Blues amp recommendations
Question:
I know the subject has probably been beaten to death, but I’m new here and appreciate all input. I am looking for a new or reissue tube amp to get a vintage blues tone (subjective, I know). I don’t gig, it would be for home use and occasional jam sessions. I have an American Tele and a budjet of around $1000. My choices so far: 1) Fender ‘59 Bassman RI – supposedly the "holy grail". With tube rectifier and NOS tubes. How loud would it have to be to get that overdriven sound? Is this too much amp? 2) Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb RI – I will add Celestion or Weber speaker and NOS tubes. Your thoughts? 3) Fender Blues Jr – enough "swat"? What else should I test drive? All I know is Fender. Thanks. -Harlan
Response:
>I know the subject has probably been beaten to death, but I’m new here >and appreciate all input. >I am looking for a new or reissue tube amp to get a vintage blues tone >(subjective, I know). I don’t gig, it would be for home use and >occasional jam sessions. I have an American Tele and a budjet of around >$1000. My choices so far: >1) Fender ‘59 Bassman RI – supposedly the "holy grail". With tube >rectifier and NOS tubes. How loud would it have to be to get that >overdriven sound? Is this too much amp?
For at home, it’s less than ideal. The RI isn’t the holy Grail. Some consider the original to be, but you won’t find one of them for your budget. >2) Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb RI – I will add Celestion or Weber speaker >and NOS tubes. Your thoughts?
Not good enough IMO. If you have a budget of a grand, then find a REAL Deluxe Reverb (maybe not a ‘65, but hey) and get yourself a good PTP wired amp. >3) Fender Blues Jr – enough "swat"?
How about a Peavey Classic30 instead. That would give you some headroom, and a reverb that works. Pete — You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.
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I’d go for the ‘59 Bassman RI. The tweeds have a great raw blues tone. The 4×10" make it rather effective, so it is pretty when it starts to overdrive. But you could always disconnect one (or two) speaker(s). The ‘65 DeLuxe RI is nice too. Although a bit smoother sounding and the typical blackface mid dip. I’d search classifieds or ebay for a tweed DeLuxe replica. I’m sure there muste be some in your price range. About 20W of pure tweed/blues tone. Or my favourite the tweed Bandmaster (3×10") combo. If you’re bold you could make your own for less then $400: http://www.missionamps.com/5e3.html (there are more companies offering kits) The Fender Blues jr makes a good doorstop… 
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I know the subject has probably been beaten to death, but I’m new here > and appreciate all input. > I am looking for a new or reissue tube amp to get a vintage blues tone > (subjective, I know). I don’t gig, it would be for home use and > occasional jam sessions. I have an American Tele and a budjet of around > $1000. My choices so far: > 1) Fender ‘59 Bassman RI – supposedly the "holy grail". With tube > rectifier and NOS tubes. How loud would it have to be to get that > overdriven sound? Is this too much amp? > 2) Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb RI – I will add Celestion or Weber speaker > and NOS tubes. Your thoughts? > 3) Fender Blues Jr – enough "swat"? > What else should I test drive? All I know is Fender. Thanks. > -Harlan
In the context of the amps suggested…you will not be sorry at all if you go Deluxe Reverb RI. Have one, love it. Versatile out of the blues, and real good at blues overdrive. Nice amp. Add a speaker to improve it, but, IME, it’s a nice amp out of the box…especially for the price and versatility.
Response:
The Peavey Classic 30 model was mentioned as a posibility, the Delta Blues has the added tremolo circuit if you want/need that. The Traynor Mk III ‘twin’ model has the sound and is a nice vintage point to point wired tube amp, but they are 100 watts and will blow your roof off. They sound pretty decent at lower levels because they have a master volume control, but ‘lower levels’ on this amp is still pretty loud. The other small Traynor combos do NOT do the vintage blues sound no matter what they may tell you. I also have a Crate Turbo Valve series amp that is a decent Fender copy. It has a nice clean with the 6l6 output tubes throught the clean channel, and enough dirty as you want through the overdrive channel.
