This amp will serve as a backup too my '59 Bassman LTD. Also, will use it smaller type gigs and at home. Looking for good cleans, and a bit of growl when needed. Thinking about a 5E3 clone type amp, or perhaps a Champ type amp. A Fender Blues Junior, Hot Rod Deluxe? I don't need extremely loud, just great Fender type tone. No reverb or trem required. Thanks for any advice!
Used DRRI. I know you don't need reverb or trem, but this amp has great tone AND the 'verb and trem would be a bonus for anyone.
I have a HRDx that I love, but a lot of people on these boards have been dissatisfied with them.
"I'm gonna find myself a girl
that can show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors
In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."
Ditto. Search Hot Rod Deluxe or HRD on this forum and the majority of threads that come up will be someone complaining about some kind of problem.
Mine works just fine but apparently I'm in the minority.
Maybe a used Bassman RI on Ebay, or like Rickenjangle is saying a used DRRI. :yay
What does a 5E3 / Champ type amp sound like?
I think the reason everyone has problems with them is because everyone has them. They're probably one of the most popular tube amps around.
I don't see the big deal about the DRRI. I know a lot of people like them on the site but I finally got to play one for a couple hours this past weekend. It sounded good but I don't think it sounded any better than my stock HRDlx. Plus the Deluxe has a lot more power and a FX loop.
One more thing if you do want a DRRI my friend just bought his for $610 brand new. The shop was having a one day sale they actually had someone from Fender there handing out cash rebates. He got a damn good deal on it considering they list for $799.
Originally Posted by Gretsch6120
Killer! Tones to die for if you like Bules\Rock and jazz.Very touch responsive great for recording jamming with friends or gigging.
I gig with my Clark 5E3 70% of the time. Tweed Deluxes are fantastic club amps. Sometimes I throw an sm57 in front of it in acoustically dead rooms or really big joings, but for most places it really is enough amp.
There are of course many great sounding amps out there. Try them all first, then look for a lightly used one. But - if were you, or if I had a do-over (i went looking for a backup to my 90+ lb Super & got a HRDx), i'd look at portability right after sound. I mean, everybody who hears my "lightly modded" HRDx raves about the tone and i've never had a problem with it. But - the darn thing is still really big & heavy (bulky & approaches 50 lbs) to me for a 112 combo! You do pay a premium for a new amp, unless you get a great blowout deal like the DRRI mentioned above. Just my $0.02 - LOOK HARD AT THE SIZE/WEIGHT FACTOR IF IT'S NOT GONNA BE YER PRIMARY GIGGIN AMP! (oh, my aching shoulder - major surgey on it this past Nov...)will use it smaller type gigs and at home
Don't overlook some of Fender's SS offerings. Before getting my Vox AD30VT (you might even try this one too). I had considered the Fender Stage 1000, not too heavy an amp but enough power for most gigs. Might make a good backup amp. My Super Reverb is just too big and heavy for me anymore.
DRRI. You should be able to get one for $600 new with a little haggling.
JAM, the stage 1000 is awesome for what it is.
"No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim
Hot Rod Deluxe.
Best bang for the buck. Mine sounds great and works just fine.
The DRRI seems obvious.:yay
On the other hand, you could get two used Peavey Classic 30's or Delta Blues' for that price.
Delta Blueses?
Delta Blii?
:%
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
I was gonna either suggest a used Peavey Classic 50 410 or a Peavey Classic 30.
"I got Jackie Onassis in my pants." - The Dictators
- Scott.
Fender Pro Junior - awesome tone, clean up to 4, starts getting nasty at 5. All tube tone path (yes the rectifier is SS). New they are $300, with the rest of the money pick up a nice <insert favorite brand> reverb unit and/or vibrato unit.
It doesn't sound too bad next to a real 65 Deluxe Reverb
TRRI used...maybe add $50-75, but well worth it , ............imo.
or the DRRI new
Imanidiot.
