Time to buy a clean(ish) amp

E

ed_Sped2

Member
I've been pretty happy with my dirt tones lately, but I still need something to GAS over. I want to get a combo that can do some nice cleans but can break up a bit, too. Probably EL84's, but maybe not. I don't know why I want this, but the power of GAS compels me. I've had a DRRI for ages and I'm getting kind of bored with it, so maybe its just time to shake things up a bit.

Having a drive channel would be cool, but not mandatory. I'd probably

So far, I've been looking at:

-Budda Superdrive 30
-TopHat Club Royale
-Bad Cat Hot Cat 30
-Carr Rambler

Does RT have thoughts?
 
rottingcorpse":3qubnlk9 said:
Roland JC-120
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For whatever reason, I've never really been interested in these. Maybe they are just too clean. I like the idea of a bit of break up. They're kind of huge, too. I'm mainly looking for a 1x12.
 
The clean channel on the Superdrive is really fuckin fun, especially for voxy breakup tones- not squeaky clean. Dirt channel is badass to boot. Thats an amp I really miss and may have to revisit in the future.
 
I really like the milkman amps but those are monies. If you'd be willing to spend even more, I'd say the end all is a Kelley.

Other than that I'd consider:
-Mesa Mark V:35
-Deluxe Reverb
 
Best clean amp I've had was a Dr. Z EZG-50. That being said The Budda SD has a good clean channel and a fun dirt channel as well, shiva 6l6 has a great clean as well drive.
 
Trainwreck Rocket clone is my fave. I should prob mention a Deluxe Reverb again...even though you said you already have one in the op. ;)
 
Mesa Lonestar (Classic or Special) would do the trick. Fantastic cleans and a drive channel that's underrated (see: Andy Timmons).

If you want a combo at a good price that does Fender cleans, but can also be set for breakup (or heavy riffing), perhaps check out a Mesa Mark III combo at a good price. I recommend it as a great bang for your buck based on the options you want.
 
hstlaurent":3sq5d7p7 said:
If money is no object, I would get a komet songwriter.
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LOL...if money was no object, I'd be snorting a mountain of cocaine off of a Dumble!

I've currently got $1,200 in my GAS war chest plus whatever I could get for my DRRI, so I'm probably looking at a budget of around $1,800-1,900.
 
lowmantotempole":3rgfgtf5 said:
Ummmmmm I'm selling a MINT Dr Z Z-Lux for more than $500 off the new price...
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That amp looks really cool, but I'm looking for a combo. The videos on Youtube sound great!
 
There are A LOT of great choices out there -- Divided by 13, Mesa, Matchless, Bad Cat, Carr, Morgan, Dr. Z etc. etc.

If you can, I would definitely try out a Bad Cat Cub III. These sound awesome! There's a certain 3D quality you get from the Bad Cat stuff that I really love.

You already have the Hot Cat 30 on your short list, and you can't go wrong there either. That actually happens to be one of my favorite amps ever. The clean channel is very lively and chimey. Plus you get the bonus of a dirty channel that is absolutely killer.

Here are a couple of quick reference clips of the Hot Cat for you. These are not proper amps demos, just a couple of quick clips of me messing around.

This one is a tele, straight into the clean channel, with the drive pushed to about 3 o'clock.

https://app.box.com/s/k2xfk79khgnyczeehxa6hh4e4idh9aam


The clip below is a CS Charvel straight into the Hot Cat's dirty channel. I think the drive is about half way up on this one.

https://app.box.com/s/cjenpozfxk8w7dvwja5j3lzk9ubp5htk
 
littleguitars":2j1l613g said:
There are A LOT of great choices out there -- Divided by 13, Mesa, Matchless, Bad Cat, Carr, Morgan, Dr. Z etc. etc.

If you can, I would definitely try out a Bad Cat Cub III. These sound awesome! There's a certain 3D quality you get from the Bad Cat stuff that I really love.

You already have the Hot Cat 30 on your short list, and you can't go wrong there either. That actually happens to be one of my favorite amps ever. The clean channel is very lively and chimey. Plus you get the bonus of a dirty channel that is absolutely killer.

Here are a couple of quick reference clips of the Hot Cat for you. These are not proper amps demos, just a couple of quick clips of me messing around.

This one is a tele, straight into the clean channel, with the drive pushed to about 3 o'clock.

https://app.box.com/s/k2xfk79khgnyczeehxa6hh4e4idh9aam


The clip below is a CS Charvel straight into the Hot Cat's dirty channel. I think the drive is about half way up on this one.

https://app.box.com/s/cjenpozfxk8w7dvwja5j3lzk9ubp5htk
Click to expand...


One of my favorite tones is a tele into a Bad Cat. :thumbsup:
 
littleguitars":30xz0mfd said:
There are A LOT of great choices out there -- Divided by 13, Mesa, Matchless, Bad Cat, Carr, Morgan, Dr. Z etc. etc.

If you can, I would definitely try out a Bad Cat Cub III. These sound awesome! There's a certain 3D quality you get from the Bad Cat stuff that I really love.

You already have the Hot Cat 30 on your short list, and you can't go wrong there either. That actually happens to be one of my favorite amps ever. The clean channel is very lively and chimey. Plus you get the bonus of a dirty channel that is absolutely killer.

Here are a couple of quick reference clips of the Hot Cat for you. These are not proper amps demos, just a couple of quick clips of me messing around.

This one is a tele, straight into the clean channel, with the drive pushed to about 3 o'clock.

https://app.box.com/s/k2xfk79khgnyczeehxa6hh4e4idh9aam


The clip below is a CS Charvel straight into the Hot Cat's dirty channel. I think the drive is about half way up on this one.

https://app.box.com/s/cjenpozfxk8w7dvwja5j3lzk9ubp5htk
Click to expand...

Gatdamn those clips sound good! Not much headroom on the clean, but I could live without it if I could squeeze those tones.
 
I played a Carr Rambler at the local shop for awhile. If I was into cleans that what I would get, probably a 2x12 combo. My friend hooked up a Friedman BE-OD to it for shits and giggles and it sounded insane... Good luck!
 
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