Which solid state amp for high gain and /or 80's tone?

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T

ThrowBackMan

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Hey Guys..

I've been playing guitar for many years, but mostly by myself, but in a band or two back in the 80's and early 90's then quit and doing it again for fun now. I used to always play tube amps, but could never get the gain out of them, or at least the one's I always had which were almost always Fender based.. unless I used a pedal..

Well, lately I've been playing with some solid state amps and I have to say I really like the sound.. for the stuff I like to play which is blues to melodic rock. Now, I know there are killer tube amps that can do the same, but I'm wanting an amp that can do the gain at low and high volumes or higher than bedroom, small clubs and maybe an outdoor or two gathering / biker group..

I've not tried the Randall Solid state amps, but I'm told they are really good? What makes them different from the other tube amps may I ask? I mean, I tried a Marshall MG amp that was killer I thought.. Maybe it's just me, and I'm not that advanced of an ear, but I can play about anything I want to by ear with in usually once or twice of trying, except extreme complex stuff, but I mean, any blues based thing I'm usually right on it..

So, what solid state amp would you get if you were going to get a solid state amp in the combo type maybe with a 2 x 12 cab ? Either combo or head and cab? Just wondering what the consensus is here, if any??

:rock:

Thanks
T
 
what's wrong with a fender and a pedal in front? sounds pretty good to me.
 
Findthetone":36uadca3 said:
Ampeg SS140C
Click to expand...

strongly second this. The only other solid state I would recommend would be another of the same brand:

Ampeg VH-140C - The tone is unparalleled in any solid state amp that I have ever tried.

If you want to hear this amp, listen to this clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haeyj-aLuAE

Kamelot - Forever
 
I run a W/D tube amp set up but have just picked up a marshall valvestate 30 combo for home use and it is pretty cool, although to get it to sound cool it needs to be cranked so kinda undoes the at home thing.....I strongly suggest going tube and getting a jet city jca 22h. 80's metal without pedals, not to much gain but just enough to pull off things like Ratt, lynch mob etc; also the crunch channel will do clean to hard rock with ease
http://www.jetcityamplificationstore.co ... /jca2212c/

I have the head version and it is KILLER at a great price :rock:
 
Marshall Valve state 8200 bi chours sound pretty good for solid state
 
The Randall RG100 ES and the different variations are cool amps and capable of some great tones.
Dimebag got some great sounds out of them but their biggest drawback is they are not very loud compared to a tube amp.
The 100 watt Randall RG100 amps are nowhere near as loud as a 100 watt tube amp. I regularly play a Randall RG100ES the type that is covered in grey carpet and I boost it with either a furman PQ 3 or just a clean boost and it is great fun to play . But the volume lets it down badly which just down to it being solid state. A friend of mine has a 100 watt marshall MG and when we play together even with a heavy handed drummer his little marshall MG head even though it is solid state can easily keep up with volumes the but the Randall cannot.
 
1big1":30bl8xmg said:
what's wrong with a fender and a pedal in front? sounds pretty good to me.
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with a tube amp and pedal, but I'm just not wanting to mess with tube amps now..
Thanks man.
T
 
barrychapman":15c9lulu said:
Findthetone":15c9lulu said:
Ampeg SS140C
Click to expand...

strongly second this. The only other solid state I would recommend would be another of the same brand:

Ampeg VH-140C - The tone is unparalleled in any solid state amp that I have ever tried.

If you want to hear this amp, listen to this clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haeyj-aLuAE

Kamelot - Forever
Click to expand...
Thanks Man. I'll check out the link later when I'm able and will write about it and what I think!
T
 
sytharnia1560":19bszxa3 said:
I run a W/D tube amp set up but have just picked up a marshall valvestate 30 combo for home use and it is pretty cool, although to get it to sound cool it needs to be cranked so kinda undoes the at home thing.....I strongly suggest going tube and getting a jet city jca 22h. 80's metal without pedals, not to much gain but just enough to pull off things like Ratt, lynch mob etc; also the crunch channel will do clean to hard rock with ease
http://www.jetcityamplificationstore.co ... /jca2212c/

I have the head version and it is KILLER at a great price :rock:
Click to expand...

