I dare you - What's the best-sounding amp you've ever played?

[anti-flag193]

My 66 Super Reverb or a friends Hiwatt DR103. The SR sounds so amazing when turned up to 6, excellent compression and a slight breakup which I love. Reverb is killer as is the vibrato. Love this amp so much I won't gig with it and rarely bring it anywhere.

The Hiwatt is an amazing amp, I played my buddies only a few times about 15 years ago. He had it running through 2 vintage marshall cabs with greenbacks. We practiced at the same spot and he let me use his rig for a few practices. I hooked my pedals up and plugged in my les paul and let it rip. What an amazing sounds. I stood right in front it for hours. Not a smart idea looking back. The amp was so touch sensitive and reacted so well to your playing. Cleaned up great and broke up even better. 15 years later i still think about this amp and hope to pick one up one day.

 

[Chuck Snider]

I've had a few cool amps over the years and really couldn't pick a "best I've ever played" but the most compliments or comments I ever got from band members or listeners was a Divided By 13 ERT33 head (early version)...Great amp and a lot of fun to play... I sold it in the 2000s....DUH!!!

 

[Tele-Vision]

Super Reverb with just a hair of delay that just made it the slightest bit echoey. 60s Strat. I am not a strat guy at all, but that was a killer sound.

 

[LCW]

For me personally, I may have just found it...

 

[Jugghaid]

Since I'm still mostly a metalhead, this one.....

 

[beatcomber]

A 1964 red panel Vox AC30. The smoothest, sweetest sound I've ever heard, nothing like the harsh '90s AC30TBX I used to have.

 

[warren3333]

Matchless Nighthawk

Redplate

 

[kidmandude]

Vox Ac30 TB/6

 

[Mudder]

I had a Bad Cat Hot Cat 30r in blue sparkle that was just outstanding. Stupidly traded it.

 

[LordByron]

3rd Power Kitchen Sink.

I don't know how, but Dylana managed to cram a vintage AC30, a vintage Bassman, and Plexi Super Lead into a standard 40W head unit, along with a spring reverb tank, a killer FX loop, and the best master volume I've ever run across. Oh, and did I mention that you can blend the Vox and Fender tone stacks? Or that there's a boost for the Marshall channel that will get you into hot-rodded JCM800 territory?

Damn sorcery in that amp!

Not far behind my love for the Kitchen Sink are two takes on the FilmoSound amp: the Tex EF86 and the At Mars Specialist. For a chimey/grindy, Vox meets tweed tone, these are two killer amps. Super simple (both have just volume and tone controls).. but great sounding, super dynamic and touch-sensitive, and just chock-full of great vintage tones. Perfect for alt-country/Americana to early alternative/garage rock kind of tones.

 

[amper]

Yes I know it depends on what you're looking for, or what you call best.

That's why I dare you to tell me, "What's the best-sounding amp you've ever played?"

1995 Mesa/Boogie Trem-O-Verb
1995 Trace Elliot V-Type 220 W head and 1248 cab (bass)
2003 Vox AC30HW Handwired Limited Edition with Celestion AlNiCo Blue drivers
2003 Marshal JTM45 Handwired Limited Edition and matching cab
early 2000s? Groove Tubes Soul-O 45 1x12 combo
early 2000s? THD Univalve
early 2000s? Gibson Goldtone GA-30RVH head and matching 2x10/2x12 cab (made by Trace Elliot)

 

[Bruce_W]

Friedman BE-100 Deluxe

Same

 

[Blue on black]

My Mesa Studio Pre/Simul 2:90 rig was the best I’ve ever used/own. Also loved my Blackface Super Reverb in the mid 70’s.
If I could afford one, my choice would be the Bogner Ecstasy 101B. Loved Luke’s tones when he used them!

I just got hold of a Mesa Studio Pre today and it’s easily the greatest tone I’ve ever had. Absolute dream

 

[Tommy_G]

I just got hold of a Mesa Studio Pre today and it’s easily the greatest tone I’ve ever had. Absolute dream

Whatcha running it through?

 

[Blue on black]

Whatcha running it through?

Through a Fryette Power Station into a Marshall 1960 4x12, celestion cream backs

 

[NailedIntoBarrels]

Marshall 1987x probably. Excessively loud but what a sound and the almost spongey feel of it was really fun/addictive to play.

 

[future2future]

Hmm, played many amps in my lifetime but one that keeps haunting my dreams is a Bruno, can't even remember if it was a Cowtipper or underground, I played 15 years ago. Didn't know what it was back then and was focused on other things but I would love to have one now.

 

[ldizzle]

I have a ton of favorites...

The one that gets the most recording/live work is a Bogner Metropolis - Reinhold's take on a DC30/voxy circuit. BRIGHT, articulate, and complex.
I've taken it over the mileage of the USA... many many times. A wonderful amp.

Fender sounds, hard to beat a two rock classic reverb or super reverb.

Marshall, I loved my vintage JTM45 ... I sold it years ago but it sounded SO good- big, warm, stout, and so balanced. GF45 also pulls that space but a little looser.

 

[AustinIsPresent]

Either a Matchless DC-30 or a really old Tremolux I played a guitar shop once.

 

[amstrtatnut]

My friend has a Booogie MKIIB. He makes it sound better than I do.

So, the best sounding amp I ever played but couldnt make sound good was that one!