Vintage vs Well Made Boutique?

[PaulS2]

I haven't played enough vintage amps to form any sort of objective opinion so thought to ask here.

I just bought an almost 50 year old Fender Concert amp for my brother...he's not on the internet and he agreed to let me keep and play it for a month or so in exchange. He may not actually get it after receiving it yesterday:-)

Great tone, warmth, sparkle but a little too much low-level background noise for my tastes (I could live with it if needed). Also a great bouncy feel to the amp. It has this transparent tone without any sort of hardness or harshness.....very, very nice.

Personally I want that tone and feel but also wouldn't mind something which wasn't 50 years old - reliablity issues.

Am I going to have to look for vintage amps to give me what I want? Is it possible to build a new amp with that warmth and organic feel...or is that something which comes with age and having been played a lot. I'm looking for amazing cleans at a lower than gigging level. Takes pedals well and sounds big, full and lush.....rings with lots of character.

I've had: Bogner Shiva, Metropolis - Swart AST, Fuchs OD30, Victoria Deluxe, Fender modded Tweed Super, '57 Twin Re-issue, Boogie Lonestar, MK 4, F50.

All of these amps sounded good - the tweed super was stellar but didn't take pedals that well. Most of these amps needed to be turned up to sound great and even then there was a certain amount of hardness present.

So should I tell my brother to go find something else as I'm keeping this one warts and all:-)....or given the right components, can a new amp be created which possess this vintage warmth and feel?

You opinions and experience are appreciated.

[BBQLS1]

IMO, you can get a clone that will get you in the ball park. There is some mojo with some vintage amps, but some need attention before they will sound good. Plus, they are usually just too expensive to get a good one.

I love vintage amps, but they just aren't for me.

[SkydogFan81]

I've got both and I prefer the tone and reliability of the /13 over my BFDR.

[chillerthanmost]

I love vintage amps, but they just aren't for me.this is sort of how I've been feeling as well... I want a late 70's JMP but not only are the getting a little pricey for me, I'm also wondering how many shows it will go before I have to get something fixed... lately I've been looking at the Ceriaone JCM800 clone in comparison to an old JMP... can't make up my mind though.

[DC1]

Just a little OT safety comment.

ANY old amp that has a non-polarized 2-prong plug must be converted to a modern 3-prong grounded plug and cable.

The old plugs have a 50-50 chance of putting 120 volts on your guitar strings at any given moment and when you touch anything grounded, you will get shocked.

People have died from this, so be very careful with vintage amps.

DC

[Uniphasian]

Vintage Martins? Yes.

Vintage electronics, no. Well, maybe...

[PaulS2]

IMO, you can get a clone that will get you in the ball park. There is some mojo with some vintage amps, but some need attention before they will sound good. Plus, they are usually just too expensive to get a good one.

I love vintage amps, but they just aren't for me.

I guess this does sum it up......plugging in that Concert yesterday sure was an eye opener. Definitely mojo filled but with that, some funky noises going on in the background.

I wouldn't mind if some builders jumped in on this thread. I'd love to hear some honest opinions on what it takes to capture that vintage mojo.

[Kurzman]

If you like old Fenders but don't want an old amp buy an Allen.

[edward]

Well the other way of looking at this is the vintage amp is EASILY brought back up to snuff by any good amp tech. Reliability need not be sacrificed if you want to play out with a vintage amp. Sure you'll pay a bit of scratch to have it worked over, but that is FAR less money than buying a boutiquer amp ...not to mention that the "real deal" has more cool factor and, arguably, better monetary value down the line.

Edward

[Leonc]

There are benefits and drawbacks to each. "Vintage" is a moving target. When I think of "vintage", I think of mid-70s or earlier. Really, mostly older stuff.

You probably won't find a 50W "vintage" amp with a great master, great clean tones and great overdriven tones and "usable" volume levels that also has an effects loop, for example.

And you probably won't find a boutique amp that has that special "something" (call it mojo, whatever) that some vintage amps just exude.

You can add some modern features to some older amps (may or may not work out the way you were hoping) but you most definitely cannot add "actual vintage mojo" :D to a new amp. Some may approximate a vintage tone better than others though. Again...there's no generalization that's accurate here.