Response:
Hello, I’d recommend (being one of the resident Marshall appreciators) the Marshall Studio 15 combo. Headphone out, great small combo for home and enough horsepower to take to a jam and put on a chair and enjoy. Two 6V6’s for power tubes. I don’t own one (yet…) and you can occasionally see a good quality used one around. Do a google or yahoo search and you’ll find some sites devoted to this combo with more information for you. All the best! Walk in Beauty, Peace. Scott
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I know the subject has probably been beaten to death, but I’m new here > and appreciate all input. > I am looking for a new or reissue tube amp to get a vintage blues tone > (subjective, I know). I don’t gig, it would be for home use and > occasional jam sessions. I have an American Tele and a budjet of around > $1000. My choices so far: > 1) Fender ‘59 Bassman RI – supposedly the "holy grail". With tube > rectifier and NOS tubes. How loud would it have to be to get that > overdriven sound? Is this too much amp? > 2) Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb RI – I will add Celestion or Weber speaker > and NOS tubes. Your thoughts? > 3) Fender Blues Jr – enough "swat"? > What else should I test drive? All I know is Fender. Thanks. > -Harlan
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Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I know the subject has probably been beaten to death, but I’m new here >and appreciate all input. >I am looking for a new or reissue tube amp to get a vintage blues tone >(subjective, I know). I don’t gig, it would be for home use and >occasional jam sessions. I have an American Tele and a budjet of around >$1000. My choices so far: >1) Fender ‘59 Bassman RI – supposedly the "holy grail". With tube >rectifier and NOS tubes. How loud would it have to be to get that >overdriven sound? Is this too much amp? > For at home, it’s less than ideal. The RI isn’t the holy Grail. Some > consider the original to be, but you won’t find one of them for your > budget. >2) Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb RI – I will add Celestion or Weber speaker >and NOS tubes. Your thoughts? > Not good enough IMO. If you have a budget of a grand, then find a > REAL Deluxe Reverb (maybe not a ‘65, but hey) and get yourself a good > PTP wired amp.
Somewhat disagree. Stock, IMO DRRIs are great. Yes, ideally an old DR is probably a better bet for the long haul, but I don’t see many (or any in the past 4 years) SF, or BF, in a shop, at reasonable $… If you are looking for the sound of a DR, and don’t want to F with Ebay, a real good alternative is a DRRI. Speaker can be replaced..I have a stock DRRI, and I have played one with a Weber…either way…nice amp. Agree on the Classic 30.
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I know the subject has probably been beaten to death, but I’m new here > and appreciate all input. > I am looking for a new or reissue tube amp to get a vintage blues tone > (subjective, I know). I don’t gig, it would be for home use and > occasional jam sessions. I have an American Tele and a budjet of around > $1000. My choices so far: > 1) Fender ‘59 Bassman RI – supposedly the "holy grail". With tube > rectifier and NOS tubes. How loud would it have to be to get that > overdriven sound? Is this too much amp? > 2) Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb RI – I will add Celestion or Weber speaker > and NOS tubes. Your thoughts? > 3) Fender Blues Jr – enough "swat"? > What else should I test drive? All I know is Fender. Thanks. > -Harlan
Other options I would suggest: Peavey Delta Blues: I prefer the 1-15" model. Deluxe Reverb silver face: Very little circuit difference (and tone) from the BF and MUCH less $$$. Super Reverb silver face: Great amp if tweaked by someone that knows their stuff. John King http://www.angelfire.com/blues/rockinjohn/rockinamps.html
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Harlan, Skip all the RI amps. Get a real one. A SF DR will do it all, find a speaker you like. ( I like alnico JBLs) The RI Jensens are nice as are the Webbers, but stay on this side of the pond sonically, why Celestions? Get rid of the lame PUs in the Tele, try the Texas units from fender or look at Bill Lawrence stuff. A Vibro Lux R or any 40 watt Fender will work, find one and fall in love. The little Traynors will do blues, all day, if you like 6BQ5s and can get along with a SS rectifier. If the gain structure bothers you, listen to Hound Dog Taylor or try lower gain tubes like AY7s, particularly in the PI slot. The AGA loves amps jump right in. Peace Chris – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I know the subject has probably been beaten to death, but I’m new here > and appreciate all input. > I am looking for a new or reissue tube amp to get a vintage blues tone > (subjective, I know). I don’t gig, it would be for home use and > occasional jam sessions. I have an American Tele and a budjet of around > $1000. My choices so far: > 1) Fender ‘59 Bassman RI – supposedly the "holy grail". With tube > rectifier and NOS tubes. How loud would it have to be to get that > overdriven sound? Is this too much amp? > 2) Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb RI – I will add Celestion or Weber speaker > and NOS tubes. Your thoughts? > 3) Fender Blues Jr – enough "swat"? > What else should I test drive? All I know is Fender. Thanks. > -Harlan
Response:
>I am looking for a new or reissue tube amp to get a vintage blues tone >(subjective, I know).
