Combo Amp Question... Options

[Spock]

I am using a Marshall JVM 410. I stay on Channel 3 which is like a souped up JCM 800. Channel 4 is too hot.

I am wanting to get an A/B splitter switch that will run to 2 amps simultaneously. I want a nice combo amp for clean so that when dirty chords are played the highs of the individual notes can ring through via the combo.

Obviously I would want a Vox or Fender.

I have never been in the market for a combo except for a Line6 Spider I purchased about 20 years ago.

Any suggestions for a good one that costs no more than say $500?


Maybe one of these - I've always like Orange amps?

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[klasaine]

Orange are great amps ... but not renowned for their cleaner sounds. *Vintage 70's models did have a decent clean tone but the new ones aren't actually like them at all (same with Vox IMO).

Fender is really what you want. Wattage wise, at least 40 watts. One of the Deluxe or Vibrolux style models. Can be the 'hot-rod' or 'de ville' types.

If you do go Vox, make it an AC 15 at least. The 30 will have more clean headroom.

Peavey 'Classic 30' is great!
Ampeg does nice clean but a diff style than Fender or Vox.

SUPER clean - Roland JazzChorus.

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[Spock]

Thank you sir - would any of these be in my price range? Are they all 2x amps or do you think a 1 speaker amp will do the trick?


Do you think this would do it - it's for accents only. I use my Marshal clean channel for clean tones. I just want something to accent notes when the Marshall is in overdrive


And it's the price I'm looking for

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This post has been edited by Spock: May 7 2017, 06:03 PM

[Todd Simpson]

Per usual Ken has Nailed it. Orange amps are KILLER but are best known for their ability to provide loud, tubey, crunchy tone with lots of bottom end. Less so for their glistening clean tones. The old standby, Fender Twin, VoX, Roland JCM, are what folks often choose if looking for a nice clean tone. keep in mind though that iif you are using the clean channel to layer over top of the dirty channel, ala Yngwie, you can always simply grab a single powered pa speaker which will have very wide tonal response, far beyond the typical guitar cab. Also, a powered pa speaker with any sort of processor, eg. pod/axe/etc. works great imho. Lots of folks are using FR (full range) cabs these days with processors.

But yeah, ken nailed it on amp choice so I just wanted to second his suggestions

Todd

Orange are great amps ... but not renowned for their cleaner sounds. *Vintage 70's models did have a decent clean tone but the new ones aren't actually like them at all (same with Vox IMO).

Fender is really what you want. Wattage wise, at least 40 watts. One of the Deluxe or Vibrolux style models. Can be the 'hot-rod' or 'de ville' types.

If you do go Vox, make it an AC 15 at least. The 30 will have more clean headroom.

Peavey 'Classic 30' is great!
Ampeg does nice clean but a diff style than Fender or Vox.

SUPER clean - Roland JazzChorus.

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[Spock]

Thanks guys. Todd I need to hook back up with you. I have retired from politics. And my OCD for guitar is kicking back in, I think we may have found the right medication.

Can you try to teach me how to play guitar again. I'm not interested in shit like notes, just patterns.

Okay - I wondered about that, running amp simulators through computer for the 2nd amp - but I want to be independent from the computer I think - just plug an (attempt) to play.

My friend has a board but it's at his house so I wouldn't be able to tailor a sound.

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[klasaine]

The Vox 'Reactor' is not gonna give you what you want. Too dirty and medium volume.

The Peavey Classic 30 or a Fender Hot-Rod can be found for under $600.
Second hand, you can find these for less than $300.

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[Mertay]

Just an alternative I'd like to suggest, clean boosters that have a drive knob (mesa tone burst for example) are ment to give more accent on driven amps.

If you want some more dynamics with drive/distortion they can work. I use an ibanez bb9 for that purpose but it only work on heavy distortion (designed to work with jcm800), alternatives like mesa or tc electronic spark are for lighter driven amps. But sure they are much more subtle than your 2 amp approach.

Ken's advice is ok by me too, my only warning is do this if you're always using similar settings on the marshall. Cause after you adjust them to each other, any change will mean extra work for you cause you'll have to adjust the other amp too.

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[Spock]

Alright thanks guys, I've been up for over 24 hours so I'm in the perfect frame of mind to go head and get one of those too.

I'll let you know.

So you guys think this one would run fine simultaneously with a JVM 410 as an accent amp?

It sounds GREAT clean on it's own

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[klasaine]

It sounds GREAT clean on it's own

This is just an extension cabinet, not an amp.

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[Spock]

damn - so it looks like at least $700-$800 for what I want to do.

Seriously thinking about a cheap Line 6 combo with a great clean tone and using it. It's really all I need.

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[Spock]

I just need to go to a pawn shop and by a good used 2nd hand amp and an A/B Y switch

The amp doesn't need to be a classic - it's not for stand alone purposes, simply to help the individual notes have some more definition.

I'd be happy with my 15 year old Line 6 Spider 2 if I hadn't have given it to my son.

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[Todd Simpson]

Sure thing! I'm retiring from politics myself to focus more on guitar I let my last political thread become an orphan (e.g. not posting to it anymore) love to have you back in the BOOTCAMP! You were killing it for quite some time!! Music is the best medication they say I can teach you all the pattens you wan!

