Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

Will any of these amps work for a LP?


pumpkin

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 57
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Are you buying the amp for him? Don't...

Let him pick out an amp. ...

 

+10

 

I took my LP out with me to shop for my amp. Since they are played together, they need to sound right together....

 

BTW, I support my local non-chain store first, so go to one if you can; furthermore, buy it off the store wherever you try it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is the only thing that will work.

 

MalmAmps.jpg

 

 

 

Mmmmmm.......!!!!

Plexi!!!

 

Yeah Pumpkin' date=' I think the Fender Hot Rod series is a great bargain, but it's still gonna cost you $500 or more.

Gotta have tubes in it....

 

Buying used is no big deal as long as you're sure it works good.

The tubes do have a finite life span, that's the one thing that sucks if you buy used - they may be nearing the end.

Not terribly expensive, but it sucks to spend money then have to spend more...

 

My Hot Rod DeVille 2x12 needed new preamp tubes after only one year, quite odd for any tube amp.

Been fine for six years since and I play the hell out of it.

 

Here are my main amps;

 

[img']http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3019/2726241341_da0752b5a5.jpg?v=0[/img]

 

Sorry, wrong pic!

:-)

 

 

 

Here's my main rig.

 

Fender Hot Rod DeVille 2x12 - 60 watts. . . Marshall JCM 800 head - 100 watts of HELL!

Fender Blues Junior 1x12 - 15 watts. . . . . . 4x12 'B' cabinet.

 

2636099679_5aed572ce8.jpg?v=0

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The marshall should work BEST (provided it's not one of those MG series)... but you should try themall and see which one sounds better considering they are free... in my experience no amp sounds bad with a Gibson Les Paul or a made in USA fender.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The marshall should work BEST (provided it's not one of those MG series)... but you should try themall and see which one sounds better considering they are free... in my experience no amp sounds bad with a Gibson Les Paul or a made in USA fender.

 

+1

 

The Marshall MG series isn't worth the attractive low price. It's the equivalent of wanting a Les Paul, but settling for an Epiphone rather than a Gibson ... only worse.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have an 80 watt marshall Valvestate amp... it is a combo, meaning the head and speaker cabinet are housed inside one single box.

a tube amp has valves inside which make the cool sounds, and a solid state amp has transistors and micro chips inside which do the same job. valve amps usually sound better, but you have to turn em up loud.

 

my one is clever because it has valves in the pre amp stages but uses solid state amplification in the power amp stages. meaning i can get a really nice overdriven classic rock sound from the valves while simultaneously having complete control of the master volume due to the solid state power amp stages. In other words i get a great sound without annoying my neighbours.

 

See Link ~~~~~~>

amp page

 

And the best part is the price tag..... much cheaper than an all valve amp

 

I play my les paul all the time through it, and it sounds really good. The only time it doesn't do so well is in a gig situation, i can turn it up plenty loud, but it starts to sound scratchy at high volume. maybe if i bought a propper cabinet for it, and hooked it up, it might be fine at high volume.

 

in other words, i would recommend a marshal valvestate amp to anybody who wants a great amp for knocking about the house with. they come in a complete range of sizes from 10 watts up to 100 i think.

 

Make sure you get one with a good overdrive sound if you and your hubby are gonna be playing rock or metal. ....

unless you want to start buying external overdrive or effects units.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:-k

 

lol... point taken.

 

Pumpkin --

 

Go to Carvin.com. Pick up a Carvin Belair (2x12, tube combo amp with EL84s, 50 watts).

 

Drop ship the amp to Richard Hasselbrock in Fullerton, CA. Have him put in the Stage II, Attitude and Master volume mods and then ship the amp to you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All of those amps will work, but in my opinion, the will all sound like azz....You can pick up a new Fender Hot Rod Deluxe for under $700, or a new VOX Nighttrain for under $500...there are lots of other nice and inexpensive tube amps as well. Nothing sounds as good as a tube amp pushed to breakup...

 

My .02

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is he acquainted with the different types of tone out there? If not, then a Flextone from Line 6 isn't a bad way to go... seriously. For low volume, at-home use it's not half bad at all and you get SO many different tones to try out and like. I think the real key is that you can get *pretty* close to a good, cranked sound at very, very low volume. I live in a condo and have great neighbors that I want to remain to be friendly with. The Flextone works great for me even at *super* low volume. Hell, even the headphone out is pretty amazing for playing late night. Don't get me started on the straight-to-tape tones you can get from these little guys, too. I've played in bands and had half-stacks, almost-stacks, and various 1x12 combos from the likes of Peavey, Mesa, and Marshall. Sure they're AMAZING! I just can't play them nearly loud enough to get a good tone or feel out of them without freaking out my neighbors. They think it's "cool" to have a guitarist for a friend -- until you interrupt their evening television. [-( Most smaller, low power combos are still hitting 95+ decibels with just one watt of power to the cone. Output tube saturation and "bounciness" even on a 5W amp like the Laney Lionheart takes some reasonable volume -- just too much for me. As everyone else mentioned though... have him try some out. I'd even take my own guitar to the store to check out the amps.

