dc3c46 Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Well guys, I finally found some folks to jam with from time to time and I am really excited. Now comes the problem: My amps at home, Lonestar Special head and 2x12 cab plus Vox AC15 are a pain in the butt to move around and I do not want to dismantle my setup including pedals etc. Been looking at an additional SS amp with 2x12 spkrs and good sound. I boiled it down to the Fender Mustang IV and the Roland Blues Cube Artist. However had no chance to try either of them out. Any recommendation/experience? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 The Roland is very impressive. I can't comment on the mustang IV unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvercrow Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 I recently "auditioned" some SS amps to use at church worship service, because tube amps spring from the pit of hell itself!* Can't speak relative to the NEW Roland Blues Cubes- Eric johnson seems to endorse 'em and for $600.00 they better be good! The older Blues Cubes, used that I tried, pretty unimpressive, IMO. The Fender Mustang III v2- I've been using for over a month now. VERY nice- close to tube amp tones, factory pre-sets range from "eh" to "YEESH!", HOWEVER, the amp models can be tweaked and are very useful for me, both with my LP Studio and my Fender Strat, and take my OD pedal well. The Mustangs are surprisingly good and I found one used VERY reasonable. IMO-YMMV etc. * Translation: Our sound guys are volunteer, don't know how to mike up an amp / deal with 60 cycle hum, etc. Best wishes- hoped this might've helped... Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 I own three tube amps, and a pedal board that weighs as much as small combo. so I hear you completely IMHO you will get much more "stuff" in the mustang IV. IT does lot of stuff and does it well. you will need to spend some time to tweak the presets to your liking. but the only signal processor you'll need, is a cable. it comes with a 4 button foot controller, you can als add the 2 button, and that wll give you plenty of remote control to change presets, turn on/off FX, built in tuner (yes, in the four button Foot controller) I have a v1 Mustang IV I've gigged with it and it definitely gets the job done. it can roar when it needs to. I also have the 100 watt Mustang III Another fine amp, I prefer the 2x12 and the added wattage (150watts) for live band use. the price break alone will be considerable the roland as I recall is a lot more $$$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 My opinion, recommendation, is to use the GOOD amps you have, and not bother buying a cheaper one to save the trouble of disconnecting the amp and returning it. You aren't saving any trouble. You are just adding a cheaper amp to your collection and using it instead of the better amps you already have. Either way, you have to carry one. Get used to it, and be glad you are the guitar player and not the drummer or the lead singer. They have way more stuff to carry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 My opinion, recommendation, is to use the GOOD amps you have, and not bother buying a cheaper one to save the trouble of disconnecting the amp and returning it. You aren't saving any trouble. You are just adding a cheaper amp to your collection and using it instead of the better amps you already have. Either way, you have to carry one. Get used to it, and be glad you are the guitar player and not the drummer or the lead singer. They have way more stuff to carry. This, minus the lead singer comment. Those princesses don't move squat. This includes tambourines and microphones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 My amps at home, Lonestar Special head and 2x12 cab plus Vox AC15 are a pain in the butt to move around and I do not want to dismantle Not to bust your chops, but come on! A 1x12 AC15? That's nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanHenry Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 How about this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jeJ3FG17lo http://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/musical-instruments/guitars-basses/amps/thrh/?mode=series Not cheap, but I'd like to try one out to see what it's like. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 assuming you are after a no-fuss, plug-in-and-play amp for the jams then... IF you are playing rock and have not already ruled one out i'd recommend at least trying an Orange CR120 Combo before you buy - no bells and whisltles other than various reverbs, but effectively a stupid-cheap version of a Rockerverb. Not necessarily for all music types, but if you are playing rock/hard rock then worth checking out youtube demos and having a try in store. all the best with the search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 This, minus the lead singer comment. Those princesses don't move squat. This includes tambourines and microphones. Suppose I should have said "bandleader"...the guy with the PA....USUALLY. Yea, "lead singer"...lol. Then again, there are plenty of times I am more than happy to move stuff for a sweetheart/lady type. I've known plenty like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Think it's the Fender Mustang - no contest. Yes you are the one who will have to carry it...... I'm thinking about getting a trolley..