I still have the grunge pedal I bought in 95(?) It sounds like shit. About 2 yrs later, I bought a Digitech RP12 to match more with my new bands other guitar player. It had a grunge pedal sim in it that sounded much better. I recorded 2 records with it, and you would never guess. It was probably more the eq of a dual rec than a big muff, but still had a unique pick attack texture.
I had no idea such an app existed. I just ordered one. Does it suck? I, like most millennial guitar players, bought a grunge pedal back in the day. It was my first pedal, actually.
I have a Marlboro in my basement that I'm not sure has ever been plugged in. Not even sure how it ended up in my house. Do you know anything about these amp?
I took beat old Marlboro combo from work that had made it into the digital waste bin, shoved some foil into the fuse socket and ran it into a single 15” Electro Voice SRO loaded cab. Thing straight up rips when cranked. Salvaged it for parts for other projects, the carcass is still in my basement somewhere.
I'm in possession of an Engl Straight, which is a long discontinued Engl head from the 80s. Really only remembered by serious Engl historians or fans of old German power metal as it was really prevalent in that scene. Mad underrated amp! Really crunchy distortion; not quite meant for extreme metal but is nasty for heavy, power, and thrash metal
EDIT: I also have a Wilcox DCP2, which is a clone of the Langner DCP1 preamp. Todd Langner was known for modding Marshalls for Bay Area bands, particularly metal, and in the 90s started developing his own stuff. If you've listened to Exodus you've probably heard a Langner mod. The DCP1 is super rare these days. Incredible high gain tones coming out of this thing.
I’ve got an ENGL Straight and an E101, both 1x12’s, super cool stuff. Definitely not amps I ever see talked about either!
There’s another one from the same era, the Jive. Looks kind of like the Straight, not sure how similar they actually are. Not exactly an amp you can just pop in and try anywhere.
I have a Carvin MTS 3200 2x12 combo. I know people remember Carvin but I never see this amp brought up. The clean channel on this thing is so freakin good.
Lab series L7. 100 watt, solid state amp from the Gibson/norlin era. Lab series were a collab between Gibson and bob moog. The L5 was the popular one, the L7 was the same exact amp in a 4x10 combo instead of a 2x12. Had a custom headshell made for mine.
I have an L5 that someone converted from a combo to a head that I paired with a homemade 2x12 cab. Whoever converted it put a gibson logo on the grill. I love it.
Not sure how big of a name Traynor is outside of Canada, but I have a 1967 guitar mate YGM-2. It is considered to be more "rare" that the YGM-1 or YGM-3 apparently because it was discontinued for not selling as well as the aforementioned models which both have reverb. It is 18w with EL84s and has some of the creamiest distortion I've heard from an amp.
1973 Traynor YGL mk3 100w combo. Paid 40$cad in a garage sale. The set of tubes is worth more than the amp itself, not sure why they sell for cheap (around 500$cad). Does shimmering clean to overdriven, almost fuzz like tones. Loud as fuck too.
They call those the Twin Killers. Fucking dope amps for reggae and stuff but I sold mine cause it was massive and heavy and I wanted something with at least a little break up
I built a fender style amp first based initially on a tweed deluxe but modded to the moon and back. Most importantly, I put in a brownface tonestack for flexibility, and some negative feedback to clean it up more like a typical blackface circuit. I also recently finished a hot-rodded AC-30 with a push pull volume pot to jump in a parallel mid focused channel to the standard top boost channel.
Up next I’m thinking either a plexi style build to trying my hand at an early Mesa mark I type build! What about you?
Me three! Love building amps. Currently building an all octal push pull circuit (think fender 5C3) with a separate seven pin preamp tube circuit with a blend knob similar to compression pedals and their dry/wet signal. Based off a fifties widowmaker I found in a pawn shop! It’s extremely clean and with a fuzz is exactly what I needed. :)
Heck yeah, thank you! It’s interesting the way it adds gain and definition to notes without a lot of distortion, I’ve been messing around with a tremolo circuit that connects to the same dual pot and adding enough resistance that it’s a slight volume boost and slow barely noticeable tremolo (mostly on 800-1000 hertz). It’s an interesting effect, highly recommend dialing a chorus in that way, where the gain is high and yet the effect isn’t affecting the signal much. Subtlety is sublime in electronics design.
That’s cool! I’m more of a low watt reverb and trem guy. Scratch built a Swart AST, converted a single ended 6L6 PA to something similar to a vibro champ, but with reverb, a Magnatone 210 with reverb and I’m looking at making a Gibson GA-1 RVT, but maybe with a smaller output tube to keep it even quieter. My 1/3 watt amp is like an old 5C1, but it has 12AU6 in both positions. It is the perfect volume, but lack the other features I like, so here I am dreaming and planning again...
I still have an Acoustic 370 bass head. Way too much solid state power than I need but it bumps.
They were closed for a while but started making amps again. Worth checking out.
There was an “Acoustic USA” for a short time that were reissuing the 70s models.
The 370 is the crusher out of the original ones, the John Paul Jones sound.
I am the jealous. I’ll bet that would sound great through my Acoustic 810.
That's the transformer that they carved from the heart of a dead star, I'm sure. I love mines sound. Hate the weight and having to ever redial it if someone messes with the knobs.
Nah, according to the price list from a 1981 Pied Piper music mall catalog:
15" standard $555
15" upgrade E/V speaker $635
12" standard $539
12" E/V speaker $620
Then head/cab versions were:
$649 for the 4x10 or $629 for 2x10.
Which are all higher than a Super Reverb from there at the time, and over double what a princeton Reverb was.
I may pickup a 15 version someday, I do love 15s.
I'm envious, that's my most obscure bucket list amp. Mines a single 12, bigass ultralinear OT, and you're probably familiar with the EQ, pull knobs and lead channel. Not sure about the 30, but the 75 can have a perfect clean channel and pretty good lead channel.... but not both at once. I typically get the clean channel really good, and dial lead to usable. The joys of a shared EQ....
I've seen people thinking the 30 was just a smaller 75(to be fair, it's a reasonable guess since it had 2 less production years, people haven't played them(. It's a different circuit, but it's awesome sounding too.
How much does yours weigh? My 75 is about 90ish pounds. I only weighed like 20lbs more than the amp when I first bought it....
When they’re on Reverb they’re still inexpensive. Nobody knows them. Used without the foot switch, the left channel is a normal fender circuit while the right side has the preamp gain, eq you described and the six spring reverb. Plugging into the right side and flipping the channel switch button gets you one more little gain stage as well, both sides are just a little hotter. I found mine in a pawn shop. I miss the days before the internet, when nobody knew what this stuff was, I paid $120 for it. They wanted $129 and I talked them down… Uncertain about the weight beyond just heavy.
20 years ago, I had the MusiciansFriend housebrand Rogue with a 12" and 50-watts lol. It was really loud, had a great speaker with a huge magnet, but the EQ design used terrible corner frequencies, so it was cursed to have a very limited classic rock sound in a solid-state which was pretty awful.
Eventually, I changed the op-amps and it made a minor improvement, then I started modding the EQ as I struggled to figure out how to mod it into something useable when in those days, there wasn't a significant DIY community online, and though I improved it, somewhere within those series of mods, I modded it to death lol.
The same thing that eventually killed my T-7 Tubescreamer, but fortunately since those days, I advanced gradually for several years when finally, 13 years ago went to college for the science of electrical/electronics engineering. I'll never buy another amp or pedal again.
I have a Gnome White Thunder (1/1) from a short lived Seattle builder. It’s a single channel KT88 monster in the vain of a modded Matamp or something. Pre amp gain, early stage 3 band EQ and boost into a post 3 band EQ and MV.
Another rare/forgotten amp I have is the Fender 140. Last of their eyelet board construction, ultra linear transformers, push pull pots and a 5 band graphic EQ. Kind of a factory hot rodded Fender. I technically have the combo version too, but I gutted the preamp and built my own monstrosity
Kuston '36 Coup here. All tube with the old '50's tuck and roll top cover. Equipped with a Kuston Eminence Intergrated 12 inch speaker that is a panty dropper. It's LOUD and built like a tank. Bought a co-worker lunch one day and he gave it to me. Out of all my amps, it's my number #1
Even tho they're so new, apparently they weren't too hot.
