What would be a good clean amp to run pedals through?

[straightblues]

I have been spending time with lots of small amps and trying to get overdrive by turning them up. I am tired of being too dirty one night and not dirty enough the next. I have a couple of boost and overdrive pedals that I like. I am thinking about just getting a 50 watt clean amp and running pedals for my overdriven tone. Which amps work the best for this approach?

[harpinon]

Decent amps will range from $600-$3000.
What can you afford?

[mcdes]

FWIW, I just got the Newcastle, and it stays pretty darn clean up high with the volume set past noon, and then higher gets great drive tones...... My AC30 on the other hand, generally breaks up round 9-11oclock!

[ChorusCrackpot]

A 50 watt Marshall amp is great for this.

[tucky]

Try a Fender Bassman or showman, a Marshall JTM45, or a Reeves Custom 50.

[supergenius365]

Not sure of current going price or availability, but my Boogie MKIIC+ does awesome cleans. It is 60W with a 12" speaker. Heavy as heck, but great cleans. Dirty isn't too shabby either :)

[Greaser]

Tweed bassman is pretty great for this, the normal channel takes drive pedals best.

[aflynt]

I'd recommend a mid to late '60s Fender Single or Dual Showman. Here's why:

- Combined with a decent lightweight cab it's very portable and easy on the back.
- It has two independent channels allowing you to run an A/B pedal with one setup to work clean and one dirty.
- It may seem counter intuative but when using pedals for drive the higher watt Fenders sound better at a wider range of volumes (even lower ones) than the smaller amps.
- It's got one of the greatest clean sounds of any amp ever produced.
- They are fairly simple circuit-wise and as such tend to be very reliable and easy to fix.
- The aren't that expensive.

-Aaron

[Waxhead]

I have been spending time with lots of small amps and trying to get overdrive by turning them up. I am tired of being too dirty one night and not dirty enough the next. I have a couple of boost and overdrive pedals that I like. I am thinking about just getting a 50 watt clean amp and running pedals for my overdriven tone. Which amps work the best for this approach?

Don't know what you've tried but seems you haven't tested many.
But if you want basic, non-versatile, heavy & overpriced any of about 20 Fenders will do that job :eek:

[keithb7]

Blackface bandmasters are undervalued and great for cleans and pedals.

[dearlpitts]

believe it or not the crate v50 has great clean.

[bilbal]

get a twin and be done with it.

[straightblues]

Decent amps will range from $600-$3000.
What can you afford?

I am open to spending up to $2,000. Don't want to unless it is really necessary.

I'd recommend a mid to late '60s Fender Single or Dual Showman. Here's why:

- Combined with a decent lightweight cab it's very portable and easy on the back.
- It has two independent channels allowing you to run an A/B pedal with one setup to work clean and one dirty.
- It may seem counter intuative but when using pedals for drive the higher watt Fenders sound better at a wider range of volumes (even lower ones) than the smaller amps.
- It's got one of the greatest clean sounds of any amp ever produced.
- They are fairly simple circuit-wise and as such tend to be very reliable and easy to fix.
- The aren't that expensive.

-Aaron

This sounds interesting. I have always really liked those amps. I have never owned one though.

get a twin and be done with it.

I have had a Twin in the past and I have liked it. I never thought it sounded overly great a lower volumes. But I have never run to many pedals in the past. Maybe something to consider.

Don't know what you've tried but seems you haven't tested many.
But if you want basic, non-versatile, heavy & overpriced any of about 20 Fenders will do that job :eek:

Well I have owned many amp, probably over 30. My approach has always been plug straight in with a cord and go for it. Using pedals is something realatively new for me. So I am trying to get some input from guys that have been running amps this way. Ask me about amp that you plug straight into and I will give you lots of info. Yes, I know there are hundreds of amps that would do it, but what are the best in your humble opinion.

[IM4Tone]

Fender Twin or Roland JC120 (solid state)...the two kings of clean.

[blackba]

Blackface bandmasters are undervalued and great for cleans and pedals.

Add to that SF Bandmaster, BF Bassman heads, and SF Bassman heads and you have 4 amps that do really well with pedals. The '67 SF bassman I had used to take dirt pedals really well.

[mattmccloskey]

First issue is *What type of clean sound do you like?*

Then you can start looking for the right combination of features, size, weight, and price.

Do you want something new, used, either? Head or combo?