I have a Marshall Valvestate 2000 that I picked up at work. Made in the UK and I got it cheap, cheap, and it sounds great. It has a acoustic sim channel, clean, od1 and od2, and it is typical marshall tube amp sounding to me. It has a solid state power amp, but I think since it does have a tube preamp it sounds great. I'm using it for home stuff and will be using it for recording it sounds so good.. I've also thought about a solid state amp and tube power amp, but I am just over messing with tube amps for the most part, although I do love the sound of a good tube amp, but if I could even get 90% there with a solid state amp I'd so so just for the ease of use, etc,.
Thanks man.
T
 
barrychapman":14esszc3 said:
Findthetone":14esszc3 said:
Ampeg SS140C
Click to expand...

strongly second this. The only other solid state I would recommend would be another of the same brand:

Ampeg VH-140C - The tone is unparalleled in any solid state amp that I have ever tried.

If you want to hear this amp, listen to this clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haeyj-aLuAE

Kamelot - Forever
Click to expand...

Sounds good man. Is this you playing? Love the looks of that ESP too! Very cool.. I'm going to get one of their eclipses some day when I find the color / top on one that I really like.. :-) I like too many is the problem!
Thanks so much. Very cool song!
 
What about the new Randall amps that are solid state? I've also heard good things with the newer Marshall MG's, but I would prefer an amp not made in china.. I mean although I would like a solid state amp, I"d prefer one that has good electronics, etc,. I am not saying there are bad in China, I just don't know..
Thanks everyone. I really appreciate it. It's too bad where I live here in a very rural area that I don't have more choice on trying these things, but I wouldn't trade my rural life style for anything really! :-)
 
Kemper or Axe FX depending on your budge of course.
 
ThrowBackMan":2od3a3xw said:
1big1":2od3a3xw said:
what's wrong with a fender and a pedal in front? sounds pretty good to me.
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with a tube amp and pedal, but I'm just not wanting to mess with tube amps now..
Thanks man.
T
Click to expand...

see if you can find a marshall valve state combo. vs series. i could also recommend a peavey xxl combo. i've got the head version. while it certainly has plenty of gain.. voicings and options i've found that it doesn't like to be paired with celestion speakers. they are almost too efficient and make it sound harsh and brittle.. and also make the volume levels a bit hard to even out. i think the the stock configuration sounds pretty good though.
 
Randall RG was a great suggestion.

A modeling amp is another good one if you're open minded... you can get those old Vetta II 2x12 combos for $350-$400 nowadays; if you're looking @ combos.
 
I hear good things about the rg13 pedal. It's the pedal version of the 3003. I want one myself.

I love the Marshall 8100 for old school death metal tones. Cheap too, if you can find one. 200-250$.

Didn't mike Fortin dial in the new Randall solid states too?
 
rottingcorpse":1pe9tn2i said:
I hear good things about the rg13 pedal. It's the pedal version of the 3003. I want one myself.

I love the Marshall 8100 for old school death metal tones. Cheap too, if you can find one. 200-250$.

Didn't mike Fortin dial in the new Randall solid states too?
Click to expand...

Hi, I guess the guy that originally made the Randall amps or made them for Dime or something is doing the same design on the new SS amps from Randall they tell me..

T
 
I had a Randall Vmax that, with a clean boost up front was a killer metal amp. Super tight and heavy. I think I sold it for $200. Plenty loud too.
 
Surprised the Peavey Transtube amps havn't been mentioned yet. The famed 'red stripe' Bandit can do blues and rock all day long. The Vypyr amps are pretty good, too. There's a guy on the Peavey forums that posts about using his little 30 watt Vypyr combo for all of his gigs, and they do some fairly high profile gigs with bands from the 80's.

Read

http://peavey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=37829
 
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