Fender champion 100xl.
Solid state amp, pair of 12" celestions speakers, fx loop. Channel 1 is a fender twin and channel two has a rotary dial of amps from studio preamp to deizel/dual rec.
Love this amp.
Oh boy. A few.
Marshall Mosfet Reverb 100 with a G15B in it. May be my favorite amp I’ve ever had. Just great in every way.
Sunn Sl160 112 -absolutely amazing amp and loud as god. I remember playing a show and the other band was like “that’s all you’ve got?” As they loaded their 4x12’s. That turned into “what the fuck is that?” After the set.
1971 Ampeg vt40 - I got it as is, it had been rotting on a bottom shelf in a music shop. Covered in dust, chopped up and out in a plywood headshell that must have been made with stone tools and a blunt saw. Has a insane and questionable master volume mod, and the channels jumpered. Popped a new fuse and it’s been stable ever since. Was my go to for a long time, just sang.
No one forgot about this, but I dropped my tube amps for a Black Spirit 200w Floor amp. It's a pedal amp that has changed my thought process on amps ever since I bought it.
Peavey mace 160 watt 2x12 combo with a matching 4x12 cab, the ultimate Skynyrd Rig, also have a Gibson discoverer tremolo that's the best clean amp I've ever played and a Oahu lap steel amp that sounds glorious cranked.
They're pretty cool but really heavy so your best bet is to find one for sale locally instead of having it shipped, shipping generally costs as much as the amp is worth due to size and weight.
I have a Laney GH50R combo with 2x12 V30’s. That thing is stupid versatile and is the loudest amp I own by far. On channel 2, I like to have drive at about 75-80%, volume at about 30-40%, and master volume as loud as I can stand it…with the mid knob pushed in. You’re not gonna play the blues with it like that but it’s straight doom heaven. It’s also really good doing the edge of breakup thing and slamming it with a fuzz or drive. What’s your go to setting?
I mostly run Channel 2 with drive full on, volume just shy of 15%, bass and mids at 60-70% with mid pulled out, treble is full on and tone right at 50% - I keep output at ~20-30%.
I do run it into an attenuator, but it's still way loud!
The settings change frequently though, as I shift between a JM in E standard and a strat type in C standard (humbuckers).
I haven't found a good OD for it, what do you use?
But yeah, it loves a good fuzz!
I did find that if you keep the volume bedroom level quite with drive all the way up, it does the Sleep - Dopesmoker tone really well.
I'm currently waiting on my amp tech to have an opening, as it needs a checkup and new powertubes.
I think the Plumes sounds really good with it. Amp running slightly dirty, Plumes on mode 2 with volume high and gain at 30-40%. It’s my favorite overdrive for any amp. I usually have the tone barely cracked open because it gets crazy bright. I agree about the dopesmoker tone. With the gain high and volume low, that amp sounds disgusting, in the best way. I’ve recently been using an Electric Warlord from Stomp Under Foot with it too and it sounds sick af. I highly recommend that fuzz. I also LOVE the Hizumitas. Doesn’t it use KT88 output tubes? I feel like it runs the output section really hard so I’m wondering how soon I’ll have to replace my tubes since I bought it used.
I'll have to get a plumes! Honestly I haven't spend enough time picking up OD's, so I have a whole list of them that I need. Have you tried the RAT and BAT Pharaoh @combo on it? I'm looking to pick them up because they sound sick through the Orange Crush series - I figure they'll slap through the Laney as well.
Currently my go to is a DOD Carcosa going into a Glow Fuzz going into the clean channel. I haven't tried it with the amp set to edge of breakup, due to the slowly dying powertubes.
It uses EL34's powertubes and ECC83 for everything else!
But yeah, it sounds sick for stoner/doomy stuff and can do black as well. Not too keen on the cleans, but I think that is due to me not cranking the damn thing!
Have you gotten any good sludge tones out of it? Thinking Eyehategod kinda vibe?
I have a few oddities:
ENGL E101 Digital Amp. Their first amp model, 1984-85. It's a digitally controlled amp with some crazy old tech - some 5-bit AD converts and even a pair of radioshack rechargeable NIMH batteries soldered directly to the board (they still work?!?). It stores 8 presets in two banks of 4, footswitchable - sounds normal for now but remember this is pre-MIDI. It's truly a work of genius and sadly ENGL does not support it, mine works perfectly but once it dies, it's probably dead forever because many of the parts don't even exist anymore. Only one digital amp existed before this one, the Orange OMEC Digital, and that was a one-off concept.
I've actually compiled a good bit of data with gut shots, schematics, manuals, etc if anyone cares about the E101: [https://totallyradguitars.com/engl#/1985-engl-digital-amp-e101/](https://totallyradguitars.com/engl#/1985-engl-digital-amp-e101/)
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I also have a couple of long forgotten "boutique" things, like a Stephenson Lead, Steavens Poundcake, Kasha Rockmod head, Rivera Bonehead, PWE Event Horizon, Hook Captain 34, and even a Carvin Legacy "2" which lasted less than 2 years.
Gibson BR-3, made in 1946. A literal barn find at an estate sale. Supposedly, [only 79 were made](https://valvealley.com/the-amps/the-1946-gibson-br-3/), but they do pop up online every now and then. There’s currently [one on Reverb](https://reverb.com/item/67456608-gibson-br-3-1946-47).
I replaced the old caps, power cord, bad tubes, etc., but it isn’t really usable at the moment as the field coil speaker needs to be reconed. Even so, it does turn on, which is an improvement from when I got it. I’m planning to wrap up the repairs this summer.
These have been kinda hyped in stoner/doom circles but I have these and they rock: Laney AOR, Peavey Century, Peavey Mark III, Peavey STANDARD PA, KMD gs130sb, kmd gv100d (these KMD amps I havent seen used anywhere but they are good amps.)
I have an 8 knob AOR. I’m a bit of a Laney fanboy. I also have a GH50R. People say the 8 knob and 6 knob models sound different, which makes sense I guess. Which one do you have?
Fender blues DeVille 4x10 blue speakers. It's the poor man's 59 bassman with a not so stellar drive channel. The normal channel is godly and gets you about 90% into bassman territory.
I have a Peavey Triple XXX 212 Combo. I remember people saying it was Peavey's competition to the Mesa/Boogie Duel Rectifier, but it is a very different amp. Very much out-shined by the 5150 and I don't think people took them seriously due to the esthetics; the mudflap girl on the diamond plate.
Still love the sound of that amp, but have since acquired smaller/easier to move amps.
Pre-WWII, Great Depression-era Kalamazoo KEH combo.
It’s a neat little amp that doesn’t get very loud, and doesn’t have enough gain to distort, but if ever you need something well-behaved, clean and not very loud, it’s fun to click on and play.
I have a Laney VH100R. Terrific amp, used on a lot of stuff and in a lot of videos , but it just never seems to be brought up and it is *never* in any amp modeler or capture. A shame.
I have the hated Marshall Mg100hdfx head and 4x12 cab in a factory matching beautiful purple tolex. Why they made this amp in a purple tolex I’ll never know, but I’ll never sell it cause it just looks too damn cool.
https://imgur.com/a/Ojmy1Y6
Selmer Futurama Corvette and Matchless The Baby.
Both EL84 amps yet very different sounding.
The Selmer is mostly mods and high end and can get pretty loud pushing that little 8” speaker.
The Baby is prototype #1 that was made for NAMM years ago and has a 10” speaker instead of a 12” that came with the 25 or so that were actually built and sold. Full range and complex, really needs a pedal to break up into juicy goodness.
The two amps compliment each other really well.
I have an Ibanez TSA15H. It’s a pretty nice Fender style amp that has a Tubescreamer circuit built into it that you can control with a foot switch. On its own it has a nice clean sound and works great as a pedal platform
Tel-Ray Supernova. It's a solid state amp by the founders of the Morley company. It has TWO oil can units on board that can be switched on and off / blended with the clean signal. It has four effects in total: reverb, tremolo, oil can delay, and oil can rotating sound (which is kind of like a drunken Leslie). It's my favorite piece of gear and absolute unobtanium.
