JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques Guitars and Guitarist Forum goimg solid state!

Yeah...this old geezer can't lug these tube monsters anymore....

My twin is already up for sale..this week the deville goes on the block as well....

I'm looking for something easy to carry..I need between 50 and a hundred watts ( I think) and one twelve inch speaker,,

Any suggestions?

Bob

Hmmmm....I don't know if I would equate solid state as being lighter weight especially if you want a 50W to 100W amp. If weight is the main issue, I'd get a head version of an amp and a separate 1x12 cab.

50 watts+ is a lot of amp. Are you playing out in clubs or are you just a home/studio guy? I've found that 30 watts is good for most playing situations. If you need more volume for a venue, just mic the cab. What are you looking to spend?

Some nice 1x12 combos (some with tubes again & some kind of pricey) in a lower wattage that you might look at are Fuchs ODS 30, Carr Mercury, VOX AD30VT Valvetronix, Fargen Blackbird (an incredible amp especially if you're a Fender guy), Mesa Boogie .22, Gries 35 1x12, or Orange Tiny Terror. That's enough to get you started.

Without knowing all the specifics (budget) other than what you are currently playing, I would look closely at the Carr Mercury & Fargen Blackbird. Real nice lower wattage amps that will give your back a break, but these babies are expensive.

Thanks Kaika..

My DeVille is 40 watts and sometimes I do have to use most of them..
I figured I might need a few more solid state watts than tube watts.
I work with several bands..everything from classic rock to Klezmer,,high stage levels to whisper quiet..micing the amp is not always an option..generally we have a crew that unloads and mdsoves these things but every once in a while the task falls to me.
I'm defintely looking for a combo..no separate head and speakers..been there did that!

In the studio, renatal or studio amps are always available so that's not part of the equation..I just want light and loud and clean at a reasonalble price.

Thanks for checking in

Bob

How heavy is too heavy? A Carvin SX100 will go 37 lb, 100 solid state watts into a single 12. And they sound pretty decent too.

I posted your specs over on The Gear Page where I spend too much of my time. It is full of gear nuts that have played everything under the sun. I love it there. They have some recs for you. I'm "granite" over there.

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=259819

well...that's real nice, young man..i appreciate the help..

i'll go over and take a look..

bob

You're the first person to call me young in a LONG time. Thank you Mr Young.

Ya know, I'm a firm believer that any decent guitar that stays in tune, and any decent amp will sound just fine...if the player has the chops.

So, I'll add my two cents. I sold off my big stuff and my tube stuff a couple years ago and got a Line 6 Flextone. It is a combo amp, 100 watts, lots of effects (if you are so inclined), and has one 12". It is quite versatile and can go from clean clean to nasty dirty at the flick of a switch.

It is not the best amp I've ever owned (that was a black face Bassman), but it gets the job done, fits easily in the back seat, and keeps me out of traction.

A friend of mine, whose opinion I respect, has a Vox AC-15 which he loves to death. His Mesa has been shoved into the closet and the Vox is his baby.

Hey, Truman..

one of the amps suggested to me is the line 6 spider 3...70 watts into one twelve and 29 poundss.

At a Sam Ash price of 300 bucks it sounds like something I should have a look at..

I've used pods for years and I like the line 6 sounds

Bob

What kind of price range are you looking at?
This makes a Big difference in choice.


http://www.sweetwater.com/c625--Guitar_Combo_Amps

I have used these amps live and they are Very Nice but so is the price.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DSL401/
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TSL601/

I'm more of a wannabe synthest (make your own sound circa seventies) than a guitarist. But out of all the amps I tried, an old Harmony tube amp seemed the warmest to me. No joke!
As far as solid states go, Guerilla sounded good to me.
From the people in sands I know, in the winter it takes quite a while for those tube amps to warm up.
But I hope you don't rule out those old tube amps completely.
They are just simply warmer and more authentic sounding.

I can't say for the technical aspects.

Matt

That is correct, in order to match the volume of a tube amp you would need more wattage from a solid state amp. It's approximately double for the solid state. Thus a 50 Watt Tube amp will put out roughly the same volume as a 100 Watt Solid State amp. Now it's not exactly double, but it's close enough to just figure it that way. So figure out your tube watt needs and at least double that wattage with a solid state amp that you buy and you should be safe.

