Looking for an amp that has the best fender cleans and takes ODpedals well (bruno?)

[color_tones]

Hey guys
I am looking for an amp that nails and exceeds the best fender clean you have heard, but also can take overdrive pedals very well to get into the marshall territory with a tight low end. I have an Two rock emerald pro and its an awesome amp but i think im looking for something different. The cleans are ok but if I want a good overdirve on the amp it effects the clean channel. Im thinking of going with a bruno ug30, or the cowtipper or anything else someone might recomend. From the reviews of these I hear they have some of the best type cleans and reverbs out there. I though of taking the vintage route but i want reliability. I would appreciate any help because there are no stores in hawaii that sell this type of high end gear so I wont be able to try any of this out. Also I would be using this in a band so Im wondering if the bruno's will hang well in the mix? im not playing huge venues so im thinking they will. Please any thoughts will help. Influences are for clean tones eric johnson, stevie, u2, and a lot of jazz guys! rhythm tones I like a nice tight bottom, full not flabby, stuff like a perfect circle, lead tones eric johnson, larry carlton etc.. Now I dont mind a one channel amp because Im thinking of using pedals to get me into the overdirve area. I had custom audio od100 recently but 100 watts was much.

 

[frank4001]

I'd just get a Bassman head and a closed back 2x12, 4x10 or 4x12 and an out board or reverb pedal..EV's won't flub. Jensen Neo have a good bottom end. Celstion 90' or cl80's maybe...50 watts...Tune up the head and its as reliable as anything aout there.

 

[color_tones]

What are some of the better bassmans years and models? I was thinking about going this route, Im going to look into it.

I'd just get a Bassman head and a closed back 2x12, 4x10 or 4x12 and an out board or reverb pedal..EV's won't flub. Jensen Neo have a good bottom end. Celstion 90' or cl80's maybe...50 watts...Tune up the head and its as reliable as anything aout there.

 

[soulohio]

there are/were two of them for sale in the emporium at great prices....the mighty Ampeg VT40. This amp blows a Fender away like a candle in a hurricane and takes pedals great. it is my secret weapons so don't tell nobody...

 

[heady dude]

Tone King Meteor 2. I love mine.

 

[frank4001]

What are some of the better bassmans years and models? I was thinking about going this route, Im going to look into it.

50 watt blonde, black and early silver face. Silver being the cheapest. Tough to go wrong and just about every tech on the planet should know how to deal with them. Have fun...
http://www.ampwares.com/ffg/

 

[re-animator]

i like the bassman suggestion.


if not, I would look at the mesa lonestar and some older ampegs like the reverberockets and geminis... even a portaflex. The cleans aren't exactly like fender, the midrange is a little more "smokey", but its pretty close.

 

[color_tones]

What are the desirable year models for the bassman? I know theres a bunch of different circuit changes within the early years. What should i look for when buying these used off ebay or here? thanks
shawn

 

[frank4001]

They are all good...what you like best is up to you. The ealier the more expensive you will find...One model had a GZ34 rectifier(early blonde)...you might like it..you might not. Its something you will have to figure out on your own..there a allot of threads about them. It depends on your needs...You might like early break-up..you might need great clean and get your distortion from a pedal. They can be set to really give you what you want by a good tech no matter as long as the main parts like tranformers and capacitors are there and close to spec. Try find one as un -molested as possible, bring it to a good tech to check out and go from there. Later models tend to be cleaner sounding but can be set up to overdrive easily without anything major being done to it. Its a great basic amp. The later models are relatively inexpensive. If I was starting over and wanted the tones you speak of thats what I'd get. Its a journey much like this long winded post of mine...

 

[fusionbear]

Try the new Fuchs "Clean Machine" They come in 75 and 150 watt models.

 

[DannyDay]

Check here.
Blonde from 61-64 are tougher sounding. I believe Jimi's Voodoo Chile (both long and short) was done on one of these (correct me if wrong).

Blackface are from 64-67. More mid scooped. Fantastic.

Great cleans. Great thump and sparkly highs. Cool Fender type distortion when cranked.

Can't go wrong with a good one. Like others have said, get a good tech to scope it out. Let us know what you get!

DD.

 

[Gasp100]

I would at least consider a Gries 35. I have the small 5 and I absolutely love it for what I'm doing, but if you are gigging and in need of a lot of clean headroom AND what the ability to breakup at bit or get even a little Fender gain AND something that can take pedals well, this might be a good choice. Dave Gries is super cool and will let you know exactly what to expect from his gear:
www.griesamps.com
The Allen stuff also comes to mind as a newer, tighter BF type amp and I've heard amazing things about Blueverb, but they are pretty customized and might break up too early for you?
I've heard old Traynor's are pretty sick for super clean headroom as well.

 

[joafink2]

tone king meteor II

 

[TNJ]

Tone King Meteor II Head
Soldano Lucky 13 Head
Fuchs ODS 100 Head
Heritage Patriot or Colonial Head
Cowtipper 45 Head

S.
j

 

[Peppy]

My Vibro-King sure gets some nice clean tones, some very nice reverb and gets quite fat when a pedal is added.

 

[Tag]

If money is not an object, the Cowtipper Pro IIS are the best cleans you are going to find, and the only cleans I find that are actually better than fenders. If they are to much money, grab a good fender. A SRRI is fantastic, and I just played a ProTube Pro reverb at Lark Street music that was $650, and had cleans as good or better than anything else there besided the Brunos to my ear. It aslo had pretty good overdrive. Oh, do NOT sell your E.Pro.

 

[color_tones]

thanks guys for all the help, Im going to be making some decisions very soon. Hey tag, do the cowtippers take overdrive pedals well? or does the underground 30 take them better? thanks
shawn

 

[M I K E D.]

Carr Rambler fits the bill and takes pedals beauty-full

 

[Nolatone Ampworks]

Port City Dual Fifty head with their wave cabinet (1x12 OS is best 1x12 cab I've heard, and 2x12's are better still).

The Dual Fifty is basically a '64 Bassman circuit with probably MORE clean headroom than a bassman (I had a '66 bassman in for repair and mods and the Port City has more headroom). It takes pedals better than any amp I've ever played. It loves ALL the pedals I've tried, and those included Xotic BB Per and RC Booster, OCD, Fulldrive, Barber Direct Driver, Fulltone '69, Fulltone GT-500, Zvex Box of Rock, and others I can't remember right now.

GREAT amp.

 

[FFTT]

One of the most interesting amps I've come across lately is the Catergory 5 Andrew.

As far as affordable Fender cleans, in an all hand wired amp, I'd have to
consider buying a used 90's Vibro-King.
The circuit needs a few minor tweaks to help control idle noise, but the
amp overall is one of the best Fenders you can buy for the money.

To fix the weight and portability issue, I'd have the Vibro-King cut down to
a head and cab configuration.

The other way to get those extended cleans is to configure your speaker enclosure with hi efficiency drivers like the EVM12L or JBL-K120 or D120 AlNiCo's