Honestly, you may have reliability issues with either. Just because you buy an expensive "boutique" amp, you are not guaranteed that it will be 100% dependable and problem-free. Lots of folks would like to think so, but IME, that's just not the case. That being said, if you buy a "vintage" amp w/o getting to inspect it first (or have a good tech inspect it), you don't know what kind of problems you may run into. Also, with vintage amps, there are many, many common problems that come with age that can be easily fixed w/o losing that vintage vibe.

The thing that you often get with vintage that you rarely get with modern boutique amps is value. Most new boutique amps lose a large chunk of their value as soon as you buy them. Sure a handful or so won't...but they're the exceptions. If you buy them used, you'll do better, but may still lose something and will usually not inherit the warranty (so out goes that advantage). Conversely, many (most?) vintage amps (including many very "cheapo" off brands like DanElectro, Airline, Silvertone, Valco, Supro) will hold their value or increase in value.

Personally...I like having both :) but I usually feel "smarter" when I buy vintage stuff.

[DANOCASTER]

I've owned ( or used extensively ) countless boutique amps. Many of them sounded VERY good but...

IMHO, none were able to better the vintage stuff I have. That said - these vintage amps all have been very well maintained ( mostly by Paul C ) and have nice strong tubes. There is a "sweetness" and a softness to them that I can't seem to get out of new amps ( and God knows I've tried )

PLUS - most of my amps have at least doubled in value in the last few years. And I could easily and quickly sell any of them if I needed cash

try THAT w/ a boutique amp !!

( again.. these "pro-vintage" thoughts are no surprise to anyone who knows me )

[PaulS2]

That's a perfect description in a few words...."sweetness and softness".

[HHB]

I love vintage amps but got tired of the breakdowns, Carr and Tophat fit neatly into my plans

[Mickey Shane]

I prefer to buy the old vintage amps. The modern amps cannot use the same components because many are no longer made that way. Even components that are still made the same don't have 50 years of settling in mojo.

If I gigged with a '57 Bassman, or an '08 Carol Ann, I'd still bring a back-up.

[madvek]

If you're a collector and it seldom leaves the house, buy the vintage amp. Or if you're able and comfortable doing your own amp maintenance and upkeep, and you REALLY NEED to have that vintage amp on stage with you, go vintage.

If you're a player and want great tone without worrying about your investment, or the amp making it through the gig, buy boutique. I have played some great boutique amps that have plenty of "mojo". To me "mojo" is plugging in and getting great sound.

Headstrong is another great Fender style boutique company.

[jumpnblues]

If it has "the tone" I'm looking for I don't care whether it's vintage or boutique. My Louis amps have "the tone"...that "smoothness and sweetness" for me and my ears. So, that's what I have. And over 47 years I've either owned or played most vintage Fender and many vintage Gibsons, Magnatones, and Silvertones. No Valcos though. I'd like to try one someday. I could also get along quite well with most Fender tweeds.


Tom

[Uncle Pat]

I'm also in the "if it sounds good, use it" category, but I'd be leary about heavy gigging and pushing a vintage amp to it's limits on a regular basis.
As it's increasing in value too, keeping it in pristine condition would be a factor for resale and investment purposes.
Boutique stuff built with modern parts and construction techniques (learned from taking the old stuff apart and improving on it) is the better option for me.
I guess I feel like I don't have to be as careful with it.

Hell, I don't know...I'm just rambling.

[Walter Broes]

If you have access to a good tech, there's nothing really wrong with a (quality!) vintage amp.
I've played the same '68 Super Reverb on about 100/130 gigs a year for ten years straight, and it never acted up on me, ever. (but it got stolen a year and a half ago...)

I've had extremely bad experiences with new pcb amps, every one I had developed problems within a year, and I plain stopped buying them fifteen years ago.

Also own two tweed clones, one "kit", one "boutique", and both are great, but they sound a little ....."new"....for lack of a better term. I guess older amps, just like a lot of older speakers or guitars, have lost some harshness in the high trebles, to my ears anyway.

[Cowboy]

I have two really sweet old Fenders that I have used regualrly for years. Lately, I'm finding that I no longer want to get beer spilled on them, have ham-fisted rookie roadies drop them, or subject them to the myriad abuses which they were, frankly, designed to endure. :cool:

Also, their increasing value calls the wisdom of such abuse into question. :MMM

Resolved - I will crank them up around the house, and buy some shiny new boutique amps, and wring the hell outta them for a few decades. :BOUNCE

I'll take stock again at that time.

