The Valve Amp Thread

[Crusoe]

1 hour ago, knirirr said:

 

Thanks - that Laney looks interesting, though the price appears to be quite a bit higher than the Harley Benton.
Apparently there's a Vox AC4 available as well, though that lacks reverb.

The Laney looks to have gone up in price recently. My local shop was doing them for around £379 a while ago, but are now up to £439. It does look really nice in the flesh and sounds great (to me). When I was trying my guitar I played through one and loved the sound of it. As I said, the Harley Benton is supposedly a copy of the Laney, so could be worth a punt if you do want a cheap tube amp. It gets decent reviews.

[Kiwi]

On 19/08/2018 at 04:50, Skybone said:

What have you got???

Too much. 

Mesa Boogie Studio preamp

Mesa Boogie Triaxis preamp
Marshall JMP-1 preamp (technically MOSFet but with valve flavouring)
Carvin Quad X preamp
Burman GX3 preamp

Marshall 20/20 EL84 power amp
Burman Pro501 1x12 combo
Fender Princeton Reverb II
Fender Concert II (in NZ)
Chinese made 5F2  Princeton Tweed combo (x2)

The Fender Concert has to go at some point.  Same for the Carvin because it's surplus.  I'm not sure I need the 5F2 combos, Burman Pro501 or GX3 but...we shall see.

[casapete]

I’ve had dozens of valve amps over the last few decades.

In the mid 1970’s I bought a Marshall 1974 18 watt 1x12 combo which had been my main

go to amp ever since , although I’m primarily a bassist so it hasn’t been hammered!
Since selling it in 2021 I’ve been looking at something to replace it, and recently 

acquired a Fender 65 Deluxe Reverb reissue. Early days yet but I think it’s going

to be another keeper - superb sounding amp, with lush reverb and trem.

[Kiwi]

On 20/05/2023 at 05:30, casapete said:

recently 

acquired a Fender 65 Deluxe Reverb reissue.

Great choice...the DR Tonemaster is also getting great reviews. I wonder about repairability though.

[casapete]

On 23/05/2023 at 00:25, Kiwi said:

Great choice...the DR Tonemaster is also getting great reviews. I wonder about repairability though.

I did consider the TM version, but in the end went for the old school option. Despite needing the 

occasional valve, I’m far more confident in getting help with any repairs should I need it. I don’t 

know anyone in my area who could fix the TM, although the reduced weight and great tone 

made it a close call. 

[Kiwi]

On 26/05/2023 at 23:47, casapete said:

I did consider the TM version, but in the end went for the old school option. Despite needing the 

occasional valve, I’m far more confident in getting help with any repairs should I need it. I don’t 

know anyone in my area who could fix the TM, although the reduced weight and great tone 

made it a close call. 

Any thoughts about getting it modified?  A Rivera stage IV mod would be the nuts but it's not like Rivera is likely to jump over the pond and those Stage IV mods he did for Sweetwater were USA voltage only.

[casapete]

On 28/05/2023 at 22:46, Kiwi said:

Any thoughts about getting it modified?  A Rivera stage IV mod would be the nuts but it's not like Rivera is likely to jump over the pond and those Stage IV mods he did for Sweetwater were USA voltage only.

I’m happy enough with it as standard really - sounds really sweet and the reverb & vibrato work really well.

I haven’t heard the 64 Deluxe Handwired version, would imagine that’s even better but way too rich for me.

[EdwardMarlowe]

Anyone using the Harley Benton Tube 5? 

[Stoneham]

My first valve amp, age 15, was a Marshall JTM30.  This amp triggered my valve obsession and now I build valve amps for a living!

I upgraded to a DSL50 during my Gary Moore phase and used that for about a decade, until I started using my own designs.  

I've repaired just about every valve amp made and have a love of vintage Fenders, Vox, and Marshall amps.  But who doesn't?!

[Kiwi]

On 19/08/2023 at 23:34, Stoneham said:

I've repaired just about every valve amp made and have a love of vintage Fenders, Vox, and Marshall amps.  But who doesn't?!

Me, definitely me.

 

I got to try my Fender Princeton Reverb a couple of weeks back for the first time, after having collected it from a friend who was looking after it for me.  I REALLY liked what I heard, it was very fat in the mids which helps strats obviously.  There have been critics of the overdrive but I found nothing to complain about whatsoever and it sounded better once I started using the channel vol control as if it was a gain.  I'm really looking forward to getting to know it.

[police squad]

My first guitar amp was my brothers old 50 watt marshall, master volume 2x12 combo. These were great amps and when I eventuall joined a band on guitar just over 20 years ago, I bought the head version and ran it into an old marxhall 4x12 with green backs in it. This servered me well till I went to a Superbass Head with a Marshall Powerbreak.

At the time I was palying with Martin Kidd (Cornford/Victory designer) and we're good friends. He made me a 50 watt head, with dual masters volumes and a gain boost section, which meant no O/D pedal needed. FX loop. It was awesome and so I set up a company and sold a few.

 http://www.wkz-amps.com

 

There's a great sound clip on the website, demoing what you can do with it. A simple amp with a great core sound. The lengendary Producer, The late great Chris Tsangarides played one live with his band ExMoore and recorded almost everyone that came into his studio with it.

 

They haven't been available to buy for many years now as I have moved on but I still play live with Martin a few times a year.

 

I still have a White half stack, a 50 watt combo and the prototype 18 watt combo. All working perfectly but not being gigged anymore as thy are too heavy for my aging body.

 

There are plenty of good valve amps out there. I also have a modified Vox AC30 CCX. I have changed some resistors in it, as found on a website somewhere, to make it sound better. It worked, it's a lovely sounding thing, with blue speakers.  I keep it in my office, at work, for the times I need to learn something. Again a touch too heavy to gig with now