I really like Carvin. I own a Fender HRDX and a Carvin X100B. I had to modify the HRDX to get the tone I want. I feel the Carvin is a lot more versitile because you can get Marshall crunchy tones and Fender sparkling clean tones. For $600, I would go with the Carvin NOMAD. It is a 50 watt tube 1x12 combo amp. Here is the link, http://www.carvin.com/products/singl...r=NOMAD&CID=GA. For $640, the Carvin Bel Air is nice. The only difference is the Bel Air is a 2x12 combo. Here is the link, http://www.carvin.com/products/singl...=BELAIR&CID=GA. Both are part of Carvin's Vintage Amp Series.
Another mans passion is another mans poison
I second the pro Jr recomendation. I'm working on a design for a replacement tweed coverd cab for a pro Jr that will allow you to use a 12" speaker in it. I think a 15 watt Pro Jr with a 12" alnico speaker would be incredible....
The reissue Deluxe reverb is a good call too. a friend of mine just put a Weber 12F125 in his and it sounds great.
How about a 15"?
I Third the Pro Junior ...and Exactly as you have stated ...putting it in a 12" Cab even enhances it that much more.. ( Monster Mike Welch has one set up in a Newell tweed cab, Newell will build you the cab covered in tweed for around 245.00) ....They are also GREAT to use as a stereo rig.or just in tandem with an A/B/Y switch......I have 3, and each one was bought used for 199.00 or less...and they are ULTRA portable....
I think that would be great too
I'm having mine built by Mojo, but it sounds like a similar type deal.
yes, but were you playing the model with the Celestion Alnico Blue or the other speaker...?I played a VOX AC15CC the other day. It blew me, and the DRRI it was next to, away.
I've already got an AC-15, and it most definitely does not kill OSA's DRRI. I wonder if the new puppy is improved from the old one.
"I'm gonna find myself a girl
that can show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors
In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."
Unless your '59 Bassman is really "too much" amp for your needs, there's no way that a 5E3 circuit—much less a Champ—standing alone, would deliver enough "clean" to qualify it as a "back-up" in gigging situations. However, for a "bit of growl" at home volume levels, (depending on what home is—house, apartment?) one of the smaller amps would probly work out. I think that you can't "kill two birds with one stone" in this situation.
Keep your feet warm, your strings clean, and your powder dry.
I'm leaning towards a Hot Rod Deluxe or Blues Junior. Opinions on which one of these?
Those are very different amps.. The Blues Jr. is 15 watts, and has 1 channel with a fat switch I think... the HRDx is 40 watts 3 channels.
Tone wise, I think the Pro Jr kills the Blues Jr, and it costs less.
It just dawned on me - you have another thread where you are SELLING a ... HRDx...I'm leaning towards a Hot Rod Deluxe or Blues Junior. Opinions on which one of these?
WHAT"S UP!!!
I sold a SUNBURST solid wood cab hot rod, scared to scratch that beautiful cab! Trying to figure out what to replace it with! Loved the sound of it; just looking for opinions before I buy another.
Gretsch6120, I just realized I'm a
I recommended the '59 Bassman RI when in your original post you stated that you needed a backup for the one you already had.Sorry.
Those sunburst Hot Rods are gorgeous, but I'd be scared of scratching it too. I didn't mean to give the wrong impression about the HRD, they're popular for a reason, and I'm actually pretty stoked on mine.
I owned both at the same time and The Blues JR. is much more " boxy " ....the clean chanell in the HRDX is not only more " open and airy " in tone and has a way of filling a space evenly with sound as opposed to the Jr which seems a bit more 1 dimentional and choked........and of course the HRDXhas MUCH more clean headroom. and footswitchable reverb
on the other hand the Jr. is a heck of a lot lighter and more portable, and gets a nice Blues grind naturally at a lower volume.......Its more a matter of the application that your thinking of using it for.......Good luck
Yes, yes, but which one did you prefer?
-Mark
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