Cheers,
Cowboy

[jay42]

If you like old Fenders but don't want an old amp buy an Allen.
:agree OP wants a Brown Sugar, and there are good clips on the Allen site. http://www.allenamps.com/brownsugar.php

[strangec]

I think vintage amps biggest advantage is they hold their value and they have a certain mojo. I believe they can be made reliable for gigging, though you're still dealing with 30-40 year old components so its hard to know which one may go next. Also, but the inevitable dents and dings might be a concern to some on a vintage piece.

That said, I think vintage amps have been reverse engineered pretty well by certain boutique makes - Victoria comes to mind. I also believe that limitations in the original designs have been discovered and improvements have been made to accomodate modern needs (master volumes, power scaling, effect loops, channel switching, higher gain, lower noise DC filiments, more bass, etc). You may or may not want these features, but they're not an option on many old amps. Furthermore, some of the things today (pedals, higher output pickups, tubes that spec different than the old ones back then, speaker specs, etc...) are different than back 30-40 years ago and modern designs allow for that.
There are amp makes making some fantastic new designs based on the vintage designs- Straub's Cantus is a modern Marshall Plexi, TopHat makes some great Vox style amps, Dr. Z has some great spins on classic tones and Rivera makes some modern amps that pull in some Fender and Marshally tones in two channel designs. All of these amps (except Rivera) are hand-wired, quality amps at reasonable prices.

[BBQLS1]

this is sort of how I've been feeling as well... I want a late 70's JMP but not only are the getting a little pricey for me, I'm also wondering how many shows it will go before I have to get something fixed... lately I've been looking at the Ceriaone JCM800 clone in comparison to an old JMP... can't make up my mind though.

How about a JMP clone?

[BBQLS1]

Well the other way of looking at this is the vintage amp is EASILY brought back up to snuff by any good amp tech. Reliability need not be sacrificed if you want to play out with a vintage amp. Sure you'll pay a bit of scratch to have it worked over, but that is FAR less money than buying a boutiquer amp ...not to mention that the "real deal" has more cool factor and, arguably, better monetary value down the line.

Edward

Sure. I just think by the time you've "rebuilt" the amp much of the value may be lost and/or it's the same as a well built clone.

I like both, but if I'm spending my money, I guess I'll just take a well done clone or tweeked amp.

[gtrs]

Vintage is cool when you have a tech standing by I suppose, but reliability is a big issue for me. Time goes by and we now have a ton of great amp builder's doing some very innovative things. I like some Vintage amps, but I don't have the time or the wallet to chase the past. For me I choose to look forward.

[6AM]

The hum is more than likely caused by old electrolytic caps. Get that amp a cap job and it will run great for another 10 years.

[The Golden Boy]

There are benefits and drawbacks to each. "Vintage" is a moving target. When I think of "vintage", I think of mid-70s or earlier. Really, mostly older stuff.

You probably won't find a 50W "vintage" amp with a great master, great clean tones and great overdriven tones and "usable" volume levels that also has an effects loop, for example.


this is sort of how I've been feeling as well... I want a late 70's JMP but not only are the getting a little pricey for me, I'm also wondering how many shows it will go before I have to get something fixed... lately I've been looking at the Ceriaone JCM800 clone in comparison to an old JMP... can't make up my mind though.

And here goes the "what do you consider vintage" thing...

When I got my 78 Marshall 15 years ago- it was an inexpensive, "used" amp. It's been beat on, it's ugly, I've even traded boxes for it so it'll be uglier (not exactly true- just to keep the "even up" trade thing). Up until recently, it was just a "used" amp in my mind- now I'm starting to think about it in "vintage" terms. I don't intend on not using it- or the cab. They feel and sound awesome, and I've been using them since I've been playing out.

[Fifthstone]

I'd say if the goal is reliability and playability with great tone and feel, a good boutique amp is a good choice. My Germino Classic 45 is at least as good if not better than the best vintage JTM-45's I've heard and played.

[Gasp100]

Well the other way of looking at this is the vintage amp is EASILY brought back up to snuff by any good amp tech. Reliability need not be sacrificed if you want to play out with a vintage amp. Sure you'll pay a bit of scratch to have it worked over, but that is FAR less money than buying a boutiquer amp ...not to mention that the "real deal" has more cool factor and, arguably, better monetary value down the line.

