barrymclark Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 The Ibanez TSA15 and Fender Super Champ X2. Anyone tried one of these yet? I love that they are both 6V6 powered. The Ibanez is an honest front to back tube amp with a tubescreamer built right in! HOW COOL IS THAT! For basically the cost of a couple of tube screamers, you can get the head with the tube screamer built right in! The amp controls are as basic as they come. I think it is just a Bass, Treble and Volume and there is a boost switch. The boost switch enables the Tube Screamer front end. That has the normal TS controls. I mean... dude. Really?! They'd have a hard time not making this sound good unless it is made like crap. I wasn't too familiar with the Super Champ that was just discontinued but this one I do know has tubes galore. From what others on this board and others boards have said, the Super Champ is an awesome little amp and the fact that it is a modeler is hardly a hinderance. Great tone. So... anyone with first hand experience? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackBaruth Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I saw the Ibanez amp at Sam Ash a while ago. My concern was that it was made in China. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Just get a tube screamer like pedal, the Digitech Bad Monkey and the Deltalabs Tube Overdrive are tube screamer based models. In fact, the original Tube Overdrive was an exact copy of the original Tube Screamer, but they are hard to find now.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted February 13, 2012 Author Share Posted February 13, 2012 Talking about amps here. Just curious about the amps. Seems like a killer set up for an amp on the Ibanez. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I saw the Ibanez amp at Sam Ash a while ago. My concern was that it was made in China. Everything is made in China Jack. Well, except Heritage guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koula901 Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Everything is made in China Jack. Well, except Heritage guitars. that's what I was going to say. Especially if it's new. The Blues Jrs are made right here (well, the older ones, were). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 that's what I was going to say. Especially if it's new. The Blues Jrs are made right here (well, the older ones, were). I am proud to say all of my current and prospective amps are made in the USA. Perhaps with some foreign components in them, but that is unavoidable anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackBaruth Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 With the exception of a little battery-powered Orange amp I got for $25, all of the dozen or so amps I own are US-made, even the Rolands. This is off-topic, but I take country of manufacture seriously. I have American-made appliances and furniture, I wear American-made clothing (including the shoes, which takes the most effort), I have American-made flatware and dishes. I don't buy anything from China unless there is no alternative available anywhere. It's possible to buy an American-made tube amp for $289, and I'd recommend doing that over buying a Chinese amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted February 14, 2012 Author Share Posted February 14, 2012 Seeing as how this thread is never to return to the topic at hand.... I'll play along. I would be very curious to know of an American made amp that sounds like my JCA20H/JCA24S+ for under $500 for the set up. I wasn't able to find one. The Trademark 60 sounded pretty good... but wasn't to my taste. I have my opinions on domestic vs import with regards to the US economy... but I simply won't go into them. That being said, I will support any good amp maker regardless of where they come from. Simply being American made does not get my business. It has to be what I want and at a price I feel comfortable with. I love Heritage. Hell... it's my wife's family. Despite how wonderful they are, as it stands, I wouldn't feel comfortable letting go of $2000 minimum for a single guitar right now and I am not sure when that will change. If I were to buy American right now, it would likely be the Gibson Melody Makers. Otherwise, Ibanez/LTD city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 The Ibanez TS amps are cool for what they are. They are vintagey classicish sounding amps instead of being all modernish and high gain like the Blackstar Ht series. The Ibanez TS amp isnt trying to be something it isnt. Its just a cool little amp. Its just not for me. Deleted so much of this post so as to not get banned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted February 14, 2012 Author Share Posted February 14, 2012 The Ibanez TS amps are cool for what they are. They are vintagey classicish sounding amps instead of being all modernish and high gain like the Blackstar Ht series. The Ibanez TS amp isnt trying to be something it isnt. Its just a cool little amp. Its just not for me. Pretty much what I suspected. Ibanez makes solid stuff and I'd be willing to bet their amps are put under the same scrutiny as their guitars. If I had the money, I'd likely really look at these or the Jet City JCA20HV that is due out this year. Deleted so much of this post so as to not get banned. Understood. That's why I put I won't get into the domestic vs import discussion. I have always said that religion and politics ruin forums. So... I simply won't discuss it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackBaruth Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I wasn't trying to stir you guys up, and I didn't see what got deleted. My position on this is apolitical. I work in a couple of industries where outsourcing to cheaper, arguably inferior overseas labor has become the rule, not the exception. I've seen companies replace $85/hour guys with ten $8/hour guys, get less work out of them, but feel good about having bigger org charts. I ask everybody with whom I deal to choose an American source for their labor --- namely, me! In the interest of fairness, I try to do the same. Take a look at these: http://www.tubeampfactory.