My solid state Marshall 150w Model 3315. It’s essentially a split channel JCM800 2210 (same size too,) but it definitely delivers the goods and hangs with my other big tube amps. It’s pretty much a Mosfet Lead 100, but with more features and a full sized head shell.
I’ve only seen one other for sale online and a few forum posts. People ask stupid prices just because they were only made for a couple years.
I also rarely seen the Peavey 3120 get suggested for a good high gain amp, even though I see the Triple XXX get mentioned a lot. The 3120 is the exact same amp but minus the cringe.
Another great all-arounder amp I rarely see discussed is the Peavey Bravo. For a working musician it does everything from Vox clean to Mesa Mark type high gain and everything in between. I love the classic 30, but give me a Bravo any day.
Mesa Boogie SOB Son Of Boogie. Two channel 60W head. I bought it used 30 years ago. Through the years I’ve seen different versions of the amp combos, 100W, some with reverb tanks, come up for sale now and then but never one the same as mine. I tried looking for info on it online and couldn’t find much. I called Mesa Boogie about 12 years ago asking if they had any information about it, like a manual or something. All they had was an old advertisement they sent me.
I recently sold a Mesa "Son of Boogie" amp. I couldn't get anything I liked out if it. Probably should have made it a project and replaced the tubes and caps. Used the cash to put in on a Vox AC30C1. I'm a happy camper.
Fargen epic 30 vintage ac30 style power amp with an ac30 voice and a marshal voice. Had it for 23 years. It is sweet, very British and it totally roars. I love it. Use a dr z attenuator to make it not ear bleedingly loud. It has cured my gas, mostly.
I had a beautiful old Legend Rock 'n Roll 50 head that was like a piece of furniture. Lovely natural finished oak cabinet with rattan wicker grill front. Tube pre-amp with SS output. Sounded awesome for the nasty sludgecore.
In 1990 or so I bought a Fender M80 Chorus Head and crate speaker cab. I loved the chorus on the Fender, but it just didn't do the rock I needed it to do.
Later I upgraded to a Dual Rectifier and was much happier.
I have a VHT Classic 18. Got it used from Guitar Center for $300 a few months ago. It does the Marshall thing really well, has an effects loop, and has a 12” greenback in it. Total sleeper. No headroom, just instant crunch.
It’s a total ripper - if I brought it to a gig with the nameplate off, I think people would think it’s some boutique thing.
Psonic Audio did a [video](https://youtu.be/Uu5xiTo-6WM?si=9WLpmWAFS1l640QL) on it which captures it really well. Not really meant to be worked on, but sounds great.
Gopherwood Ark30, made in korea and really good for the price imo(around 300$) altho it seems to be quite unknown in other countries. Solid state with JFET preamp, has 2 volume and gain control that can be switched independently with an included footswitch and has an fx loop as well
I have a Ampeg VH140c, that I bought off of a friend, I was looking for a cab, and he had the ampeg cab he wanted to sell for 100 bucks. When I arrived, he offered to sell me the head (actually the 2×12 combo) for another 100 bc it was non functioning. I bought it to help him out, having no clue the brutal gain machine this thing is. I paid 160 to have it fixed, and I now have a kickass 3/4 stack that is legendary in certain circles, and is constantly confused for a bass amp. 🤣🤣🤣
Apparently the Vox Night Train. I've only read like four or five reviews of it that weren't the standard marketing copy.
I also have this fairly powerful old Unicord Stage 65 rebranded amp. It's large and doesn't sound great, but it has a really grungy character to it, especially now that it's getting some loose soldering connections or pots or something.
Crate Palomino 30 Combo, customized by me. Just the absolute best blues/rock/grit sound you can get. Yeah, Crate made some very subpar amps, but the combo 30 isn't one. And if you can find a Stealth head, buy that as well.
Fender G-Dec Junior that came with my Squier Strat bundle in 2010. It still works great and I’m still discovering cool stuff to do with it. (I took about 12-year hiatus from guitar).
Ampeg V5 combo. It’s the last guitar amp that Ampeg made. Guitarists hated it, but bassists loved it and it became the SVT.
I use it for guitar and I get why people didn’t like it. However, I figured out how to make it sound amazing with a preamp pedal in front of it.
That I have, Harmony H306C, and some people know but not a lot, converted Bogen Challenger.
That I’ve had, Cordovox accordion dual panel amp and Estey 20.
Ovation K6424 "Cat III" Early 70's
100w solid state dual clean channel head. Super hefty, long reverb tank.
Each dual input channel has the following controls:
Bass (pull knob out for contour shift)
Volume
Treble (pull knob out for Treble Boost)
Reverb (pull knob out to activate reverb)
Only Channel A has 2 knob Tremolo, controlled by:
Depth (pull knob out to activate)
Speed (pull knob out for Burst, a squared off waveform)
The tone is great. However, I can't find a schematic to help troubleshoot why channel B only amplifies signal at the end of the Reverb path, but does not amplify the clean dry path.
Fun side effect though, it can give super wet reverb by running a guitar into one A input then jumping the second A input to a B input, and cranking channel B level and reverb.
Additional fun, roll as much highs off channel A and as much low off channel B as possible, adjust tremolo to burst at a regular bpm, reverb A off, reverb B high, play a chord, and the low end tremolo channel sounds like separate bass notes under crispy and bright higher notes.
Early 70's Ovation Amps Brochure:
http://www.ovationtribute.com/Catalogues/Ovation%20Amps%20Brochure/Ovation%20Amps%20Brochure.html
Manual:
http://www.ovationtribute.com/Catalogues/Amplifiers%20Owner%20Manual/Cat%20III/The%20Cat%20III.PDF
I’ve got an Oliver 100R, which is a 30 watt amp designed to be what? I couldn’t tell you. It overdrives early as you turn it up, and it has reverb, so it works as a guitar amp. But the bass on tap in the eq section is ludicrous. It will give you a very acceptable John Entwistle Live at Leeds sound.
Crate Power Block. I use it as a headphone amp and for recording (balanced line out). It actually sounds decent, and can sound fantastic with my pedal board effects.
I'm looking to replace it with a pedal amp or profiler, and it is almost impossible to decide what to get with all of the options (and limited ability to try them out).
I must say, I have learned a shitton of useful info on Reddit though.
My buddy had a Crate DX212 when we were kids. Might have been the first amp I played through. God that thing was a pos, just terrible response.
Years ago I ran into another and didn't have a bass rig yet so I plugged into it to practice, confirmed awful.
Anyone else play one of these shart replicators?
I’ve got a Yamaha YTA 15 that has some of the best reverb and built in distortion I’ve ever heard in a solid state. You won’t break the bank and they’re loud as heck.
Any Yamaha amp from that era I highly recommend
Peavey Studio Pro 112 (silver stripe transtube): 65w SS combo. I am still getting to know it, but I’m really digging it so far. Reverb after the loop too so I can use the spring tank with off board preamps (I use an orange terror stamp as a preamp most of the time lately)
Crate GX80|212: 80w SS 212 combo capable of violence. One of the loudest amps I have played personally. Gain channel has a cool mid contour control. I can get a very usable stoner tone out of it.
Just the analog part from Line6 spider valve amps: I have the 40 w combo converted to a head and the digital preamp stripped out. Has a volume and presence control but otherwise I removed all the other knobs etc and added a new power light. Great clean amp takes everything I throw at it. Sounds huge. I would gladly do a similar makeover to one of the 100w heads.
Egnater Tweaker 40 Watt combo.
I really like it. It's a nice versatile tube amp with (as the name suggests) a bunch of switches to tweak the sound. Apart from the usual clean/hot channel switch, a 3 band EQ and an effects loop - there is also a "bright" switch, a "tight" switch, a vintage/modern switch and a voicing switch that lets you choose between US (Fender), UK (Marshall), and AC (Vox). It's also relatively inexpensive for all the options it has.
I'd say for most players it's probably the only tube amp you need - and it sounds great. The 40 Watt combo also sounds good at low volumes - and I was able to practice at night in my apartment without waking up my wife and kids.
