Amps we dont talk about in public.

[Tommy Vaux]

lets talk amps. no marshalls, no friedman, no boogie, no kits, no orange or vox,
none of the popular amps we normally talk about.
what amps do you have and love that we just normally dont talk about or consider?
i know this could get embarrassing for some of us but hell some of us might find
something new to look at too.

I have a Bogner Alchemist, that I'm currently loving, and a Peavey Classic 50 head that is great when you can let it roar.

 

[Caffeinated]

I’ve got a nicely set up Peavey VK2 which I know has a crappy online rep.
I’m not sold on the dirty channel but I like the clean and the class A emulation you can mix with straight AB.

Probably not one I’d normally admit to!

 

[TJB]

I have a Crate Palomino V-32H and the 2x12 cab. It puts out a growl that is phenomenal! Wouldn't trade it for anything. All tube and serious! Mike it and you can play all day in an outdoor venue. Need to mod it as that resistor gets HOT!

 

[Joe Boots]

I have a spark. I was on the waiting list since last October and got it in January. It's my daily player now, mostly because it sounds good at very low volume.

I've got a bunch of other amps including a DSL50 but I gig with a headrush modeler and practice with the spark. This because I am old and feeble and don't want to lug around heavy amps.

I only use the gimmicky features of the spark occasionally like the backing tracks and jam functions. Those bits are mildly entertaining from time to time but not strong enough on their own to overcome if the amp sucked. Quite the contrary, the amp sounds good and can get quite a few decent tones. It's not cheap but I think it's worth what they are asking.

Edit: it can crank pretty loud. Have not tried it with a drummer but it would be close. It has a line out that you can plug into an FRFR or PA as well.

How is the software for recording? Do you use that or do you have a different method? I think that is the thing I am most excited about

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Like the porter too. I always think of 5150 etc as mainstream.
I have a 6505 MH amd 6505+ combo too.

I tend to think of the EVH models (5150/6505) as the only Peavey models that really broke through and caught on, and that were elevated to "mainstream top seller very good quality" amps. With the tweed "Classic" series tube amps just behind them as kind of "sleepers." All those solid state silverstrip amps like Bandits and such seem to be pretty further down the line as "decent enough and indestructibly reliable." Not sure where the Valve Kings, or old Mace/Butcher amps fall, but the Vypyr modeling amps seem to be the bottom of the barrel with a fairly bad rep (I've never played them myself).

The JSX, and Triple XXX (one of which I have) I see almost nothing about, anywhere.

Here's a weird combination that I think really works, though I haven't had a chance to gig it, a Peavey Triple XXX (40W tube) and an old Marshall Lead 20 (20W solid state) paired in a mini-stack.

 

[jmac]

Got this Crate VC20 110 in a trade about 15 years ago for a solid state Fender Princeton 65. Just a fun, portable, fantastic EL84 sounding amp that I plan on holding onto for a long long time.

 

[Gene 689]

The first amp I played my electric guitar through was a 100 watt Carlsbro valve amp, back in the 80's. It was my dads. It sounded great, then i went & ruined the lovely sound with my Rocktek Distortion pedal......well thats what my dad said!!

 

[Gene 689]

That should say Carlsbro....auto correct....Doh!...

 

[Bernie Thames]

I had a Rivera M 100 that was one of the best amps I ever owned. Only problem was, too many knobs, too many features. You could dial this amp in to sound like anything...but if you bumped into it and moved one knob, there goes your whole sound. And good luck figuring out which knob you bumped when there's a dozen or more across the front panel, more than a few with push-pull functions.

So, although it was one of the best amps I ever owned, it was impractical when it came to ease of use. Plus, mostly I just set it up to sound like a plexi (or maybe a tweed deluxe for small gigs) and since i already owned both of the 'real thing' amps, I eventually sold the Rivera.

But seriously, a guy could gig his entire life in every imaginable situation with that amp (if he didn't mind a hundred knobs)

 

[ThingFish]

Despite the fact that I'm not in love with the tone, my 2 x 10 Spider would have been the amp i played if I had to ride the train to gigs and walk. For it's weight and it's volume and modeling, it covers a lot of ground. ...but it's a bit heavy, almost too powerful for most gigs, and non-purists listening to a cover band encompassing a lot of styles would be happy enough with it. but there's just something about the artificial nature.

