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Best Blues Amp


BluesDabbler

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Posted

Well, if you ask DetroitBlues, the following parameters are essential for blues gear...

 

Guitar:

-Must be beat to hell, can not be shinny or new.

-Strat preferred, in only dark green.

-A humbucker LP style guitar may be played if, again it is not new but beat up. It must a Goldtop with Trap inlays. Under NO circumstance can the this guitar have dot inlays. The neck must be FAT. The color MUST never be blue for any reason because no one plays the blues on a BLUE guitar. Pickups maybe humbucker or P90s and must be a designated output (although I am not sure if he knows what that is yet)

 

Amp:

-Must be affordable, not expensive, but not Chinese produced. Preferred point to point hand wired but must be inexpensive.

-Must have a master volume or effects loops (unless it doesn't and he changes his mind)

-Distortion must come only from the amp (unless he changes his mind and it only comes from pedals)

-Must be light weight and low watts (unless he changes his mind)

-Must be a combo amp (unless he changes his mind to a head/cabinet)

-Must have more watts than necessary (unless he changes his mind and a Blues Jr. turned to "4" is enough)

-Must be a Bassman, Deluxe Reverb, Bandmaster, Classic 30, Orange, Marshall Blues Breaker, Jet City, or Blues Deluxe ( UNLESS of course it is not, which might be fine for a week or so until he changes his mind)

 

 

JUST TEASING and KIDDING!!! Sorry I couldn't help myself. Actually, Josh makes whatever he is playing sound damn good!!!!

Ouch....

 

In my own words, the best amp is clean, loud, and takes pedals well. The rest is up to you and your hands.

 

The rest is icing on the cake.

I laughed. Sorry Josh.

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Posted

I think this thread has given me an idea to create a website that matches players with the right amp based on unique scientificly derived questions - I shall call it AHarmony

 

So far it looks like the code should go something like this

Are you Detroit Blues?

If No, go to next question

If Yes, /Return: Blue Junior </end>

 

What kind of music do you play?

If Rock, go to "EveryAmpEverMade"

If Blues, go to "EveryAmpEverMade"

Are you sure you are not Detroit Blues?

/Return: Blues Junior </end>

If Jazz, "Refer to JHarmony.com"

 

It's going to be a real chore to code Kuz into this... we are going to need seperate running threads for strings, pickups, wood types, and heaven help the team we put in charge of the "frets and plek" sub!

 

:violent5:

:violent4:

:booty:

Posted

Awesome answers guys! Right now I only have a Blackstar Club 40 which I have to say, does great cleans and great grit. I really want to try a Fender Deluxe or Twin of some model, but haven't yet. Since getting my 535 I keep bouncing up and back between it and my old faithful custom shop strat. Something about the clean warmth that strat produces is hard to beat. But the 535 is growing on me; especially for a gritty classic rock sound. Just seems a hair too bassy even when tweaked heavy on the treble side. I literally will play a lick on the strat, unplug and then play the strat on the Heritage, but to compare and I do it over and over. I think I'm going to make myself crazy. But it always happens; when I get a new guitar I feel like I must play it and love it, but I always fall back on that stinkin strat! :)

Posted

Awesome answers guys! Right now I only have a Blackstar Club 40 which I have to say, does great cleans and great grit. I really want to try a Fender Deluxe or Twin of some model, but haven't yet. Since getting my 535 I keep bouncing up and back between it and my old faithful custom shop strat. Something about the clean warmth that strat produces is hard to beat. But the 535 is growing on me; especially for a gritty classic rock sound. Just seems a hair too bassy even when tweaked heavy on the treble side. I literally will play a lick on the strat, unplug and then play the strat on the Heritage, but to compare and I do it over and over. I think I'm going to make myself crazy. But it always happens; when I get a new guitar I feel like I must play it and love it, but I always fall back on that stinkin strat! :)

 

Its nice to have options. A 535 and a Stratocaster, doesn't leave much room for anything else (and here starts another debate!).

 

I use my Epiphone Dot Deluxe (like a 535) for a lot of mellower blues stuff, like BB King, or when trying to play soft jazzy swing stuff. I do also use it higher gain stuff too, like Gary Moore. But my Stratocaster is the one I rehearse with the band and play on a regular basis to cover more ground. (so much so, I might have to gig with my other one while my main Stratocaster gets re-fretted!). I go back and forth on stage between the two depending on what I'm going for.

 

I've had several really nice guitars this year, H150, H140, ASAT Classic, but my Stratocasters are my favorite. I've upgraded a couple Stratocasters so I could have an American one, but realistically, I've kept one or two at all times. Its just my favorite guitar to play.

