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Amp of Choice


CowboyBillyBob1

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Since March of this year I have purchased more than a few pieces of gear. I just could not help myself.

Among those purchases I have aquired a Martin HD28V, a 2012 Gibson LP Sandard, a Midtown Standard with Bigsby, and Squire 50's Vibe Tele. I can't stress enough how great this Tele is regardless of the $350.00 USD price tag.

In any case I have been using an MXR Dyna Comp, TS-9, Boss Blues Driver and an MXR Carbon Copy analog delay. I have other stuff but these are essential. They have been going into a '65 Deluxe Reverb. That it, nothing else. Well I decided to pull out from the back of my closet a Marshall JMP Mark II Master Volume 2X12 combo. It's from 1981 just before the JCM800.

 

OMG this amp rocks so hard it's crazy. Not over the top distortion but a killer crunchy tone that is perfect for bluesy music.

Each guitars signature tone comes through loud and clear. Why I have not used it over the past 10 years is a mystery to me. I think it might be because I now know how to set it so it is not too loud and can get that great tone at apartment level volume.

 

No other purpose to this post. I just needed to share my experience.

 

Thanks for reading this.

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Well CowboyBillyBob, that's why we do what we do.

My three amps are all great and I wouldn't want to get rid of any of them at this time.

I play two telecasters and an ES-175.

The telecasters are as different as they could be.

My first one is a Limited Edition 60th Anniversary made from Ash. It has a great bridge pickup in it. I think it's a custom shop Broadcaster pickup. It's a lot hotter than my other tele which is a '62 Reissue Tele Custom with Custom '60s pickups in it. Those pickup poles are staggered as opposed to the flat poles on the 60th anniversary tele. It's a much more jangly telecaster than the other one.

The ES-175 is the first guitar I ever purchased. Made in 1988 it has mahogony back and sides instead of the usual maple laminate.

Anyway, they all sound so different from each other and are unique in their own right.

My amps include a Fender Custom Shop Two-Tone with a 10X12 speaker arrangement. It's basically a built to the hilt Blues Jr. I love that amp. It suits me fine.

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The second amp I purchased is a Gibson Les Paul Jr. GA-5. Hand wired, point-to-point. Again sounds great with all three guitars and loves pedals to boot.

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My third amp is a Fender Custom Shop '57 Deluxe. It's kind of special in that only 300 were made. I dig this thing because it's so different from the other two. It also has a Celestian Blue Alnico speaker in it. So it breaks up a lot easier than other Deluxes.

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My next purchace after an acoustic guitar will probably be a Marshall Silver Jubilee or a clone of one. I have a friend who ownes one and it's something to behold.

Pick long and prosper.

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I have been playing through an Acoustic G100T head into an Acoustic 469 4x12, both matching units with a Gibson SG standard into a pedal board consisting of a Boss TU-3 / SHO Clone / Sound City PS-6 / Arion SAD-1 / Cosmo Delay. The amplifier has a 50/100 watt setting, and I play it mostly at 50 watts. It's a nice clean "california" tone similar to that of a Mesa Boogie of the mid to late 70's. I am extremely happy with the overall sound quality, especially the 6L6GC's that the G100T uses. It has both a clean channel and a drive channel, however with my SHO clone I typically keep the amp in channel one as it drives my amplifier into sonic de gradated heaven.

 

A buddy of mine who plays guitar in our group uses currently uses an Acoustic 150 head into an Acoustic 104 6x10, both matching units with a Fender Stratocaster into a EH Big Muff with a stock Acoustic footswitch that engages both or either the built in Reverb and Tremolo. It's another great example of a loud clean amplifier and is transistor. Very bright and luscious.

 

I have simply fallen in love with the old Acoustic Control amplifiers and cabinets, and depending on where you're located in the 50 states you can find them at reasonable prices for sale locally. I am always seeking out new to me gear. Most of the old ACC stuff still have a lower street value price than some of the other units from the early to mid 70's so I feel like it's almost a no brainer to pick them up when available. We just picked up an Acoustic 160 head which is the predecessor to the G100T as well as its matching 469 cabinet. The amp is headed into the shop to get some much needed TLC, and then we'll be using similar rigs which should be an improvement yet, which is almost insane to think.