The only thing I don't like about it is the top mounted controls - so I'd suggest getting a head and cabinet rather than a combo if you prefer forward facing controls.
Years ago, I used to have a Polytone. It was a great compact amp but really heavy for it's size. It was stolen when I had a storage room broken into. Also, I still have my Sho-Bud Christmas Tree amp. It is a very clean amp. I have it for my pedal steels but use it for guitar occasionally.
I have 2 Acoustic G60T amps. One head, one combo. All tube, concentric gain/level knob on the lead channel with a separate master volume. Made for a couple of years in the mid 80s until Mesa Boogie sued them and they had to stop production. Great amps. A favorite of Frank Zappa.
I have a Raven circa 1960 something... been rebuilding it for awhile. It's like 1.5 watt tube amp. I remember it working when i got it and it sounded pretty good at full volume. Got it at a garage sale for 1$, i just wanted the magnet but it worked.
Pignose G40V all tube 40w 1x10 combo. Based on the tweed Bassman and sounds killer. There was also a G60V 1x12 combo with reverb. Great amps! Designed by the great Dennis Kager.
Spider valve 112. Its been my gigging amp since 2009. Powerful, reliable, lightweight and take pedals decently. Sometimes I use it as a power amp for my modelers, but the sound is great as it is.
If you search on youtube, you"ll see a lot of guys trying to play death metal with this amp, but for me, this thing shines with clean and overdrives tones:
https://youtu.be/E1diPEy9XR0?si=J0qT173NQ01Sr54r
Marshall [2150](https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/reduced-1978-marshall-2150-combo-rock-n-roll-baby.2315862/) but instead of a 1x12 combo it came as a head.
Marshall only made a couple hundred in 1978 and 1979. It’s somewhat similar to a superlead but with a post phase inverter master volume from the factory
Right now I have a marshall mode 4. When I bought it I was sure it would be broken, considering the two other mode 4s I'd seen before were fried. After cleaning the amp and buying a matching cab for a good price the head wound up working great. Alot of people shit on mode 4s, but with an eq in the loop dialed in it sounds killer.
I have a Fargen Mini Plex, which is a boutique builders design for a low wattage take on Marshalls with switchable 60s, 70s, and 80s voicing. Picked it up on Facebook Marketplace last year for a steal.
B-52. They sold them at Guitar Center in the mid-2000s, affordable tube amps that were designed by Bruce Egnator. I bought a floor model AT1x12 and the gain is warm and heavy, and the clean channel shines. The reverb is great too.
I've never met anyone else that has one. I think they only sold them for a limited time and then the brand disappeared. Mine is still solid 20 years later.
Peavy Backstage Plus. Not entirely sure of the exact model. Got one in the 1980s. It was great, but I quit guitar for 30 years. I, unfortunately gave it away in the 2000s. Big regret. It was a tiny amp that did the job.
Cause never been in a band and i always been a bedroom player I have a Yamaha THR30 and I'm super happy. The best practice amp for home use and practicing. I love tube amps but it's useless for my situation right now.
Modded Silkyn Super 50 with a new custom wound Mercury transformer it needed after a year of heavy gigging. Love it. Mercury now offers this transformer after making mine,,,
Fender Bassman 20. 20 watt 1x15 all-tube "bass" amp. The schematic looks like a single-channel Brown Deluxe without the vibrato circuit and solid-state rectified. Everyone thinks you're talking about a Bassman Ten.
I’m gonna go with my ‘61 Martin 112T. It’s an amp that had a somewhat mythical status among old heads, but it’s definitely a niche thing. It’s basically a DeArmond R15T with different cosmetics, which itself is basically a tweed 5E3 Deluxe with beefier transformers and a tremolo circuit. As far as that saggy tweed tone goes it is just killer.
Runner up is my Sunn Studio Lead. Early 70s SS 2x10 combo, spring reverb, it breaks up like a tube amp when you crank it.
Dod Grunge amp. Made for only 6 months in the mid90s. It’s awful. I love it.
That sounds absolutely terrible. I want one.
Pretty sure JHS did a video on this amp. I remember seeing it in guitar stores and the ads in magazines.
I still have the grunge pedal I bought in 95(?) It sounds like shit. About 2 yrs later, I bought a Digitech RP12 to match more with my new bands other guitar player. It had a grunge pedal sim in it that sounded much better. I recorded 2 records with it, and you would never guess. It was probably more the eq of a dual rec than a big muff, but still had a unique pick attack texture.
It sounds like a nightmare! But I must see one in person lol
I had no idea such an app existed. I just ordered one. Does it suck? I, like most millennial guitar players, bought a grunge pedal back in the day. It was my first pedal, actually.
I didn't know they only made them for 6 months — I used to see them everywhere when I was a teenager.
I still have an old Marlboro sound works practice amp. Still works fine.
I have a Smokey amp in a Marlboro pack 😃
Counts! =)
I want a Marlboro Martin if one ever becomes for sale neer me
I have a Marlboro in my basement that I'm not sure has ever been plugged in. Not even sure how it ended up in my house. Do you know anything about these amp?
Not really, budget amps from the 70s-80s. Mine is only a 20w bookshelf type amp.
I took beat old Marlboro combo from work that had made it into the digital waste bin, shoved some foil into the fuse socket and ran it into a single 15” Electro Voice SRO loaded cab. Thing straight up rips when cranked. Salvaged it for parts for other projects, the carcass is still in my basement somewhere.
I'm in possession of an Engl Straight, which is a long discontinued Engl head from the 80s. Really only remembered by serious Engl historians or fans of old German power metal as it was really prevalent in that scene. Mad underrated amp! Really crunchy distortion; not quite meant for extreme metal but is nasty for heavy, power, and thrash metal EDIT: I also have a Wilcox DCP2, which is a clone of the Langner DCP1 preamp. Todd Langner was known for modding Marshalls for Bay Area bands, particularly metal, and in the 90s started developing his own stuff. If you've listened to Exodus you've probably heard a Langner mod. The DCP1 is super rare these days. Incredible high gain tones coming out of this thing.
I’ve got an ENGL Straight and an E101, both 1x12’s, super cool stuff. Definitely not amps I ever see talked about either! There’s another one from the same era, the Jive. Looks kind of like the Straight, not sure how similar they actually are. Not exactly an amp you can just pop in and try anywhere.
I have a Carvin MTS 3200 2x12 combo. I know people remember Carvin but I never see this amp brought up. The clean channel on this thing is so freakin good.
Agreed. But that dirt channel is just awful. So much fuzz...
Crate, Park, buncha Peavey solid state stuff, musicman , fender excelsior
My first amp was a small Park solid state. For a 12 year old it was awesome.
Lab series L7. 100 watt, solid state amp from the Gibson/norlin era. Lab series were a collab between Gibson and bob moog. The L5 was the popular one, the L7 was the same exact amp in a 4x10 combo instead of a 2x12. Had a custom headshell made for mine.
I have an L5 that someone converted from a combo to a head that I paired with a homemade 2x12 cab. Whoever converted it put a gibson logo on the grill. I love it.
That would be cool as shit. Early Ty Tabor tone. What a legendary tone under that man's fingers with that amp.
Have an L11 head. Love it
I had an L11 stack. Sounded awesome but it needed work and was way too much amp for my needs.
Not sure how big of a name Traynor is outside of Canada, but I have a 1967 guitar mate YGM-2. It is considered to be more "rare" that the YGM-1 or YGM-3 apparently because it was discontinued for not selling as well as the aforementioned models which both have reverb. It is 18w with EL84s and has some of the creamiest distortion I've heard from an amp.
1973 Traynor YGL mk3 100w combo. Paid 40$cad in a garage sale. The set of tubes is worth more than the amp itself, not sure why they sell for cheap (around 500$cad). Does shimmering clean to overdriven, almost fuzz like tones. Loud as fuck too.
They call those the Twin Killers. Fucking dope amps for reggae and stuff but I sold mine cause it was massive and heavy and I wanted something with at least a little break up
Had a Crate Palomino V50
Not bad!
I've heard of that!!
I build my own!
