Dear Solid State Amp Gurus,
The other day I played my Strat through a little solid-state Marshall MG15DFX. I was amazed at the direct response and clear tone. This is not an ad for the amp, but just a reflection: I really heard the guitar in a way that I wanted to hear it: clear, direct, intact, and without intermediary. This is something that I have *not* come to expect from my tube amp, especially as I navigate the black-art of tube upgrades and replacements. Each tube makes my amp sound different and the experiment is leading me to want to find a solid-state amp that is fairly hi-fi and not necessarily only a reflection of a tube "sound".
My first amp was a Peavey 30 watt something or other circa 1980. It was rough and a little noisy, but I think it made an impression on me. When I played in my first gigging band, the 30 watts didn't put out enough to get over the drummer and from there I was told "ya' gotta have tubes to cut through the band", so I got a Fender combo that was a hybrid tube/ss of sorts. After playing many Fender and Fender-ish tube amps, I'm coming back to a point where I want to look into a serious solid state amp.
Here are some of the things I am noticing as I "look around":
1. Solid state amps are all trying to "emulate" something (this may be good--I'm on the fence here)
2. Clean Sounds alone don't seem to satisfy the buying public, so there need to be lots of DSP features (quality can suffer when feature-creep is present)
3. No guitar industry people seem to seriously review these amps (the BlackCat's TopHat's and their Matchless cousins seem to get all the raves--not knocking them at all--just that this discussion is about ss amps).
Some things that have caught my interest lately:
Traynor DynaGain Series http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traynor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traynor)
Peavey Vyper Series http://www.peavey.com/products/vypyr/index.cfm (http://www.peavey.com/products/vypyr/index.cfm)
Tech21 SansAmp Series http://www.tech21nyc.com/character_series.html (http://www.tech21nyc.com/character_series.html)
Any comments greatly appreciated. I am not circuit expert--as many of you on this forum seem to be--but just a guitar player with a good ear for music and sound looking for better (more reliable, more consistent, high fidelity) options for amplification. I do appreciate "vintage" sounds on recordings, however, with all the technology that we have, it seems plausible that we can get great sound using analog techniques in solid state.
Thanks!! You guys have really opened up my world of options. Sword of Satori? are you kidding! (nope... turns out not. $2K plus is a little out of my range... but I'm glad to know that there are *current* production SS amps). After reading more... the Sword looks very cool... now what to sell to get that thing!
Hi,
I just stumbled over this tread..Maybe you can consider the Trace Elliot Tramp, or Supertramp. All solid state, good quality, good, warm sound and affordable second hand. Both of them have a boost in the drive section, something you don't often see in SS amps..Worth checking out..
Cheers,
Dutch
Jerome Harris, who used to be Sonny Rollins' guitarist, uses a Pritchard, quite likes it. I haven't tried the Kustom HVs yet (they have a 30, 65 and 100) but have heard great thingts about them, and they have terrific connection options (ext speaker, line out, aux in). This is one of the things I like about SS and hybrid amps -- for reasons I don't know they frequently offer more ways of connecting to other gear than the typical tube amp. For ex, I haven't seen a tube amp with an aux or CD in, and it's a very useful feature.
Quote from: dynac0mp on February 20, 2008, 06:19:28 PM
Dear Solid State Amp Gurus,
The other day I played my Strat through a little solid-state Marshall MG15DFX. I was amazed at the direct response and clear tone. This is not an ad for the amp, but just a reflection: I really heard the guitar in a way that I wanted to hear it: clear, direct, intact, and without intermediary. This is something that I have *not* come to expect from my tube amp, especially as I navigate the black-art of tube upgrades and replacements. Each tube makes my amp sound different and the experiment is leading me to want to find a solid-state amp that is fairly hi-fi and not necessarily only a reflection of a tube "sound".
My first amp was a Peavey 30 watt something or other circa 1980. It was rough and a little noisy, but I think it made an impression on me. When I played in my first gigging band, the 30 watts didn't put out enough to get over the drummer and from there I was told "ya' gotta have tubes to cut through the band", so I got a Fender combo that was a hybrid tube/ss of sorts. After playing many Fender and Fender-ish tube amps, I'm coming back to a point where I want to look into a serious solid state amp.