 

 

I currently only play a Gibson SG standard, and I must say that I don't feel the urge to purchase or acquire any more guitars at all. I would much rather have a huge selection of varying amplifiers to either record or gig with. My reason for this is I am 100% content and pleased with the guitar. I feel as though with the amount of money a new and/or used Gibson, Fender, Gretch, etc... costs I can pick up at LEAST two or three full rigs that can vary any needed or wanted tone more so than a guitar can. I'm not opposed to owning more than one guitar, as I have a beat up Epiphone G400 that comes out with me as a back up, it's just that I know one is all I really need.

 

Over the past year I have had a serious itch for picking up any old gear working and/or not working so I can have a chance to feel them out and see if I like them or not. If you keep your eyes peeled you can find some incredible deals. I just picked up an Acoustic 104 6x10 with the original dust/slip cover for $50. That is almost unheard of in my experience and it's 100% original and functional. If funds get tight there is almost no way to lose money on deals like that.

 

Keep putting those hands of yours on as much gear as you can, I find by doing this I discover new things all the time as well as feel more confident in what overall sound I can achieve.

 

Thank you for sharing!

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Gear...stuff if you will...is so desirable nowadays

 

It looks good, smells good, feels good

 

The marketeers have us on the hook

 

Exploiting our love of classic sounds and nostalgia for the eras of great music(perhaps even including the present)

 

At the mo I'm DI'ing into the PA a lot with acoustic...travellin' light

 

Otherwise a valve amp or two for electric...EL 34 and EL 84 seem to suit

 

But the first grab is often the Roland Cube 80...a mini monster if ever there was one...cheap,solid,loud,adaptable(work of genius IMO)

 

Great to hear what people dig...

 

V

 

:-({|=

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I got turned on to Rivera amps about a year ago and have since bought 2. I really like the Clubster. Small yet tight and ballsy. Very nice reverb as well.

 

rivera2.jpg

 

Zenken, I've taken a few Rivera amps for test drives and I like 'em.

Very responsive amps.

Nice clean tones too.

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For everyday home use, Victoria 5112. I love that amp.

Cali, that black amp is simply gorgeous. [thumbup]

 

Thanks R9.

As soon as I'm able (I had knee surgery yesterday) I'll take a picture of it with Black Betty.

I figure the two of them together will make quite the eye candy. B)

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Cowboy Billy Bob,I'm so glad that your JTM finally "came out of the closet,that's no place for such an incredible amp.I have 2 Marshall JCM 800s and an Artiste from 1971,I could never stand to make a Marshall reside in a closet they are meant to peel paint off of walls.I'm happy that you took her out of her dungeon and let her sing like she should have been doing all along,then again a '65 Deluxe Reverb is hard to set aside too-you have exquisite tastes in amps.

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Cowboy Billy Bob,I'm so glad that your JTM finally "came out of the closet,that's no place for such an incredible amp.I have 2 Marshall JCM 800s and an Artiste from 1971,I could never stand to make a Marshall reside in a closet they are meant to peel paint off of walls.I'm happy that you took her out of her dungeon and let her sing like she should have been doing all along,then again a '65 Deluxe Reverb is hard to set aside too-you have exquisite tastes in amps.

Thanks for the compliment but it's a JMP 50 watt MKII Master Volume.

Here are a few pics of the exact same amp I found online.

 

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Although I can't read the control panel,she appears to be the combo equivalent to the 2204 and that would explain why she is such an incredible amp as the 2204 is the 50W equivalent to the 100W 2203,that Jim Marshall was quoted in the History Of Marshall book as being the best amp they ever made.

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I currently play thru a 1993 Peavey Prowler 1x12 45w combo. It's a decent little amp for the money.

 

My favorite amp ever, however, is the Marshall JCM 800 2203. To me, that and a good overdrive pedal (I dig the old MIJ Boss SD-1s)=killer tone.

 

I'm not too fond of super high-gain amps anymore, seeing as how much I love Strats and the fact that I don't think they sound too good with high gain. My Strat is usually employed for Blackmore/Malmsteen esque stuff (Somewhere between the two!), so a Strat, a 2203, and an SD-1 sounds great for that kind of stuff.

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