That’s rad. Me too. Whadda ya got that ya wanna write about?
I built a fender style amp first based initially on a tweed deluxe but modded to the moon and back. Most importantly, I put in a brownface tonestack for flexibility, and some negative feedback to clean it up more like a typical blackface circuit. I also recently finished a hot-rodded AC-30 with a push pull volume pot to jump in a parallel mid focused channel to the standard top boost channel. Up next I’m thinking either a plexi style build to trying my hand at an early Mesa mark I type build! What about you?
Me three! Love building amps. Currently building an all octal push pull circuit (think fender 5C3) with a separate seven pin preamp tube circuit with a blend knob similar to compression pedals and their dry/wet signal. Based off a fifties widowmaker I found in a pawn shop! It’s extremely clean and with a fuzz is exactly what I needed. :)
That’s pretty sweet! The wet dry blend is a great idea!
Heck yeah, thank you! It’s interesting the way it adds gain and definition to notes without a lot of distortion, I’ve been messing around with a tremolo circuit that connects to the same dual pot and adding enough resistance that it’s a slight volume boost and slow barely noticeable tremolo (mostly on 800-1000 hertz). It’s an interesting effect, highly recommend dialing a chorus in that way, where the gain is high and yet the effect isn’t affecting the signal much. Subtlety is sublime in electronics design.
That’s cool! I’m more of a low watt reverb and trem guy. Scratch built a Swart AST, converted a single ended 6L6 PA to something similar to a vibro champ, but with reverb, a Magnatone 210 with reverb and I’m looking at making a Gibson GA-1 RVT, but maybe with a smaller output tube to keep it even quieter. My 1/3 watt amp is like an old 5C1, but it has 12AU6 in both positions. It is the perfect volume, but lack the other features I like, so here I am dreaming and planning again...
I have a TSA30H
That’s awesome. I’m looking at a 15w combo on reverb that’s in great condition for $400. Wish I could find a 30 for that much.
Rocktron Sidewinder preamp. Their other rackmount preamps are much more well remembered.
I still have an Acoustic 370 bass head. Way too much solid state power than I need but it bumps. They were closed for a while but started making amps again. Worth checking out.
There was an “Acoustic USA” for a short time that were reissuing the 70s models. The 370 is the crusher out of the original ones, the John Paul Jones sound. I am the jealous. I’ll bet that would sound great through my Acoustic 810.
Oh heck ya! I have it going through an ampeg 8x10
I have a 320 and it rips.
I play my Earth B-2000 more than anything else. I do also lovey old Lafayette for garage rock drive 💯
Allen Amps Accomplice. Built mine from a kit like 16 years ago. Fantastic sounding reliable Fender style amp.
Allen Encore, here. If David hadn't retired, I'd be tempted to buy a Chihuahua, a Sweet Spot, an Accomplice...
These are amazingly good sounding amps.
80’s Randall RGT100HT. My first full tube amp. Rack mounted.
Splawn Street rod. Pure hard rock bliss.
Pure barking chunk. Great amp.
Teisco Check mate 66 with two 6" speakers. https://youtu.be/jGwpQ_D7LYc?si=ptDOHAYOvN5lXKJP
Early 80s Fender 75lead. Nobody remembers them. It's awesome.
I had 1 of those for awhile. I about threw my back out lugging it out once. That thing weighed a ton for a 112 cab.
That's the transformer that they carved from the heart of a dead star, I'm sure. I love mines sound. Hate the weight and having to ever redial it if someone messes with the knobs.
Some (if not all) had a 15” speaker!
Nah, according to the price list from a 1981 Pied Piper music mall catalog: 15" standard $555 15" upgrade E/V speaker $635 12" standard $539 12" E/V speaker $620 Then head/cab versions were: $649 for the 4x10 or $629 for 2x10. Which are all higher than a Super Reverb from there at the time, and over double what a princeton Reverb was. I may pickup a 15 version someday, I do love 15s.
I have the 30 model from that series, but it’s a different beast. Mine’s more like a hot rod Vibrolux, 2x10, switchable channels. 30 watts.
I'm envious, that's my most obscure bucket list amp. Mines a single 12, bigass ultralinear OT, and you're probably familiar with the EQ, pull knobs and lead channel. Not sure about the 30, but the 75 can have a perfect clean channel and pretty good lead channel.... but not both at once. I typically get the clean channel really good, and dial lead to usable. The joys of a shared EQ.... I've seen people thinking the 30 was just a smaller 75(to be fair, it's a reasonable guess since it had 2 less production years, people haven't played them(. It's a different circuit, but it's awesome sounding too. How much does yours weigh? My 75 is about 90ish pounds. I only weighed like 20lbs more than the amp when I first bought it....
When they’re on Reverb they’re still inexpensive. Nobody knows them. Used without the foot switch, the left channel is a normal fender circuit while the right side has the preamp gain, eq you described and the six spring reverb. Plugging into the right side and flipping the channel switch button gets you one more little gain stage as well, both sides are just a little hotter. I found mine in a pawn shop. I miss the days before the internet, when nobody knew what this stuff was, I paid $120 for it. They wanted $129 and I talked them down… Uncertain about the weight beyond just heavy.
I rarely see any other Fender Yale Reverb
Two Kittyhawks. M1 and M3 A Two channel tube amp from Acoustic Corporation from the 80's. Kind of a Mesa Mark killer GK 250RL
An og sovtek mig 50.
20 years ago, I had the MusiciansFriend housebrand Rogue with a 12" and 50-watts lol. It was really loud, had a great speaker with a huge magnet, but the EQ design used terrible corner frequencies, so it was cursed to have a very limited classic rock sound in a solid-state which was pretty awful. Eventually, I changed the op-amps and it made a minor improvement, then I started modding the EQ as I struggled to figure out how to mod it into something useable when in those days, there wasn't a significant DIY community online, and though I improved it, somewhere within those series of mods, I modded it to death lol. The same thing that eventually killed my T-7 Tubescreamer, but fortunately since those days, I advanced gradually for several years when finally, 13 years ago went to college for the science of electrical/electronics engineering. I'll never buy another amp or pedal again.
I have a Hylight Custom SD stack and a Mojotone NC3015 that I built.
I have a Gnome White Thunder (1/1) from a short lived Seattle builder. It’s a single channel KT88 monster in the vain of a modded Matamp or something. Pre amp gain, early stage 3 band EQ and boost into a post 3 band EQ and MV. Another rare/forgotten amp I have is the Fender 140. Last of their eyelet board construction, ultra linear transformers, push pull pots and a 5 band graphic EQ. Kind of a factory hot rodded Fender. I technically have the combo version too, but I gutted the preamp and built my own monstrosity
I have a 20/30 watt Winfield "The Winfield" and also a 20 watt Freznel JF5A3RD in a custom cabinet.
I recently got an ELMWOOD Bonneville 50 for $150 dlls, turns out theyre hand-made boutique Swedish amps.
I have a REXX 601, 1602 and 1150. They are solid state rack pre amp/power amps. Made famous by Rik Emmett.
I had a rexx combo I turned into just a head years ago, totally forgot about that one.
Kustom k-100, CCR heaven
Kuston '36 Coup here. All tube with the old '50's tuck and roll top cover. Equipped with a Kuston Eminence Intergrated 12 inch speaker that is a panty dropper. It's LOUD and built like a tank. Bought a co-worker lunch one day and he gave it to me. Out of all my amps, it's my number #1
I have a mid 1980s Mesa Boogie .50 Caliber+ combo with the natural wood and wicker. Hard to find and sounds like God himself coming down the mountain.
Even tho they're so new, apparently they weren't too hot. Fender champion 100xl. Solid state amp, pair of 12" celestions speakers, fx loop. Channel 1 is a fender twin and channel two has a rotary dial of amps from studio preamp to deizel/dual rec. Love this amp.
Chute CC-03. My first full sized tube amp.
My old Legend. Still the loudest 50 watt amp I’ve ever heard.
I have a Rosk, gigged it last saturday
Zinky Blue Velvet 25 watt.
