Favorite sleeper amps

[noslouch]

I'm always interested in finding great amps that for whatever reason, fell through the cracks and never achieved the commercial success that they may have deserved.

I'll get it going with the Fender Prosonic from the mid-90's, designed by Bruce Zinky in the custom shop. While not perfect, due to a less-than stellar effects loop, it's core tones were/are fantastic. The combo version had reverb and was a 2x10 configuration, where the head version had NO reverb. The closest to a celebrity endorsement was via Klaus Meine from the Scorpions.

 

[Steppin' Wolfe]

The Pro Sonic combo is one of my favorite amps.

 

[Ejay]

Bogner alchemist
egnater renegade
fender bassbreaker 15
bakckstar st james

 

[Steppin' Wolfe]

Caliphone 12MV…baddest single-ended amp I have owned.

 

[Braciola]

Landry

 

[angelo]

Paul Rivera Era Fender Twin Reverb - Not red knobs. Traded it in - shoulda kept.

 

[supergenius365]

Was very impressed by a Supro Tremoverb that was a backline amp at a recent gig.

 

[andy474x]

Valve Jr with the Bitmo Trio mod - got less than $250 into that rig and get more compliments on it than any expensive amp I own.

 

[Huda_Thunkett]

I'm always interested in finding great amps that for whatever reason, fell through the cracks and never achieved the commercial success that they may have deserved.

I'll get it going with the Fender Prosonic from the mid-90's, designed by Bruce Zinky in the custom shop. While not perfect, due to a less-than stellar effects loop, it's core tones were/are fantastic. The combo version had reverb and was a 2x10 configuration, where the head version had NO reverb. The closest to a celebrity endorsement was via Klaus Meine from the Scorpions.

My Tremoverb. It can run with EL34, 6L6, and 5U4G, 5AR4, and SS diode rectifiers. With a variac or at full voltage. Dialing back the bass kills the flab, and cranking the mids and treble adds bite, and running the gain lower with high power amp settings and volume yields an awesome wide open rock crunch. Dialing up the gain gives raw biting metal tones great for thrash. With my P90 and TV Jones DeArmond clone loaded SG it was dead on for early Sabbath tones.

 

[hogy]

I have a bunch, all vintage, all still cheap, all amazing sounding. But I want them to remain "sleepers".

 

[Fuzz_Mountain]

I don't know if they're still sleepers but a great many vintage Traynor amps.

 

[noslouch]

My Tremoverb. It can run with EL34, 6L6, and 5U4G, 5AR4, and SS diode rectifiers. With a variac or at full voltage. Dialing back the bass kills the flab, and cranking the mids and treble adds bite, and running the gain lower with high power amp settings and volume yields an awesome wide open rock crunch. Dialing up the gain gives raw biting metal tones great for thrash. With my P90 and TV Jones DeArmond clone loaded SG it was dead on for early Sabbath tones.

YES! That was my first tube amp back in '93. Prior to that, i'd played/owned nothing but solid-state amps, namely, a Carvin SX-100 Mosfet. Can you imagine my epiphany when i hit my first power chord in the Red channel? I was truly floored.

Also had a clean channel to die for which was relatively unheard of at that time in a high gain amp. I had the 105 lb combo, lugged it to and from every practice/gig from my 3rd floor apartment at the time. My combo was the original that had the serial effects loop and the spring loaded, quasi-shock absorber mounted chassis.

Other than the weight and overkill volume, the only thing bad about it was all those LDR's in it that were so prone to failure. I owned many Mesa's after my T-Verb, but none compared.

 

[fuzzaholic]

I don't know if they're still sleepers but a great many vintage Traynor amps.

You beat me to it

I think it's no longer a secret that the Bassmasters are vintage jems that can hang with any pre '80s Marshall. But they can still be found for a fraction of what a similar Marshall or boutique amp would cost.

Also: Musicman amps from the '70s. Still under the radar of the mainstream public, and they can still be found for way less than what a brand new Fender would cost you.

 

[noslouch]

I have a bunch, all vintage, all still cheap, all amazing sounding. But I want them to remain "sleepers".

totally understood, but an honorable mention from Joe Blow isn't going to skyrocket pricing on anything

 

[noslouch]

You beat me to it

I don't know if they're still sleepers but a great many vintage Traynor amps.

As i typed this post, i knew Traynor was going to be mentioned right out of the gate. In my decades of playing i've yet to cross paths with one out in the wild. I'm guessing they don't last long on show room floors

 

[noslouch]

Was very impressed by a Supro Tremoverb that was a backline amp at a recent gig.

The new Supro stuff sounds great but i hear they're built poorly. buddy of mine needed to have work done on his after a little over a year. His tech really poo-poo'd how it was built, components, etc.

I believe Lyle from Psionic Audio feels the same too.

 

[fuzzaholic]

As i typed this post, i knew Traynor was going to be mentioned right out of the gate. In my decades of playing i've yet to cross paths with one out in the wild. I'm guessing they don't last long on show room floors

Yeah I guess they got more popular as the prices for prices for untouched vintage Marshalls went up.
I missed the boat too, though I still didn't pauy nearly as much as what they're going for these days.

 

[guitarpkr67]

Fryette Memphis. Killer amp that's not super popular. New they are ~2k, but I've seen them used for as low as $800. Which is a killer price for the amp.

View media item 130859

 

[george4908]

I'll get it going with the Fender Prosonic from the mid-90's, designed by Bruce Zinky in the custom shop.

Speaking of Zinky, his Blue Velvet amp was actually quite good. It just looked like ... this.

Friend of mine had one, until he decided it was more embarrassing than cool.

 

[john weires]

2000's era Roland Cube 60. Lots of usable built in effects and tones. Light and loud.