[Rhoads' Student]

Lately, I've been looking at old threads on other forums, and I figured I would start my own about overpriced amps.

For me, I'm all for solid-states. I used to hate all tube amps, but thanks to Richard Thompson's guitar playing, my ears have been opened. I originally played a Marshall AVT 50 through a Line6 Spider 2 cab, which had great tone and I got many compliments on (usually through my recordings, so people didn't know I was playing cheap gear). Mind you, I can afford pricier amps, but chose the AVT. Solid-states generally have great clean tone, are louder and get more gain, and are pretty durable. I will not say the same for some, like Marshall MG, but I can't say the same about a lot of tube amps.

Presently I am playing a Fender Vibrochamp through the same cab, which sounds heavenly. I can get any tone, and at the price, you can't complain. I don't have anything negative to say about the amp.

Now, you know what I am about to do: bash and rant about big name companies.

Overpriced: Marshall Bluesbreaker: Also known as the bankbreaker.

Fender "everything over 1,200" amp. Also, the Princeton amps.

Divided By 13: Do you guys have enough famous endorsees to make those things more expensive than Fenders or Marshalls?

And finally, the Vox AC30: I can get your sound with a modeling amp, but when I pay almost 2000 to get your amp, I can't get any other sound with it.

 

[Rhoads' Student]

*Whistle*

 

[AtomicPunk]

Overpriced....but worth it.....Mesa Boogie.

If you have the coin, you will love it. Otherwise, it will be....HOW much is that? WOW.

 

[Rhoads' Student]

Overpriced....but worth it.....Mesa Boogie.

If you have the coin, you will love it. Otherwise, it will be....HOW much is that? WOW.

How is it worth it when you can get the exact sound with other amps like Line6?

Plus, not to bash Mesa (I do like them), most guitars sound exactly the same in a Mesa.

 

[sarge822]

I may be alone on this one but modeling amps like Line 6 sound nothing like Mesa amps...or other amps. They sound similiar but when you take away the tubes you lose certain something that gives all tube amps their distinct tone.

 

[Rhoads' Student]

I may be alone on this one but modeling amps like Line 6 sound nothing like Mesa amps...or other amps. They sound similiar but when you take away the tubes you lose certain something that gives all tube amps their distinct tone.

:thumbsdow

Most of Line 6's amps have tubes. Professionals often drool over the fact that they sound great, solid-state or tube.

The whole, "you can't get the best sound without tubes" thing is narrow minded. I played a Marshall AVT 50 as my main amp for years, and got compliments from professionals to highschool freshmen. Even if they hated what I played, they loved what I was playing through!

 

[sarge822]

everyone knows what they like i guess. if your happy with the sound you acheive thats all that matters. at least you found a sound you like. i know guys that can never find a sound they are fully happy with.

 

[Rhoads' Student]

Never said I had found a sound I fully liked. I use a Fender Virbrochamp as a head now, which is one of the best amps on the market right now.

 

[sarge822]

i've never heard anyone play through one of those. does it still have that ol warm fender tone?

 

[Rhoads' Student]

i've never heard anyone play through one of those. does it still have that ol warm fender tone?

Well, bare in mind: I'm using it as a head into a 4x12 cab, and get just about every vintage sound exactly the way the original amps would sound.

 

[ShredRex]

I will be one of the first ones to tell ya, amps especially tube amps are just too damn much money. I like my Marshall vintage modern, and the love the 5150 or the 6505....but I get perfectly good tones from my X3L for a fraction of the cost. In fact I dare anyone to listen to me play with their back turned and tell me if it is a "real" amp or modeler

But to each their own, if I could afford them I would probably still own a few really pricey amps.....but as far as being practical for practice and recording.....modelers win hands down.

The JSX amp for example.......uh get serious. Joe's tone comes from what is now known as the Satchurator.....actually come to think of it I believe is using the newer vintage modern amps form Marshall as well. But with a pedal in front....it really could be any amp and it would still sound like Joe.

 

[Rhoads' Student]

Well, I have begun using Fender Rumble 15's for my main guitar amp. The clean is wonderful, and you can't get it with any other amp. You can distort it with a pedal; I use a MXR Dist + and a Boss DS-1 (For overdrive sounds you can't get from any other pedal).

I own much more expensive amps, but I like a little bass amp with an '8 inch amp the best. Oy Vey.

 

[Rhoads' Student]

What if I made the argument of anything over $1000 is overpriced?

What would I be left with?

 

[Max]

Lower distortion tones always sound better on tube amps (quality tube amps).
My mesa boogie for example is perfect for lower distortion ACDC and similar, also blues and the clean is great
But I can agree you can get great tones from line6 equipment especially HIGHER GAIN sounds, like VAN HALEN. I know I can get an almost perfect van halen brown tone from my line6 toneport, many other have pointed this out as well.