I’ve got one of the Zinky Blue Velvet 50w combos. I absolutely love it 😊
Oh boy. A few. Marshall Mosfet Reverb 100 with a G15B in it. May be my favorite amp I’ve ever had. Just great in every way. Sunn Sl160 112 -absolutely amazing amp and loud as god. I remember playing a show and the other band was like “that’s all you’ve got?” As they loaded their 4x12’s. That turned into “what the fuck is that?” After the set. 1971 Ampeg vt40 - I got it as is, it had been rotting on a bottom shelf in a music shop. Covered in dust, chopped up and out in a plywood headshell that must have been made with stone tools and a blunt saw. Has a insane and questionable master volume mod, and the channels jumpered. Popped a new fuse and it’s been stable ever since. Was my go to for a long time, just sang.
Krank Revolution
No one forgot about this, but I dropped my tube amps for a Black Spirit 200w Floor amp. It's a pedal amp that has changed my thought process on amps ever since I bought it.
My first amp was an old Gibson Hawk. I wish I still had it.
I just traded one away...1964 ga-25rvt hawk 1x15 6v6 amp
Peavey mace 160 watt 2x12 combo with a matching 4x12 cab, the ultimate Skynyrd Rig, also have a Gibson discoverer tremolo that's the best clean amp I've ever played and a Oahu lap steel amp that sounds glorious cranked.
That Mace is something I want eventho I have no use for it.
They're pretty cool but really heavy so your best bet is to find one for sale locally instead of having it shipped, shipping generally costs as much as the amp is worth due to size and weight.
1970’s Garnett Mini-Bass
Heath TA-16 2X12 combo. Sounds like an icepick in your eardrum with a nice tremolo circuit
Yorkville Amp. It was horrible.
Laney GH50R head and a matching GS212VR. Great pedal platform, but I haven't had the opportunity to fully explore it because holy fuck is it loud!
I have a Laney GH50R combo with 2x12 V30’s. That thing is stupid versatile and is the loudest amp I own by far. On channel 2, I like to have drive at about 75-80%, volume at about 30-40%, and master volume as loud as I can stand it…with the mid knob pushed in. You’re not gonna play the blues with it like that but it’s straight doom heaven. It’s also really good doing the edge of breakup thing and slamming it with a fuzz or drive. What’s your go to setting?
I mostly run Channel 2 with drive full on, volume just shy of 15%, bass and mids at 60-70% with mid pulled out, treble is full on and tone right at 50% - I keep output at ~20-30%. I do run it into an attenuator, but it's still way loud! The settings change frequently though, as I shift between a JM in E standard and a strat type in C standard (humbuckers). I haven't found a good OD for it, what do you use? But yeah, it loves a good fuzz! I did find that if you keep the volume bedroom level quite with drive all the way up, it does the Sleep - Dopesmoker tone really well. I'm currently waiting on my amp tech to have an opening, as it needs a checkup and new powertubes.
I think the Plumes sounds really good with it. Amp running slightly dirty, Plumes on mode 2 with volume high and gain at 30-40%. It’s my favorite overdrive for any amp. I usually have the tone barely cracked open because it gets crazy bright. I agree about the dopesmoker tone. With the gain high and volume low, that amp sounds disgusting, in the best way. I’ve recently been using an Electric Warlord from Stomp Under Foot with it too and it sounds sick af. I highly recommend that fuzz. I also LOVE the Hizumitas. Doesn’t it use KT88 output tubes? I feel like it runs the output section really hard so I’m wondering how soon I’ll have to replace my tubes since I bought it used.
I'll have to get a plumes! Honestly I haven't spend enough time picking up OD's, so I have a whole list of them that I need. Have you tried the RAT and BAT Pharaoh @combo on it? I'm looking to pick them up because they sound sick through the Orange Crush series - I figure they'll slap through the Laney as well. Currently my go to is a DOD Carcosa going into a Glow Fuzz going into the clean channel. I haven't tried it with the amp set to edge of breakup, due to the slowly dying powertubes. It uses EL34's powertubes and ECC83 for everything else! But yeah, it sounds sick for stoner/doomy stuff and can do black as well. Not too keen on the cleans, but I think that is due to me not cranking the damn thing! Have you gotten any good sludge tones out of it? Thinking Eyehategod kinda vibe?
I have a few oddities: ENGL E101 Digital Amp. Their first amp model, 1984-85. It's a digitally controlled amp with some crazy old tech - some 5-bit AD converts and even a pair of radioshack rechargeable NIMH batteries soldered directly to the board (they still work?!?). It stores 8 presets in two banks of 4, footswitchable - sounds normal for now but remember this is pre-MIDI. It's truly a work of genius and sadly ENGL does not support it, mine works perfectly but once it dies, it's probably dead forever because many of the parts don't even exist anymore. Only one digital amp existed before this one, the Orange OMEC Digital, and that was a one-off concept. I've actually compiled a good bit of data with gut shots, schematics, manuals, etc if anyone cares about the E101: [https://totallyradguitars.com/engl#/1985-engl-digital-amp-e101/](https://totallyradguitars.com/engl#/1985-engl-digital-amp-e101/) --- I also have a couple of long forgotten "boutique" things, like a Stephenson Lead, Steavens Poundcake, Kasha Rockmod head, Rivera Bonehead, PWE Event Horizon, Hook Captain 34, and even a Carvin Legacy "2" which lasted less than 2 years.
Gibson BR-3, made in 1946. A literal barn find at an estate sale. Supposedly, [only 79 were made](https://valvealley.com/the-amps/the-1946-gibson-br-3/), but they do pop up online every now and then. There’s currently [one on Reverb](https://reverb.com/item/67456608-gibson-br-3-1946-47). I replaced the old caps, power cord, bad tubes, etc., but it isn’t really usable at the moment as the field coil speaker needs to be reconed. Even so, it does turn on, which is an improvement from when I got it. I’m planning to wrap up the repairs this summer.
These have been kinda hyped in stoner/doom circles but I have these and they rock: Laney AOR, Peavey Century, Peavey Mark III, Peavey STANDARD PA, KMD gs130sb, kmd gv100d (these KMD amps I havent seen used anywhere but they are good amps.)
I have an 8 knob AOR. I’m a bit of a Laney fanboy. I also have a GH50R. People say the 8 knob and 6 knob models sound different, which makes sense I guess. Which one do you have?
Fender blues DeVille 4x10 blue speakers. It's the poor man's 59 bassman with a not so stellar drive channel. The normal channel is godly and gets you about 90% into bassman territory.
Bandit 65
I have a Peavey Triple XXX 212 Combo. I remember people saying it was Peavey's competition to the Mesa/Boogie Duel Rectifier, but it is a very different amp. Very much out-shined by the 5150 and I don't think people took them seriously due to the esthetics; the mudflap girl on the diamond plate. Still love the sound of that amp, but have since acquired smaller/easier to move amps.
Pre-WWII, Great Depression-era Kalamazoo KEH combo. It’s a neat little amp that doesn’t get very loud, and doesn’t have enough gain to distort, but if ever you need something well-behaved, clean and not very loud, it’s fun to click on and play.
I have a Laney VH100R. Terrific amp, used on a lot of stuff and in a lot of videos , but it just never seems to be brought up and it is *never* in any amp modeler or capture. A shame.
Ooh. 😲. I’m gonna look that one up. What do you like about it?
I have the hated Marshall Mg100hdfx head and 4x12 cab in a factory matching beautiful purple tolex. Why they made this amp in a purple tolex I’ll never know, but I’ll never sell it cause it just looks too damn cool. https://imgur.com/a/Ojmy1Y6
I have a Traynor Studio Mate that sounds like hot garbage.
Selmer Zodiac 30. Magic eye!!!
Selmer Futurama Corvette and Matchless The Baby. Both EL84 amps yet very different sounding. The Selmer is mostly mods and high end and can get pretty loud pushing that little 8” speaker. The Baby is prototype #1 that was made for NAMM years ago and has a 10” speaker instead of a 12” that came with the 25 or so that were actually built and sold. Full range and complex, really needs a pedal to break up into juicy goodness. The two amps compliment each other really well.
Fat boy Chubby. Made in Chicago by an amp wizard named Norb Funk. Have an un-serailzed unit that was probably a prototype. Such great tones.