Edward

Agreed. All of these boutique builders obviously cut their teeth fixed old vintage stuff. I believe Fargen works on vintage gear (or used to), Allen might still and there are countless other techs (probably much closer and cheaper) that could get that puppy back into shape.
If I had a vintage amp I'd get it cleaned up. If I didn't have an amp and was looking, I'd probably go with a new builder like Allen (for Fender).
Come to think of it, look for a vintage amp that has already had the once over from a great tech. I've owned both a '66 BF Bandmaster head and a early '70s Champ that was modded by a great tech and they were stellar amps.

[steadygarcia]

Well the other way of looking at this is the vintage amp is EASILY brought back up to snuff by any good amp tech. Reliability need not be sacrificed if you want to play out with a vintage amp. Sure you'll pay a bit of scratch to have it worked over, but that is FAR less money than buying a boutiquer amp ...not to mention that the "real deal" has more cool factor and, arguably, better monetary value down the line.

Edward
A big +1 on that. I don't buy all the "vintage isn't reliable" talk. Any gear that's well looked after, whether it's vintage or boutique, can be reliable. Most of my amps would be considered vintage, and I take care of them, and yes, I also gig with them. Guys who I play with all know they shouldn't use my amp for putting their beers on. I'm guessing though, that this isn't specific to vintage amp owners and that the boutique guys feel the same way :)
Edward says it well .. the real deal has a cool factor that boutique gear can't touch, and IMHO the same can be said for the sound. It's almost like the boutique stuff sounds too perfect. It's like the difference between a good old organic naturally farm grown tomato against a genetically engineered, chemically enhanced hothouse version. Sure, the latter is big and shiny and perfect looking. But take a bite out of the smaller, odd shaped, not so perfect farm grown tomato and it's all flavour, baby!

[bosstone]

I have had several dozen vintage amps. Reliability had NEVER been a problem. If you really like the basic sound of the Concert, take it to someone who really knows old amps and sound and have it gone through at a fraction of whatever you paid for it and it will probably make it through the next 50 years. What's the problem?

[90wreck]

I played vintage amps for years before they even became cool.(mid 70's had a 62 Bassman and a 69 mPlexi which i both still have)
Never had a problem ever as long as the service was done.
The Last 15 years or so have been boutique style amp for me and have the same results.
It is all about maintenance.
'I always carry a backup for any amp, but have never had an amp crash on stage except my 62 Bassman in Nashville YEARS ago.
Blew a fuse and replaced it and it has been fine since.
I have to admit, I do feel a little more comfortable tone/reliabilty wise the days with boutiques. Mainly my Matchless/Badcat amps...They are bullet proof IME on hundreds of gigs(Matchless 99% of the time)
The vintage stuff is tucked back for resale value and the worry of smoking a major componet dropping the value.
A lot of great amps out there.
Look into a used Kendrick for the biggest bang for the buck and will climb in value...Wished I didn't say it...But it is true. Shoot for his early stuff.

[Colt]

I don't care either way. If I find an amp or guitar....vintage or boutique...or hell, mass production...and I like it...and I can afford it...I buy it. As long as it's reliable enough to gig. I refuse to pay collector prices though. I'm a working musician.

[PaulS2]

Good, informative thread for me - lots of helpful common-sense opinions.

I've enjoyed playing my brother's 1960 Concert so much so, I went out and found another one, though it's a 1962. I'm curious to see how this one feels and sounds...and how much difference I will find between two 45 year old amps.

His has got it quirks to be sure and without a doubt needs to visit an amp tech but the general sound and character to me is perfect. These old Brownfaces (some of them) are actually quite affordable - surprisingly.

I figure, even if it arrived and feels a little 'delicate', that doesn't mean something a little more robust can also be found. There is room for both I think.....vintage and boutique.

[Mickey Shane]

Reliability of vintage amps is a genuine concern I suppose. I do feel that there are way too many responses about vintage amps that sound like they are comming from money grubbing collectors. Collectors buy "time-capsules" and "closet-classics". Those amplifiers get taken out of circulation (unfortunately).

How does one justify keeping a well worn vintage amp at home as an investment, while dropping $3,800 on a Two Rock? Maybe I'm just not a financial whiz, but something seems strange here to me. YMMV

[steadygarcia]

Reliability of vintage amps is a genuine concern I suppose. I do feel that there are way too many responses about vintage amps that sound like they are comming from money grubbing collectors. Collectors buy "time-capsules" and "closet-classics". Those amplifiers get taken out of circulation (unfortunately).