 

For the record, in a year or so when I'm out of this condo and without adjoining walls I *will* be getting a Soldano reverb-o-sonic. :) Ever played one? Pretty damn amazing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hey pumpkin ' date=' i looked at the guitar you bought your husband in your other post......very nice

for a practice amp i have a epiphone valve junior which i think is really nice and moderately priced and a tube amp as well. also i have a crate blackheart little giant that sounds great too. they are both tube amps and are only 5 watts.(the blackheart also has a switch to go down to 3 watts) i use mine with a boost pedal and i can keep up with a drumset at practice. these go for about 150-300 dollars. so you cant beat it. look for these used too . i bought my first epiphone valve junior combo for 75 dollars(before trading it up to the head version) brings out the tone of my les pauls. these little amps are great for home. on another note it is good to hear the amps before you buy them (preferably with the guitar) . hope this helped a little. there are many amps and opinions out there but i think its good to have a few to start looking at least. [/quote']

 

+1 for epiphone valve jr....cheap but decent tube (and modifiable to sound better if u want [-X)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another vote for the Epiphone Valve Junior, but you will also need a speaker cabinet to accompany the head.

 

I have one and I got it modded to sound amazing...trumps any mass market amp in the price range.

 

Yes, it is THAT GOOD.

 

Basically you can ship your valve junior to randy bemis at bemis amplification, for him to rebuild: email him at randy@bemisamps.com or call 619-248-2362.

 

Call and ask him to describe his mods for a VJ, or in particular ask for the "Custom 7” if you want one like mine. He basically rips the Valve Junior apart and rebuilds it with better components and does some other stuff - whatever hocus-pocus he did on it worked.

 

If you send him the amp, he will probably only charge you for his mods, as he doesn't need to find a "donor amp" himself.

 

He will transform your VJ into a blues / rock tone machine - and no dist/overdrive pedals needed and it could be within a reasonable budget ($500 or less).

 

Here's a review:

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/product/Bemis+Amps/Valve+Jr.+Custom+7/100/1

 

How can you argue with getting a custom made tube amp in this price range?

 

 

PS...IMHO you can forget about solid state or modeling amps if you are after the best possible tone - that should narrow your shopping list down a bit!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like my Blackheart Handsome Devil. $450 for combo, $510 for the head and cabinet. I have the combo, it's got pretty drive, 7-15w switchable and outputs for an extension cab. They also have a 3-5w model, the Little Giant for $350 for the combo or head and cab. Both sound great and are at a great price. I'm thinking of getting an extension for mine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thank you. i just really hate that i gave him a gift and now he has to buy something pretty expensive to go with it. kwim?

 

i appreciate yalls help! thanks so much!

 

Get him a little 30watt MG30 Marshall. My son has one. Cranks pretty good for home use.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

+1

 

The Marshall MG series isn't worth the attractive low price. It's the equivalent of wanting a Les Paul' date=' but settling for an Epiphone rather than a Gibson ... only worse. [/quote']

 

What a coincidence, my son has a Epiphone Les Paul with a Marshall MG30. Fits right in. Someday he wants a gibson Les Paul with a Marshall Stack. Has to have money first.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Line 6 makes an ok amp. I have a Spider III 75 that I use for rehearsals and it used to sound nice. For some reason I recently started getting a slight hum from the amp - it happens with all my guitars, so I'm not sure what's going on with that. Anyhow, just check out each amp and eliminate the ones that have any ambient hums, unless that kind of thing doesn't bother you, and be sure to try them all at various volumes (guitar volume and amp volume) to get the best overall feel for the sound you are looking for.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thanks so much everyone! i think i found a good reasonable one to start with for now... a Crate Blackheart BH5-112 Little Giant Guitar Amp Combo, 5W All Tube with Attitude.

 

it was mentioned on this thread & i appreciate yall so much!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like I said earlier, Blackhearts are great little amps, especially for home use. Very affordable and great tone. I like to use a Tubescreamer and Metal Zone with mine to give it a little extra kick. The Little Giant doesn't have a Drive control though but the Handsome Devil does and it sounds great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...