What are your favorite amps in the $800 - $1400 range?

[thiswaythatway]

Let's hear them. After playing and owning lot's of amps i feel like plenty of amps around $1000 on the used market can sound better than some amps out there that cost $4,000. For example, my friend may disagree but, i thought his Soldano Avenger sounded better than a Cameron modded XTC for leads and heavy stuff. The con to the Avenger is 1 channel and not much versatility, it also had SLO transformers. That was Ed D's old amp, who owns it now? DIBS.

I played an Egnater Renegade yesterday on an EVH 5150 cab and was pleasantly suprised by it. That cab with it's Greenbacks sounded good but the amp had just enough gain to rip leads all over and it once the high end was brought up, i was getting what I'd consider Marshally goodness tones. But a little on the darkside tonewise.

The Mesa Electra Dyne is cool. Downside is that it needs a lot a volume to wake up, otherwise you have to boost it with a good OD box.

I've played a few VHT's like the 50CL that i thought ripped.

Marshall DSL's? Sometimes they sounded good, other times i thought they sounded like poo-poo. Maybe it was the cab or tubes?

Soldano Hot Rod's. I'd like to check out another one. Danhops owned one years ago. Does that amp need paint peeling volume levels to sound good?

 

[Anolin]

+1 on the Renegade. I love my 212 combo! I retubed it and put in some KT88 tubes and it just roars!

 

[ejecta]

Renegade is probably one of my fav's in that price range but not going to get you in the Soldano area IMHO. I'd look for a Hot Rod.

 

[dstroud]

my Ceriatone 1987 falls into that category - and I love that amp.

 

[Tone Zone]

Egnater Tourmaster, Mesa Mark IV

 

[nighttrain69]

jaXed.com try here , a few hotrods and avengers to be found for under a grand

 

[joepete77]

Yeah , the inflated price of gear doesnt always mean better tone. Theres alot of great amps especially used for that price range. I like the clips I have heard of the ceriatone chupacabre and for 1100 brand new u cant beat it. I also see great deals on Orange rv's and budda superdrives, soldano hotrods,etc. I also noticed that the prices of old jmp's and jcm's has come down alot, if u find a good one u will b happy.

 

[Marshall Freak]

JCM 800, Splawn Quick Rod, 5150 versions, DSL 100, Mesa Mark III Great amps for the money IMHO.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Egnater Tourmaster, Mesa Mark IV

I have a Mesa Mark III red stripe and it's a monster. I played a Mark V yesterday and walked away thinking "why bother" the lead channel of the III rips the V a new one IMHO.

 

[AmpliFIRE]

LOL!!! The Avenger was a great amp for the $$$, but I preferred the punch that the boosted stock JCM800 had.

The XTC was great as well (Blue channel), and had a killer loop... My Cameron Jose beats them all though

 

[Capulin Overdrive]

bias mod for an Electradyne might juice it up enough to be better for you at low volume?


the VHT Sig-x is pretty nice, the Deliverances are cool but no loop.


Titan? get somebody to build you SLO Clone?

 

[killertone]

DSL100s are killer amps. JVM even more so, IMO.

DSL 100 around $600 used

JVM410H around $1300 used

 

[AmpliFIRE]

Tremoverb

 

[Digital Jams]

JVM

 

[JMP2203]

JVM

i like those even more than amps arround $3000-4000

 

[thiswaythatway]

JVM

I actually haven't seen many in the Guitar Center's near me but i wasn't that thrilled by the one i owned. Maybe I'll check one out again for shits and giggles.

I do love a nice JCM800 tone but the volume is an issue, i just won't get any use out of an amp that only sounds good when my Lord Of The Rings and Star Trek action figures are falling of the shelves.

 

[Mudder]

With a little tweaking I can get a ton a great tones from my Peavey Ultra, which I'd happily sell for $800 but is normally about half that.

 

[jlbaxe]

Mesa Boogie Mk III 1x12 Combo

 

[ACShreds]

Mesa mark's are honestly a steal in the used market. Also i think mesa single recto's are great amps considering they're only 1000 new.

 

[Digital Jams]

JVM

I actually haven't seen many in the Guitar Center's near me but i wasn't that thrilled by the one i owned. Maybe I'll check one out again for shits and giggles.

I do love a nice JCM800 tone but the volume is an issue, i just won't get any use out of an amp that only sounds good when my Lord Of The Rings and Star Trek action figures are falling of the shelves.

If you look at the entire package imo it is tough to beat.

Yeah my Cali is better hair metal wise and the Natas will kick it into next week modern metal wise but the jvm has many very good tones.

I have to play Lolzgreg's and Ralphie's Cali amps, I hear they are awesome