Maybe a stupid question, but amp recommendation please?

[SouthernShred]

Long story short, I've dumped some gear in the past few years after being out of work, etc, etc. Had a car wreck, a few injuries...end result, I need a lighter / more portable rig than the vintage Pro Reverb I've been hauling around...and I want the rig to sound a bit different as well.

Looking for dirt ala EVH, DeMartini, Lynch, Timmons, Aldrich, Jake E Lee without losing the ability to have really good or passable cleans. I realize I'm
probably not going to get my Pro Reverb style cleans in the package I'm looking for but usable would be nice.

I would prefer something in head format, relatively lightweight and with manageable volume...it doesn't have to get whisper quiet, but a good master or power soak would be great. I'll mainly be playing at small jams in my basement with my buddies or small clubs, running into some sort of 1x12 cab and grabbing a 2x12 when I need it. A loop would be nice as well.

Budget? Well...I'm not rolling in dough otherwise I would have already bought something ridiculously good and forgot all about portability...

Ideally I'd like to get out the door, used preferably, for less than $1000, but I know that's pretty silly considering the rigs here.

Things I've thought of:

Egnater Tweaker 15 or 40 and hit it with a boost
Egnater Renegade head, used...
H&K Tubemeister (seems a bit hifi and has weird distortion from the one I tried)
Modded Jet City 20H or 22H

Ideas?

 

[D-Rock]

The easy answer is the 5150 III 50w.
Another is the mini Recto. Much smaller, and lot's of tone.
Both come in at $999 though.
Unless you go the used route.

 

[Mudder]

I'd go find a killer clean amp and use a pedal for gain. There are so many killer Marshall-in-a-box pedals out there that you can't really miss.

 

[SouthernShred]

I have a Wampler Pinnacle sitting here...the Pro Reverb was just too heavy / loud to wind up like I needed to in the places I'm playing

 

[D-Rock]

One of these, a 1x12 cab and your Pinnicle...?

http://www.traynoramps.com/products.asp ... =56&id=439

http://www.traynoramps.com/products.asp ... =60&id=433

 

[SouthernShred]

interesting...wonder if it sounds good...there's a Tweaker 15 and matching cab for $425 on local craigslist...

 

[D-Rock]

Youtube should give you a basic idea.

I hear so many varying things about the Tweaker. So many for sale on the used market too. Don't think they do the EVH Demartini sound very well.

 

[SouthernShred]

I played the Mini Rec and it was freaking killer, just really expensive for a lunchbox head. I think I'm probably asking for too much for the price point...ah the life of the family man

 

[firegate]

You might be able to find a used Mesa Stiletto in that price range, will definitely get you there in terms of tone.

 

[D-Rock]

I played the Mini Rec and it was freaking killer, just really expensive for a lunchbox head. I think I'm probably asking for too much for the price point...ah the life of the family man

I hear ya bud, the pedal route may be ideal for you.
Also check out the EH .22 Calibre and .44 Magnum.

 

[hunter]

You've had your Fender, now it's time for a Marshall. DSL or JVM, or an 800 with the Pinnacle.

Or a Boogie Electradyne, awesome!

 

[SouthernShred]

You've had your Fender, now it's time for a Marshall. DSL or JVM, or an 800 with the Pinnacle.

Or a Boogie Electradyne, awesome!

Can I get there with my price point? I don't mind saving a bit more, I just sold my Pro Reverb though and am currently sitting here with a backup amp that is too embarrassing to mention let alone achieve anything close to the tones I use. That said, I don't have to be in a hurry. Not like I currently have a gig.

 

[D-Rock]

Umm, maybe, you'll need a bigger cab then though.
All those will be in the 1K and up margin. New and used, but the DSL can be found for $500-$750 all day long.

 

[racerevlon]

JCA22H, doesn't need mods, and a JCA24S 2x12. Well under $1K and no pedals needed.