Why don’t you take a original Blackface Vibrolux Reverb off of eBay? "Buy It Now" for 249.- Euro ( = $249 US) <http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2526312625&category…> Awww… you’re to late? Yes. Just like me. About half an hour. <sniff> Ernst — "Who wants to dry up swampland may not ask the frogs" (Franz-Josef Strauss, Bavarian Prime Minister 1978-1988)
Response:
My choice would be the Dr. Z MAZ 18 You can find them used for around a $1000
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I know the subject has probably been beaten to death, but I’m new here > and appreciate all input. > I am looking for a new or reissue tube amp to get a vintage blues tone > (subjective, I know). I don’t gig, it would be for home use and > occasional jam sessions. I have an American Tele and a budjet of around > $1000. My choices so far: > 1) Fender ‘59 Bassman RI – supposedly the "holy grail". With tube > rectifier and NOS tubes. How loud would it have to be to get that > overdriven sound? Is this too much amp? > 2) Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb RI – I will add Celestion or Weber speaker > and NOS tubes. Your thoughts? > 3) Fender Blues Jr – enough "swat"? > What else should I test drive? All I know is Fender. Thanks. > -Harlan
Response:
Speaker of Dr. Z, their Carmen Ghia head goes for $799. That’s a tough deal to beat for a new handwired amp. Very basic, but how fancy do you need to be to play the Blues? 18watts, handwired, almost nothing to break on it. You just need a speaker cabinet. Pete – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >My choice would be the Dr. Z MAZ 18 >You can find them used for around a $1000 > I know the subject has probably been beaten to death, but I’m new here > and appreciate all input. > I am looking for a new or reissue tube amp to get a vintage blues tone > (subjective, I know). I don’t gig, it would be for home use and > occasional jam sessions. I have an American Tele and a budjet of around > $1000. My choices so far: > 1) Fender ‘59 Bassman RI – supposedly the "holy grail". With tube > rectifier and NOS tubes. How loud would it have to be to get that > overdriven sound? Is this too much amp? > 2) Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb RI – I will add Celestion or Weber speaker > and NOS tubes. Your thoughts? > 3) Fender Blues Jr – enough "swat"? > What else should I test drive? All I know is Fender. Thanks. > -Harlan
– You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.
Response:
SF Vibrolux Reverb SF Princeton Reverb + 12" speaker Tweed Deluxe by Clark or Victoria (used) SF Super Reverb (but too L O U D for a house)
Response:
>How about a Peavey Classic30 instead. That would give you some >headroom, and a reverb that works. >Pete
I agree. Great sound for few dollars, and quite loud. You might even be able to get by with a Classic 20; it would sound better than the Classic 30 at home, but might not be enough for gigging in some venues. Delta Blues is great too. Good luck and great tone, Chris
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I know the subject has probably been beaten to death, but I’m new here >and appreciate all input. >I am looking for a new or reissue tube amp to get a vintage blues tone >(subjective, I know). I don’t gig, it would be for home use and >occasional jam sessions. I have an American Tele and a budjet of around >$1000. My choices so far: >1) Fender ‘59 Bassman RI – supposedly the "holy grail". With tube >rectifier and NOS tubes. How loud would it have to be to get that >overdriven sound? Is this too much amp? > For at home, it’s less than ideal. The RI isn’t the holy Grail. Some > consider the original to be, but you won’t find one of them for your > budget.
Marshall DSL 401 or 201 (easier to crank) with a Tube Screamer TS-808 from Analogue man, and change left.
Response:
With your intended use in mind you could, alternatively buy a POD XT. It has the sound of all those amps and more. It is ideal to practice with headphones. If you want to jam get an active speaker JBL, Mackie, or American Audio ($300-600) and use it as a PA. The POD has all the effects you may ever need including overdrive and amazing reverb, all in an excellent package.
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One amp worth looking around for is a BF Bandmaster, or the SF when the circuit was the same, only the faceplate was changed. They’re particularly nice modded into combos. I like the 210 configuration. Therer are a fair number of them out there ( which means other guys like them, too) and you get a LOT of bang for the buck. You can put one together for yourself (with the help of a tech, if needed) for $700 or less. It’s VERY hard to beat a couple of 6L6s for great blues tone. Chuck
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> The Peavey Classic 30 model was mentioned as a posibility, the Delta Blues has > the added tremolo circuit if you want/need that. The Traynor Mk III ‘twin’ > model has the sound and is a nice vintage point to point wired tube amp, but > they are 100 watts and will blow your roof off. They sound pretty decent at > lower levels because they have a master volume control, but ‘lower levels’ on > this amp is still pretty loud. The other small Traynor combos do NOT do the > vintage blues sound no matter what they may tell you. I also have a Crate > Turbo Valve series amp that is a decent Fender copy. It has a nice clean with > the 6l6 output tubes throught the clean channel, and enough dirty as you want > through the overdrive channel.
He hasn’t played all the Traynor amps. A Guitar Mate Reverb is a great Blues amp. Two EL84, Reverb and Trem. Dump the stock speaker, it’s poo. Put in a Classic Rock 80 or a Vintage 30, wind it up and go. Trust me! John
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>2) Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb RI – I will add Celestion or Weber speaker >and NOS tubes. Your thoughts?
