Buying a new amp

[RKD]

Right, the Line 6 is fun but its too gimmicky, effects ridden and digital and it doesn't give me the tones i want. Basically i want an amp that will help me achieve the tones i need. Obviously i'm gonna be buying some pedals to go with this but i really want to start with the amp. You all know what type of music i make and if not visit http://www.youtube.com/rickdmusic and check out the first few videos.

I have a varied tonal needs. I love deep clean tones and deep blues tones too but also sometimes require hi gain tones with a softer feel so when i hit the high notes its not squealing but i get a nice soft high note but at the same time can achieve a real rough sound in the lower notes. I can JUST about get this with the line 6... hell i can JUST about get any tone i want with the line 6 but i don't want to JUST ABOUT get the tones, i wanna hit the tones i want when i need them. So any help with this matter would be great.

Thanks!

[nemo]

Budget and wattage needs?

At this point I'd say definitely you should be going all valve and ditching anything solid state or with built in effects.

My amp preferences are probably pretty similar to yours, most of the time I play pretty clean and never with horrendous amounts of distortion.

I use for practice and recording a Fender Champion 600 reissue, it's a 5 watt all valve little thing, but it sounds fucking beautiful (though you will need a good overdrive pedal to get it to dirty up a bit, it doesn't really ever overdrive itself too much) I love this thing, but it's not the most versatile amp ever made, in fact it might be among the least versatile amps ever made.

A Peavey Classic 30 or Peavey Delta Blues would probably be a decent shout for you as well (and a scout for a 2nd hand Peavey Classic 20 is worth a go since they don't make them any more, BP's got one and won't sell it to me, I've wanted it for about 5 years).  With a bit more cash I like the Fender Blues Junior.  Orange's valve amps tend to always be pretty awesome.

[Sean]

yea reading your post .....   pretty much nemo sums it up for me.  but again we don't have your budget.    I also played a Fender Twin for many years because I used to play much cleaner than I do now. I miss it much at times.  but it was a 100 watt loud as fuck and hard to overdrive. but funky clean and great for chord work.  nice reverb etc.   can get a nice one (haven't checked prices for these lately) for up to $1000 easily I think. My friend has.. that I played many times ... an original ... I think Fender Princeton Chorus from the 60's.  much smaller form factor .. maybe 2 10 inch speakers and much lighter than the twin and gives wicked tone.

The Peavey Classic Series is a nice alternative for half the price or so.

[Gez]

I can vouch for the Fender Champ 600...such a bad ass sounding amp.

I know I've said it before in like every post about amps...but hayden Mofo all the way

[RKD]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm looking to spend under £500 ($771). I've been looking into the Peavey Classic 30 and really like the look of it. Although from what i've heard if you start increasing the volume too high, it affects the cleanness of the tone, is this true? I wanna gig with the amp i buy and still wanna be able to have a clear, crisp clean tone at high volumes.

[mooney]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm looking to spend under £500 ($771). I've been looking into the Peavey Classic 30 and really like the look of it. Although from what i've heard if you start increasing the volume too high, it affects the cleanness of the tone, is this true? I wanna gig with the amp i buy and still wanna be able to have a clear, crisp clean tone at high volumes.

have you looked into the marshall dsl401? Excellent amp, lots of options, decent at bedroom level and awesome tone. Certainly loud enough to gig - it's 30 or 40 watts, cant remember now.

[PurpleHaze]

You could get a used Engl Screamer combo off of eBay for that at a stretch. I'm just gonna big it up because I have one.

Funky Strong

That's more high gain widdly widdly on my shitty yamaha via phone camera but you get the idea. It has amazing cleans and can get more laid back if that's your thing. As this other random youtube dude demonstrates:

Engl Screamer 50 Combo Channel Demo With Gibson Les Paul

It has an amaaaaazing lead tone.

[jamiehout]

good for u