I picked up a VOX DA15 in a trade I didn't want until I tried it at home.
Yes, it's modeling, but it's richer and enough to do a small bar (without a kit, natch).

Anyway two amps no one cares about, but not too shabby.

Still, I prefer my Twin or TSL 60W...

 

[Rick O Jones]

Here's a few I like to noodle around with:


This is one I build and is my main amp for medium sized gigs. Hoffman AC30, so no reverb or tremolo. Also modded it with a half power switch and to use EL83 tubes like Rory Gallagher used.

 

[GWWhitehead]

When i was young, I had no money but a friend who was an electronics repairman. I have tried to gig with some of these early clunkers and a Tube Screamer. I had a Moon, an Earth, a Sound City 200, Ampeg V-4, A Bedrock (defective PCB boards!), Laney AOR, a LAB Series, a Peavey Classic, A Marshall Plexi someone mastered and screwed up, Peavey XXX, Mesa Studio Preamp, Mesa Rocket 440 (still have), A Gibson G whatever. Today i have a Marshall Bluesbreaker, Reeves, Fargen, Friedman, PRS Custom 20, Swart STR Tweed. A source of pride is never owning a Crate but then i have never owned a Fender although i'd like a Princeton!

 

[Jethro Rocker]

I currently love using my Boss Katana 100 version 1. After several tweaks using the software, got it sounding pretty damn good. Won't replace my DSL40C, but its a lot of fun for noodling around in the living room. My wife likes the power scaling feature the best!

Yes I forgot. Great rehearsal amp! Versatile, sounds reasonable.

 

[Per]

I have a huge soft spot for Yamaha's DG series. First proper amp was a DG60-112, the version without all the presets and motorized potentiometers. So of course I had to buy a DG130H when I found one and pair it with a 4x12 with Celestion Vintage 30's. Have to say though I still prefer the manual interface of the DG60 as the DG130H pisses me off every time I switch between amp models; it keeps resetting the volume and gain. I would still gladly get at least one more.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

I guess if we are talkimg obscure. This one I will gladly talk about in public but not common.
Taurus stomp head SH-3. 60 watt pedal amp, 2 channel with variable boost, high gain, a simgle 12AX7 fx loop, etc. Loud, sounds really good, I am very impressed and it is my backup as it takes up no room. I would attach to whatever speaker I was using.

 

[Pete Beck]

I have a few Mississippi Marshall’s. Well one Mississippi and two Beijing? VK212 and a mini head that rocks a greenback!!And a Delta Blues 115 oh and A blues deluxe

 

[obx351]

1961 Gibson Falcon with the monitor input that changes the amp into a giant tone pedal. Artisan 15 from Blackstar, a 2 channel, basically a 1974x and jcm 800 light that can be jumped for some nice tones. Both are crazy cool amps that impress. I also love my Peavy classic 30 with extended 1x12 cab. It's a great little amp tha can cover a lot of ground for not a ton of money.

52 And Falcons1

• obx351
• Oct 10, 2017

R8 And Blackstar

• obx351
• Oct 9, 2017

 

[Jackco]

Peavey backstage 10 with a Rockman upfront.
Had a 4 x 12 PA speaker box, all wired in parallel, connected to the speaker output wires, separated by a lego piece.
Loud and controlled feedback.
Perfectly pissed off my parents.

 

[madness]

Well I still spend a ton of non-Marshall time on my Carvin V3MC...I love the two dirt channels can be tweaked to one with a british tone and one to a more modern American crunch while the clean channel is pretty crisp and can get a decent bluesy breakup if needed. 7W/22W/50W I seem to like the 22W the best and can carry it anywhere. (and of course I had to get red tolex)

I have a Carvin VTR2800 100 watt tube head selectable between 50w and 100w through Carvin 4 x 12 cab. Played that for over 10 years on the 50w position wide open. Only way I could get a decent distortion sound. Along side a Peavey Standard 100w solid state amp for clean with 2 x 12 cab. Built a footswitch to switch between the two on stage. Damn thing looked like a robot on stage. Then I bought a Marshall tsl 122 combo to replace it all.

 

[Drinkingdeath01]

View attachment 84438

Easy on the VH-140'S bud, they're classics !!! Lol