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 If they sound good to you, then SS amps are fine. If you play louder with a flatter sound, or if you play clean jazzy stuff then ss might be fine but if you normally use a tube amp and you want to use a ss amp at your gigs to save your back, I might question your priorities. I mean, what are you gigging for if it's more important to save your back than play through a decent amp? SS amps are basically garbage for the most part for most kinds of guitar playing where there's crunch involved or if you like lots of "dynamics." If they're o.k. for your kind of music, then great. I've never played a ss amp that sounded anywhere near as good as the crappiest tube amp - to my ear. I'm not impressed with the Blues Cube too much. I guess they dropped the little sparkly light in the back that was on the Eric Johnson Model? That was foolish, like it was almost just a wannabe kind of deal. They sound kind of o.k. on the demos I've seen, but certainly not as nice as any tube amp. I have to try one next time I'm at GC. At 80 watts solid state, I'll bet a 20 watt Blues Junior would kick it's butt right into the gutter. When Anderton's did a demo of it, Chappers said he would "seriously consider the amp as a backup amp." That's really saying "I don't like it." The Mustang amps are like the Squire guitars. Same level. The guitars levels are like Squire, Mexican, then American. The amps are like Mustang, Hot Rod, BF/SF Reissues. The Mustang IV is 150W solid state, which is about as loud as a 30W tube amp. Two 12" speakers are not necessary for that size of amp. Two speakers will make it louder than one, but it will sound flatter and less dynamic. Which is the problem with SS amps to start with. So they're trying to make it loud, but doing it in a way that makes the sound more SS sounding. Amps are all priced to drag you up to the next level of pricing, so it's hard to decide. The best thing to do is try to borrow amps somehow and play with your band at high volume and then try to decide. They all sound different once you crank them. Tube amps sound better when you crank them. SS amps sound worse when you crank them. So keep that in mind. Or just go with what Stein said to avoid all my drivel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 I would have suggested the Roland. I was surprised to see so many negatives about it in this thread. I have an older Blues Cube and it sounds great IMO. My band mates think so too. But it has no effects or reverb. I can do without the other effects but it would be nice to have built in reverb. I haven't heard the newer Roland but imagine the basic sound would be similar. Mine is very dynamic for a SS and it has a deep, rich tone as opposed to a jangly, chimey Fender style tone. Maybe I like my Blues Cube because its more like my Carvin in that respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 Great post, badblues. I've not played the Fender or the Roland that the OP is considering. I am anxious to hear the Roland. I own a Roland 80XL, and I prefer its clean sound to any other amp. But that is where it ends. I mostly only use its clean sound with very little reverb and delay, and for that, it's as good as anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 Why not just a little tube amp? My grab and go is this little "Champ" style a friend of mine built. It's maybe 8 watts, great tube tone, 8 inch Weber speaker, and weighs little. I use it for rehearsal and smaller gigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 Kinda depends on what style of music/how loud. If it's loud rock, you won't be able to hear yourself through a SS amp unless it's 150+ watts. 100W will be cranked up to 10 (might blow yet still not be loud enough). I'm speaking from experience. Tube amps are heavier - how did you think Slash or whoever got such nice arms? And also way louder & sound so much better. Add side handles & casters to make your life easier, but go with a tube amp. Why buy fancy Gibsons only to play through a ghetto SS amp made in China? If you're playing rock with a hard-hitting drummer, 8W tube will drown in the mix but a 60W tube should cut. Depends on the band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 If they sound good to you, then SS amps are fine. If you play louder with a flatter sound, or if you play clean jazzy stuff then ss might be fine but if you normally use a tube amp and you want to use a ss amp at your gigs to save your back, I might question your priorities. I mean, what are you gigging for if it's more important to save your back than play through a decent amp? SS amps are basically garbage for the most part for most kinds of guitar playing where there's crunch involved or if you like lots of "dynamics." If they're o.k. for your kind of music, then great. I've never played a ss amp that sounded anywhere near as good as the crappiest tube amp - to my ear. I'm not impressed with the Blues Cube too much. I guess they dropped the little sparkly light in the back that was on the Eric Johnson Model? That was foolish, like it was almost just a wannabe kind of deal. They sound kind of o.k. on the demos I've seen, but certainly not as nice as any tube amp. I have to try one next time I'm at GC. At 80 watts solid state, I'll bet a 20 watt Blues Junior would kick it's butt right into the gutter. When Anderton's did a demo of it, Chappers said he would "seriously consider the amp as a backup amp." That's really saying "I don't like it." The Mustang amps are like the Squire guitars. Same level. The guitars levels are like Squire, Mexican, then American. The amps are like Mustang, Hot Rod, BF/SF Reissues. The Mustang IV is 150W solid state, which is about as loud as a 30W tube amp. Two 12" speakers are not necessary for that size of amp. Two speakers will make it louder than one, but it will sound flatter and less dynamic. Which is the problem with SS amps to start with. So they're trying to make it loud, but doing it in a way that makes the sound more SS sounding. Amps are all priced to drag you up to the next level of pricing, so it's hard to decide. The best thing to do is try to borrow amps somehow and play with your band at high volume and then try to decide. They all sound different once you crank them. Tube amps sound better when you crank them. SS amps sound worse when you crank them. So keep that in mind. Or just go with what Stein said to avoid all my drivel. Even your drivel sounds like quality. "Tube drivel" I suppose. I completely agree with where you are going with this, and THIS IS GOOD ADVICE, FOLKS. And I think the