I don’t think this amp has a master volume – just volume, bass & treble on each of the two channels. At 22watts you’d have to push the volume some to get a decent blues overdrive tone, probably too loud for home use. >What else should I test drive? All I know is Fender. Thanks.
No one seems to have mentioned as yet the Vox AC15 reissues, either the TBR (standard Bulldog speaker) or TBRX (Celestion Blue Alnico speaker) or the 2 X 10 version. This does have a master volume so would be ok for home use. Not Fender tone obviously, more vintage 60s British rock tone. — Tim Westcott (remove NOSPAM from address when emailing)
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I have to agree. Traded one off and bought the next one that came along, a few years later. It can be one of those low V amps, even thoe it demands some space. Still have the stock Utah in this unit, but have set it up so the bottem can be used as a cab. I plan a Jensen RI. Of note it works nicely for bass at studio Vs. Peace Chris – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> The Peavey Classic 30 model was mentioned as a posibility, the Delta Blues > has > the added tremolo circuit if you want/need that. The Traynor Mk III > ‘twin’ > model has the sound and is a nice vintage point to point wired tube amp, > but > they are 100 watts and will blow your roof off. They sound pretty decent > at > lower levels because they have a master volume control, but ‘lower levels’ > on > this amp is still pretty loud. The other small Traynor combos do NOT > do the > vintage blues sound no matter what they may tell you. I also have a Crate > Turbo Valve series amp that is a decent Fender copy. It has a nice clean > with > the 6l6 output tubes throught the clean channel, and enough dirty as you > want > through the overdrive channel. > He hasn’t played all the Traynor amps. A Guitar Mate Reverb is a great Blues > amp. Two EL84, Reverb and Trem. Dump the stock speaker, it’s poo. Put in a > Classic Rock 80 or a Vintage 30, wind it up and go. Trust me! > John
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Very nice choice, dream price. Chris – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I am looking for a new or reissue tube amp to get a vintage blues tone >(subjective, I know). > Why don’t you take a original Blackface Vibrolux Reverb off of eBay? > "Buy It Now" for 249.- Euro ( = $249 US) > <http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2526312625&category…> > Awww… you’re to late? Yes. Just like me. About half an hour. > <sniff> > Ernst > — > "Who wants to dry up swampland may not ask the frogs" > (Franz-Josef Strauss, Bavarian Prime Minister 1978-1988)
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The SF with R can be put back a bit into the relm of BF. Like the Pro R the OT seems mushy. Chuck in a Bassman or new multi tap. Od, I like that little ot in a Tremolux or VibroluxR. CHris – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > One amp worth looking around for is a BF Bandmaster, or the SF when > the circuit was the same, only the faceplate was changed. They’re > particularly nice modded into combos. I like the 210 configuration. > Therer are a fair number of them out there ( which means other guys > like them, too) and you get a LOT of bang for the buck. You can put > one together for yourself (with the help of a tech, if needed) for > $700 or less. It’s VERY hard to beat a couple of 6L6s for great blues > tone. > Chuck
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e.NOSPAMfsnet.co.uk> writes >2) Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb RI – I will add Celestion or Weber speaker >and NOS tubes. Your thoughts? >I don’t think this amp has a master volume – just volume, bass & treble >on each of the two channels. At 22watts you’d have to push the volume >some to get a decent blues overdrive tone, probably too loud for home >use.
Forgot to say that you could by buy an attenuator – the THD Hotplate for example – which would mean you could push the DRRI to its limits without the neighbours calling the police. Otherwise I doubt you’ll get the volume to a level where you’ll appreciate the amp for anything but clean tone. — Tim Westcott (remove NOSPAM from address when emailing)
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I`d say a Super Reverb. If you have a few bucks, Coco Montoya,( a great Blues player ), is now using a Carr Amp. It`s basically a PTP Super Reverb. He LOVES it and it did sound great the last time that I saw him. See ya, John
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> SF Vibrolux Reverb > SF Princeton Reverb + 12" speaker > Tweed Deluxe by Clark or Victoria (used) > SF Super Reverb (but too L O U D for a house)
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> I`d say a Super Reverb. If you have a few bucks, Coco Montoya,( a > great Blues player ), is now using a Carr Amp. It`s basically a PTP > Super Reverb. He LOVES it and it did sound great the last time that I > saw him. > See ya, > John
I can also recommend the Carr’s for low-wattage amps, if you’ve got a lot of money. They’re spendy as hell, but sound unbelieveable. Worth it? Hard to say. Great sounding blues amps? I think definitely.
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