Alternate: Rocktron VooDu Valve and a 1U power amp. I'm running a 3-space Anvil rack for smaller gigs right now that has a Furman, VooDu Valve Online, and Marshall Valvestate 80 / 80. All controlled by a Rocktron Midi Mate and phantom power.

 

[SouthernShred]

Umm, maybe, you'll need a bigger cab then though.
All those will be in the 1K and up margin. New and used, but the DSL can be found for $500-$750 all day long.

No, I understand what you're saying...my heart was outweighing my head for a second there....I love how the big amps sound...The heavy full size head and big cab ala the 4x12 and 2x12's I've had do not appeal to me any more. One venue I play requires I put my cab in an isolation box anyway...I can squeeze a 2x12 in there at most which is what I've been doing paired with the Pro Reverb in a head cab + Pinnacle & Jetter Gold Standard...

For reference, in the past for these types of tones I've had a 67 Plexi, 71 Marshall Major, Peavey block letter 5150, Mesa, etc, etc with a boost or drive of some sort, but I haven't had any of those for 5 to 10 years...I'd love to buy another 50 or 100 watt head and 4x12 cab but it just doesn't work for me right now.

Gosh I'm a wordy mofo...sorry

 

[SouthernShred]

JCA22H, doesn't need mods, and a JCA24S 2x12. Well under $1K and no pedals needed.

Alternate: Rocktron VooDu Valve and a 1U power amp. I'm running a 3-space Anvil rack for smaller gigs right now that has a Furman, VooDu Valve Online, and Marshall Valvestate 80 / 80. All controlled by a Rocktron Midi Mate and phantom power.

Can you get good cleans out of either of those?

 

[D-Rock]

Umm, maybe, you'll need a bigger cab then though.
All those will be in the 1K and up margin. New and used, but the DSL can be found for $500-$750 all day long.

No, I understand what you're saying...my heart was outweighing my head for a second there....I love how the big amps sound...The heavy full size head and big cab ala the 4x12 and 2x12's I've had do not appeal to me any more. One venue I play requires I put my cab in an isolation box anyway...I can squeeze a 2x12 in there at most which is what I've been doing paired with the Pro Reverb in a head cab + Pinnacle & Jetter Gold Standard...

For reference, in the past for these types of tones I've had a 67 Plexi, 71 Marshall Major, Peavey block letter 5150, Mesa, etc, etc with a boost or drive of some sort, but I haven't had any of those for 5 to 10 years...I'd love to buy another 50 or 100 watt head and 4x12 cab but it just doesn't work for me right now.

Gosh I'm a wordy mofo...sorry

Absolutely legit man, keep exploring the pedal and small amp/cab route. You'll find something. Hopefully you picked up some ideas here.

 

[Schaf]

JCA22H, doesn't need mods, and a JCA24S 2x12. Well under $1K and no pedals needed.

Alternate: Rocktron VooDu Valve and a 1U power amp. I'm running a 3-space Anvil rack for smaller gigs right now that has a Furman, VooDu Valve Online, and Marshall Valvestate 80 / 80. All controlled by a Rocktron Midi Mate and phantom power.

Can you get good cleans out of either of those?

Have you tried the Egnater Rebel 30?

 

[The Traveller]

DV Mark has it has a selling point that their amps are lighter than normal amps. I have not played one but the clips I have heard made by Mr. Fluff and Mr. Ola sound great. So you might want to check them out.

http://www.dvmark.it/

 

[Heritage Softail]

It is smaller than you mentioned, but I just got this Yamaha THR practice amp. They have them at the guitar centers around here, I'm in Atlanta too.

It is a cool little practice amp with iPod in, mix in jam tracks to practice, direct record out, onboard killer verb, headphone out, 5 memory presets. Can get pretty loud. Amazing cleans, acoustic simulation, and takes pedals, has a heavy and modern metal mode that is pretty good too. Battery operated too. This will be my amp I take on trips.

299 MSRP. They gave me 50 off.

Try it. Pretty amazing sound from two little speakers.