main point here also: IF you are playing a good guitar, something on the level Gibson makes, you aren't going to hear how good it is by collecting and playing through "squire" level amps. Where the bottom line is as far as what "you" sound like, the amp is far more important than the guitar. That is to say, IF and when you are turning up to a sound level to match a drummer, 1) what everyone hears is the amp 2) "bad" sound sounds worse loud, and good sound sounds better loud. It's easy to sound snobbish about these things, especially when it seems a guy with "good" stuff is looking down at the "cheap" stuff others are using, but once a guy experiences and starts using good amps, it's evangelical more than snobbish, cause "we" are just trying to share the joy of what happens when the amp part of the equation is taken to the higher level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 man, the guy owns a Lonestar and an AC15, I can't see that that he needs to be edjumacated on the merits of good tube amps. Interesting points Brundaddy & BBP re the respective volume outputs. I put together a 3 piece 'garage band' a while back just for a fun thing to make a racket on originals, and picked up a 200w Hiwatt SS and quad box to use for the hell of it. The drummer hits fairly hard and when I started pushing the master volume past 7 I started thinking uh-oh... For that music I find the sound is fine cos its rough and overdriven, but the volume could have been comfortably handled by a much lower output tube amp. you live and learn... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 Difference between SS and tube output ratings is often because it's expressed wrong. Tube amps are almost always expressed in RMS watts, while SS amps could be expressed whatever, often "peak" output. Also, the speaker(s) matter just as much. Just as an example, a Deluxe Reverb is literally twice as loud with twice the clean headroom with a C12N speaker than a C12R. The higher rated the speaker, the more sensitive, and the more volume it creates per RMS watt. For my Blues/rock dollar, Never had to go more than a 22 watt amp to keep up with a drummer, only when the drums get miked. 40 watts is getting to be a bit much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 At the risk of piling on and sounding redundant, I'll just say this: - A killer amp will make the cheapest guitar sound killer. - A crappy amp will reduce a Les Paul Custom to a lifeless pile of driftwood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 My opinion, recommendation, is to use the GOOD amps you have, and not bother buying a cheaper one to save the trouble of disconnecting the amp and returning it. You aren't saving any trouble. You are just adding a cheaper amp to your collection and using it instead of the better amps you already have. Either way, you have to carry one. Get used to it, and be glad you are the guitar player and not the drummer or the lead singer. They have way more stuff to carry. At the risk of piling on and sounding redundant, I'll just say this: - A killer amp will make the cheapest guitar sound killer. - A crappy amp will reduce a Les Paul Custom to a lifeless pile of driftwood. From your post it sounds like you haven't jammed for a while with others. Why settle with some cheap amp. I use my good amp for jamming (which is only 1-2 times a month and stays in our rehearsal area) and i practice on my small Fender Greta 2 watt amp. I don't have to lug my stuff, but i would if i were you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 From your post it sounds like you haven't jammed for a while with others. Why settle with some cheap amp. I use my good amp for jamming (which is only 1-2 times a month and stays in our rehearsal area) and i practice on my small Fender Greta 2 watt amp. I don't have to lug my stuff, but i would if i were you. Me? I have weekly rehearsals. Granted, it's just me and a drummer at Fort Knox in the hourly rooms, but I'm in there pushing their house amps. Most are garbage so i know about degrading the sweet tones of my SG. The three amps i own are a Silvertone 1448, Silvertone 1484, and a mid 90s Fender DRRI. I would and have lugged any of these amps to a jam session or gig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 Maybe, the OP just wants a good excuse to try out/buy a good "solid state" amp? Don't forget to look into the Orange Crush series, and the Vox Valvetronix, or Vox AC-30VR (Valve Reactor) or AC-15VR's Along with the Fender Mustangs, and Roland Cube series, they all have decent reputations, for Good/Great tone, and reliability, without breaking the bank. Most of my amps are Tube=Valve amps! But, I do have 2 Solid State amps, that I can "Gig" with, and have, on several occasions! One, is an old 1980 Fender (Japan) 1X12 "Sidekick 35 Reverb" I use it as a backup, or even in addition to my Blues Jr. The other one is a Marshall AVT 20 (20 watt 1X10)! Both, are plenty loud enough, to gig with, in any of the places we play, anymore. Let your own ears, decide! Good Hunting! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 I'm in two bands, sometimes they both rehearse in the same week. I have a rig in each practice space, and a rig for home. moving all this stuff around gets old, especially now that the weather is turning colder and winter is coming. being able to just grab and axe and head out makes life a lot easier than having to drag an amp and what ever else you'd need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 Almost all of the gigs I have ever played have been as a bass player. Every single one of them was played with a solid-state amp. If I were called on tomorrow to play a guitar gig without question I would bring my Roland solid-state amp. Tube amps are expensive, delicate, and usually very difficult to dial-in when changing from a large room to a small room. My vote is for the Roland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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