Amps For Country Music

[DetroitBlues]

I think in this day and age, everyone thinks of a Fender-like amp with splash of reverb and tremolo.  (Deluxe Reverb perhaps?)

Or something AC30 like, Dr. Z or something in that vein.

But I'm going Marshall.  I'm not investing more into a band than I already have.

I've been using some AI stuff lately at work and as much as many (me included) are resistant to AI, AI can be helpful.

So I told Chat GPT that I am using this setup:

H150>Xotic SP Compressor>Timmy V3>Marshal DSL40C (effects loop is a Wampler Terraform>UA Del-Verb)

Here's what it said to do:

• H150 on the bridge pickup roll back tone to 7-8 and pick closer to the bridge itself
• Compressor: Blend 60-70%, Sustain Medium, slight volume boost
• Timmy T3: Gain Low (8-9 o'clock), unity volume, cut bass slightly, add a little treble
• Del-Verb: Delay 90-120ms, 1 repeat, mix 10-20%, Reverb Spring or Plate 15-20% mix, short to med decay
• Marshall DSL40c - Classic Gain - Clean Mode; Eq 3-4 bass, mids 3, treble 6-7, presence 6-7, resonance 2-3 and gain at 2-3 to stay clean

Reading this I actually think it might work.  But I cannot wholly trust AI, so all you country players on here, what do you think?

 

[ElNumero]

4 hours ago, DetroitBlues said:

I think in this day and age, everyone thinks of a Fender-like amp with splash of reverb and tremolo.  (Deluxe Reverb perhaps?)

Or something AC30 like, Dr. Z or something in that vein.

But I'm going Marshall.  I'm not investing more into a band than I already have.

I've been using some AI stuff lately at work and as much as many (me included) are resistant to AI, AI can be helpful.

So I told Chat GPT that I am using this setup:

H150>Xotic SP Compressor>Timmy V3>Marshal DSL40C (effects loop is a Wampler Terraform>UA Del-Verb)

Here's what it said to do:

• H150 on the bridge pickup roll back tone to 7-8 and pick closer to the bridge itself
• Compressor: Blend 60-70%, Sustain Medium, slight volume boost
• Timmy T3: Gain Low (8-9 o'clock), unity volume, cut bass slightly, add a little treble
• Del-Verb: Delay 90-120ms, 1 repeat, mix 10-20%, Reverb Spring or Plate 15-20% mix, short to med decay
• Marshall DSL40c - Classic Gain - Clean Mode; Eq 3-4 bass, mids 3, treble 6-7, presence 6-7, resonance 2-3 and gain at 2-3 to stay clean

Reading this I actually think it might work.  But I cannot wholly trust AI, so all you country players on here, what do you think?

 

Fender ToneMaster. You won’t regret it.  

[greywolf66]

Fender Blues Deluxe, Peavey Classic 30 both have great cleans and plenty of power

[DetroitBlues]

14 hours ago, ElNumero said:

Fender ToneMaster. You won’t regret it.  

Want to lend me yours?  I have no funds to buy anything for a long time.

6 hours ago, greywolf66 said:

Fender Blues Deluxe, Peavey Classic 30 both have great cleans and plenty of power

Had a blue deluxe and it crapped out.  Had to sell the amp because of my divorce.  It would have been a great amp to keep.

Many years ago, I did have a Peavey Delta Blues 15", that was a cool amp.

[Steiner]

15 hours ago, ElNumero said:

Fender ToneMaster. You won’t regret it.  

Yuck.  More SS that tried.

DB, I have a Kendrick 5e3 or a Z Remedy if you’re interested and then, as you know, a slew of Metropoulos.  Then there’s Vox(ish) Matchless Chieftain, Bad Cats, SMF…

Congrats on the new band!

[DetroitBlues]

2 hours ago, Steiner said:

Yuck.  More SS that tried.

DB, I have a Kendrick 5e3 or a Z Remedy if you’re interested and then, as you know, a slew of Metropoulos.  Then there’s Vox(ish) Matchless Chieftain, Bad Cats, SMF…

Congrats on the new band!

I might have to take you up on that offer.

[greywolf66]

      While a bit pricey,

it is AWSOME 

Edited Tuesday at 09:29 PM by greywolf66

[rwinking]

It depends on what you mean by country music. Classic Merle or Buck would almost require a fender. Or that 80s to 90s George Strait, Clint Black, Alan Jackson, etc.. is still tele/fender sounds. However, the stuff I hear now that is called country often has almost metal tones. I got hired to do a couple of gigs backing a country guy. He said he wanted that Waylon style sound. I had the tele/deluxe thing and he, being young, said that wasn’t the sound he had in mind. I pulled out my Kramer that I got from Brent a few years back and a slightly gainy Friedman and got the gig. Kids these days……

[davesultra]

47 minutes ago, rwinking said:

It depends on what you mean by country music. Classic Merle or Buck would almost require a fender. Or that 80s to 90s George Strait, Clint Black, Alan Jackson, etc.. is still tele/fender sounds. However, the stuff I hear now that is called country often has almost metal tones. I got hired to do a couple of gigs backing a country guy. He said he wanted that Waylon style sound. I had the tele/deluxe thing and he, being young, said that wasn’t the sound he had in mind. I pulled out my Kramer that I got from Brent a few years back and a slightly gainy Friedman and got the gig. Kids these days……

Current “Country music” is this generation’s “Hair Metal”. Break out the cookie cutter!!!!

