Divided by 13, SJT 10/20. Carr, Slant 6V Fuchs, ODS 30 Slx. Tone King, Meteor Series II Out of these 4, 6V6 Powered Amps which one is the Best buy. Based on Quality, Parts, Design, etc. Tone: Looking for Great Blackface Fender Clean Break up. Nice SRV Breakup. To Old School ZZ Top, No Pedals, just guitar straight in. Sustain for days and great controlled feadback. And Friendly with both Single Coils and Humbuckers.
I am heavily biased here, but I can't get over how much I dig this Fuchs ODS 30! Sorry if I'm sounding like a broken record, but you simply gotta come up and try this thing out for yourself. Both my LP, and my Strat love this amp, as did my friends 335! Great master volume too! call me....440-242-7019!
For great Blackface SRV and ZZ Top, I would look to 2 6L6's as opposed to 4 6V6's. Fender Super Reverb, Vibroverb (reissue with Diaz Mods) or Bruno Cowtipper 45. I love the 6V6 sound, but it is a bit smokier and more compressed when it pushes into distortion. I've played and owned almost all on your list and if it came down to just those, I would lean towards the Fuchs and than the Divided By 13. The Fuchs will give the most sustain and hang, has a good Blackface vibe to it and is graet with both single coils & humbuckers.
lets see---fuchs or divided by 13 >>>>>>>>>>>>>> 13 my opinion,but everyone has one so............my 9/15 is calling me i must gooooooooo......
The 9/15 is certainly a great amp. the 6V6 side would get him into some ZZ Top territory. I was basing my reply on the fact that he was looking for great Blackface tones. I own neither a Fuchs or Divided By 13 by choice, as I have my own favorites.
I wouldn't know since I only know the Tone King. But the Tone King, although having a super silky smooth and slick tone, also has a thin sounding tone. It's like Fender blackface sound that has had it's Fender blackface qualities exaggerated. It's not a bad sound. But it's a very distinct sound that isn't going to work for everyone. All the other 6V6 tones that I like over are different amps than your list.
My choice would be the SJT 10/20, but I'm biased too ... I don't own one but I do own its big brother and really dig Fred's amps. More to the point, I think it'll do more of what you're asking for. The ToneKing's are tremendous amps, really dig them...but you'll not really get anything that does ZZ Top right, IMO. The Carr is great too, but similar issue as the ToneKing. I'm not personally crazy about the Fuchs though I love hearing some guys play through them. I don't hear them doing that much of the music you've identified as well as the /13 as I think of them as having a more refined, compressed sound when overdriven...not as in your face.
I had the Fuchs ODS 30 and I wouldn't say it's forte's were in the tone you're looking for. Great amp, but I didn't see it as an SRV/Fender thing. You might want to consider adding a Fargen Blackbird to your list. It's definitely in the zone you're aiming at.
May I ask which version Tone Kine you've played? Your description sounds like my 1st generation Continental before Mark Bartel modded it with the current mid-control. Now, instead of a stock 6.somethingK resistor, it's variable from 6 to 20. At 20, that clean channel gets downright thick.
I also had the Fuchs ODS before, and didn't think it got those tones. Got it back revoiced by Scott Lerner, and it is fan-freaking-tastic! YMMV
I know you asked about four specific amps, but the first amp that came to mind, given your specs, is the Fargen Dual Classic, set up to take 6V6 or 6L6 tubes with a simple external bias adjustment. Two channels one classic Blackface, the other a hybrid Tweed Bassman/JTM45 (for that killer ZZ Top grind). It would cover your list pretty nicely.
Sounded like a killer little Deluxe Reverb in the video clip I've seen of it form the NYC Tonefest...good stuff for sure. That thing will surely smoke for some SRV style playing.
In my opinion, you're looking into the wrong amps by the description you're after... I'd be looking into something like the savage Macht series as well as the Siegmund Midnight Special...a lot more of the ZZ top thing. The Siegmund seems to clean up a little nicer than the Savage's, though (atleast the Macht 6).
I'd pick the Carr Rambler. If you take the time to dial it in, you can get both types of tones you are seeking.
I've owned a Carr Slant 6V and Fuchs ODS50. I haven't heard the SJT 10/20. I think the current Tone King Meteor II 740A is the best amp you mentioned to get the tone you describe. The tubes are individually adjustable cathode biased. You can bias them hot and they won't melt down due to the cooling fan. You can mix and match different brands and odd singles of 6V6 you have lying around. You can use an EL34 and 6L6 at the same time. Very cool feature! TAD 6L6-WGC biased at 44-46ma sound wonderful and would probably come the closest to the tone you describe. The stock 6V6 are a little more plucky and compressed -- and you can use the half power mode, too. The reverb and tremelo are seductive. The cabinet is made of lightweight and thin plywood and resonates musically with the tone. This is the funnest amp I've played in a long while!
