Nicest Solid state amp

[docbop]

Originally Posted by Steedee

I read alot of good reviews about the JC-120.... But I'm tellin ya, those old 80's SS Peavey's are unbeatable.
The Special, Bandit and Stereo Chorus are where its at in solid state.
You can find them dirt cheap. If you need volume, get the Special 130 or the Stereo Chorus.

I have an old Peavey Bandit from the 90's and it just keep surprising my on how many ways I can use it. When in music school the place was packed with these Bandits and I was amazed by the abuse they took and kept working. Plus crank 'em and cool Blues tone, add a pedal and great overdrive. That is why I bought one when think about playing guitar again. Then since have used it for rock, funk, bass practice amp, and now its my jazz amp. I keep saying I want <fill in cool amp name>, but then this Bandit just keep working and sounding fine. Even when I get another amp this Bandit is staying.

My only complain is the reverb control is too narrow, the different between 3 and a hair above 3 is drastic. Then getting tired of the giant Peavy and Spider logos and metal side stripes, I might pull it all off so all black baffle.

[Humancapo]

Crate Powerblock.

[anewstatic]

I played a really old Acoustic 150 head through a Marshall 1960's cab once and it sounded awesome. It had touch dynamics. I guess they are popular amps among some pros.

[I.P. Freeley]

Just for giggles I hooked up my $50 Peavey Studio Chorus 210 to a 2X12 loaded with Emi Legend GB128's and I can't believe the difference the speakers made. I like it better than my Traynor YCV40 and Kustom 36 Coupe. Now if I can just get a footswitch rigged up for it. I may even make a custom combo cab for it with the speakers in a diagonal arrangement.

[Tone_Terrific]

Originally Posted by I.P. Freeley

Just for giggles I hooked up my $50 Peavey Studio Chorus 210 to a 2X12 loaded with Emi Legend GB128's and I can't believe the difference the speakers made. I like it better than my Traynor YCV40 and Kustom 36 Coupe. Now if I can just get a footswitch rigged up for it. I may even make a custom combo cab for it with the speakers in a diagonal arrangement.

I have been spouting for years about how SS amps get shortchanged by the poor speakers they frequently have installed.
Not that SS amps are all gems, or built as well as tube amps that cost 5x as much, but the 'ss sux' crowd is mind-boggling ignorant.

[BmoreTele]

The old Gibson G series are quite tasty. I have the G20 and the G100.

Bot have excellent tremolo and reverb circuits. Loud with huge headroom - duh - no tube overload.

I have read that this series just substituted transistors for tubes in the GA series design.

The G100 died on me - it was about forty years old and the schematics are long gone. The G20 is still cooking and is loud enough for small gigs.

[Sam Evans]

Originally Posted by anewstatic

I played a really old Acoustic 150 head through a Marshall 1960's cab once and it sounded awesome. It had touch dynamics. I guess they are popular amps among some pros.

One of my favorite tones EVER with the right pedal in front of it. Huge sounding and detail out the wazoo.

SE

[ekp]

Originally Posted by hading

I'll go with this too.

I have a Pritchard Sword and I think it's great. But it doesn't do a JC-120 if that's what you want. There are probably a few things that my Trademark 10 does better. I doubt it's what you want if you're looking for a five pound head to run your jazz box into.

So it's hard to answer the question until it's better defined.

I have had jazz players ask for less embellishment of the tone. However, this has become less harmonic structure and the same feel, compression, sag, etc.

Have a great day, Eric

[hading]

Originally Posted by ekp

I have had jazz players ask for less embellishment of the tone. However, this has become less harmonic structure and the same feel, compression, sag, etc.

Have a great day, Eric

Out of curiosity, is this something you can do to just one voice, or does it affect either a whole channel or the whole amp?

[Ben Furman]

Originally Posted by hading

Out of curiosity, is this something you can do to just one voice, or does it affect either a whole channel or the whole amp?

It's a whole-channel thing, and it's totally worth doing.

[Hendog]

The Roland Cube is hard to beat.

[Lucidology]

Originally Posted by ekp

I have had jazz players ask for less embellishment of the tone. However, this has become less harmonic structure and the same feel, compression, sag, etc.

Have a great day, Eric

Looking forward to trying out your amps one of these days ...
have heard nothing but great things about 'em Eric

[Mike9]

Nicest SS amp I ever had was a Crate DXJ112 - one of the early modeling amps. Sounded great with a Vintage 30 in it. For shear rock tone a modded Randall RG80 I had was hard to beat.

[spudjd]

New to this forum - great stuff! Couldn't resist since I have a rather odd one: Polytone - I used to own one back in the day (late 70's/80's). Mine was the larger 102 but I liked the mini-brute too, just never got one after I sold the 102 - I used to use a Boss OD with it to get it really going. Later I moved on to Fender/Marshall. Now I'm doing DIY after not playing for about 10 years.

I found this on youtube (not me but he's plugged in straight so you get an idea of the sound):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ05H...eature=related

From my recollection it had a great "warm" clean but I didn't like the fuzz/dist so I used the Boss OD - that really got a great tone from it, believe it or not.

Later,

Spud

PS - loved the Amp room thread! Man, I'm really out of you guys league!

[Dajbro]

I haven't read through the entire thread, so I don't know if it's been mentioned or not, but one of my favorite amps of all time, solid state or tube, is the Pearce G2r with a 1x12 EV12L speaker cab. Great tone and super versatile.