Hey, I'm looking for some leads on amps to try here, similar to the previous post but the exact opposite intention. I love the Fender clean sound, play a Jaguar, use a lot of pedals, but play totally clean a lot too, with a sort of "aggressive acoustic" strumming style. I'm kind of a purist about the tone when I'm doing hard, fast rhythmic stuff on a clean channel and don't want it to break up until I hit my overdrive.
I've mostly played acoustic for the last number of years until recently and am not an expert on this stuff, is it possible to have your cake and eat it here? or in other words be able to play hard and loud like you'd play an acoustic on a tube amp cranked up and have that shimmery fender clean sound without it breaking up?
any specific amps with the most clean head room you'd recommend trying (not necessarily fenders)?
thanks!
Adam
Carr Rambler. Not cheap; I got to play a used one in a store recently. DANG it was a beautiful sound. The built-in reverb sounded spacious but natural, while the tremolo was subtle and added a hint of shimmer.
EJ seems to like it too:
"I was immediately impressed with the clean tone of the Carr Rambler. After playing through it for a few minutes, I was even more amazed. It has a beautiful clean rhythm sound much like a blackface Fender amp, but with it's own magic twist to it. A very responsive and alive sounding amp that seems to musically correspond to the feel of what your fingers are playing. I highly recommend it for an excellent clean rhythm sound." - Eric Johnson
Sound clips:
http://www.carramps.com/sounds.html#ram
You'd need to mic it for a bigger gig though.
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
Wow, Slej. I had no idea I was so close to an upscale amp company. They're 30-40 minutes away. Where have I been? :oops: That amp ain't cheep, eh? List is over 2 grand. Yikes! Sounds great though. Come to find out that there's a local upscale bo-teek that carries them. Maybe if I shave, lose some weight and talk all cool-like if they'll let me in to play one. 8) I hit the samples and they sound great.
Well, on the affordable side of things, and I'm being a complete broken record, I absolutely LOVE my Blues Deluxe. The clean tone is wonderful, very responsive to an aggresive attack and a subtle carress without touching a dial. Loud as all heck. I cannot answer your question about the head room. Ear probs have prevented me from giving it a good crank. I do use pedals from time to time to get a couple of hard rock sounds going (fuzz, distortion, overdrive) and an EQ and Compressor for changes of pace.
I'm sure that there are tons of amps that fit the bill out there that range from cheaper than mine to more expensive than those Carrs that Slej just turned us on to. I know when I amp shopped for this one that I admittedly went in with narrow focus. I knew I liked Fender cleans and probably didn't spend 15 minutes on other brands. Not even enough time to tell you what all I drove.
Best of luck on your search, and I hope you do come back and tell us your progress and outcome. I'm curious.
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
here's a few possibilities, buyer beware
possible reverse modding etc does not make it "original"
but some mods are actually better for guitar players vs "collectors"
http://shop.ebay.com/sis/_W0QQ_kwZVintageQ20FenderQ20BlackfaceQ20BassmanQ20Amp
#4491....
Wow, Slej. I had no idea I was so close to an upscale amp company. They're 30-40 minutes away. Where have I been? :oops: That amp ain't cheep, eh? List is over 2 grand. Yikes! Sounds great though. Come to find out that there's a local upscale bo-teek that carries them. Maybe if I shave, lose some weight and talk all cool-like if they'll let me in to play one. 8) I hit the samples and they sound great.
Yeah the used one was $1800 or something in the upper stratosphere. When I win the lottery ...
I was playing a Gibby ES-335 (the "modern" one with the diamond-shaped holes) and a Gretsch Brian Setzer with it. The sounds from both were delicious. The sound clips are very good, but you need to hear one live ... it's a life-changing event! Don't shave; just put on your sunglasses and walk into the store like you own the place. 8)
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
hmmm, i'll have to try that pricey one you mentioned, you got me curious. sure i could sell enough stuff if I had to...
I have never played one, but I've heard that the '60s-'70s Fender Princeton amps (non reverb version) are like the ultimate clean tone. The silverface (70s) ones can be had in the realm of $800 or so. Make sure you do your research before pulling the trigger on one, as with any used / vintage equipment you need to make sure you know what you're getting into. Personally, I really love my 66 Princeton Reverb, which has an extra gain stage compared to the non-reverb version, so it's more apt to overdrive when you turn it up, though it sounds good clean at low volumes. Plus really groovy reverb, which I like. :)
TZ
Well, if you like Fender clean, why not get the Twin?
I mean, this is IT. This is THE clean amp all others are judged by. Why settle for less when you can have the cleanest amp of all time?
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