My Mesa boogie express was expensive but I think it was worth it because it sounds good, on any volume (better cranked of course).
But yeah it may be a better investment to buy a great expensive guitar instead of a tube amp depending on your needs..

 

[Rhoads' Student]

To each his own.

I like Mesas, but you don't find them on Musicians Friend.

 

[Def Bungis]

My thought and experience is.... with as many inexpensive variables such as pickups, speakers, distortion pedals, overdrive pedals, compressors and sustainers that you can use to adjust, teak and dial in tone..... All tube amplifiers are overpriced.

 

[Rhoads' Student]

My thought and experience is.... with as many inexpensive variables such as pickups, speakers, distortion pedals, overdrive pedals, compressors and sustainers that you can use to adjust, teak and dial in tone..... All tube amplifiers are overpriced.

Groovy!

The snobs will disagree with everything you say.:chucks:

 

[AWH]

For overpriced amps I would say many of the boutique type tube amps out there. The Bogners, Diesels, Riveras, etc.

The Peavey Classic 30 is an awesome tube amp for under $800.

....Solid-states generally have great clean tone, are louder and get more gain, and are pretty durable.....And finally, the Vox AC30: I can get your sound with a modeling amp, but when I pay almost 2000 to get your amp, I can't get any other sound with it.

Solid State is usually not louder than a tube amp of the same wattage. My 30 Watt all-tube Classic 30 or AC-30 will easily keep up with a 100 Watt Solid State combo.

The AC-30 Top Boost is one of the best amps of all time. That's why it is a legend. Sure the AC-30 doesn't have a variety of tones, and I wouldn't run it without pedals, but I use a Boss GT-8 and run it thru either my Classic 30 or the AC-30 and both sound great. The AC-30 sounds more scooped with a more sparkling clean sound. The Classic 30 has more mid punch. Sometimes I run stereo thru both at the same time. I use the Classic 30 at my gigs usually because it's small, light and damn loud and has a great sound. And oh, yeah, I paid $700 for my AC-30 brand new.

The whole, "you can't get the best sound without tubes" thing is narrow minded. I played a Marshall AVT 50 as my main amp for years, and got compliments from professionals to highschool freshmen. Even if they hated what I played, they loved what I was playing through!

Your Marshall AVT 50 is not entirely solid state. It has a tube preamp.

My thought and experience is.... with as many inexpensive variables such as pickups, speakers, distortion pedals, overdrive pedals, compressors and sustainers that you can use to adjust, teak and dial in tone..... All tube amplifiers are overpriced.

Not to say you can't get a great sound thru solid state amps (I used to run my GT-8 thru a 150 Watt Crate Power Block thru my Marshall 4x12 cab) but tubes generally have a warmth and punch and other tonal characteristics that solid state transistors can't reproduce. Then you have the whole square wave harmonic issue with solid state. On the other hand tube amps are less reliable and require more maintenance on top of being more expensive to buy.

Bottom line is to let your ears be the judge. I used to use a Peavey Transformer 2x12 all solid state and loved it. Got lots of compliments. After 5 years of steady gigging it broke. I've heard other solid state amps that sound like garbage. And I could say the same thing with tube amps. I really like the Classic 30, the AC-30, the Fender Deville Deluxe, among others. The Fender Blues Junior? Meh. The Marshall JCM 2000? Garbage. Go for what sounds good to you that suits your needs within your budget.

 

[mechanic1908]

Overpriced : Dumble.
I play thru solid state and tube amps.
My Behringer gmx1200h sounds very "tubey" even though its solid state.
Its what I use if I play out.
At home for practice I use my epiphone valve jr. tube amp.
It sounds great.
I like them both for different reasons but the solid state doesn't "feel" the same as my tube amp. It's kinda hard to explain but it doesn't have that saturated "organic" feel to it even though it sounds like it should.
Does that make any sense?

 

[Rhoads' Student]

Overpriced : Dumble.
I play thru solid state and tube amps.
My Behringer gmx1200h sounds very "tubey" even though its solid state.
Its what I use if I play out.
At home for practice I use my epiphone valve jr. tube amp.
It sounds great.
I like them both for different reasons but the solid state doesn't "feel" the same as my tube amp. It's kinda hard to explain but it doesn't have that saturated "organic" feel to it even though it sounds like it should.
Does that make any sense?

My problem with most modern Solid State amps, and solid state players, is that they want to emulate tube amps. Why not play solid states for the sake of the sound of a solid state? A clean bass amp, totally solid state, sounds better than a modern solid state amp of the same price: Why? Because the bass amp wasn't tailored for guitarists, or broke tube snobs.

Price means nothing, either. In my experience, I prefer a good Squier over a Rickenbacker or even a new Gibson LP. My Les Paul is an all maple L6-S model, made in '76, but I also own a Squier '51 (Which I have modded). Both are extremely versatile, and neither try to emulate something of higher quality, or are the standard for high quality.