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted February 14, 2012 Author Share Posted February 14, 2012 I wasn't trying to stir you guys up, and I didn't see what got deleted. My position on this is apolitical. I work in a couple of industries where outsourcing to cheaper, arguably inferior overseas labor has become the rule, not the exception. I've seen companies replace $85/hour guys with ten $8/hour guys, get less work out of them, but feel good about having bigger org charts. I ask everybody with whom I deal to choose an American source for their labor --- namely, me! In the interest of fairness, I try to do the same. Take a look at these: http://www.tubeampfactory.com/ I don't think that was Tully self-censoring unless I read it wrong. I don't think anything got stirred up necessarily. My question was honest. I am sure those are very nice amps. Here's the thing, I can be certain that none of them will do what the JCA20H does. I am not saying it is impossible but I simply was not able to find an American amp that did what I needed an amp to do with the power that I needed. I only found it in one amp and I bought it. Believe me, I love the whole made in America thing too. I simply don't have the money that some have or, hell, what I once had. So... I have to be frugal. Believe me when I say I have spent a couple of years looking for an American made amp alternative for me. I even have a blog dedicated to American manufacturers of music gear and such. I found many amps, to my surprise that were very nicely priced brand new, handwired and everything. Brian on here being one of them as well as Little Dawg and Frenzel amps. Great stuff to be sure. However, their great prices didn't mean I could afford them. I needed an amp that better suited my purposes and I had $450 to spend and no more. I don't know where I could have gotten a strong enough amp, through 2x12's, master volume and the gain levels I was looking for into Eminence drivers (which happens to be my favorite manufacturer of drivers and American made to boot). Through a great deal of research and interviewing techs, I found Jet City. It fit the bill. Even then, I didn't buy immediately. The Trademark 60, even though it didn't fit the bill speaker wise, I gave it several solid listens. It was very good... but it didn't speak to me. It would have been a waste for me to even bother as I just didn't care much for it. Then I tried my American designed, chinese built Jet City. I went back a month later. I bought it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
212Mavguy Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Barry, it's time that you get the soldering iron out and build one for yourself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 Barry, it's time that you get the soldering iron out and build one for yourself!believe me, I looked into that! Even that cost more than I had! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
212Mavguy Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 It ain't about the money...it's about making the other half of your special custom shop HERITAGE instrument something special for that special whole... Can't put a price on that. And that something special is not going to happen with wimpy iron and cut rate parts no matter where it's made, if you're talking tube amps. Am standing by my post. Knowledge from experience is priceless. Step up to the plate, Barry! You'll be glad you did. How do you think KBP810 got started? Boutique amps for boutique guitars! Peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 It ain't about the money...it's about making the other half of your special custom shop HERITAGE instrument something special for that special whole... Can't put a price on that. And that something special is not going to happen with wimpy iron and cut rate parts no matter where it's made, if you're talking tube amps. Am standing by my post. Knowledge from experience is priceless. Step up to the plate, Barry! You'll be glad you did. How do you think KBP810 got started? Boutique amps for boutique guitars! Peace. Believe me, that is on the agenda, but I can put a price on it at this point... because I really don't have much choice. haha. At some point here in the near future, I am picking up a combo cab w/speaker from Will so I can get the small kits (like $59 on eBay) to start with and have a means of testing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
212Mavguy Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Fair enough, Barry. Cool. It starts with the Iron, don't compromise on that, ever. The rest will take care of itself with time, a bit of foolishness, learning from mistakes, the willingness to not follow the herd, and trusting your ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I wasn't trying to stir you guys up, and I didn't see what got deleted. Its all good. I got weird and political. The whole MIC MIA MIJ MIUK MIK subject is such a layered discussion. The internet isnt just in America and not only Americans use it. Its not about political correctness its about different perspectives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 Fair enough, Barry. Cool. It starts with the Iron, don't compromise on that, ever. The rest will take care of itself with time, a bit of foolishness, learning from mistakes, the willingness to not follow the herd, and trusting your ears.that makes sense. At least to start I will be at the mercy of whatever those kits come with until I know a bit of theory on sizing the PT/OT. Can't wait to do it. Just gotta get the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I don't think that was Tully self-censoring unless I read it wrong. I don't think anything got stirred up necessarily. My question was honest. I am sure those are very nice amps. Here's the thing, I can be certain that none of them will do what the JCA20H does. I am not saying it is impossible but I simply was not able to find an American amp that did what I needed an amp to do with the power that I needed. I only found it in one amp and I bought it. Believe me, I love the whole made in America thing too. I simply don't have the money that some have or, hell, what I once had. So... I have to be frugal. Believe me when I say I have spent a couple of years looking for an American made amp alternative for me. I even have a blog dedicated to American manufacturers of music gear and such. I found many amps, to my surprise that were very nicely priced brand new, handwired and everything. Brian on here being one of them as well as Little Dawg and Frenzel amps. Great stuff to be sure. However, their great prices didn't mean I could afford them. I needed an amp that better suited my purposes and I had $450 to spend and no more. I don't know where I could have gotten a strong enough amp, through 2x12's, master volume and the gain levels I was looking for into Eminence drivers (which happens to be my favorite manufacturer of drivers and American made to boot). Through a great deal of research and interviewing techs, I found Jet City. It fit the bill. Even then, I didn't buy immediately. The Trademark 60, even though it didn't fit the bill speaker wise, I gave it several solid listens. It was very good... but it didn't speak to me. It would have been a waste for me to even bother as I just didn't care much for it. Then I tried my American designed, chinese built Jet City. I went back a month later. I bought it. You know, Peavey is still built in the USA and is very reliable and even though maybe not your tone, they have some great stuff and their name is legendary. Case in point: Delta Blues brand new for $480. Where can you get a deal like that, still American? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 You know, Peavey is still built in the USA and is very reliable and even though maybe not your tone, they have some great stuff and their name is legendary. Case in point: Delta Blues brand new for $480. Where can you get a deal like that, still American? Looked at those. Great tones to be sure. To get the ones that do what I'd want, it was way out of my price range. Killer prices all the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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