Here are some of the things I am noticing as I "look around":
1. Solid state amps are all trying to "emulate" something (this may be good--I'm on the fence here)
2. Clean Sounds alone don't seem to satisfy the buying public, so there need to be lots of DSP features (quality can suffer when feature-creep is present)
3. No guitar industry people seem to seriously review these amps (the BlackCat's TopHat's and their Matchless cousins seem to get all the raves--not knocking them at all--just that this discussion is about ss amps).
Some things that have caught my interest lately:
Traynor DynaGain Series http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traynor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traynor)
Peavey Vyper Series http://www.peavey.com/products/vypyr/index.cfm (http://www.peavey.com/products/vypyr/index.cfm)
Tech21 SansAmp Series http://www.tech21nyc.com/character_series.html (http://www.tech21nyc.com/character_series.html)
Any comments greatly appreciated. I am not circuit expert--as many of you on this forum seem to be--but just a guitar player with a good ear for music and sound looking for better (more reliable, more consistent, high fidelity) options for amplification. I do appreciate "vintage" sounds on recordings, however, with all the technology that we have, it seems plausible that we can get great sound using analog techniques in solid state.
This does Marshall Plexi better than a modern Marshall Plexi!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgGA6qx2NzQ
Blue Tone PRO 30M solid state - best ever solid state sound, IMHO!
Quote from: dynac0mp on February 20, 2008, 06:19:28 PM
Dear Solid State Amp Gurus,
The other day I played my Strat through a little solid-state Marshall MG15DFX. I was amazed at the direct response and clear tone. This is not an ad for the amp, but just a reflection: I really heard the guitar in a way that I wanted to hear it: clear, direct, intact, and without intermediary. This is something that I have *not* come to expect from my tube amp, especially as I navigate the black-art of tube upgrades and replacements. Each tube makes my amp sound different and the experiment is leading me to want to find a solid-state amp that is fairly hi-fi and not necessarily only a reflection of a tube "sound".
My first amp was a Peavey 30 watt something or other circa 1980. It was rough and a little noisy, but I think it made an impression on me. When I played in my first gigging band, the 30 watts didn't put out enough to get over the drummer and from there I was told "ya' gotta have tubes to cut through the band", so I got a Fender combo that was a hybrid tube/ss of sorts. After playing many Fender and Fender-ish tube amps, I'm coming back to a point where I want to look into a serious solid state amp.
Here are some of the things I am noticing as I "look around":
1. Solid state amps are all trying to "emulate" something (this may be good--I'm on the fence here)
2. Clean Sounds alone don't seem to satisfy the buying public, so there need to be lots of DSP features (quality can suffer when feature-creep is present)
3. No guitar industry people seem to seriously review these amps (the BlackCat's TopHat's and their Matchless cousins seem to get all the raves--not knocking them at all--just that this discussion is about ss amps).
Some things that have caught my interest lately:
Traynor DynaGain Series http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traynor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traynor)
Peavey Vyper Series http://www.peavey.com/products/vypyr/index.cfm (http://www.peavey.com/products/vypyr/index.cfm)
Tech21 SansAmp Series http://www.tech21nyc.com/character_series.html (http://www.tech21nyc.com/character_series.html)
Any comments greatly appreciated. I am not circuit expert--as many of you on this forum seem to be--but just a guitar player with a good ear for music and sound looking for better (more reliable, more consistent, high fidelity) options for amplification. I do appreciate "vintage" sounds on recordings, however, with all the technology that we have, it seems plausible that we can get great sound using analog techniques in solid state.
more Blue Tone here....gorgeous, isn't it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN2To3CSuGE&feature=related
The now discontinued 75 First Act VA881 V-Stack Amp is solid state with some excellent tones on tap.
http://www.frugalguitarist.com/Sounds/Issue%2010/FA_Amp.mp3 (http://www.frugalguitarist.com/Sounds/Issue%2010/FA_Amp.mp3)
These are quite astonishing prices. Would you recommend any of the lower power models?
http://shop.firstact.com/PublicStore/product/VA850-30-watt-1X10-Guitar-Combo-Amp,560,143.aspx (http://shop.firstact.com/PublicStore/product/VA850-30-watt-1X10-Guitar-Combo-Amp,560,143.aspx)
Looks very good for the money.
