BluesDabbler Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Just curious what amps you consider the best amps for a warm blues tone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 PV Delta Blues! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 anything tweed super reverb anything 20w you can crank up my '60's Gibson GA18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James535 Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Best one I've owned, my Super Reverb. Still one of the best I've heard, Stevie Ray's Vibroverb/Super Reverb set up on the El Mocambo video. Blues tone perfection to my ears Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 anything tweed super reverb anything 20w you can crank up my '60's Gibson GA18 Bolero, what would you know about a Super Reverb (yuk yuk yuk). Maybe the one you snagged from under me at the last second? (yuk yuk yuk) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Wow, OK.... If I was going to rank them, then this is the criteria I would use... 1) A vintage amp, dated pre-1968 2) Must have date correct chassis parts (original speakers, grill clothe, tolex or tweed, does not matter. These are cosmetic and don't affect the tone. Most people swap out the original speakers for new ones anyhow). 3)If not pre-1968 then one of the Boutique quality amps made today (Headstrong, Carr. Chicago Blues Box, are what I have and there are dozens of other GREAT boutique amp builders. There cost will be similar to a vintage amp, but the service & warranty is still there.) 4) Vintage BlackFace Fenders (Princeton Reverb, Deluxe Reberb, Vibrolux Reverb, Super Rever then maybe Twin Reverb and Pro Reverb ) These amps offer shimmering cleans that take overdrive pedals incredibly well. Most people hit them with an OD pedal because they are loud amps and the natural overdrive is not as nice as say a tweed amp. 5) Vintage or Boutique Tweed amps (Tweed Deluxe, Super Tweed, Tweed Tremolux, Low Powered Tweed Twin, Tweed Bassman. These amps offered more mids than the scoop mid-Blackface and are generally cranked to get their own distortion. They are lower powered than the Blackface amps and generally reguarded for their incredible distortion at reasonable volumes but lack clean headroom. (The exception is the Bassman & Low Power Tweed Twin which at over 40 watts are LOUD). 6) Vintage Gibson amps 7) Early non-master Marshall amps I have a '67 Vibrolux Reverb, Carr Rambler (Blackface Deluxe Reverb), Headstrong Lil' King (based off a '65 Princeton Reverb), Chicago Blues Box Roadhouse (Blackface Super Reverb), and a Bogner Shiva El34s (Marshall Plexi to the Marshall 800 tones). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TalismanRich Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Still one of the best I've heard, Stevie Ray's Vibroverb/Super Reverb set up on the El Mocambo video. Blues tone perfection to my ears I still think that El Macambo was one of Stevie's best moments. The sounds he pulls from that rig is just PERFECT! For anyone interested in SRV's Vibroverb, check out this article. It is by the fellow that rebuilt my National Supreme. Terry actually ended up with Vibroverb #5. http://www.valcoamp.com/page/srvs-final-notes-a-harsch As for the "perfect" blues amp, is there really such a beast? So many outstanding blues records were made using everything from little Fender Champs, to full bore Marshall stacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I haven't a clue about blues tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iim7v7im7 Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Just curious what amps you consider the best amps for a warm blues tone? I would start by asking yourself which artists and which albums do you like? Do you like clean or overdriven tones or perhaps both? Where will you be playing and what type of volume will you need? Also, what is your budget? This will also impact your choice. This will give you a start. You will see a variety of Fender Tweed players, Fender BF players and some Marshall players as well. Today, as Kuz mentioned there are a number of great boutique small manufacturers of these classic circuits out there today. These can be pricey in some cases. Good Luck, Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockabilly69 Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 For me and a Les Paul Style Guitar - PreCBS Deluxe Reverb on about 7-8 - hands down! These amps sound pretty boring to me when turned below 6 on the volume dial, but when you crank them, ooh la la! I also replace the speaker with a 12A150 Weber, which I feel holds up to pummeling:) I don't like to play blues with any guitar other than an LP style, unless it's slide guitar on my P90 ES125 then change that to a PreCBS Tweed Deluxe 3/4 cranked, or just right before they get too squishy! Both of the choices are IMHO! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavesNotHere Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Wow, OK.... If I was going to rank them, then this is the criteria I would use... 1) A vintage amp, dated pre-1968 2) Must have date correct chassis parts (original speakers, grill clothe, tolex or tweed, does not matter. These are cosmetic and don't affect the tone. Most people swap out the original speakers for new ones anyhow). 