Comments on: The Best Guitar Amps for the Bucks

By: Rusty

Rusty — Sun, 09 Dec 2018 12:49:32 +0000

Good article, Here is a list of my amps. 1960 Gibson GA=20T Ranger… 1960 Gibson GA=30 Invader… 1962 Gibson GA-8T Discoverer… 1961 Silvertone 1472… 1962 Fender Bandmaster… 1965 Panaramic 1210 (Magnatone built)… 1974 Gibson SG Systems 2X12 with built in Maestro Phase Shifter in “Blue Jean” cover instead of tolex… 1976 Garnet Gnome… 1977 Garnet Revolution iii 2×12… 1967 Bogen challenger 35 head… 1972 Randall Commander IV… 1972 Acoustic Control Corp. 134… Roland Jazz Chorus 120… Roland Jazz Chorus 50… ZB Custom prototupe amp. All the amps work wonderfully and I am starting to think about getting rid of some of them… hard to pick a favourite but the Gibsons are to die for, especially the tremolo. If I had to pick I think it would be the SG Systems amp, other than the 80 pounds, the sound is fantastic. my 2 cents worth.

By: Clay Edmonds

Clay Edmonds — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 05:11:58 +0000

Peavy Blues Classic 1×15 60w always love Peavy amps tubes my old Marshall half stack cost like the one Hendrix used.sounds good all the way up to loud at times love all equipment to do with Guitars and Amps EFXs and strings instruments Texas Blues Player’s keep on Rocking love finding good new stuff experiencing the sounds USA #1

By: David Mesple'

David Mesple' — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 06:07:56 +0000

I have an old Italian Elka, amplifier. 100 watts with Leslie-type rotating speakers (and you can adjust the speeds) plus a wonderful full EQ reverb tank. Foot switch lets you turn either on and select high or low custom set speeds on the rotating speakers as well as high and low reverb. It’s just amazing and I got it for the cost of a digital Leslie-style effects pedal!

By: Brett Adams

Brett Adams — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 07:40:21 +0000

Nice post. It’s kind of alright that people overlook and underrate Peavey amps. i played through a 70s/early 80s Classic 50 with 4x10s and it killed. And those go for like 300 bucks or something. Also, the solid state Yamaha G100, G100II, G50, and G50II in just about every speaker combination are great great great amps for the dough. Tons of clean headroom. Probably most like a JC 120 or Fender Twin, without the hiss and tube maintenance. I bought a G100 head for $125 and it slays through an Eminence Commonwealth 15″ and Eminence EM12s. Spent more on the speakers. The heads and combos can be found everywhere from $75 – $300 and even at the high, it’s still a bargain.

By: mike

mike — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 11:46:37 +0000

These were all good ideas. Darn, it caught my eye because the Delta Blues is my number one value amp. I’m a 15 lover and you can get your sound out of a 15 more easily because it’s there, you just have to search a little. I’m also into 6V6 amps and was into this low watt thing about 5yrs before some others. I just have t say, take this to the bank – the little Ibanez 15 watter with 2x 6V6 paired with a 15 bottom is such a blast. Somehow I got an old Kustom 15 into a pine cab and you can’t stop playing, paired with that little head. I paid $200 for the head and $225 for the cab and I’m in 60s heaven. The sound I’d been chasing wasting money on was in that old speaker and a pair of JJs 6V6s. I’m not fooling, give it a try. I’ve been so disappointed in reissue speakers, what a drag. Fender is the worst; the reissue Jensens are garbage. I got a reissue Princeton and they put the worst 10 ever made in a legend amp. Thanks for hearing me out. You don’t need to spend a bunch. A little luck helps too.
Mike

By: Blind Walker G

Blind Walker G — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 09:03:00 +0000

Nice selection. What I really miss are the fantastic Music Man amps. First twenty years of my musical career I played all kinds of Fender amps from the 60’s and 70’s. Later I switched to a Music Man RD 112 EV and never looked back. This was my main amp for another twenty years and I still think the Music Mans with the famous 12″ EV have the sweetest sounding clean channel ever.
The last years these amps raise up in price a bit but still are affordable. People who are into the best Fender like clean tone should give them a try.
Today I don’t play on stage no more, just do some recordings. For this purpose the Fender Excelsior fits all my needs.
I also own a Lab L5 and L9, the recorded clean tone of the Excelsior is much better for bluesy tunes in my opinion, but the Lab series amps really shine when playing some jazzy tunes. None of the jazz players have them on the radar, but I think they are a great and still cheap alternative to the actual overpriced Roland amps.
Of course these are only my personal suggestions.

