Tube Amps... Fender, Traynor, Or...

[Andy]

Tube Amps... Fender, Traynor, or...

Hey guys, I'm looking for my first tube amp.  I want relatively low wattage, a 12, ~$600, and to be able to keep up with a drum kit.  Have been looking at a laquered tweed fender hot rod deluxe from music123.  It's a nice vintagey looking amp with a nice jensen 12.  A friend of a friend has one, and it rocks much bootie.  I have also been attracted to some traynors as of late.  They appear to be nice amps.

I am not opposed to a nice used unit if I can play it first.  A close friend has an old montgomery ward tube amp set up much like a 50's fender twin.  It oooooozes beautiful tone.  He just had it reworked at a local amp repair store here in Nashville.

One other one that I'm considering is the Atomic Amps - Reactor.  I have a POD, and this amp is supposed to work well with modeling boxes.  This is a "hybrid" amp, and I'm not really looking for that.  It is however well regarded, and I won't rule it out till I play it.

I looked at the marshall DSL401, but it's just not for me.

So we've got:

Fender
Traynor
Atomic

Any other suggestions, opinions, etc?

[unclrob]

Simply put------FENDER...... :)  

[Andy]

Let me add...

I play fenders.  Strats & tel's

Clapton, Mayer, SRV, etc....


Rob,

Yeah, I know, Fender, 'nuff said.  I just didn't want to miss an underground gem....like Larrivee.  :)

[tikabear]

Peavey Classic 30s ain't bad.

[unclrob]

Peavey's are cool too.Maybe I just don't care for Traynors.I had one when I ways young but now that I'm old..........

[dbirchett]

Fender +1. Love the Deluxe Reverb (not the reissue although it's probably not too bad).

PEavey Blues Deluxe would be a good one too.

A very underrated amp is the Gibson Falcon (I think the model number is GARV-18 or something like that) from the early '60s. Close to the Deluxe.

A best buy in a tube Fender would be the Deluxe (or Princeton) Reverb II. Designed by Paul Rivera, they are usually 1/2 of what a silverface DR goes for. They don't have tremolo (misnamed vibrato) but they do have a decent OD.

[SongMan]

I too am looking for a tube amp and thinking about DRRI or Reverend Kingsnake

[dhill]

Why don't you make one? Bruce at Missionamps.com is a Fender master, and can get you started. I made his Tweed Deluxe, which drips vintage tone, and has monster volume and tube vibe. Make a cab, or get one and load it with your favorite speaker and you're in business. Or get Bruce to get you a Champ kit with all included. If you're at all inclined, amp building is fun, though addicting...

[FNG]

Read in another forum about NAMM that Gretsch was putting out a small vintage amp, and the guy thought it was great.'

I have a HRD and the thing is pretty powerful.  Way too much amp for my basement.  Might be willing to part with it.  About a year old, transferable warranty, interested give me a shout.

[tikabear]

I've played several tube amps and have found 30 watts to be much more than ample.  I have seen ads in Vintage guitar magazine on building tube amps and I am intrigued.  Never done the research on it, cost, components, etc. but I bet it would be fun.  Messing around with different tubes is also an adventure.  I had several effects pedals and recently decided to sell all but 3 because I found the tone to be better without them.  The clean sound of a tube amp is to die for.

[Andy]

Why don't you make one? Bruce at Missionamps.com is a Fender master, and can get you started. I made his Tweed Deluxe, which drips vintage tone, and has monster volume and tube vibe. Make a cab, or get one and load it with your favorite speaker and you're in business. Or get Bruce to get you a Champ kit with all included. If you're at all inclined, amp building is fun, though addicting...

I've actually thought about doing that.  My biggest hobby is furniture building, so the cab would be a no-brainer.  I researched the ax84 stuff, and got real interested... but just let it die...  kinda like my overwhelming desire to build an acoustic guitar.  

