I've been hopping around over in the HC forum for a couple of years. I've owned numerous high gain head including Marshalls, Peaveys, ENGLS, Splawn, Mesa, Randall (you get the picture). Since I'm no longer gigging, I can't justify having 50-100 watt heads and 4x12's sitting in my house. I'm also 35 years old now and it seems my taste in "Gain" has changed. I really want to scale down to a good low-wattage head and a 2x12. Something I can throw pedals at to get some different tones. I really like "darker" amps. I would prefer something with a good clean up to early VH-ish type gain. However, I want to be able to kick it into metal territory with a good Overdrive. Effects loop is a must. These amps have sparked my interest: Bad Cat Hot Cat, Budda Superdrive, various Cornford amps. However, there is nowhere to play them around here. Throw some amps out there for me and tell me what I need. Thanks.
Take a look at the Sommatone "Roaring 20" and the Reinhardt 18 Watters. Do a search for both names on here. Plenty of discussion in the past. Best, Pete.
You will probably want to lose the 412s. It might not be necessary to lose the amps you already like though. If you have the sort of amps that can do preamp out and not need to return the signal to the power amp then maybe you just want a low powered power amp. But if you do want new amps then these are the ones that make sense from my personal experience. Rivera Knucklehead Reverb 55. It has modes for 30, 12, and 8 Watts. Great cleans, gain all the way to metal without pedals. The only question would be whether you like the flavor of the gain channel. Other Riveras (M60, Fandango) might make sense based on your personal preference for the gain channel, but the Knucklehead Reverb 55 has the best coverage of the features you mentioned. Bogner Ecstasy is also a candidate - it has power options from 100 to 7 Watts. Definitely a darker style amp. Way more expensive used than Knucklehead Reverb 55. But might suit you better.
Any other suggestions? I'm checking out alot of boutique low-wattage heads, but none seem to have an effects loop (which is a must).
How about a Tophat Emplexador? I've never played one but have heard nothing but great things about them. A Guytron FV and a Shiva would also fit the bill. BTW, in my experience you will get much better low volume tone with a larger amp that has a great master volume then a low wattage amp. So even though all of the above suggestions are 50 watts and up they all sound great at low volumes too. I think you need the beef that comes with high wattage / larger transformer amps even more at low volumes. Heck, one of the best low volume amps I ever owned was my 120 watt Uberschall.
I've got a Zinky Blue Velvet. It's 25 watts, but only a 1X10. Still pretty loud if ya crank it plus they're hand wired, totally analog, tube amps. Awesome tones without a pedal. Has an effects loop, clean and OD sides and both have a mid-boost. I plugged it in my MF400A cab and it sounds great through it too. It can be set for 4, 8 or 16 ohms.
Randy is SO right! I can't understand why the smaller power stages can't deliver the same tone at the same volume level from the same preamp as a big power stage with the master rolled off. I gave up on little amps and just play my Twin in my bedroom with the channel and master volumes both at 3 and it sounds GREAT!
Try the Cornford Hurricane, 20watts, 1x12 Combo, Effects Loop, Reverb and a beautiful clean all the way up to SLO100 gain. -TJK
you are getting a lot of great ideas here ---- but it sounds like you want to try something you can get your hands on. As your taste in high gain has changed, AND I would imagine you are somewhere near a boogie dealer, perhaps a LoneStar or LoneStar Special might work. They are easy to find and you can see if your pedals work in front. I have my Lonestar Special because I found it's clean just as good but disto better than the Mav it replaced. If you want Metal, you'll Likely have to see if your pedals work. I always love my mark IV --- but that may not fit your mission.
Thanks for all the great suggestions guys. I've got alot of research to do. In the meantime, I'm going to toy with a Peavey Classic 30. I bought one with some MF credit I had. I'm going to run it through an Avatar cab with g12h30's. Probably swap the pre-amp tubes out for some "darker" jj's or GT reissues as well.
Budda's Superdrives have an effects loop, and are voiced a bit darker, too. BTW Stink, the Blue Velvet I tried last month had a 12" in it, not a 10". Is yours a custom order? How different does yours sound than with a 12"? I'm on a search for a 1x12 tube combo to replace my halfstack for volume reasons, too. Both the Blue Velvet and the Superdrive 30 sounded like you were playing through a cranked amp, even at low volumes. The Orange Rocker 30 sounded pretty thick, and not too bright, too. Good luck and enjoy your Classic 30.
Boy, do I feel 'stoopid'. Dave B. Your right my Zinky is a 1x12. I was trying a few different cabs with it earlier and had too many specs running around my head. (plus planning my upcoming fight with the wife strategy over latest GAS). I tried a 2x10 cab that sounded pretty good with it. I mostly stay on the clean channel and overdrive it with the volumes. Awesome sound but it too can get a little loud in the bedroom. I can't give up my halfstack though. I'll admit it, I'm a tone slut.