So many options.

[Waxhead]

Yes, I know there are hundreds of amps that would do it, but what are the best in your humble opinion.

As pedal platforms the 3 best I've tried are all Mesa's.
Lonestar Classic, Express 5:50 and Mark V.
Better cleans & reverb than any Fender except a Twin (equal with that).
Great quiet series loop, wattage options, great with any pedal you throw at them, equally great with any PUP type.
But they're also very versatile and their OD/distortions sound better than any pedal can. :)

[MikeyG]

Dr Z Mazerati or Maz 38 Sr

[straightblues]

First issue is *What type of clean sound do you like?*

Then you can start looking for the right combination of features, size, weight, and price.

Do you want something new, used, either? Head or combo?

So many options.

I want BF Fender or Ampeg fat cleans.

Used, probably 60's or early 70's.

Things I am considering would be:

Fender Twin (scared of the weight)
Fender Showman (head version with a cab)
Fender BF Bassman and 59 Reissue
Fender Bandmaster
Fender Super Reverb (again size and weight scare me)
Any of the bigger Ampegs from the 60's to early 70's
Musicman HD or RD
Dr. Z Route 66

Price, I would like to be between $750 and $1,500.

[lchender]

Check out a late 60s/early70s Fender Bandmaster Reverb. It's a head that is pretty much a Super Reverb circuit with a different OT. It's nice and light and you can pair it with any number of different cabinet configurations according to your preference/situation. It's easy for a tech to put it back to AB763 specs and they're cheap because they're not as popular as the more well-known vintage Fender amps.

[mattmccloskey]

I want BF Fender or Ampeg fat cleans.

Used, probably 60's or early 70's.

Things I am considering would be:

Fender Twin (scared of the weight)
Fender Showman (head version with a cab)
Fender BF Bassman and 59 Reissue
Fender Bandmaster
Fender Super Reverb (again size and weight scare me)
Any of the bigger Ampegs from the 60's to early 70's
Musicman HD or RD
Dr. Z Route 66

Price, I would like to be between $750 and $1,500.

I always liked the Fender Pro-Reverb. Good amount of headroom, not too big, but not as big and heavy as a Twin.

For newer amps I love the Carr Rambler. Small but nice big sound, great reverb and trem, plenty of headroom.

[AllenL]

I have been spending time with lots of small amps and trying to get overdrive by turning them up. I am tired of being too dirty one night and not dirty enough the next. I have a couple of boost and overdrive pedals that I like. I am thinking about just getting a 50 watt clean amp and running pedals for my overdriven tone. Which amps work the best for this approach?

Get a Redplate CD Special. It's portable... can be very loud and has one of the most versatile sounding clean platforms to work with.

[freaksho]

I want BF Fender or Ampeg fat cleans.

Used, probably 60's or early 70's.

Things I am considering would be:

Fender Twin (scared of the weight)
Fender Showman (head version with a cab)
Fender BF Bassman and 59 Reissue
Fender Bandmaster
Fender Super Reverb (again size and weight scare me)
Any of the bigger Ampegs from the 60's to early 70's
Musicman HD or RD
Dr. Z Route 66

Price, I would like to be between $750 and $1,500.

'Fat cleans' seems more Tweed than BF to me. and better for pedals too i'd think. so that 59 reissue would be awesome i bet. and in that case i have to ask - why not 60's or 70's nmv Marshall style? then if you ever can turn it up you'll get the voice of god himself.

[Miles Long]

I've played a ton of amps but the nicest pedal platform for me is the Port City Pearl.

[Tread]

Yoiks ! I can already see that this is gonna be a long thread LOL !

[Jode111]

I can highly recommend a fairly unknown amp, Carl Martin Custom 50. Its heart is a jtm45 with KT66 tubes. Its build to function precisely as a clean base, why it takes pedals extremely well.

[lestera34]

I second the pearl. It's made to be nothing but clean. So if you plan on getting your dirt from pedals, might be a good choice. Check out the quick noodle Vince gill did on one. There's a thread around here somewhere w the vid

[TRS1]

Two-Rock Cusom Clean.

[FFTT]

If you are looking for a fine, tour worthy amp with exceptional
cleans, I'd look at the Reeves Custom 50.

Built like a tank with a Hiwatt DR-504 circuit, renowned as one of the
best pedal platforms out there.