3)If not pre-1968 then one of the Boutique quality amps made today (Headstrong, Carr. Chicago Blues Box, are what I have and there are dozens of other GREAT boutique amp builders. There cost will be similar to a vintage amp, but the service & warranty is still there.) 4) Vintage BlackFace Fenders (Princeton Reverb, Deluxe Reberb, Vibrolux Reverb, Super Rever then maybe Twin Reverb and Pro Reverb ) These amps offer shimmering cleans that take overdrive pedals incredibly well. Most people hit them with an OD pedal because they are loud amps and the natural overdrive is not as nice as say a tweed amp. 5) Vintage or Boutique Tweed amps (Tweed Deluxe, Super Tweed, Tweed Tremolux, Low Powered Tweed Twin, Tweed Bassman. These amps offered more mids than the scoop mid-Blackface and are generally cranked to get their own distortion. They are lower powered than the Blackface amps and generally reguarded for their incredible distortion at reasonable volumes but lack clean headroom. (The exception is the Bassman & Low Power Tweed Twin which at over 40 watts are LOUD). 6) Vintage Gibson amps 7) Early non-master Marshall amps I have a '67 Vibrolux Reverb, Carr Rambler (Blackface Deluxe Reverb), Headstrong Lil' King (based off a '65 Princeton Reverb), Chicago Blues Box Roadhouse (Blackface Super Reverb), and a Bogner Shiva El34s (Marshall Plexi to the Marshall 800 tones). Well it looks like I have 1, 2, and 6 covered in one amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Wow, OK.... If I was going to rank them, then this is the criteria I would use... 1) A vintage amp, dated pre-1968 2) Must have date correct chassis parts (original speakers, grill clothe, tolex or tweed, does not matter. These are cosmetic and don't affect the tone. Most people swap out the original speakers for new ones anyhow). 3)If not pre-1968 then one of the Boutique quality amps made today (Headstrong, Carr. Chicago Blues Box, are what I have and there are dozens of other GREAT boutique amp builders. There cost will be similar to a vintage amp, but the service & warranty is still there.) 4) Vintage BlackFace Fenders (Princeton Reverb, Deluxe Reberb, Vibrolux Reverb, Super Rever then maybe Twin Reverb and Pro Reverb ) These amps offer shimmering cleans that take overdrive pedals incredibly well. Most people hit them with an OD pedal because they are loud amps and the natural overdrive is not as nice as say a tweed amp. 5) Vintage or Boutique Tweed amps (Tweed Deluxe, Super Tweed, Tweed Tremolux, Low Powered Tweed Twin, Tweed Bassman. These amps offered more mids than the scoop mid-Blackface and are generally cranked to get their own distortion. They are lower powered than the Blackface amps and generally reguarded for their incredible distortion at reasonable volumes but lack clean headroom. (The exception is the Bassman & Low Power Tweed Twin which at over 40 watts are LOUD). 6) Vintage Gibson amps 7) Early non-master Marshall amps I have a '67 Vibrolux Reverb, Carr Rambler (Blackface Deluxe Reverb), Headstrong Lil' King (based off a '65 Princeton Reverb), Chicago Blues Box Roadhouse (Blackface Super Reverb), and a Bogner Shiva El34s (Marshall Plexi to the Marshall 800 tones). That was quite informative John!!!! Your amp knowledge is quite impressive! I know my RI Super Reverb cannot compare to the original but its the best I can afford. I bought it in new condition for $700. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Soldano SLO-100. Eric Clapton "From the Cradle" I dont think theres any such thing. For me though, the mesa LS suits what my expectations of a fat warm bluesy sound. Could just as easily be any fender or marshall and a ts type pedal. Ive done blues gigs with a JCM2000 DSL because I read Gary Moore used one. It worked well. Last two times Joe Bonamassa was over here he used JCM2000 DSL's. Very fat warm sound. Having heard a billion blues licks played through every conceivable amp at every price point with every conceivable guitar at every price point I would even go as far as to say It doesnt really matter what you use. A Mesa dual Rec has some absolutely killer blues sounds in it, if you have them in you. So do EMG pick ups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJLII Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Just curious what amps you consider the best amps for a warm blues tone? For warmth, it's tough to beat an old school Fender Tweed circuit. 5E3 (Deluxe) makes for lots of low volume grind. 5F10 (Harvard) offers a sweeter tone (to my ear) with more clean headroom. Blackface Fender tones are iconic too, with the mids scooped out and a more pronounced top end. Like Kuz, I have a Carr Rambler. It's very versatile and can pretty much cop all the Blackface style stuff. I also am fortunate to have a Victoria Ivy League (5F10 circuit) in a 12" combo format. It covers all the tweed sounds I need excepting for the real gutbucket distortion you can get from a 5E3 Deluxe. That's fine with me, as I play clean with just a little edge most of the time anyway. If I need grind, I have some good stomp boxes that will get me there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Oh, and with my manifesto posting, another word to the original poster..... Just as there is NO specific guitar needed to play Jazz. And NO specific guitar needed to play the blues. And NO specific jazz amp.... There is NO ONE PERFECT AMP TO PLAY THE BLUES. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulk1 Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Blues is in the heart, not the amp, not the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoslate Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Oh, and with my manifesto posting, another word to the original poster..... Just as there is NO specific guitar needed to play Jazz. And NO specific guitar needed to play the blues. And NO specific jazz amp.... There is NO ONE PERFECT AMP TO PLAY THE BLUES. What kind of blues? Whose? Hound Dog Taylor? Joe Bonamassa? Kenny Burrell? Mike Bloomfield? Jimi Hendrix? Your own...? Clearly, anything goes.... Want to narrow your question a little bit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJLII Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 ....the best amps for a warm blues tone? I thought he framed it pretty well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Well, if you ask DetroitBlues, the following parameters are essential for blues gear... Guitar: -Must be beat to hell, can not be shinny or new. -Strat preferred, in only dark green. -A humbucker LP style guitar may be played if, again it is not new but beat up. It must a Goldtop with Trap inlays. Under NO circumstance can the this guitar have dot inlays. The neck must be FAT. The color MUST never be blue for any reason because no one plays the blues on a BLUE guitar. Pickups maybe humbucker or P90s and must be a designated output (although I am not sure if he knows what that is yet) Amp: -Must be affordable, not expensive, but not Chinese produced. Preferred point to point hand wired but must be inexpensive. -Must have a master volume or effects loops (unless it doesn't and he changes his mind) -Distortion must come only from the amp (unless he changes his mind and it only comes from pedals) -Must be light weight and low watts (unless he changes his mind) -Must be a combo amp (unless he changes his mind to a head/cabinet) -Must have more watts than necessary (unless he changes his mind and a Blues Jr. turned to "4" is enough) -Must be a Bassman, Deluxe Reverb, Bandmaster, Classic 30, Orange, Marshall Blues Breaker, Jet City, or Blues Deluxe ( UNLESS of course it is not, which might be fine for a week or so until he changes his mind) JUST TEASING and KIDDING!!! Sorry I couldn't help myself. Actually, Josh makes whatever he is playing sound damn good!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Ouch.... In my own words, the best amp is clean, loud, and takes pedals well. The rest is up to you and your hands. The rest is icing on the cake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Ouch.... In my own words, the best amp is clean, loud, and takes pedals well. The rest is up to you and your hands. The rest is icing on the cake. I was just kidding, I thought you might even get a little laugh from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Soldano SLO-100. Eric Clapton "From the Cradle" That was probably my favorite Clapton tones ever. Then again he was playing 85% Kalamzoo produced guitars!!! And IMHO, his Strat is voiced to TRY to sound like a LP with the mid-boost function and blocked trem. It is probably too late in his career, but I wish he would go back to his Gibson tone and playing. He plays different on a LP or 335, much more aggressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 I was just kidding, I thought you might even get a little laugh from it. No worries, after all I've posted and the gear I bought and sold, I deserve it. As far as amps goes, I'm thinking of just buying another Blues Jr and swapping the cabinet for something bigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueox Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 "Oh, and with my manifesto posting, another word to the original poster..... Just as there is NO specific guitar needed to play Jazz. And NO specific guitar needed to play the blues. And NO specific jazz amp.... There is NO ONE PERFECT AMP TO PLAY THE BLUES." That, and similar answers by a few others, is the best answer IMHO. The amp tone(s) has to satisfy the feeling that you want to convey. Suggestions can be made within a wide range, but ultimately, you have to decide what sounds right to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbp810 Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 I think this thread has given me an idea to create a website that matches players with the right amp based on unique scientificly derived questions - I shall call it AHarmony So far it looks like the code should go something like this Are you Detroit Blues? If No, go to next question If Yes, /Return: Blue Junior </end> What kind of music do you play? If Rock, go to "EveryAmpEverMade" If Blues, go to "EveryAmpEverMade" Are you sure you are not Detroit Blues? /Return: Blues Junior </end> If Jazz, "Refer to JHarmony.com" It's going to be a real chore to code Kuz into this... we are going to need seperate running threads for strings, pickups, wood types, and heaven help the team we put in charge of the "frets and plek" sub! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.