The Gretsch Pages: Discussions: Other Amps: How loud is loud?

How loud is loud?

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- Rated: 212 ↑
Aug 16, 2008 8:47 p.m. Proteus:

The Crates look pretty attractive, and the reviews don't seem to be from idiots.

The 33-watt 2-12 at 249.00 might light a fella right up...

I'd like to hear one.
- Rated: 48 ↑
Aug 16, 2008 8:51 p.m. dmanlow:

Yeah, I'm tempted to just order one. They're so cheap and I'm in desperately need of an amp, a really cheap amp, that they might fit the "good enough for now" category.
- Rated: 66 ↑
Aug 16, 2008 9:15 p.m. Walter Broes:

Proteus said: All of which is reinforce the truth that there's no one right amp for everyone, or for any given type of music...
Absolutely.

I really don't believe in the idea of a swiss-army knife amp though, haven't encountered any.
I think if it is at all possible with a tube amp, it's probably way too complicated and expensive to make it worthwhile to put into production.

As much as I hate the feel and response of digital gear, I think a heavy duty computer with modeling programs and a hi-fi power amp can probably get closer to a real "swiss army knife" kinda thing than a traditional tube guitar amp.

And I'm probably a dinosaur roots guy, but a lot of modern guitar amps strike me as strange beasts, with a glassy clean channel that's almost JC120-like and one or more "dirty" channels that have too much gain. And every "channel" sounds and feels weird and artificial to me.

And I might have given you the wrong impression - the average rock guy would probably think of my usual guitar sound as clean.

I have an old Super Reverb, a boutique 3X10 tweed Bandmaster clone, a Weber kit 2X10 tweed Super clone built by our own JBGretschguy, and a vintage 1X6L6 2X8" dynacord amp for the living room : all low gain, clean-ish amps by modern standards.

I love the effect of that type of amp turned up to the point where if you play softly, it will sound squeaky clean, and if you drop the full weight of your arm on the strings you'll get some nice compression and breakup from the amp - add the dynamics of a big hollowbody to that, and I get very, very happy indeed.
- Rated: 13 ↑
Aug 16, 2008 9:38 p.m. farmerbrown:

I bought a VibroChamp XD in Feb, it began to distort while under warranty, so I traded it for a SuperChamp XD, so far I'm really impressed with it, with some reverb and delay it really makes a Gretsch sound like it ought to!
- Rated: 18 ↑
Aug 17, 2008 6:36 a.m. F107plus5:

Cool; proper Gretschiness, especially traditional old-time 1958 style Chetlike Gretschiness is important to me. That's kinda a goal in alla this, and for that; super-clean certainly isn't exactly the way to go, but clean with just the right bits of modification for sure must be the clue!
- Rated: 212 ↑
Aug 17, 2008 12:38 p.m. Proteus:

For what it's worth, F107, Chet used Music Man amps for gigs for many years. They are beautifully warm, with great low-end and a transparent high-end sparkle. Fendery but maybe a bit richer, and great reverb.

Look for the RD series; used, they go from 300.00 and up. Good stuff.
- Rated: 18 ↑
Aug 17, 2008 1:04 p.m. F107plus5:

.....hmmmmmm.....Music Man huh?....hmmmmm....Thanx!

...a new area to look in!
- Rated: 74 ↑
Aug 17, 2008 2:00 p.m. bonedaddy:

It all boils down to personal opinion, being subjective and all, I guess. I haven't found an amp that sounded good distorted and bad clean. I have found amps that sound good clean and bad distorted. I'll certainly concede that I haven't been around as many amps as a lot of you guys (ahem, Proteus). I've always been intrigued by the Ampegs that Proteus uses for some of the sound clips he does. Finding one of those locally is nigh impossible though.

I always seem to find my way back to Fenders though. The clean is squeaky clean, no doubt, but I rarely play them at a dead on clean setting. My deluxe's volume usually sits between 4 and 6, and that's just where the sweet spot is. It's on the edge of dirty, but you can't really tell it's there, yet turn down and something goes missing. If I want nasty, I just crank it to 10 (thank you Ted Weber and your mini mass).

I've tried some Marshalls, but maybe they were the wrong ones. The best sounding one I've run across was a JCM800 combo. But that's just stupid loud for home.