I wonder what went wrong in that... They bought the technology and resources of a promising boutique pedal company, then made amps using that technology but they didn't even seem advertise them at all. Then the prices went down 75% because they had to get rid of the stock. Something's very fishy in that...
Some people rave about these amps but ten years from now and I bet that you're lucky if 1 out of 100 knows anything about them. The basic transistor amp company story. :(
Quote from: teemuk on November 19, 2008, 12:52:11 PM
I wonder what went wrong in that... They bought the technology and resources of a promising boutique pedal company, then made amps using that technology but they didn't even seem advertise them at all. Then the prices went down 75% because they had to get rid of the stock. Something's very fishy in that...
Some people rave about these amps but ten years from now and I bet that you're lucky if 1 out of 100 knows anything about them. The basic transistor amp company story. :(
I think this is a classic case of extremely poor marketing. I'm not claiming the amp is all things to all people, but certainly capable of some very good tones. Yes, unless First Act has some kind of version 2 up their sleeve, this amp is bound for obscurity...
With regards to the lower powered models, I haven't played them personally so I can't comment. Note that the control layout is signifficantly different.
Wow I'm !n Boston. I'll swing into the First Act store next week and check things out.
Poncho
Quote from: ponchojuan on November 21, 2008, 07:41:20 AM
Wow I'm !n Boston. I'll swing into the First Act store next week and check things out.
Poncho
They were giving them away free with a guitar purchase, but I think they're out of stock in the store and only shipping them from their warehouse.
If you want a rock solid SS amp with balls buy the MG100 or a Valvestat, if you want a good affordable tube unit(metalhead get real , there;s a reason why most pro's use tube amps, and durablity give me a break) buy a Peavey Windsor($399) or a Valveking(around $699)
Rock On
Quote from: Jack1962 on November 21, 2008, 08:45:48 PM
If you want a rock solid SS amp with balls buy the MG100 or a Valvestat, if you want a good affordable tube unit(metalhead get real , there;s a reason why most pro's use tube amps, and durablity give me a break) buy a Peavey Windsor($399) or a Valveking(around $699)
Rock On
There are many, many great tube amps which have been made over the years. The Valveking isn't one of them and I'd take any number of solid state or modeling amps over one. I haven't played the Windsor, but reviews have been all over the place.
I agree that the Marshall MG and Valvestate series sound pretty darn good despite their poor tonal reputations.
If you are dead set on going SS I don't think there is much available besides the Axe-Fx. Then you just need a decent power amp (Phonic, Crown. Crest, QSC) and you will have it all. Maybe a Pritchard.
Good Luck
Quote from: FrugalGuitarist on November 19, 2008, 09:27:44 AM
The now discontinued 75 First Act VA881 V-Stack Amp is solid state with some excellent tones on tap.
http://www.frugalguitarist.com/Sounds/Issue%2010/FA_Amp.mp3 (http://www.frugalguitarist.com/Sounds/Issue%2010/FA_Amp.mp3)
Quote from: FrugalGuitarist on November 20, 2008, 02:40:11 PM
I wonder what went wrong in that...
Given the reputation of they instruments, I would never even consider their amps.
I know many brass and woodwind repair men and they have never said anything good about the First Act brass or woodwinds.
I wouldn't have expected anything better from the rest of the product line.
If you use pedals for distortion/overdrive sounds, then all you need is clean, warm with headroom and reliability. Portability and compactness are helpful, but you have to decide where your priorities are, but I use the above for my primary criteria. That said, there are MANY inexpensive older amps out there that fit all the above for me. I've used (and continue to use) Yamaha G100II and G100III amps, both 2-12 and 1-12. GREAT jazz amps, but can do all styles due to very flexible tone controls. I also have had great luck with Peavey's Bandits. I use a 2nd generation Transtube that I keep at church, and I just picked up a Bandit 75 for gigging (to replace my Fender HRDeVille 410 and my Peavey Classic 30, both of which's tubes worry me during gigs).
Quote from: JVandenberg on January 04, 2009, 06:03:30 PM
I I also have had great luck with Peavey's Bandits.
Amazing! I thought I was the only human on Earth that likes the Bandit!!