Jody

You might be able to find a dolly that is sturdy enough to carry an amp on. They make them for suitcases but I don't know if you can find one strong enough for an amp. I had a Traynor once that was the equivelent to a 65 fender twin reverb. 85 watts, was on wheels.

Howdy Mike,

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't most of the weight come from the speaker magnets, the heat sinks, and the chassis? I thought the more power a speaker can handle the bigger the magnet (therefore heavier). At least that is what I think I've observed over the years.

Buy a fold-up hand-truck/dolly... or better still, hire a teenager.

Chuck

Yeah, Jody...that's what I've been hearing..roughhly double to be safe.

I tried out that line 6..it's not too bad....75 solid state watts into a celestion 12...it has some fair amp models on board and it keeps pretty clean when you turn it up..

29 pounds is nice, too..

kind of a pingy fenerish spring reverb sound, too..

I dunno....

Chuck Crowe...who the hell is mike...this is bob...you're breathing too much california air, i think!

Jeez, Bob! Sorry about that! You look just like Mike...

Dumb blonde from So. Cal...

Actually tube amp heads are generally pretty damn heavy. Especially if they have a lot of tubes. I never could figure out why, they're mostly glass and air. But the casings in a good tube amp are solid metal to reduce vibration that can kill tubes dead.

I know my Groove Tubes head is probably a good 40 lbs at least. Without the cab, the cab itself is really light, maybe 5 or 10 lbs.

A good foldup dolly is great. They're about $150 for a good one.

Jody

Bob,
Don't you think your going to lose sound quality with solid state? It has been my experience that tube amps deliver punch for lack of a better word. I have noticed that in a band setting the solid states just don't deliver the same sound. Warm, headroom, growl, etc. Have to agree the weight issues are tough to deal with. One of my amps is a 1969 Marshall 50watt with a 1968 cab loaded with original greenbacks. There is no solid state that can deliver that sound, on stage, however, it is a royal pain to move around and to much power for your needs. I also have a 18watt deluxe reverb clone that Andy K made from an old fender bassman combo. We put a emminence 12 legend alnico speaker in it. Light weight, sounds fender, has punch. Don't give up that classic tube sound.There has to be options like that out there. Jody, I think the real weight in tube amps is the transformer, especially the older ones and ceramic magnet speakers. The chassis as you mentioned could be a factor. By the way I do think the line 6 is a great amp, by itself. When on stage against any tube, it's weakness will show. It is also my opinion that the line 6 and other digital equipment is better suited for recording than the difficulty of micing an amp. Just my humble opinion. I hope you find something that pleases you.
Dan

I agree with Dan.
I still use my Twin for live shows but I also haul it with a folding two wheel cart.
$99 at Sam Ash.
For home practice I use a Fender Frontman 25 watt with a 10 inch speaker.
Nice little amp but won't cut throught the sound in a live situation like my Twin does.
The Twin also has a warmer sound when needed.
Hook up a Blues Driver and it will blow yer socks off.
End of preaching 101.

Me with Young Mr. Bob. (Hi, Bob.) I sold off my giant Peavey a couple of decades and a lot of back strain ago. I have a little 2-channel solid-state thingie called an "Austin" (it's made in Japan--Austin, Japan, as near as I can tell). It's the size of a woman's makeup case (I guess I'm dating myself there)--which means, obviously, that's not a 12" speaker in the case). I bought it at a yard sale for, like, $10 or something and it will actually fill a hall. And no, you can't have it. But that does mean there are things like that out there.

I do like the idea of dollies hauling my stuff (it's fun to watch them work), but I never had good luck with it. When I played with The Dodson Drifters, we did have groupies (married one, I did), but we could never get 'em to carry anything.

Joe

Dan and Jerry..

Fellas'..give me a little credit..

I'm gonna be 62 in March..I've got myself a pacemaker and a defibrolator clanging away in my chest..I've been a musician my whole life..not a part timer, mind you, but a full time road dog for over 40 years.
It's all I've ever done...I pretty much retired a couple of years ago and now only gig for grins ( and nice piles of money!)
I have abrilliant sounding twin that traveled with me for almost 30 0f those years..my DeVille joined the team about 15 years ago..I LOVE those amps and my sound...
Do you think I'd be looking at this change if it weren't a practical necessity?

