Your top 5 amp companies for quality

[Inca Roads]

DIEZEL HERBERT
SOLDANO SLO
CAA OD100SE+/PT-100
CAMERON CCV
FRIEDMAN HBE

2nd List:
CORNFORD
RHODES COLOSSUS
WIZARD MODERN CLASSIC
BOGNER ECSTACY 101B
ELMWOOD MODENA

 

[Nodnarb25]

I can only speak to what I've known/owned. So, I dig that this could seem like a stilted list to some. But, here I go...

Hiwatt
Voodoo
Diezel
Matchless
Mesa

I've had excellent tonal track records with all of the above and have been impressed by their build quality.

I fully understand that comparing a Hiwatt to a Mesa is apples and oranges in all aspects (both tonally and from looking "under the hood"). But, I think you gotta appreciate some amps for more than just checking to see if all the wires are bent at right angles.

 

[Tone Monster]

Rhodes
Diezel
Mesa
Peters

Yeah that's just 4...

 

[dooredge]

Splawn
Baron
Peavey
Mesa
Titan

....yeah that last one was a joke.

 

[freeballinusa]

Friedman
Diezel
Fortin
Marshall Orig Plexi's (once you know how to maintain them_
(Cameron honorable mention cause they sound cool)
---
I also love old AC30's and 15's!

 

[6string40]

After owning about a dozen different brands in the past few years alone, I can personally attest to 4 being top quality...

Diezel
Splawn
Rivera
ADA

 

[Anonymous]

Splawn
Baron
Peavey
Mesa
Titan

....yeah that last one was a joke.

Anything wrong with Titan when they're shipped in something other than cardboard panels taped together?

 

[chunktone]

Vintage Hiwatt
THD
Fryette

There are several others ....

Another for THD! Their build quality is top notch!

 

[jlbaxe]

After owning about a dozen different brands in the past few years alone, I can personally attest to 4 being top quality...

Diezel
Splawn
Rivera
ADA

Yeah I was going to mention the ADA MP1,MP2. I didn't like the 12xa power amp I had but it also could have been a tube issue.

 

[dooredge]

Splawn
Baron
Peavey
Mesa
Titan

....yeah that last one was a joke.

Anything wrong with Titan when they're shipped in something other than cardboard panels taped together?

Let's just say that if I knew then what I know now I'd have gone a different direction, quickly.

 

[TheEternal]

Crate
Gorilla
Rogue
Behringer
Bugera

 

[Anonymous]

Splawn
Baron
Peavey
Mesa
Titan

....yeah that last one was a joke.

Anything wrong with Titan when they're shipped in something other than cardboard panels taped together?

Let's just say that if I knew then what I know now I'd have gone a different direction, quickly.

Any details on that? I might buy one for cheap in the upcoming weeks, but the last thing I want is problems. Shoot me a PM if you don't want to go into details "in public". Thanks

 

[WizardSouth-JP]

Crate
Gorilla
Rogue
Behringer
Bugera

you forgot Line6 and Raven

 

[sweetrock]

For high gain area !

-Friedman
-Soldano
-Bogner
-Fryette
-Kemper

 

[TheEternal]

Crate
Gorilla
Rogue
Behringer
Bugera

you forgot Line6 and Raven

I thought about throwing in Diezel for butthurt purposes, but decided not to..

 

[Anonymous]

And I think honorable mention ought to go to Henning. I've yet to play one, but judging from the design, the componentry used, level of circuit detail and level of finish detail; I think this is going to prove itself in the next few years. Steve may be a youngen in the world of big stage amp manufacturing, but it would appear he's dotted all his i's and crossed all his t's.

Steve

 

[thegame]

Whats quality in this case ? Sound quality, build quality, the quality of your relationship with a given builder/company ? Take those 3 variables and everybody will come up with their own formulas.

 

[stephen sawall]

Vintage Hiwatt
THD
Fryette

There are several others ....

Another for THD! Their build quality is top notch!

From what I have seen no one has ever built a better quality amp than THD. Way beyond most named on this thread.

 

[Bloodrock]

Well I would have to say that IMO, the original USA built SS Randalls are #1 of all time. I've owned several RG's and a couple Century's and never had a problem. All tube amps will have a failure eventually so they have an edge there as well. Dimebag Darrell was also quoted as saying he never had one of his old Randalls ever break down in his years of touring with Pantera. That's pretty damn tough!

 

[chunktone]

Vintage Hiwatt
THD
Fryette

There are several others ....

Another for THD! Their build quality is top notch!

From what I have seen no one has ever built a better quality amp than THD. Way beyond most named on this thread.

I'd have to agree! I've known Andy for a long time, and really wish he were going for higher gain in some of his stuff, but that's just not what he's into. Love his stuff from great fendery cleans, right up to classic marshally gain, but I've had to look elsewhere for more modern tones.