Anyway, MICing an amp of any sort is really not optimal for computer recording. DI modelers and pedals can yield very good to excellent results. Many pros have used a Line 6 POD for both recording and playing live. A DigiTech RP500 plugged into a PV Bandit's FX return would also be a great rig....whatever you do I recommend a modeler into an amp's FX return.
I really like the Trace Elliot Super Tramp and Beckemer GC-50R ['90s Canadian built] for good quality,portable and gig worthy solid state 1-12 combos.Also,my son has a Traynor Dyna-Gain DG-65R that is quite versatile and sounds really good,as well.Btw,cool "under the radar" forum that you all have here.
Ed
my fav amp is my 90´s bandit..its clean channel is just superb, and the distortion chennel its very versatile (i use my own made distortions anyway)
The reliability and consistency of SS amps is a definite win. Also, the SS weight tends to be less (no OT iron) for comparable power.
I like the Peavy Studio Pro II (the current generation, older ones not so much).
I've played one of those First Act amps. My friend Stephen bought one at the blowout price. It's a bit more amp than I want nowadays (especially w.r.t. weight) and I really liked it. I bought another for my younger son for Christmas.
I've gotta tell you: like the brand or not, the First Act amps are outstanding. There are, IIRC, four different families of sound and four different gain levels within each family. Not *all* of the combinations sound great - at least not to me. But there's *one* particular combination that sounds like a vintage Fender tweed Deluxe. This amp *sags* like the real thing. The built-in effects (tremolo, reverb and echo) are really good, too.
The build quality looks good - certainly better than Fender's modern products. I'm not surprised that First Act didn't move these. Their distribution was, AFAICT, nonexistent. I had been looking to try a First Act amp since they were first announced; I never saw one. I probably would have bought one at the normal price had I been able to try it first.
The Fender Cyber-Deluxe sounded a bit thin to me. This is, BTW, not a modeling amp. DSP is used only for FX and EQ.
The Roland Cube 30-X is loud, but kind of midrange-heavy. The effects are below-average.
Lately I've been playing entirely clean.
In my music room I use a Fender Jazz King. I really like the EQ on the Jazz King: semi-parametric plus a "tilt" control. The reverb is amazing. It's a big amp, though. At 50 pounds I don't move it much.
When I need an amp for stage monitoring or playing in a small room, I take my AAD Cub. The Cub is small (about a half cubic foot) and weighs about 12 pounds in its carrying bag. No FX, though.
For a bit more headroom than the AAD Cub, I use an AER Compact 60. The Compact 60 has a bit less low-end than the Cub, but seems to project better in an ensemble. The Compact 60 has a pretty good digital reverb unit.
The Cub and the Compact 60 are sold as "acoustic" amplifiers, but they sound great with my electric guitars. (Yes, I was surprised...)
If I'm playing somewhere I know I can trust the stage monitors not to have really weird EQ, I'll go straight to the board through an active DI.
I've done the digital modeling thing, too. I still have (and occasionally gig with) a Digitech RP350. The built-in DI is a nice feature.
I used to have a Boss GT-8 and a Vox Tonelab. The GT-8 (using a custom program) has better edge-of-distortion tones than than the RP350. The RP350's reverbs and pitch-based effects are better than the GT-8's. The Tonelab was just endlessly disappointing for everything except Vox-y tones.
I've played the modelers through keyboard amps or the venue's PA. For KB amps I've used a Traynor K4 and a Groove Tubes SFX 100.
I still have the SFX 100. This uses a pair of speakers in a "reverse M-S" configuration to get a really convincing stereo soundstage out of a single cabinet. (It works really well for stereo reverb and chorus; not so well for ping-pong delays or panning.)
Quote from: GLUGSTER on January 09, 2009, 09:23:46 AM
Quote from: JVandenberg on January 04, 2009, 06:03:30 PM
I I also have had great luck with Peavey's Bandits.
Amazing! I thought I was the only human on Earth that likes the Bandit!!
The Peavey Bandit actually has a huge following. Have a look at the number of reviews and responses on Harmony Central for the various Bandits. There may well be more of those amps built and sold than any other amplifier in history. It's been in their product line for 30 years although it has gone through many incarnations along the way.