Best amp for da funk?

[losangeles33]

I want an amp, a combo, that can go to funky-town with no problem. I don't want a vintage Fender, looking for a more modern amp. New or used doesn't matter but i'd like to keep it under 2k. I love the old fender blackface sound but I haven't been able to capture that in a newer amp, even a new Fender ironically, and I've had two rocks and tone kings and D13 among others.. any suggestions? I'm ready to try-and-buy now!

 

[uriahh1]

SF twin, but, modern Morgan RV35 or new impala....
.

 

[RLD]

Whatever these guys use.

 

[vlammie]

Well, Nile Rodgers uses Peavey Classic 50 4x10's live.
He got them from SRV...

In the studio, lots of the funkateers just use a DI, with little or no amp blended in.


I ordered an Audio Kitchen Big Chopper myself, but that's more expensive than the price you mentioned.

The second channel (with baxandall EQ) is superb for funky cleans though:

 

[Leonc]

Look into to Tone Kings. There are a number of models in different tube/speaker/wattage configurations that'll get you great Fender tones clean tones in a somewhat updated package. Great designs and workmanship, killer tones for funk and will be within your price range on the used market. Should be able to pick up a Tone King Comet 40 for under 1500 bucks.

 

[majorminor]

I wonder if a Mesa 5:50 Express Plus would get it done. When I think of funk it's not just the obvious clean. It's a certain tight and lean non hairy neutral clean. You also need to be able to hit that low E pretty well before strumming trebles and have the low end stay tight.

 

[stratotastic]

Well, Nile Rodgers uses Peavey Classic 50 4x10's live.

This is what I was gonna post. Can't get much more funky than Nile.



But it depends on what you mean by "funk." You certainly don't need a Two-Rock or /13 to do chucka-chicka-chuck stuff.

 

[hogy]

I would give a Roland Jazz Chorus a try as well.

 

[losangeles33]

all awesome suggestions..didn't even consider the peavey.

 

[vlammie]

For you geeks, a thing to try if you' re going for that Nile Rodgers sound:

I read somewhere he sometimes uses 2 SM57's on his amp, one slightly further away than the other one.
This creates comb filtering (what you'd usually try to avoid), but this way you get a subtle out-of-phase sound on certain frequencies, which is pretty funky.
Not as drastic as position 2 and 4 on a strat, but that needs to be in position 1 for da funk anyway.

But as I said before, Prince and Nile used to track a lot of those classic songs just using a DI, with some EQ and compression from the mixing console.

 

[billyguitar]

On the TAMI show James Brown's guitar player had a Gretsch amp! And an L5CES. At Motown the guitar players plugged right into the board, but that's not funk. The guy with Tower of Power, sorry I forget the name, used Silverface Twin Reverbs.

 

[doublescale1]

Used Carr Rambler will do you fine - easy to move around and you can dial in high headroom B/F tone for days. Loves pedals too.

 

[golfnutt67]

I love the phunk and so does my Fuchs Full House 50 a great clean chanel sweet OD reverb and a loop and a boost for each side right in your price range too. I would highly recommend looking into it as well

 

[ksandvik]

I would look at the recently issued Fender Vintage Modified 68' Deluxe Reverbs.

 

[JackStraw12]

I love the phunk and so does my Fuchs Full House 50 a great clean chanel sweet OD reverb and a loop and a boost for each side right in your price range too. I would highly recommend looking into it as well

I was going to suggest an ODS, great clear clean tones perfect for funky stuff.

 

[Aaron Mayo]

You want the old fender sound but a modern amp. Modern in what way?

 

[Brian Maestro]

My Mini Recto clean channel does a mean funk, It's fast and tight

 

[mtperry85]

Funk is in the heart and on the one beat... any tube amp with good clean tone can be funky.

 

[stratotastic]

Funk is in the heart and on the one beat... any tube amp with good clean tone can be funky.

Exactly. But this is TGP where we try to justify why we "need" a $2,000+ amp to do something a $300 amp can do equally as well.

 

[freaksho]

Funk is in the heart and on the one beat... any tube amp with good clean tone can be funky.

+1 more. any clean that floats your boat. in my case, just about all tube cleans make my ears happy. and some SS too. bottom line: this is one case where there is absolutely no need to get spendy.