Posted

For me and a Les Paul Style Guitar - PreCBS Deluxe Reverb on about 7-8 - hands down!

For warmth, it's tough to beat an old school Fender Tweed circuit. 5E3 (Deluxe) makes for lots of low volume grind.

 

1st and 2nd right here. DR more versatile (to me). Plenty of amps based on these circuits that offer new components and other features that you may like.

Posted

Its nice to have options. A 535 and a Stratocaster, doesn't leave much room for anything else (and here starts another debate!).

 

I use my Epiphone Dot Deluxe (like a 535) for a lot of mellower blues stuff, like BB King, or when trying to play soft jazzy swing stuff. I do also use it higher gain stuff too, like Gary Moore. But my Stratocaster is the one I rehearse with the band and play on a regular basis to cover more ground. (so much so, I might have to gig with my other one while my main Stratocaster gets re-fretted!). I go back and forth on stage between the two depending on what I'm going for.

 

I've had several really nice guitars this year, H150, H140, ASAT Classic, but my Stratocasters are my favorite. I've upgraded a couple Stratocasters so I could have an American one, but realistically, I've kept one or two at all times. Its just my favorite guitar to play.

"I've had..."? Had? Is the ASAT gone already?

Posted

Soldano SLO-100. Eric Clapton "From the Cradle"

 

I dont think theres any such thing. For me though, the mesa LS suits what my expectations of a fat warm bluesy sound. Could just as easily be any fender or marshall and a ts type pedal.

Ive done blues gigs with a JCM2000 DSL because I read Gary Moore used one. It worked well.

Last two times Joe Bonamassa was over here he used JCM2000 DSL's. Very fat warm sound.

Having heard a billion blues licks played through every conceivable amp at every price point with every conceivable guitar at every price point I would even go as far as to say It doesnt really matter what you use.

A Mesa dual Rec has some absolutely killer blues sounds in it, if you have them in you. So do EMG pick ups.

 

I believe Joe's favorite now is a Marshall Silver Jubilee which may be what Slash's signature amp is modeled after.

Guest HRB853370
Posted

Well, if you ask DetroitBlues, the following parameters are essential for blues gear...

 

Guitar:

-Must be beat to hell, can not be shinny or new.

-Strat preferred, in only dark green.

-A humbucker LP style guitar may be played if, again it is not new but beat up. It must a Goldtop with Trap inlays. Under NO circumstance can the this guitar have dot inlays. The neck must be FAT. The color MUST never be blue for any reason because no one plays the blues on a BLUE guitar. Pickups maybe humbucker or P90s and must be a designated output (although I am not sure if he knows what that is yet)

 

Amp:

-Must be affordable, not expensive, but not Chinese produced. Preferred point to point hand wired but must be inexpensive.

-Must have a master volume or effects loops (unless it doesn't and he changes his mind)

-Distortion must come only from the amp (unless he changes his mind and it only comes from pedals)

-Must be light weight and low watts (unless he changes his mind)

-Must be a combo amp (unless he changes his mind to a head/cabinet)

-Must have more watts than necessary (unless he changes his mind and a Blues Jr. turned to "4" is enough)

-Must be a Bassman, Deluxe Reverb, Bandmaster, Classic 30, Orange, Marshall Blues Breaker, Jet City, or Blues Deluxe ( UNLESS of course it is not, which might be fine for a week or so until he changes his mind)

 

 

JUST TEASING and KIDDING!!! Sorry I couldn't help myself. Actually, Josh makes whatever he is playing sound damn good!!!!

 

You nailed it Kuz. But dont forget that the day after he acquires any guitar or rig, he puts it up for sale on the forum~!!

 

OUCH!!!!

Posted

Awesome answers guys! Right now I only have a Blackstar Club 40 which I have to say, does great cleans and great grit. I really want to try a Fender Deluxe or Twin of some model, but haven't yet. Since getting my 535 I keep bouncing up and back between it and my old faithful custom shop strat. Something about the clean warmth that strat produces is hard to beat. But the 535 is growing on me; especially for a gritty classic rock sound. Just seems a hair too bassy even when tweaked heavy on the treble side. I literally will play a lick on the strat, unplug and then play the strat on the Heritage, but to compare and I do it over and over. I think I'm going to make myself crazy. But it always happens; when I get a new guitar I feel like I must play it and love it, but I always fall back on that stinkin strat! :)

 

Thats the basic difference between the single coils and the humbuckers. I was playing my Melancon the other night, had the Patriot all set up and it was sounding right. Pulled out the 535 and it was like mud city! Once I got the 535 dialed in and sounding sweet, the Melancon was like an ice pick!

 

The humbuckers have more output, so they'll hit the front end harder, and even the bridge pickup is going to be dark compared to a strat or tele.