[DetroitBlues]

4 hours ago, rwinking said:

It depends on what you mean by country music. Classic Merle or Buck would almost require a fender. Or that 80s to 90s George Strait, Clint Black, Alan Jackson, etc.. is still tele/fender sounds. However, the stuff I hear now that is called country often has almost metal tones. I got hired to do a couple of gigs backing a country guy. He said he wanted that Waylon style sound. I had the tele/deluxe thing and he, being young, said that wasn’t the sound he had in mind. I pulled out my Kramer that I got from Brent a few years back and a slightly gainy Friedman and got the gig. Kids these days……

I walked in with a 535 and a Marshall DSL40C on classic gain and they wanted a tele.  As if the guitar itself was the sole tonality difference...

[ElNumero]

On 4/7/2026 at 10:06 AM, Steiner said:

Yuck.  More SS that tried.

DB, I have a Kendrick 5e3 or a Z Remedy if you’re interested and then, as you know, a slew of Metropoulos.  Then there’s Vox(ish) Matchless Chieftain, Bad Cats, SMF…

Congrats on the new band!

Since you haven’t tried it out, don’t knock it I’ll put it up against anything tube you got in your basement!! and I’ll bet a  cigar

[ElNumero]

On 4/7/2026 at 9:09 AM, DetroitBlues said:

Want to lend me yours?  I have no funds to buy anything for a long time.

Had a blue deluxe and it crapped out.  Had to sell the amp because of my divorce.  It would have been a great amp to keep.

Many years ago, I did have a Peavey Delta Blues 15", that was a cool amp.

Absolutely I’ll send it to you along with the Heritage Guitar of your choice

[Steiner]

3 hours ago, ElNumero said:

Since you haven’t tried it out, don’t knock it I’ll put it up against anything tube you got in your basement!! and I’ll bet a  cigar

There’s a local Indian tribe here that I’d like to bring up; Huron.  I’ve played a couple at guitar denter.  Pass.

[ElNumero]

8 minutes ago, Steiner said:

There’s a local Indian tribe here that I’d like to bring up; Huron.  I’ve played a couple at guitar denter.  Pass.

Ha ha!!!  Technology is amazing Greg!!

[big bob]

Probably more money than you want to spend. but a drip edge (think 70’s) pull boost (but don’t ever use that) deluxe reverb for the win! 
 

[DetroitBlues]

15 hours ago, ElNumero said:

Absolutely I’ll send it to you along with the Heritage Guitar of your choice

Heritages are well stocked, just bring me a tele to go with it.  Yee-haw ya'll!

[DetroitBlues]

2 hours ago, big bob said:

Probably more money than you want to spend. but a drip edge (think 70’s) pull boost (but don’t ever use that) deluxe reverb for the win! 
 

Unless I can get one for $10, probably not.  Wish I'd kept all the KBP deluxes I did have....

[TalismanRich]

23 hours ago, DetroitBlues said:

I walked in with a 535 and a Marshall DSL40C on classic gain and they wanted a tele.  As if the guitar itself was the sole tonality difference...

Get a t-shirt made with this picture on it, and wear it to the next practice.   Tell 'em  "See, you can do country with a 535!"

[DetroitBlues]

18 hours ago, TalismanRich said:

Get a t-shirt made with this picture on it, and wear it to the next practice.   Tell 'em  "See, you can do country with a 535!"

Roy is exactly why I brought my 535.

[JeffB]

 

I was in a couple of country bands. The amp I used was the same one I used in the "blues" bands and the same amp I used to play rock from Rolling Stones to Foo Fighters, Metallica or whatever bs Ive played over the years...even dance orientated pop and disco. A fender Concert II with what ever OD pedals worked best. 

Ive had it for 41yrs. It blew a fuse once, in 1999. Tube amps, so unreliable.

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by JeffB

[TalismanRich]

I remember our friend Tulk taking my Millennium with my Princeton clone and ripping into some great Dwight Yoakam tunes.   It sounded pretty country to me.   I'm sure it's in the fingers!

Please Please Baby - PSP 2019

[nuke]

Pickup an old Peavey, even a solid state one.

They're cheap as dirt and the better ones with the Black Widow speakers are killer good. Reliable as all get out too. And if you turn your back on it, it will be the only bit of equipment not immediately stolen from the stage. They have that "sound" too, even in gain mode. Heck, there's probably someone somewhere who's been trying to get one out of the garage for years with no takers somewhere. 

Music Man is another great one, but they seem to have a bit of a following, rarer and command a bit more money.

If you're going all out, a Fender ToneMaster Pro and accompanying speaker is great. If you're playing live in modern "no stage volume" venues, they'll love you for it and probably forget whatever guitar you walked in with.