I have a friend who repaired miniature electronics for the millitary, but I don't know if that knowledge would translate very well into building an amp.  ??

thanks for the insight and recomendations!
Andy#2

[Ian]

I have a Fender DRRI and I absolutely love it. 22 watts, single 12, portable. Great country/blues/rockabilly/jazz amp. It breaks up @ 5-6 and at 8-10 you get that amazingly creamy overdrive. From 1-5 it's clean Fender heaven, mt Tele's sound like Nashville, and my Strat sounds like Ausitn!!
Just a warning though, this thing HATES OD/Dist boxes!!! It's taken a year to mate it w/ one. Boss pedals sound fizzy, (BD-2,OD-3,everything). The only box yet that sounds right with this amp is unbeliveably the MXR ZW-44 ,Zakk Wylde Overdrive ( Yes...Ozzy's guitarist!!!) .Believe it or not, it gets the most wonderfull Blues tone with thr DRRI, I couldn't believe it either!!!
Ian

[dhill]

Andy. I'd hate to be the one to talk you into a mess, but if you can solder and sort of understand a schematic, I think you could probably make your own amp. The aforementioned Bruce at missionamps also provides a good color photo and drawing if I remember correctly, so its pretty easy to puzzle the thing together, once you have the resistors sorted, in the right direction, etc. Plus Bruce is excellent with support. Its sort of an easier step then ax84 choice, as everything is included, drilled, labeled (chasis), etc. If your friend repaired electronics, I have no doubt he could build an amp kit for you. In a custom cab (I made a head cab with crazy burled walnut veneer with a natural cane front) with your choice of speaker it would be pretty cool. I'm sure Bruce even has the measurements/plans for a combo cab. Just my thoughts, but then again I'm a tube-amp-building addict so consider the source...

[Randy_R]

I built my own tube amp back in the 60's. but it was really just a PA with heavy duty speakers and didn't have the nifty reverb.

With effects stomp boxes that are available today, thats really all someone needs, I expect.

[beatlenut]

I owned a couple Peavey Classic 50's years ago and loved them.  When I got back into playing 4 years ago (after 18 years off) I picked up a Peavey Classic 30.  It sounded real good but I sold it for a Line 6 Flextone II XL only because the 30 didn't sound "big" enough.  It was plenty loud, but didn't sound full.

Well,  I miss a tube amp and now after acquiring my 6th electric I decided to get another.  I read ALOT of reviews and decided on a use Traynor YCV80.  2x12 speakers, comparable to the Fender clean and the Marshall distortion.  Sounds like a winner to me.  Direct out too and headphone input.  Got it for $435 plus shipping.  New they go for around $700.

[bing4sons]

I have a HRD.  I have had several mods done on it and put a Weber F150 speaker in it.  I use a Weber Mass load box, so I can crank the tubes up a little more, without shattering eardrums.

I'd still like to get a quality tube amp, with a little less power, that breaks up sooner than the HRD.  Since I mic my amp, there's no reason to have ear splitting volume.

[Andy]

Andy. I'd hate to be the one to talk you into a mess, but if you can solder and sort of understand a schematic, I think you could probably make your own amp. The aforementioned Bruce at missionamps also provides a good color photo and drawing if I remember correctly, so its pretty easy to puzzle the thing together, once you have the resistors sorted, in the right direction, etc. Plus Bruce is excellent with support. Its sort of an easier step then ax84 choice, as everything is included, drilled, labeled (chasis), etc. If your friend repaired electronics, I have no doubt he could build an amp kit for you. In a custom cab (I made a head cab with crazy burled walnut veneer with a natural cane front) with your choice of speaker it would be pretty cool. I'm sure Bruce even has the measurements/plans for a combo cab. Just my thoughts, but then again I'm a tube-amp-building addict so consider the source...

Hmmmm.... you're talking me into it.  I'ma geek man.  I had an electronics class in high school, but doubt that I remember much... You said something about orienting the resistors, and that sent a memory shock through me.  All kinds of stuff like the banding order came rushing back.  I don't remember the exact mneumonic...  Aw what the heck, I might give it a try.  I'll check his site.

Also, what about a little Boogie F-30 or a single 12 Lonestar?  I'm sure they're out of my price range.

[Randy_R]

I've seen small tube 'pre-amps' that supposedly give the tube sound, but then can  feed into a solid state amp or PA. Anyone played with these?

[Brad166]

Iv got a Traynor and I love it. Sounds just as sweet as the Fenders in the same price range on the clean side, but you can turn up the overdrive channel for that crazy Neil Young  sound. Plus its autobiasing so you can change out powertubes with no worries. And thats nice becuase I went throught about 5 tube brands before I found the tubes for me. I realy enjoy my Traynor!!!!!!

[markwillplay]

On the subject, I have a Fender Hor Rod Delux I use and I was wondering if anyone has ever used any type of power soak with one of these to get cranked up tone.  This thing is pretty loud whdncranked and I can't do that most of the time.