZ]

Try Fender red knob "The Twin" with TS9 for extra gain/solo's. $500 to $800. Used mine in cover bands for 25 years. Some people get turned off because they’re afraid to use extremes on the tone controls.
I discovered a broken wire on the worthless Clapton boost after the demo, thought it sounded dull but assumed it was my cold

I'll do a decent demo if I ever get the time. Just imagine less mids, brighter highs, and a little more gain.
YouTube - Fender Red Knob Twin

[stokes]

Should be able to find a used Boogie Mk II or III in that price range.The Mk's have an incredible clean and the lead channels can be great with the right tubes and bias.

[Prairie Dawg]

Don't know why they got a bad rap. I've got a red knob Twin and it is all about muscle. Also has the best channel switching I've ever heard. Quiet and seamless.

[FlyingZ]

The bad part is that they are hard to work on and the boards are cheap. I had to jump several bad traces and build a new bias board but it's still more then worth it.

[MrJones]

My first choice when it comes to clean tones is "Hiwatt" Check it out, I love it.

[DrGonz78]

If I could get one amp right this minute it would have to be an old Music Man amp. These things sound great!! Even the solid state ones sound really good too. I did see this guy for sale on ebay...

Music Man 212-HD One Fifty Amp~ NO RESERVE! WORKS GREAT! | eBay

Also, here is some more info on another site about that amp...

212 HD 130 Review | Music Man | Guitar Amplifiers | Reviews @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com

Yes there are lots of amps to pick from but this is the one that I hear and every time I want one... Buying this stuff on eBay is always a risk, but I have had some luck. Not always...

[Enzo]

I'd say that whatever amps WE might like, it is your ears you need to please. What I like is irrelevant. Grab your guitar, and go to wherever these amps are being sold and play through them. Plan ahead and make up a small setlist of sample tunes, so you don;t forget some sound or other you want. And ask the places if there is a time you can try the amps at stage volumes.

Then decide for yourself what works best. Bring your floor toys in case you just have to have that Tube Screamer plugged into the clean channel for some song or other.