What Guitar Amp Do You Use?

[R. Laevinus]

I know quite a few of us, myself included, play six-string as well as four - so what do you use as an amp?

List why, if you can, and also list which you play more.

For myself, currently I don't have a guitar amp. I've used Rolands, Fenders and Peaveys in the past - my last wee amp was a Fender Super Champ XD, but I sold it because there was just too much Fender twang in it. Don't get me wrong, I love the Fender sound, but I wanted more versatility - and as I'm only a hobby guitarist, I couldn't justify having multiple amps.

Right now I'm saving up for a Mesa Express - small, loud enough to play a small gig (if I had to), and great tone for recording.

So what do you use, and why?

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by R. Laevinus

So what do you use, and why?

As usual, I roll my own.

The current example was a Fender 30, a 2-10 all tube amp from the early 80s with channel switching. Channel One is now more or less a Blackface Vibrolux Reverb, Channel Two goes to something like Marshall JCM880/Soldano/Rivera sort of territory. For recording you can use just one 10 and still get full power, which is kind of nice.

I use it mostly because no one has yet put enough cash in my hands to make me build something else for my personal amusement. I used to gig about equally on guitar and bass (both in the same band usually), and hopefully I'll get back to that later this year.

[JTE]

I've got two. A Fender Blues Jr. and a Peavey Delta Blues 210. The Fender has a better reverb with a bit more sparkle. The Peavey holds together without breakup at a higher volume (as it should, it's got four EL84s, and two speakers compared to the Fenders pair of EL84s and one speaker in a much smaller cabinet). While the DB210 has an overdrive channel, I seldom use it.

And if I was gigging as a guitarist I'd probably wind up getting a Fender Custom Vibrolux Reverb- a pair of 6L6, 2x10, and the reverb works on both channels. I used one at a gig a few years ago and it was perfect. I could set one channel for the Guild Starfire IV, the other channel for the Strat and they'd break up at exactly the right volume for a lot of gigs without being too loud. Of course, I'd love to have a black-face Princeton Reverb too.

John

[ggunn]

'64 Deluxe Reverb
Blues Jr.
'68 Super Reverb
Mesa Son of Boogie
50w Marshall JMP

Depending on my mood.

(Usually the Deluxe Reverb)

[C.Linton]

Fender Super Champ XD- hybrid amp.
Was recommended to me on a Fender mailing list, checked it out, like the features,(amp modelling and effects) and the price. Got it, I really like the tone, and am quite happy with it.
At some point, if I get good enough on guitar, I may trade up, but for now, this amp is perfectly fine.

[stratovani]

I've got an Alesis Spitfire 60 solid-state amp, which I've had for about 5 years now. It's got a ton of effects inside, but I only use a few. Not the greatest amp by any means, but it makes me sound like a rock star, and I only play it at home, so it's good enough for me.

[zachoff]

I use my Bassman 135/215 rig w/ my Big Muff. Sounds pretty rad.

[Big Daddy Mac]

Fender FM100 and a Fender 412 slant - when I was playing lead in a cover band and gigging *often* but not regularly.
Fender FM65 - small, light weight and powerful, mostly for jammin, did some gigs with it too.
Fender Princeton Chorus - when I was playing in a country band and gigging every weekend.
Ross 110 - a little practice amp, the price was right and I couldn't pass it up. It has since been shelved although I take it out for a test spin every now and then.

[Datsgor]

I use a Carvin VT-50. 50 watt all tube head. I plug my bass into it and then into my 2x12. That's right....I said Bass!

[Exploiter8]

When I equipped my bandroom a few years ago I bought a couple of 60watt Peavey Express 112 w/Sheffield speakers. Guitarists really like 'em!

X8

[jive1]

My main amp is a Peavey Classic 30 with a Cannabis Rex speaker, Tungsol preamp tubes, and JJ power tubes. I liked the Classic 30 stock, and then really loved it when I out the hemp cone speaker in it. The sound is pretty much perfect for me.

[gm2_in_co]

Fender Blues Jr. I tried a few others, but didn't want to get deep enough into it to really form an educated opinion so I went with the obvious.

[Mike M.]

I've got a stock Fender DRRI and a Marshall DSL 50 with a 4X12 that contains Celestion Vintage 30's. Love 'em both!!

[Kwin Smith]

Mesa Roadster 1/2 stack for live and rehearsal space stuff, and a Line 6 Spider III 1x12 for home practice.

The Roadster has the finest tones from super high gain to round, warm, and fat clean that I have found.
The Line 6 has decent high gain sounds at low volume. It works well enough for me when writing/learning stuff at home.

[254 stringer]

Marshall micro stack it's not bad would be better if it had a footswitch to turn gain channel on/off but I only play guitar at home so i can deal

[The_Ox]

A Fender Frontman 15R with a Boss MD-2 Mega Distortion and a Boss CH-1 Chorus. My new Telecaster sounds pretty dang good with the distortion on it's lowest settings and the amp clean. Really good Punk or Power Pop sound. Very Who-ey.

[Big chicken]

1960's Sano 2x12 i found on the side of the road.I saw the trash man coming down the road and I saved it's life.

[phatbass]

With guitar, I mainly play acoustic nowadays, apart from the occasional jam and a couple of gigs a year on electric, so I had a reality check and got rid of the Boogie and the Fender Deluxe Reverb.

Currently for home use and jams I'm using an Epiphone Valve Junior through an old home made box with a single 12" Celestion. I love the Epiphone/Celestion combination 'coz I can get sufficient clean volume for sensible living-room jams and if I push it a bit it starts breaking up nicely, without destroying my ears.

For gigs now I use either a Jerry Donahue JD-10 preamp or my Pod XT into my MarkBass head into an Eden D210XLT with the tweeter turned off. Or borrow a friend's Fender Deluxe.