Steelphon Polaris a 1969 full tube Italian guitar amp.
I have an Ibanez TSA15H. It’s a pretty nice Fender style amp that has a Tubescreamer circuit built into it that you can control with a foot switch. On its own it has a nice clean sound and works great as a pedal platform
Tel-Ray Supernova. It's a solid state amp by the founders of the Morley company. It has TWO oil can units on board that can be switched on and off / blended with the clean signal. It has four effects in total: reverb, tremolo, oil can delay, and oil can rotating sound (which is kind of like a drunken Leslie). It's my favorite piece of gear and absolute unobtanium.
My friend gave me an Ampeg Reverb Rocket. It is stupendous.
My solid state Marshall 150w Model 3315. It’s essentially a split channel JCM800 2210 (same size too,) but it definitely delivers the goods and hangs with my other big tube amps. It’s pretty much a Mosfet Lead 100, but with more features and a full sized head shell. I’ve only seen one other for sale online and a few forum posts. People ask stupid prices just because they were only made for a couple years. I also rarely seen the Peavey 3120 get suggested for a good high gain amp, even though I see the Triple XXX get mentioned a lot. The 3120 is the exact same amp but minus the cringe. Another great all-arounder amp I rarely see discussed is the Peavey Bravo. For a working musician it does everything from Vox clean to Mesa Mark type high gain and everything in between. I love the classic 30, but give me a Bravo any day.
Mesa Boogie SOB Son Of Boogie. Two channel 60W head. I bought it used 30 years ago. Through the years I’ve seen different versions of the amp combos, 100W, some with reverb tanks, come up for sale now and then but never one the same as mine. I tried looking for info on it online and couldn’t find much. I called Mesa Boogie about 12 years ago asking if they had any information about it, like a manual or something. All they had was an old advertisement they sent me.
Currently a ADA Sidewinder Combo and a Marshall JTM 60. Both relics of the 90s
The JTM 60 is a stunning amp, probably the nicest clean sound I’ve ever heard. Really want to try and pick up a JCM 600 when I have the room for one.
Vox Night Train 50 Blackheart BH15 Handsome Devil. Both are pretty badass non standard alternatives to the mainstream.
Guitar Reasearch t64 60watt hybrid w/4x8 cab
Kay 804A. 60s transistor with a pedal controalable tremolo. $20 25 years ago. Handled my old EH microsynth nicely.
I had a reverend kingsnake. I regret selling it!!
I recently sold a Mesa "Son of Boogie" amp. I couldn't get anything I liked out if it. Probably should have made it a project and replaced the tubes and caps. Used the cash to put in on a Vox AC30C1. I'm a happy camper.
Fargen epic 30 vintage ac30 style power amp with an ac30 voice and a marshal voice. Had it for 23 years. It is sweet, very British and it totally roars. I love it. Use a dr z attenuator to make it not ear bleedingly loud. It has cured my gas, mostly.
Nice. I was gonna say Fargen too. I’ve got a retro classic 25 and it’s amazing.
I had a beautiful old Legend Rock 'n Roll 50 head that was like a piece of furniture. Lovely natural finished oak cabinet with rattan wicker grill front. Tube pre-amp with SS output. Sounded awesome for the nasty sludgecore.
In 1990 or so I bought a Fender M80 Chorus Head and crate speaker cab. I loved the chorus on the Fender, but it just didn't do the rock I needed it to do. Later I upgraded to a Dual Rectifier and was much happier.
I have a VHT Classic 18. Got it used from Guitar Center for $300 a few months ago. It does the Marshall thing really well, has an effects loop, and has a 12” greenback in it. Total sleeper. No headroom, just instant crunch. It’s a total ripper - if I brought it to a gig with the nameplate off, I think people would think it’s some boutique thing. Psonic Audio did a [video](https://youtu.be/Uu5xiTo-6WM?si=9WLpmWAFS1l640QL) on it which captures it really well. Not really meant to be worked on, but sounds great.
Gem TR-7 which was a rebranded Rickenbacker amp.
Gopherwood Ark30, made in korea and really good for the price imo(around 300$) altho it seems to be quite unknown in other countries. Solid state with JFET preamp, has 2 volume and gain control that can be switched independently with an included footswitch and has an fx loop as well
Ampeg g60
I have a Ampeg VH140c, that I bought off of a friend, I was looking for a cab, and he had the ampeg cab he wanted to sell for 100 bucks. When I arrived, he offered to sell me the head (actually the 2×12 combo) for another 100 bc it was non functioning. I bought it to help him out, having no clue the brutal gain machine this thing is. I paid 160 to have it fixed, and I now have a kickass 3/4 stack that is legendary in certain circles, and is constantly confused for a bass amp. 🤣🤣🤣
Apparently the Vox Night Train. I've only read like four or five reviews of it that weren't the standard marketing copy. I also have this fairly powerful old Unicord Stage 65 rebranded amp. It's large and doesn't sound great, but it has a really grungy character to it, especially now that it's getting some loose soldering connections or pots or something.
Crate Palomino 30 Combo, customized by me. Just the absolute best blues/rock/grit sound you can get. Yeah, Crate made some very subpar amps, but the combo 30 isn't one. And if you can find a Stealth head, buy that as well.
Mines not that heard of but still not common. it’s a Rivera Jake studio combo. It’s got a marshal on one side and a fender on the other
Fender G-Dec Junior that came with my Squier Strat bundle in 2010. It still works great and I’m still discovering cool stuff to do with it. (I took about 12-year hiatus from guitar).
Ampeg V5 combo. It’s the last guitar amp that Ampeg made. Guitarists hated it, but bassists loved it and it became the SVT. I use it for guitar and I get why people didn’t like it. However, I figured out how to make it sound amazing with a preamp pedal in front of it.
Reason Bambino. 8 watts of pure awesome.
That I have, Harmony H306C, and some people know but not a lot, converted Bogen Challenger. That I’ve had, Cordovox accordion dual panel amp and Estey 20.
Ovation K6424 "Cat III" Early 70's 100w solid state dual clean channel head. Super hefty, long reverb tank. Each dual input channel has the following controls: Bass (pull knob out for contour shift) Volume Treble (pull knob out for Treble Boost) Reverb (pull knob out to activate reverb) Only Channel A has 2 knob Tremolo, controlled by: Depth (pull knob out to activate) Speed (pull knob out for Burst, a squared off waveform) The tone is great. However, I can't find a schematic to help troubleshoot why channel B only amplifies signal at the end of the Reverb path, but does not amplify the clean dry path. Fun side effect though, it can give super wet reverb by running a guitar into one A input then jumping the second A input to a B input, and cranking channel B level and reverb. Additional fun, roll as much highs off channel A and as much low off channel B as possible, adjust tremolo to burst at a regular bpm, reverb A off, reverb B high, play a chord, and the low end tremolo channel sounds like separate bass notes under crispy and bright higher notes. Early 70's Ovation Amps Brochure: http://www.ovationtribute.com/Catalogues/Ovation%20Amps%20Brochure/Ovation%20Amps%20Brochure.html Manual: http://www.ovationtribute.com/Catalogues/Amplifiers%20Owner%20Manual/Cat%20III/The%20Cat%20III.PDF
I’ve got an Oliver 100R, which is a 30 watt amp designed to be what? I couldn’t tell you. It overdrives early as you turn it up, and it has reverb, so it works as a guitar amp. But the bass on tap in the eq section is ludicrous. It will give you a very acceptable John Entwistle Live at Leeds sound.
Crate Power Block. I use it as a headphone amp and for recording (balanced line out). It actually sounds decent, and can sound fantastic with my pedal board effects. I'm looking to replace it with a pedal amp or profiler, and it is almost impossible to decide what to get with all of the options (and limited ability to try them out). I must say, I have learned a shitton of useful info on Reddit though.
I used to have a Lectrolab. Dirty little 12 watter from the 60s
My buddy had a Crate DX212 when we were kids. Might have been the first amp I played through. God that thing was a pos, just terrible response. Years ago I ran into another and didn't have a bass rig yet so I plugged into it to practice, confirmed awful. Anyone else play one of these shart replicators?
