I need help

Wow, this is a great thread.

I agree with Arjen for the most part. Although nothing quite sounds like a Marshall to me other than a Marshall. They have that low end that just sounds awesome. The problem with Marshalls is they are very high priced.

Mike, I don't know so much about amps. I have owned many over the years, but I have never been able to afford the top of the line models. I have lot of experience with the $500- $1000 models, which is probably what most people can afford.

I think you have to ask yourself how you are going to use the amp. If you are just starting out on guitar you don't need a full stack in your bedroom to practice. These things weigh a ton, you cannot turn them up at home, and they take up space too.

If you gig, that is a different story. Then you need an amp that can provide the volume and power for the venues you play. If you are playing a large club with 300-500 people on the dance floor, you are not going to get there with a 15 watt amp.

If you play at home, then get a small, portable, but good sounding amp like the Fender Blues Junior. This amp has fantastic tone, is portable enough to carry over to a friends house to jam, and even has the volume for small clubs or open mics. It won't block off the closet in your bedroom either. :wink:

If you plan on gigging, then you probably want a tube amp from 30-50 watts, or solid state 50 watts or more. If image is very important then you want to go with the big stacks. But for bar gigs and the like, a 1 X 12 or 2 X 12 combo is probably the best amp to look for.

Whatever you get, tone is the most important thing. What good is a stack if it sounds terrible? So look for an amp that gives you the tones that you love, and is practical as well.

thanks for your help, and yes i plan on playing shows

I'm very happy that everyone recommends tube amps!!

My favorite is a Fender Deluxe Reverb from the 70's with a speaker upgrade.
They sound best at volume 3-5, which is pretty loud for home use.
You use the volume and pickup selecter to switch between clean, blues and rock.
For more distortion (hard rock/heavy metal) you add an analog pedal.
For practice at home you use a speaker emulator so that you can keep the amp at 3-5.

My highest recommendation is to take your time and try out several amps at several stores.
Make certain you listen at both low and high volumes.
If they sell used gear, ask if you can rent one for a weekend.

Check you yellow pages and search the internet to see if there's a tube amp repairman or a specialty amp shop in your town.
I found two in my little town. One sells boutique amps (Carr amps) and are open only by appointment. There's also a tube amp repairman that builds by hand new Fenders to old pre-CBS specs - Blackface amps (a VERY cool dude). At your price, you might be able to afford one of these gems!
Last time I was there, he had a 62 Strat, which he let me play ... it's an amazing guitar.

Good luck!!

Here's some helpful links

http://www.legendarytones.com/
http://www.amptone.com/amplinks.htm
http://www.analogman.com/
http://vintageamps.com/
http://www.tonefrenzy.com/

im leaning strongly towards a fender hot rod deville. with the money im spending i might as well get a tube right? and 60 watts will definatly be enough to play shows. BUT what does ohms mean?

Also witch one should i get, the hot rod deville 212 or 410? whats the difference? How much are these puppy's usualy? (canadian)

12 watts in enough depending on the group your playing with and how your signal chain runs. Also an Equalizer and Attenuator to go with that all tube amp will have you creating tone that will surprise you.

Joe

randmanq

The Fender DeVille is incredibly loud and will handle any gig easily. Most say the 4 X 10 has the better tone of the two versions.

Ohms is a measurement of resistance to current flow. The DeVille has two speaker out jacks in parallel. The amp can operate at 4 or 8 ohms. The two 12" speakers or four 10" speakers represent an 8 ohm load. This means you can add another speaker or cab rated 8 ohms. Two 8 ohm speakers or cabs in parallel equals a 4 ohm load.

You could not say, add a 4 ohm speaker or cab in addition to the DeVille's speakers. This would be less than 4 ohms and cause the amp to overheat.

So, it is very important when adding a speaker or extension cab to any amp to know the amps ohms rating. You do not want to go below the specified ohms. And really, you do not want to go over either. The amp would operate this way, but would not push out it's full power.

Too much resistance is like driving with your foot on the brake pedal.

Too low a resistance is like driving down a steep hill with no brakes at all.

Silly examples, but gives the idea of why you should use the proper speakers or cabs with your amp.

thats for the help, and if i do choose the deville i wont need to ad a speaker to it anytime soon

im also wondering about taking care of a tube amp, how hard is it? how much do replacement tubes cost, and how often do i have to change it?