Favorite hard rock, & classic rock amp that will also do blues justice ???

[dcburn]

And blues tone can be anything from lofi 60's sounds, to smooth BB King, to Claptons Woman Tone, to Gary Moore's high gain, to SRV and Robert Cray's spanky clean tones. Impossible to recommend any amp with such a broad description as "blues" or "hard rock".

This is my Friedman Twin Sister

 

[gearlovin]

Definately the PWE Event Horizon 2 or 3...
I had the 2 that's on the emporium now.
Was doing a bunch of blues gig with it and most guy use them for more modern higher gain tone. Destroy the Friedman's I had.

 

[PatrickE_FenderADV]

I don’t own one, but what about the Mesa Fillmore? Seems to me that it’s made exactly for the OP’s needs.

 

[JCantrell]

1959SLP

 

[gulliver]

I’d like to hear some sweet subtle blues clips that use a JCM800 or plexi. That, and very high gain. Yes, classic rock all day long. Yes, Hendrix and SRV, but those guys could make a Gorilla amp sound great.

I’d also like to hear a Friedman clip of classic rock (without a pedal). Yes, great clean channel and they are hard wired for high gain.

 

[JB6464]

Hard to beat a plexi

View attachment 471618

And a nice "Avata" cabinet to with it.

 

[De Batz]

Under $2k, versatile, channel switcher, probably head (combo ok if not heavy)

Don’t have music store locally to check out gear. Currently have VHT Pitbull 45 1x12 combo and Fender Super Champ XD combo.

Tell me what you think and why? Sound qualities, features, etc

Wondering if there is anything out there that would be a marked improvement over my VHT.

You're asking the question: what would be a marked improvement on my VHT?

Well, nothing much. VHT are pro-quality, well-engineered amplifiers that don't give much up to their competitors except if you don't like the sound so much.

What that means is that you might get something different, and only you can tell if it's an improvement by checking it out against the VHT, in a range of contexts.

Why the blunt message? Because I'm sharing my experience: buying loads of amps when you've already got a good one is only ever going to result in a very occasional (lucky) upgrade, and mostly will just either be more of the same, or depend on your taste. The problem with this place is that we tend to recommend our own gear, and we tend to go OTT when singing the praises of said gear. Not many folk posting on the range of 'recommend an amp' threads outline the deficiencies of their amp. Lots of people on TGP can be found saying their 1x12 22W combo 'cops that Marshall sound with the right pedal.' Well, no it doesn't.

Bottom line?

The Cornford MK50ii should do everything you ask. Immense amp.

 

[SlyStrat]

Marshall Studio Vintage.

 

[golfski]

Lots of people on TGP can be found saying their 1x12 22W combo 'cops that Marshall sound with the right pedal.' Well, no it doesn't.

Says you! In the same way others recommend their gear and sing its praises, you just recommend his current gear and say nothing is better, how is that any different? You’re doing the same thing that you are calling attention to.

Also, Marshall sounds (as is any sound) is a perception, an experience to a specific listener, so if they say their pedal and 1x12 give them that perception and experience I’m inclined to believe that it does for them, even if it doesn’t for you. Isn’t that why everyone always says use your ears on this forum?

 

[De Batz]

Says you! In the same way others recommend their gear and sing its praises, you just recommend his current gear and say nothing is better, how is that any different? You’re doing the same thing that you are calling attention to.

Also, Marshall sounds (as is any sound) is a perception, an experience to a specific listener, so if they say their pedal and 1x12 give them that perception and experience I’m inclined to believe that it does for them, even if it doesn’t for you. Isn’t that why everyone always says use your ears on this forum?

To be fair, I did also recommend my own amp at the end of my post.

My point isn't that his current gear is the best for him, my point is that better in and of itself is the wrong question to be asking. If he wants a very specific sound, then we collectively might be able to outline some suggestions as to where he might get it. The VHT isn't wrong because it isn't good enough, it's wrong because it isn't getting him the sound he wants...