I'm really tempted by the Super Champ XD, but I haven't been able to play one in person yet. Then, of course, I had to come across the aforementioned Princeton Reverb RI and the tone just blew me away.

I'm still searching for that little 5 watter that'll 'do it', but I don't think it exists. Most don't have any reverb (a must) and the Vibro Champ has a dinky speaker that I think won't cut it in terms of "authority".
- Rated: 83 ↑
Aug 17, 2008 8:52 p.m. Mark Synchro:

The Fender Custom Vibrolux Reverb strikes me a being a good compromise amp. It sounds very good clean (although it doesn't have the typical blackface sound) and it overdrives nicely. It lacks a negative feedback circuit so the headroom is quite low for a 40 watt amp wit a pair of 6L6s. Adding a NFB loop is easy, there is a vacant spot on the circuit board and if you could control it with a footswitch you'd have an amp that did a lot of things well.
- Rated: 40 ↑
Aug 17, 2008 10:26 p.m. roadjunkie:

bonedaddy: said: I'm still searching for that little 5 watter that'll 'do it', but I don't think it exists. Most don't have any reverb (a must)

Swart just came out with one but it's a salty lil bugger!
- Rated: 40 ↑
Aug 17, 2008 10:39 p.m. roadjunkie:

space tone reverb

@ Fat Sounds
- Rated: 28 ↑
Aug 17, 2008 11:00 p.m. 57 Chet :

Loud !
- Rated: 24 ↑
Aug 17, 2008 11:59 p.m. Calacas:

I use a silverface Super for everything (well maybe not in the bedroom when everyone is asleep).

I've tried a Blues Junior, A Vox AC15 and a new Princeton Reverb and didn't really care for any of them. They sound cool in the music store but when you get them home or at rehearsal they really lack in the characteristics that make an amp musical. Of course that could be fixed with mods...tubes, speaker etc. but then you get into the price range of what I paid for my Super. No thanks.

In regard to a good bedroom amp I would recommend picking up a Fender blackface "Champ" (that will probably be my next amp).

BTW, I have never been able to make peace with any of the Peavey Classic series amps. I just find them to be a bit dull or muddy. But I do like the DRRI...a lot! Once you change out those power tubes you've got a real fine PCB amp.
- Rated: 74 ↑
Aug 18, 2008 2:43 a.m. bonedaddy:

Holy. Crap. Damn you Roadjunkie.That thing is a monster. The tone out of that thing is unreal. Wow.
- Rated: 66 ↑
Aug 18, 2008 3:34 a.m. Walter Broes:

Calacas said: I have never been able to make peace with any of the Peavey Classic series amps. I just find them to be a bit dull or muddy.
I've been frustrated with Classic 50's too. The size, 4X10 layout and cosmetics make you think "hey, a bassman", but those EL84 amps just don't have the low end and stage presence of a classic 2X6L6 Fender IMO.

And, like on the hotrod Fenders, the IC driven reverb is weak, and just about dissappears in a band mix.
- Rated: 0 ↑
Aug 18, 2008 5:15 a.m. Ranger01:

Ive owned a Fender HR Dlx for a couple years now, Ive been able to coax a really good sound out of it (think Eddie Cochrane). But my all time favourite amp that I own is my late 50s Premier Twin-8. Its just got the perfect sound, its pretty honky and gritty, but its got the perfect blend of treb-mid-bass that an amp can have (for me atleast). Plus the premier is only about 5 Watts and are extremely cheep (got mine for $30).
- Rated: 40 ↑
Aug 18, 2008 5:16 a.m. roadjunkie:

Holy. Crap. Damn you Roadjunkie.That thing is a monster. The tone out of that thing is unreal. Wow.

See that TONE does have a price! What was that? 13 outta the box!
- Rated: 74 ↑
Aug 18, 2008 4:11 p.m. bonedaddy:

Yeah, that's right, 1349.00. Unreal though. I'm seriously considering that over a Princeton. The tone is just stunning
- Rated: 40 ↑
Aug 18, 2008 7:47 p.m. roadjunkie:

The one drawback i see with a 5 watt with verb is that the reverb covers up all the sweet harmonic overtones that a small 5 watt class single ended amp gifts to you. That 4 watt Tophat I had you could feel the cab thumping while substaining a chord. I love these lil amps when they feel like they're gonna blow!