By: David Storm

David Storm — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 05:18:29 +0000

Lets get down to it…their are plenty of really good amps out there..in Tube/Solid State/Analog-Modeling
but it comes down to what You Hear that You Like..and what You can afford! It also depends on the style of music that You play! Their has always been favorites on my Wish List..but being a starving guitarist does not leave You much room for the Cream of the Crop..so..one has to deal with the best bang for the buck…being a old guitar slinger..I’ve owned/used many brands..and heres my opinion of what works..for the working guitarist..and still keeping a roof over Your head!! These “Brands” may not be the best out there..but they all have good track records and will serve you well for years. Tubes-Fender/Ampeg/Vox/
Gibson/Sunn/Dean Markley(All good Bang for the Bucks)Solid State-Fender/Ampeg/Vox/DeanMarkley…some are better than others..and Anaolg/Modeling..to be truthful..I really have no use for these..the only junk on my floor is a Ibenez Tube Screamer Box.
Well…thats my 2 cents worth…find what suits You..Screw the Label..You ear will tell You where to go!

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By: Peter

Peter — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 01:32:48 +0000

I LOVE my Mesa Nomad 55. I have the 4 x 10″ variant and it’s become my main stage amp. It’s like a Super reverb on Steroids. I love the three channel configuration and the overdrive from the third channel is creamy and very versatile. I got it for $650 on ebay and never regretted the purchase… except when I’m carrying it to a gig. That’s why I put on casters!! Wonderful amp though.

By: John

John — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 23:01:03 +0000

Love the website, great info. I just have to comment on the addition of the Roland Jazz Chorus here. They may be usable for certain genres, maybe clean jazz, but for the most part it is one of the least usable amps I’ve ever played. My buddy had one when we were in high school and I thought it was pretty cool then, but I’ve been stuck with them several times in back-line situations and I could barely get through the sets. They make great keyboard amps, but I really don’t think it belongs on this page. I’m not a tube amp snob either, my main rigs are 60’s Vox SS models. Just my two cents, but for those of you with no experience with them, do yourself a favor and spend your money elsewhere.

By: dirt49

dirt49 — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 18:22:32 +0000

Have the Peavey 50 watt 4×10 bought it used, ebay $450. Been offered same to sell, just cant do it. actually have been playing through it quite a bite lately, glad I got on the web site here, something has always bugged me…now I know! Thanks

By: Tim Spillane

Tim Spillane — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:23:00 +0000

Might as well throw my choice into the fray…especially since I recently aquired another one after about 25 years! It’s a mid 80s Peavey Austin 400, which is an electric and acoustic hybrid amp…so far ahead of its time, there *still* isn’t anything on the market like it! It’s a 220 watt solid state amp, running two 12 inch Scorpion speakers and a high range horn (which is only supposed to be active when using the acoustic channel, but still bleeds through a little when I play electric). The electric side has a two stage preamp (pre and saturation) with a four band parametric eq and presense. Lots of room to get a killer clean sound, and the grit provided by the preamp hits everything from a decent classic rock crunch to full on brutal industrial scream! The acoustic side is the epitomy of clean, with a similar four band parametric eq, and pre and post volume controls. It’s also got a spring reverb, very deep and kind of bassy sounding, it’s one of the fullest, most lush reverbs I’ve ever heard. Overall, even though it’s a solid state amp, it’s an absolute killer…more volume than I’ll *ever* use, more warmth than you would ever think a solid state is capable of, and that reverb…and, to top it off, the cabinet is made with a slight backward slant on the face, so there’s no need for an amp stand, it’s already on the right angle! Price of this beast…when I got my first one in 1985, it ran me $200 used…when I bought its replacement in 2011 (I sold the first one, mostly due to peer pressure, in 1988) after tracking one down for many many years, it cost me (once again) $200! I will NOT make the mistake of selling this one…these amps are NOT easy to find on the East Coast!

By: Blackdog

Blackdog — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 18:20:17 +0000

I like some of the Ampegs from the 60’s.
The Jet in particular. They did several different tube configurations with this single 12″ amp, and the one I prefer is the J-12-B, with 6SL7 preamp and a pair of 6V6 power amp tubes. The original Jensen alnicos are really nice too. I got my 1963 for about $250 back in ’98 or so. Carruth cleaned it up and made it sing, Ezra Mullhulland re-coned the Jensen, and it’s a fantastic little amp when you get it cranked above 6 or 7. VERY nice trem too, but no reverb. No biggie.
I heard Frampton used to play one of these on stage…locked up in a road case with a mic inside it…and a mic out plug on the side of the road case. Basically a recording rig for stage use.

The Mercury amps were also a very nice, and slightly louder, single 12″ amps. Also available with a pair of 6V6 or with the old hard-to-get 7591 power tubes. Now not a problem since Sovtek is manufacturing them.

By: Elicia Speares

Elicia Speares — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:07:15 +0000

great post thx

By: Stefano

Stefano — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:03:44 +0000

Well I have never seen a Lab Series L9 with a JBL 15 most, like the one I own have
the EVM 150 15 incher that is equaly massive but not has holy grailish as the JBL.
I have a L5 and think the 2X12s are CTS, I have a little L3 but not sure that has
original 12 incher as it has a EV SRO pictures of others look like CTS.
Thanks for including my favorite and misunderstood amps. ( well good thng cause
they are really still cheap)

By: Orange Amps

Orange Amps — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 08:29:20 +0000

Go figure I like the most expensive amp on here the most. :p