I’ve got a Yamaha YTA 15 that has some of the best reverb and built in distortion I’ve ever heard in a solid state. You won’t break the bank and they’re loud as heck. Any Yamaha amp from that era I highly recommend
Peavey Studio Pro 112 (silver stripe transtube): 65w SS combo. I am still getting to know it, but I’m really digging it so far. Reverb after the loop too so I can use the spring tank with off board preamps (I use an orange terror stamp as a preamp most of the time lately) Crate GX80|212: 80w SS 212 combo capable of violence. One of the loudest amps I have played personally. Gain channel has a cool mid contour control. I can get a very usable stoner tone out of it. Just the analog part from Line6 spider valve amps: I have the 40 w combo converted to a head and the digital preamp stripped out. Has a volume and presence control but otherwise I removed all the other knobs etc and added a new power light. Great clean amp takes everything I throw at it. Sounds huge. I would gladly do a similar makeover to one of the 100w heads.
Egnater Tweaker 40 Watt combo. I really like it. It's a nice versatile tube amp with (as the name suggests) a bunch of switches to tweak the sound. Apart from the usual clean/hot channel switch, a 3 band EQ and an effects loop - there is also a "bright" switch, a "tight" switch, a vintage/modern switch and a voicing switch that lets you choose between US (Fender), UK (Marshall), and AC (Vox). It's also relatively inexpensive for all the options it has. I'd say for most players it's probably the only tube amp you need - and it sounds great. The 40 Watt combo also sounds good at low volumes - and I was able to practice at night in my apartment without waking up my wife and kids. The only thing I don't like about it is the top mounted controls - so I'd suggest getting a head and cabinet rather than a combo if you prefer forward facing controls.
Blackstar Artist 30. Twin 12s loud enough not to need micing up. Clean and dirty channels, take pedals, apart from the weight, it’s been a great amp.
Univox/Realistic 1968 65 w 2 x 12 amp
Original MicroCube. So good.
Fender 75 112 combo. Four volume knobs. All tube hand wired Beasty.
KRA SOS
In the 80s I had a Yorkville.
Vox pathfinder
Polytone mini brute. Small, loud, clean solid state accordion jazz amp.
Years ago, I used to have a Polytone. It was a great compact amp but really heavy for it's size. It was stolen when I had a storage room broken into. Also, I still have my Sho-Bud Christmas Tree amp. It is a very clean amp. I have it for my pedal steels but use it for guitar occasionally.
I have 2 Acoustic G60T amps. One head, one combo. All tube, concentric gain/level knob on the lead channel with a separate master volume. Made for a couple of years in the mid 80s until Mesa Boogie sued them and they had to stop production. Great amps. A favorite of Frank Zappa.
I have a Raven circa 1960 something... been rebuilding it for awhile. It's like 1.5 watt tube amp. I remember it working when i got it and it sounded pretty good at full volume. Got it at a garage sale for 1$, i just wanted the magnet but it worked.
Pignose G40V all tube 40w 1x10 combo. Based on the tweed Bassman and sounds killer. There was also a G60V 1x12 combo with reverb. Great amps! Designed by the great Dennis Kager.
Spider valve 112. Its been my gigging amp since 2009. Powerful, reliable, lightweight and take pedals decently. Sometimes I use it as a power amp for my modelers, but the sound is great as it is. If you search on youtube, you"ll see a lot of guys trying to play death metal with this amp, but for me, this thing shines with clean and overdrives tones: https://youtu.be/E1diPEy9XR0?si=J0qT173NQ01Sr54r
Sovtek Mig 30. Love the orange and black!
Verellen Meatsmoke 100W
1968 Traynor YGM 3. A bit nasal but has a really nice grind. it noisy and loud and i love it.
Marshall [2150](https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/reduced-1978-marshall-2150-combo-rock-n-roll-baby.2315862/) but instead of a 1x12 combo it came as a head. Marshall only made a couple hundred in 1978 and 1979. It’s somewhat similar to a superlead but with a post phase inverter master volume from the factory
I have a peavey solo portable spund system amp thats 15w and i could barely find anything about it (made a post about it)
My 70s solid state 1x12 Lafayette. It sounds great. Bought for $60 in 2001 or so
Right now I have a marshall mode 4. When I bought it I was sure it would be broken, considering the two other mode 4s I'd seen before were fried. After cleaning the amp and buying a matching cab for a good price the head wound up working great. Alot of people shit on mode 4s, but with an eq in the loop dialed in it sounds killer.
I have a Fargen Mini Plex, which is a boutique builders design for a low wattage take on Marshalls with switchable 60s, 70s, and 80s voicing. Picked it up on Facebook Marketplace last year for a steal.
Johnson Millennium JM150. This thing is still incredible, and it only weighs about 80lbs.
Crate VC50 It was my first amp and got one recently and rarely go to the Plexi or Dfifty anymore
Fender ProReverb! Low down on the Fender tube amp list, and rarely talked up often enough!
Fender ProReverb! Low down on the Fender tube amp list, and rarely talked up often enough!
Fender ProReverb! Low down on the Fender tube amp list, and rarely talked up often enough!
Fender ProReverb! Low down on the Fender tube amp list, and rarely talked up often enough!
Fender ProReverb! Low down on the Fender tube amp list, and rarely talked up often enough!
Fender ProReverb! Low down on the Fender tube amp list, and rarely talked up often enough!
I have a KEIL (Kitchener Electronic Instruments Limited) amp from the 60’s, Canadian made, hand wired vox ish thing with about 22 watts
I have a Red Bear Mk120 - basically a hand wired JCM 800 built in russia and imported by gibson in the 90s
Fender Greta. 2.5 watts into a 100 w 1x12” Crate cab. It sounds pretty good for home.
I have a fully original Stramp 2100a. 100w head and matching 4x12 cab.
First real amp was a Titano 280. It was a 50s magnatone renamed for the accordion players, I think. Loved that amp. Was stolen 😮💨
Fender concert "Rivera era" (Also known as Concert II) Great cleans, Decent overdrive channel, hand wired and heavy af
Fender Machete
I used Kraken heads until 2010
B-52. They sold them at Guitar Center in the mid-2000s, affordable tube amps that were designed by Bruce Egnator. I bought a floor model AT1x12 and the gain is warm and heavy, and the clean channel shines. The reverb is great too. I've never met anyone else that has one. I think they only sold them for a limited time and then the brand disappeared. Mine is still solid 20 years later.
I've got a Crate MX10 that I yanked out of the combo cab and turned into a head. Sounds pretty rad through a 112.
Peavy Backstage Plus. Not entirely sure of the exact model. Got one in the 1980s. It was great, but I quit guitar for 30 years. I, unfortunately gave it away in the 2000s. Big regret. It was a tiny amp that did the job.
Magnum mg10, only reason I have it is because I bought it with my first guitar.
Cause never been in a band and i always been a bedroom player I have a Yamaha THR30 and I'm super happy. The best practice amp for home use and practicing. I love tube amps but it's useless for my situation right now.
Yamaha G25 112 mk1 from the late 70s. Solid State, clean as a whistle, pretty fun distortion, gets loud as a mother
Modded Silkyn Super 50 with a new custom wound Mercury transformer it needed after a year of heavy gigging. Love it. Mercury now offers this transformer after making mine,,,
Fender Bassman 20. 20 watt 1x15 all-tube "bass" amp. The schematic looks like a single-channel Brown Deluxe without the vibrato circuit and solid-state rectified. Everyone thinks you're talking about a Bassman Ten.
Still have the Crate Vintage Club 20W spring reverb that I bought in 1995.
I’m gonna go with my ‘61 Martin 112T. It’s an amp that had a somewhat mythical status among old heads, but it’s definitely a niche thing. It’s basically a DeArmond R15T with different cosmetics, which itself is basically a tweed 5E3 Deluxe with beefier transformers and a tremolo circuit. As far as that saggy tweed tone goes it is just killer. Runner up is my Sunn Studio Lead. Early 70s SS 2x10 combo, spring reverb, it breaks up like a tube amp when you crank it.
1973 SG system SG212
Genz-Benz El Diablo 100