As for gear, are you running a POD HD pedalboard still? If so, you can use that to feed dry signal to your dry signal path. E.g. make a patch set where the left channel just has compressor/eq/gate and run that to your "clean rig" whatever it ends up being. Make sense? Assuming the pod hd is still in your rig of course. If not, then yeah, a splitter is in order or even a small mixer. You can get a 4 channel mini mixer from Behringer or Mackie for cheap. Are you using this setup we are talking about for live jam sessions, gigs, etc? What's the end goal?

If it's just for home use, you can even use the direct input on your powered studio monitors. I can't remember what you have, but if they are KRK, then just quarter inch or xlr in from whatever you split from and the monitor will act like a full range speaker system because that's. what it is and it will be plenty at home volume. If you are playing with a drummer, or gigging out, that's when you need to add the Vox, or a powered PA speaker.


Todd

Thanks guys. Todd I need to hook back up with you. I have retired from politics. And my OCD for guitar is kicking back in, I think we may have found the right medication.

Can you try to teach me how to play guitar again. I'm not interested in shit like notes, just patterns.

Okay - I wondered about that, running amp simulators through computer for the 2nd amp - but I want to be independent from the computer I think - just plug an (attempt) to play.

My friend has a board but it's at his house so I wouldn't be able to tailor a sound.

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net

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This post has been edited by Todd Simpson: May 7 2017, 09:26 PM

[jstcrsn]

I just need to go to a pawn shop and by a good used 2nd hand amp and an A/B Y switch

The amp doesn't need to be a classic - it's not for stand alone purposes, simply to help the individual notes have some more definition.

I'd be happy with my 15 year old Line 6 Spider 2 if I hadn't have given it to my son.

put the line 6 down and walk away , slowly ..... no , no , no , ...........don't let it overtake you ....................once you let the dark side in ..................nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooo

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[Spock]

As for gear, are you running a POD HD pedalboard still?

OMG - Do you realize how much money you just saved me. I forgot ALL about that and I literally moved it from one corner to another this morning. All I need is a little cabinet or a board. I would prefer the tone come from the same vicinity so a little cabinet parked next to the Marshal would be ideal.

Bootcamp it is. And I finally got a good webcam too.

put the line 6 down and walk away , slowly ..... no , no , no , ...........don't let it overtake you ....................once you let the dark side in ..................nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooo

LOOOOL!!!!

I understand what you are saying, but I have always thought Line 6 had really good clean tones. The distortions are shit. I use to jump between the 4 cable method which utilized only the FX from the PodHD to pedals. I am a pedal guy through and through. But I can use that Pod specifically to boost a clean.

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This post has been edited by Spock: May 7 2017, 10:33 PM

[klasaine]

put the line 6 down and walk away , slowly ..... no , no , no , ...........don't let it overtake you ....................once you let the dark side in ..................nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooo

+1
Those are horrible. You're just gonna get a nasty, brittle tone that will detract from your Marshall overdriven sound.

Find a used Peavey. I highly recommend a classic 30 or an old Bandit. *These are truly good to great amps and they're cheap when they're second hand and maybe a bit beat up. If they work - they work.

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This post has been edited by klasaine: May 7 2017, 10:48 PM

[Spock]

Who makes Old Bandit? I see plenty of Classic 30s for around $325

Never mind - I found them - Peavey.

Yea, the Line 6 is a lot of wires and takes a lot of floor space. I want something I can just turn on.

I trust you guys, find me an amp that would work for $500 or less. I am lost looking at so many.

What about a Backstar?

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This post has been edited by Spock: May 8 2017, 12:23 AM

[Todd Simpson]

He means an "old" Bandit. The Peavey Bandit is a nice little practice amp It would do the job and they are not pricey. Take stock of whatever gear you have laying about, you may be able to do what you want without making a purchase. After all, you just did get a guitar Following it up with an amp might cause relationship stress? Hope not though. If you have a stereo Cab for your current head, you could just use that you know If your cab has stereo inputs, you can send dirty to one side and clean to the other. That's what is so handy about stereo 4x12 cabs. If it supports stereo it might have a switch on the back. My old crate cab had one. That way, the sound is all coming from the same spot and same enclosure/drivers so it might sound more integrated

Todd

Who makes Old Bandit? I see plenty of Classic 30s for around $325

Never mind - I found them - Peavey.

Yea, the Line 6 is a lot of wires and takes a lot of floor space. I want something I can just turn on.

I trust you guys, find me an amp that would work for $500 or less. I am lost looking at so many.

What about a Backstar?

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[Spock]

That would be awesome, but I have a Marshall 1960 A

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[klasaine]

The Peavey Bandit is a way under appreciated jem! The 80's models are the one's you want. All tube, solid as a rock, meat and potatoes American R&R tone.
I use to keep one in the back of my car as a 'jam' amp but I ended up using it constantly for gigs - it never broke down.



Traynor and Ampeg amps are another good option. Either vintage (70s and 80s) or modern.

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[PosterBoy]

You should be able to get a 2nd hand Hot Rod Deluxe or Deville especially the mk1 really cheap. They have an issue with the volume pot where the majority of volume comes between 0 and 2.5 but you can mod that. The channel 2 is ok and the extra gain is not good, but freakin' awesome cleans on ch1

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