How does one justify keeping a well worn vintage amp at home as an investment, while dropping $3,800 on a Two Rock? Maybe I'm just not a financial whiz, but something seems strange here to me. YMMV

I guess I kind of agree with you. I like vintage amps because I like to play them, and I do gig with them, and I don't own a boutique amp. Having said that, I guess there's nothing inherently wrong with someone collecting amps, no more than there is in collecting aything else. But you're right -- it does seem a shame to take so many fine, fine amps out of circulation. I tend toward amps that haven't yet been "deified" by collectors. I'd never pay the ridiculous prices people ask for blackface Deluxes, for instance. But I owned a superb SF Deluxe that was killer in its own right. Traynor amps are still great deals and they're simply bulletproof, as well as being Marshall-killers. And you can pick up a '68 or '69 Super (the first years they were SF) with the exact same circuit as the BF Supers, for a fraction of the cost. Sadly, a couple of the amps I'd really like to own I probably never will since they basically can never be found w/o paying collectors prices. Most notably a vintage AC-30.

[drbob1]

I'm on the side of owning and playing vintage amps. Some of mine are kind of collectors and won't get played out (anyway, an old AC30 is too heavy to bring to a pick-up gig for no money) but others are work horses that just demand to be played. How much is playing out going to devalue a 61 Vibrasonic covered in cigarette burns? Maybe I should put the JBL speaker to 1 side but otherwise, it's already paid it's dues. And yeah, the quietest amp I own is a tweed Vibrolux with the tweed hanging off the sides, that was gone over by Ed (Edtronics, Madison) and is just a KILLER recording amp. If you love the sound, go for vintage. If you need bells and whistles, I guess boutique is alright...

[soundchaser59]

I would agree with Lt. Bob when he says the best vintage may be the old Ampeg stuff! It really does sound gooooooooooood!

[davidp158]

As you weren't totally pleased with the modern amps you've owned, maybe a vintage amp is a better choice for you. If you have access to a good amp tech, a well serviced vintage amp can be very reliable. I believe most vintage amps can be updated to handle higher AC wall socket voltages to be more reliable, and 3 prong AC cable if it doesn't have it. Electrocution is a high price to pay for an "all original" vintage amp. "Mojo" is different things to different people, but not exclusive to vintage gear. Many modern amps are voiced for modern sounds with a modern design aesthetic, thus some guitarists find new amps to be mojo-challenged.

Although I lean towards modern amps, I don't feel most modern production amps will hold up like most old Fenders have. FWIW, every PCB amp I've owned has needed repair, while my hand wired amps have been far more reliable. PCB versus hand wired is a highly debated issue, but in most cases, I prefer hand wired over PCB. If you gig a lot, the risk of amp failure, damage or loss may be more of a concern with a pricey vintage amp. I've played some vintage amps that knocked me out, but I prefer features typically unavailable in vintage amps (effects loop, channel switching, overdrive, higher input gain).

I haven't played through all the amps you've owned, but its a diverse bunch. Now that you've found the tone & feel you like with the Fender Concert amp, live with that for a while. If it provides what you're after but reliability becomes a concern, look for a modern amp with a similar circuit. Your amp is a major part of the electric guitar formula, and we're fortunate to have so many to choose from.

Good luck with your Concert amp and tone search,
Dave

BTW, I dig the 3D graphics on your web site. Impressive work!



Personally I want that tone and feel but also wouldn't mind something which wasn't 50 years old - reliablity issues.

I've had: Bogner Shiva, Metropolis - Swart AST, Fuchs OD30, Victoria Deluxe, Fender modded Tweed Super, '57 Twin Re-issue, Boogie Lonestar, MK 4, F50.

All of these amps sounded good - the tweed super was stellar but didn't take pedals that well. Most of these amps needed to be turned up to sound great and even then there was a certain amount of hardness present.
.

[PaulS2]

Thanks for your kind words on my work.....it tends to pay for this drug called "Guitar"...almost:-)

I think I'll enjoy the Concert but there are lots of quality amps out there.

[bosstone]

The Concert has passed the test of time. Who knows about many of the boutique amps? You either like the sound or you don't. Any decent tech should be able to look over the Concert and evaluate and repair the amp properly. Reliability, once an amp like this has seen any of the techs I use wouldn't be an issue at all.