And the thing about the combo amp with pedals is a very well rehearsed point at this stage. There are compromises to any setup, and those fall into ones you're willing to live with and ones you aren't. If you really want the experience of a thundering NMV Marshall into a big, multi-speaker closed-back cab, you can already see what the compromise is going to be with a single speaker combo.

 

[Les Paul Lover]

Orange AD30 or Rockerverb.

2nd hand should be well within your budget.

 

[GenoVox]

I know the OP said channel-switcher…

But for hard rock, classic rock AND Bluesy stuff, the Marshall SV20 nails all of that and then some

My other immediate thought was a Mesa Fillmore

 

[Vegas_Matt]

Look at Fuchs Mantis Jr or Full House for something different than what's already been suggested.

 

[J D Miley]

A Tone Master is just a modeling amp with a single model, though. I think, one of the big advantages of traditional modelers is that they can do "all of the above" with a huge variety of models. This thread is interesting, as it looks for this in a tube amp. There are a million amps that check all of the boxes, but do they check each box within the "glorious" category? Again, open to interpretation, even the term "hard rock" is very vague. Sorry to the OP, adding "glorious"; when the OP stated "doing it justice"; for the blues (which I interpreted as clean channel).

Fender made a point to point channel switching amp in the 80's Called the" Tone Master " . Kind of like a Fender Twin with a Soldano SLO lead channel. For a while Dave GroHL of the Foo Fighters played and toured with one for a few years.

 

[kookaburra]

I'd go along with the Marshall DSLs that have been suggested by others.

Now, if you didn't need channel switching, I'd say a Rockitt Retro 50 since you have the budget for it. Seriously good Plexi clone.

 

[J Factor]

Under $2k, all the rock, metal, blues, and clean funk/jazz sounds I've ever had in my head, all in one compact 35-lb head. TC-50.

Guitarist demo, classic tones


Andy Timmons demo of the 100w model, I can confirm the EQ range and touch sensitivity is the same.


Nick Johnston demo of the 100w model


Choptones demo with 6L6 tubes, lots of heavy here

 

[timmy_h]

Under $2k, versatile, channel switcher, probably head (combo ok if not heavy)

Don’t have music store locally to check out gear. Currently have VHT Pitbull 45 1x12 combo and Fender Super Champ XD combo.

Tell me what you think and why? Sound qualities, features, etc

Wondering if there is anything out there that would be a marked improvement over my VHT.

Laney VH100R paired with a 4x12" cab loaded with Scumback M75 speakers. For blues switch to channel 1 and enable the drive stage for channel 1, doing so puts the amp in JCM800 mode. One can never go wrong with the JCM800 and Greenback combination for blues. It's a JCM800 based high gain amp.

Another good amp is the VOX AC100CPH. It's extremely picky when it comes to speakers though. It sounds excellent though 50-watt Weber Ceramic Blue Dog speakers, the M-type Greenbacks work fine with it too, but it sounds like crap though G12H30 and Vintage 30 speakers. It can't pull off modern hard rock but pulls off oldschool NWOBHM and classic rock like a champ. Watch out for the kind of boost you use with this amp, because it sounds terrible when boosted with a Tube Screamer. For the AC100CPH stick to the Timmy, or get the Catalinbread Naga Viper.

 

[Sunil]

Victory V130 The Super Jack. Versatile amp, lead channel goes from crunch to higher gain lead and everything in between. Clean channel is Fender/Boogie from ultra clean to light crunch with lots of headroom. Drive channel sits IMO between Marshall and Dumble but having it’s own character. Jack of all trade!

Does the shared EQ present any problem dialing in a great clean tone and drive tone?

 

[killer blues]

edit

 

[Soonermav]

I don’t own one, but what about the Mesa Fillmore? Seems to me that it’s made exactly for the OP’s needs.

I do own one and agree, the Fillmore should check all your boxes.
I also have a dirty Shirley and the Twin Sister would be a great, higher-priced option.