Posted

I believe Joe's favorite now is a Marshall Silver Jubilee which may be what Slash's signature amp is modeled after.

He doesnt bring his rig over here he uses stray marshalls. 1st time was JCM2000's and 2nd time was JCM2000's and some plexi looking thing.

The Jubilee has been central to his multi amp set up for a while.

Posted

Just curious what amps you consider the best amps for a warm blues tone?

 

Growing up here in Chicago and being a blues fan since day one, I have seen many great bluesman and heard their gear. I have seen Albert, B.B. and Freddy all in their prime and just about everyone at one point.

The best sounding rig for blues I have heard was Jeff Healy on his first American tour. I saw him at the beginning of that tour and he was using a 50 watt marshall with a half stack. I know this is not what you are looking for but this was a great show. By far the greatest "Jimi" I have ever heard. I saw Jeff later that summer again and he was beat and tired. He was playing with a full stack and you could tell he was spent. His tone was not good.

 

For me, lower power is great for blues. I have two old Gibson amps, the ga-40 from 1954 and a Skylark from '59. I also have a RCA intercom turned amp head from around 1955 that I run through a 2-12 cabinet. These amps can give me a very authentic "blues " tone. The Ga-40 and the RCA sound wonderful with a Full-Tone pedal in front of them. Really easy and fun to play with my Heritage or G&L guitars.

 

If I had the cash I would look at a the Carvin Vintage 16 and the low wattage Fuchs. The are out of my budget and I suspect all I would find is "buzzy" gain.

 

Keep it simple and turn it up really loud!!!!!

 

y2kc

Posted

Soldano SLO-100. Eric Clapton "From the Cradle"

 

 

Did he use the Soldano on the from the cradle record then? i didnt realise that, i always thought it was mostly tweed Twins.

 

The 335 tones on that album are just perfection <3

Posted

Bolero, what would you know about a Super Reverb (yuk yuk yuk). Maybe the one you snagged from under me at the last second? (yuk yuk yuk)

 

:D sorry Will....but what's that saying? the early bird gets the worm?

 

I'm really looking forward to it, haven't had a Fender amp in a few years

 

very entertaining thread

Posted

The Ga-40 and the RCA sound wonderful

 

Alright...I'll undermine my previous post. Unqualified, the best blues tone I've ever had was a '57 GA-40 with a 150, wound up tight! Incredible! Best I've ever heard...Mike Bloomfield. Strat, Duosonic, Tele, Paul, Super, Bassman, Thunderbird, Futura, Falcon, Twin, Gemini, take your pick.... Apparently all in the hands.

Posted

I think this thread has given me an idea to create a website that matches players with the right amp based on unique scientificly derived questions - I shall call it AHarmony

 

So far it looks like the code should go something like this

Are you Detroit Blues?

If No, go to next question

If Yes, /Return: Blue Junior </end>

 

What kind of music do you play?

If Rock, go to "EveryAmpEverMade"

If Blues, go to "EveryAmpEverMade"

Are you sure you are not Detroit Blues?

/Return: Blues Junior </end>

If Jazz, "Refer to JHarmony.com"

 

It's going to be a real chore to code Kuz into this... we are going to need seperate running threads for strings, pickups, wood types, and heaven help the team we put in charge of the "frets and plek" sub!

 

I don't know how difficult it would be.... all you would have to do is ask Terry McIntuff!!!

 

 

See, I can make fun of my self and not be too serious!!!

Posted

This only my opinion, of course, but to me, the best blues amp...is the one connected to the best blues player.

 

:thumbsup: Agreed!

Guest HRB853370
Posted

I don't know how difficult it would be.... all you would have to do is ask Terry McIntuff!!!

 

 

See, I can make fun of my self and not be too serious!!!

NOT AGAIN!

Guest HRB853370
Posted

these also have quite the pedigree:

 

1fc1c1c2db5852e08ffc380475e26336db02effec4cf27a8109ebd01b1c126ce.jpg

 

 

but if I didn't have an amp at all, and had some dough to burn, I'd get one of these:

 

http://www.louisamps...e23/page23.html

 

img_0249.jpg

 

Maybe..as long as its not a Chinese made Marshall!

Posted

Oh, and with my manifesto posting, another word to the original poster.....

 

Just as there is NO specific guitar needed to play Jazz. And NO specific guitar needed to play the blues. And NO specific jazz amp....

 

There is NO ONE PERFECT AMP TO PLAY THE BLUES.

+1
Posted

I don't know how difficult it would be.... all you would have to do is ask Terry McIntuff!!!

 

 

See, I can make fun of my self and not be too serious!!!

& he might say "Guytron GT100"

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