My performing situation varies wildly...sometimes we share stages with other acts and I have to move my amp...that hurts!
If we have to change a stage plot I can't always get a body to help..sometimes I bring my own gear in my car..lifting those behemouths out of the the trunk takes two men and a boy!
Of course I realizae I'm going to be facing sonic compromise...but...heck..at least I'll survive the friggin' gig!

Ya' just do what ya' gotta do...and that's what I'm doing...
I just hope I can find good homes for the twin and the DeVille...they've been real good to me.

I think maybe I'll go out in the garage and daisy chain those two suckers, turn 'em all the way up and play Smoke on The Water One more time.

That will certainly lead to an interesting condo association meeting next week.

And, honestly..does this look like a guy who WANTS to play thru a pukey solid state amp into one twelve?

Bob

I have an old Fender Pro, a newer Deville,a 100 watt Marshall, but I LOVE my Rivera...I have a 55watts and 1-12" and it is the sh*t, small enough to tote and tube enough to scream.... The older fender is a great little Blues amp. The Deville , I really like but its loud as shinola and heavy as Big Bertha. The Marshall I've gigged with some with a rock group, plenty loud with 1-15" speaker.That Rivera is like goldilocks porridge, just right, and the best reverb I've heard bar none. 21" wide x17" high model 55-12. Want a 100 watt solid state Marshall?- I'll sell it for $400 you pay to ship it from Florida...just my opinion...Moker

Bob:
Do what you have to do to stay healthy.
Sacrificing some sound is better than risking your life.
I wear clean socks for a reason.
It keeps the bad taste down whem I put my foot in my mouth which happens often.
Take Care!

Jerry (laughing)..I've tasted a few socks myself...you get used to the taste eventually...it's kinda like chicken..

Anyway...I tried out the Line 6 on a gig and it was fine..
loud enough, clear enough, and light enough!

So..Sam Ash gets 300 bucks and I get a new amp..what a wonderful country!

Thanks for the help, everybody

Bob

My socks taste like dumpster chicken!
Ptooey!

Bob,
with pedals these days...if it ain't just right, just step on somethin' and make it right...I record stuff all the time and half of the time I never turn an amp on...they also make those little Presonus $99 tube pre's that do warm the sound up if you find yourself missin' the heat...great picture by the way...that was the opening act for Ted Nugent in 84 at the Citrus Bowl right?..ha...Moker

yah know, most folks can't hear the difference between a tube or solid state amp. We as musicians hear it and think to ourselves how much better we play driving tubes than burning transistors. We know it, but the audience typically doesn't. If I have more energy on stage because I set up light equipment, the audience enjoys it more than me hunched over in pain playing cool tubes.

I'm glad you got a Line 6. They do the job. I have a nice decent sound for half the weight.

Exactamundo!

Truman, Tom, and Moker...

Yep!

That's a good point, Tom, about not being tired and putting on a good show.
I've been a showbiz whore my whole life..I love making the crowd happy..I ain't ashamed....

I remember my stomp box phase..I musta' had a dozen of those suckers...
This line 6 has a couple of usable amp models that have some crunch..the sound is a bit thin, so I may go for one of those tube pre's in the future...we'll see....

I don't know if they still make your flextone, Truman...the kid at sam ash just looked confused when I brought it up...

Thr KLezmer band that I work with loves the new amp..it doesn't have the thump of the fenders...but...you don't need much thump when you're playing 1920's acoustic music.
The amplified mandolin sounds nice and crisp, too.

By the way..if you google maxwell street klezmer band you can find us and even watch a video of me...now THERE'S time well spent!

Life is good..my wife is getting me a new computer in the next couple of weeks...
I got a nice gig in Madison Wisconsin saturday night and they upgraded my room to a junior suite...junior suite?...didn't he play bass with count basie for a while?..I'll have to look that up....

G'nite kids....and thanks again for all the help....
And Jerry....boil those socks and make soup....

Bob

HA! I need coffee or new glasses - I read that they upgraded your room to the janitor suite. I thought, "Wow! There's a humble guy!"

Make some sock stock and put it in the freezer!
Good idea!

Line 6 makes a Flextone lll now.
Sam Ash sells them.
I rarely go to Sam Ash here because it is almost impossible to find some one to help me out.
Luckily Guitar Center recently opened a store here where I have much better luck and no problem finding some one to talk to that KNOWS what the hell they are talking about and have what I want.