Questions about guitar amp

AndrewH13

Hi Jon, think you have this wrong. Super Champ is more a Mustang with valves. Mustangs certainly have modelling but pretty sure are a solid state amp?

You are missing the three I chose from! Blackstar HT5 with reverb, often reckoned the best value versatile tube amp. Has voicing switch between US Mesa and UK Marshall flavour to sound. Also included foot switch to move between clean and drive channels. Add in cabinet simulation output for recording and mo3 input plus cabinet outs and its quite a spec and sound.

The Marshall SL5, Slash signature model. This hadn't quite come out when I bought and had less scope to sounds. But for the Marshall Uk sound, probably best you can get.

I was waiting for a Fender GDec 4, but they discontinued the three and decided not to replace. I had bought Hendrix GDec songbook with accompanied SD card that dials in the correct tones and includes backing and example tracks. Similar unit to the Spider Jam.

As you know, I'm part of the Blackstar buyers within out RS group, and bought the special edition HT5 as did Nik and Bilbo with two by ten speakers instead of standard twelve inch. Really because I wanted the cream cabinet! Worth having a listen if the shops you go to have one.

I have played briefly through a Superchamp original and the DT25. The fender is lovely on clean tones and if you just want a Fender sound this would be great. The DT25 amazed me, but then I do have a Variax and also had the 500X attached although I didn't use affects as was concentrating on the Variax demo, but another guitarist got some fantastic different sounds from it.

Christian 71

Andrew I think J is after more of a fender style amp, the blackstars are great but I'm not sure they really hit that sparkely cleans. I still think he should try a Marshall to see what he is missing but it's not the tone he is after if I understand correctly.

Of course the DT25 does Marshall, Fender and Vox with full valves so we all want him to buy the DT25 .

RBZ5416

The VT range & now VT  are supposed to be much better than the original AD.

I'd just urge caution with a proper valve job due to volume issues at home. I once bought a little JCM900 50W 1 x 12" for home use because it seemed like a good idea at the time - it wasn't!

Edit
Just a thought on the Vox, if you do go that route & want the VFS5 footswitch, check they have them. They're in very short supply at the moment as apparently, a large shipment was lost at sea. Consequently they're fetching a premium of Ebay. Fresh stock is supposedly not far away but we've all heard that one before...

AndrewH13

Agreed, the volume dial on my 5w Blackstar can hardly be used. It's a mm from off to 2mm from off on the drive channel.

GloopyJon

Yup, I think you're right about the difference between the Mustang and the Super Champ.  Anyway, it's usually a fair bet that the one you want is the more expensive one!

I've looked at the Blackstar HT5R (latest version) but unless I'm missing something it isn't a modelling amp, and I really want to have that versatility.  Part of the reason is that I really don't know exactly what sort of sound I want, so a modelling amp will give me more sounds to choose from.  I did really like some of the sounds I was hearing when I flicked through some of the voices on the Super Champ last weekend.

Same for the Marshall SL5 - plus I don't (yet) have a Les Paul!

I've been looking around at quite a few other makes and models, but the ones on my list are the only ones that I've found which look as though they fit what I want.  I know that there are some damn good amps in that selection, so I'm not too worried about missing THE amp!  Anyway, it's not the end of the world if I decide I want a different amp later on.

I'm aware that some of these amps are also going to be pretty loud, so the power regulator that some of them have is a big plus.  The DT25 should be OK with the switch down to 10W; the variable knobs on the Peavey and the Vox are perfect....but then I also really like the look of the Spider Jam!  Hell, maybe I should just buy all five!

So what do you all reckon I'm going to walk out of the shop with on Saturday?  One of the five on my list?  Something else?  Or a full wallet?   I can't wait!

Christian 71

I could only go by what people said on the forums, but the most people seemed to want the old AD60s and 120s. Read quite a few posts saying Vox had gone more the value route with each iteration and relied on software. Put me off a bit, but the AD I had was 6 or 7 years old things have moved on, great time to be buying an amp it seems.

LOL! A little JCM900, I bet the neighbours loved you. Was that the one with the 4x12? (j)

I'd love to try the AC15, but I gather even these are too loud for home use. My Marshall 1 watt is too loud at times as it is. The modelling amps all have headphone sockets with decent cab sim thankfully so think J should be fine.

Christian 71

Yup talking of buying more than one is what we like to here, get those GAS (or er GAA) juices flowing. One amp is never enough, like one guitar

You don't need a Les Paul for the Marshalls, I tried the SL5 and preferred it with the US strat to the Les Paul. Really sounded nice, like in your head tone oh my gosh thats how a fender should sound nice.

Don't write off non-modelled amps, pedals and effects with a good valve amp will get you there just as well or better. A modelling amp is just an amp with an added effects unit, excepting the DT25 of course which is something else completely. You could buy a Fender floor and Fender Blues Jr and it would likely sound better than the LX2. A blackstar HT1 and a Fender floor would work well together for example.

Have fun amp shopping

GloopyJon

Fortunately, although we are semi-detached, my music room is rather isolated from the rest of the house and the neighbours.  As long as the door to the room is shut it doesn't disturb my gf, and the neighbour has always said that he doesn't hear it, so I can play at a reasonable volume.  Obviously I won't be pushing the volume dial round into double figures, though...

Goooner

As Christian says, don't discount a tube amp and pedals/multieffects.

I bought a secondhand Zoom G3X and that has more effects than I could ever hope to know what to do with. Of course that doesn't stop me waning a HD500

RBZ5416

No it was a single 12" Celestion. Quite compact but bloody heavy & unusably loud. I spent ages looking for a sensibly priced Powerbrake until I did the proper sensible thing & sold it. Here's a pic of one by a Strat for scale.

                                                                                                                                               

I have quite a track record of things that seemed like a good idea at the time. In 1974 I passed on an original AC30 for £20 because it was a bit too big for the bedroom...


Here's a left field suggestion for the OP, don't buy an amp at all! Buy a Line 6 Pod. You can fiddle with amp models & stompboxes until the cows come home, use headphones, powered speakers or even a small stereo for amplification. Will do quality recording including mic & also does the bass duties. Might help you decide what you really want from an amp & you can then either sell it or keep it for recording.