[Griz]

I own a few vintage amps, both USA ('62 Fender Bassman) and Brit ('69 Marshall plexi Super Lead, '82 JCM800 2203), and have in the past owned many more (Fenders, Marshalls, Hiwatts). I also own a couple of "boutique" type amps (Suhr Badger 18, Trinity SIII). The vintage amps sound amazing, but the boutique amps are just as good. They don't sound "old", but they still sound superb. I think that London 18 by 65 Amps, for instance, is easily as good as anything I've ever owned. Some of the newer amps are likely among the best ever made.

[billyguitar]

I used to play my old Fender tweeds about 75 gigs a year for years. I'd leave them in VW Bus between gigs no matter how cold or how hot. Never even a hint of a problem. Before I would work one though I always had a cap job done, general clean up and look over, clean the tube socket and tighten any pins if necessary. Every now and then I still grab one and take it out. But there are many new amps that are great too. I own and use DR Z amps, Evans, Henriksen and the latest is an Allen Brown Sugar, besides all my old vintage stuff. It does that brown Fender sound quite well and has a great reverb. I only use it for cleans. To hear this amp under drive it's just as loud as the amps it's modeled after so not many opportunities to hear it this way.
The boutiques are just as good, I agree. Different flavors of great tone that's all.

[HCStraub]

I think vintage amps biggest advantage is they hold their value and they have a certain mojo. I believe they can be made reliable for gigging, though you're still dealing with 30-40 year old components so its hard to know which one may go next. Also, but the inevitable dents and dings might be a concern to some on a vintage piece.

That said, I think vintage amps have been reverse engineered pretty well by certain boutique makes - Victoria comes to mind. I also believe that limitations in the original designs have been discovered and improvements have been made to accomodate modern needs (master volumes, power scaling, effect loops, channel switching, higher gain, lower noise DC filiments, more bass, etc). You may or may not want these features, but they're not an option on many old amps. Furthermore, some of the things today (pedals, higher output pickups, tubes that spec different than the old ones back then, speaker specs, etc...) are different than back 30-40 years ago and modern designs allow for that.
There are amp makes making some fantastic new designs based on the vintage designs- Straub's Cantus is a modern Marshall Plexi, TopHat makes some great Vox style amps, Dr. Z has some great spins on classic tones and Rivera makes some modern amps that pull in some Fender and Marshally tones in two channel designs. All of these amps (except Rivera) are hand-wired, quality amps at reasonable prices.

Thanks for the plug...:drink
When I designed my Cantus, we had a couple of vintage Marshall's in the shop and voiced the Cantus to sound just like them. But we also added DC filaments to the preamp, raised the other filaments off ground both of which dropped the noise floor below the vintage amp.
In my opinion, the main benefit to using a new amp built to sound like a vintage design is the reliability and noise floor. A great example is the AC30, these are amazing amps and sound great but reliability isn't what they are known for. The 60's Vox's (like many amps) were designed to run on 110vac out of the wall and their design pushes the limits of the old stock EL84's. So when you run them today, they are seeing 120vac+ from the wall which drives the B+ voltages passed the safe range for the power tubes the way they are biased. We can build new amps now to run safely at the current wall voltages and dial them in for 'that' tone AND drop the noise floor reducing hum/buzz which they are also known for.
Don't get me wrong, I love vintage amps, that is what got me excited to start building amps. But, being a boutique builder lets me take the time and spend the money to build them better so they hold up better on the road than a vintage piece would.

[amp boy]

i just want to point out some of these amps today will be tomorrows vintage.
x.

[cander328]

i just want to point out some of these amps today will be tomorrows vintage.
x.

Good point. I am wondering which ones those will be. I think I will start a new thread about it!!

[bosstone]

That is what I kept on thinking about my 64 Corvair and then my 73 Datsun 240Z. What was I thinking when I sold my 55 & 57 Chevy Belair, 40 Ford, 67 Olds 442, 69 Corvette etc? Who knows what will be considered vintage 10 years from now?

[amp boy]

^^^
hopefully quality.
hopefully.

the way some things are going..........
it's the homegrown folks that are keeping it up there.

[Deacon]

Ideal for me would be a brand new amp built like a vintage.

One of my main amps is a '73 Deluxe Reverb with 6L6 power tubes, solid state rectifier plug-in in the rectifier socket, and a Weber C12N. It sounds phenomenal.

I'm currently looking around for a currently made clone of a BFDR ... Allen, Vintage Sound, Headstrong, etc.

BTW ... my other gigging amp is a Fuchs ODS 50. It sounds pretty nice too. :BEER