What amp(s) are you using?

Yep; sure is!! I don't know what the situation was like in Canada when you were a young fella, Barry, but out here in the Antipodes it was pretty dire!! But a couple of NZ firms came up with versions of the famous amps of the time, one of which I still use to this day... or would if it were in the same city as I am!! It's an all-tube Holden 100W combo loaded with 2x KT88's and 4xECC83's - heavy as all hell but what tone,,, sort of marshall-y with a heavy Blackface vibe; I've never liked the idea of a practice amp simply 'cause I think you should practice with what you're gonna gig; that way there are no surprises and you know exactly what sort of tones you are going to get at most settings.
If you don't gig of course, then a wee job makes a hell of a lotta sense!! (You can always turn a big amp down, though...)

corsair wrote:I've never liked the idea of a practice amp simply 'cause I think you should practice with what you're gonna gig; (You can always turn a big amp down, though...)

Yeah, I never used a "practice" amp in the days when I was playing either. Didn't have one!
As for turning it down, I suppose, but I don't think you really get the full frequency response and subtleties that way. You have 100 watts sitting right there--too much temptation to let 'er rip so you can hear it all!

My 'music room' is only about 10x10 and I already have enough tinnitus to provide my own horn section. I don't need more volume. The VOX suits me very well for most noodling around. It's plenty loud but also extremely versatile and 'suggests' different sounds depending on what guitar I'm playing (and which song). It's a great way to stretch myself musically. With just that one amp I have 11 amp styles X 11 effects settings X 12 guitars...and I can program each setting 3 ways. (You can do the math. Makes my head hurt thinking about it). About the only thing I'm really missing is a heavy bottom end.

Lately I'm rediscovering my first amp, the Danelectro DM25. With the Dano U2 or the Gibson ES330 plugged in it reminds me where it all started for me. Great stuff--single coil hum and all!

- Blackheart BH5-112 http://www.blackhearteng.com/bh5112.html

- Orange Crush 15 http://www.orangeamps.com/products.asp?Action=View&ID=92

Both are actually to loud for home use.

- a small 4 W amp from around 1965 called Lancia (Japanes made, seems to me it's a Guyatone).
Has a nice warm sound and can be played in the living room !!!

Plus a bunch off pedals. Tonebone Hot British, Little Big Muff, Tech 21 XXL ... DOD Phaser...., EHX Echo.

For the daily playing I'm using a ZOOM GM-200 amp modeler. Has also Chorus, Tremolo, Reverb and Echo.
(11 model's, I'm using two off them, British Crunch and British drive). Goes straight into a small ALESIS IO14 Firewire and then into the PC.

Keeps the neighbours happy!

H.

i sold the crummy marshall practice amp (and a load of other stuff), and and bought a lovely, nearly new, peavey classic 30.. swoon...

bobroberts wrote:i sold the crummy marshall practice amp (and a load of other stuff), and and bought a lovely, nearly new, peavey classic 30.. swoon...

I have a Classic 30 too - pretty good for PV. The clean sounds are great. The built-in distortion is barely passable but I imagine it would sound good with a good distortion pedal.

it does quite nicely for the stuff i play...

Got this today! Its a Marshall MG100HDFX and is replacing my MG30DFX!

That should keep the neighbours' toes a-tappin'!
Cool Jazzmaster too...is it new or old?

Thanks! Its a Crafted In Japan Jazzmaster, from around '03 or later I believe! I think the amp was good at £200

kebabage wrote:...from around '03 or later...

So, old for you, new for me!
I've never been much of a Fender guy but these always had an appeal for me for some strange reason. The closest I have to a Fender is Vintage TC200, a British designed Telecaster clone which is very nice.

I picked up a Peavey Classic 50/410 last weekend. I emailed Peavey with the serial number and factory codes - and found out that it was shipped in 2001. Tubed preamp and power amp - built in Meridian, Mississippi. She's got a really smooth clean channel, nice and glassy, perhaps not as chimey as a Fender Twin, but better than a Hot Rod. Its heavy - weighing in at about 75 lbs... I'm going to find some Ernie Ball casters for this one. I like the reverb - the tank itself is pretty huge. The lead channel is not as "dirty" as my Marshall, but its quite useable for what we do. How does the lead sound? The closest thing I can think of is Gerry Garcia circa 1972.

OK here we go.... Real Pics of our amps..

First up is the Marshall valvestate. Its a nice little amp, good dirty channel, some background hiss - 1996 model, made in UK.



Next up is the new Peavey... love this amp. It runs a fan which is audible when idling.



The clean sound is pretty brilliant. Dirty is nice too, not meant for metal, but I like it. Nice warm tones from this amp.

Here is a pic of the controls... you can also see part of the Zoom 2.1 pedal in the background. The two make a nice combination, as I mentioned before.



Best,
Ian