Affordable American Made Tube Amp Head?

[BenoA]

I forgot... 6505 are around 999$ new and they are made in the USA.

[ibanezjacksonline6engl]

buy a used Mesa Boogie dual/single rectifier, a used Peavey 6505 or 5150.

[Cygnus X1]

Last time I looked Soultone were very reasonably priced.
Are they still a sponsoring dealer?
(Edit-I don't see them as a sponsor).

Great reviews (I have not played one though).

[Dreamland_Rebel]

you can buy all of those NEW for under $1,200? Outstanding! Because most of those retail for around the $4-6,000 mark over here

check out the Carvin 101B, the MTS series, and the V3.
also the Peavey 3120

[The Rossness]

I know a dealer who is blowing out randall MTS gear. For $1200 you could get an RM100 head with a KH2 and plexi- all spanking new of course.

[j4vice]

SPLAWN but the are a bit pricey ...
In the studio I use an ORANGE AMP and it's the best!

[Fender]

I love my JSX. It's distinctive, versatile and great looking all for pretty cheap. I've had a Mesa dual rec, Fender 5150 III, Peavey 5150 and a chinese valveking, and they don't compare to the JSX.

[Nightbat]

Hate to break it to you guys, Randall has it's parts production outsourced to the east
all they do is assemble the stuff in the US

[Newc]

And buying used is no better than buying foreign. The only person who gets the money from used gear is the seller, not the company, so how is buying a used American-made amp going to keep Americans working building American-made amps?

[Sandman0170]

Last time I looked Soultone were very reasonably priced.
Are they still a sponsoring dealer?
(Edit-I don't see them as a sponsor).

Great reviews (I have not played one though).

Are not still a sponsor but I will be the first to say that their amps are awesome. Will be a little more than 1200, but the quality is way beyond those in that price range. Not gain monsters though (JCM 800 and earlier). You would likely want a little boost from an overdrive pedal.

[Bert]

And buying used is no better than buying foreign. The only person who gets the money from used gear is the seller, not the company, so how is buying a used American-made amp going to keep Americans working building American-made amps?

By buying used you're putting more liquidity in the market for someone else to purchase something. No guarantee they won't spend it on something made overseas, but there is at least *some* chance they'll invest it in some way that benefits US workers. So I'd still say it's better than outright buying of some Chinese made amp that is cheaper only because of unfair currency valuation and stolen intellectual property.

[Jack Napalm]

Hate to break it to you guys, Randall has it's parts production outsourced to the east
all they do is assemble the stuff in the US

From my understanding the amp guts are assembled in China but the head shells and I think the cabinets are built in USA.

[loki: god of chaos]

how are carvin Legacys? r they any good?

[Newc]

By buying used you're putting more liquidity in the market for someone else to purchase something. No guarantee they won't spend it on something made overseas, but there is at least *some* chance they'll invest it in some way that benefits US workers. So I'd still say it's better than outright buying of some Chinese made amp that is cheaper only because of unfair currency valuation and stolen intellectual property.

But that's a minimal amount at best.
Buying a used U.S.A.-made amp is no guarantee the seller will support the economy and pass that money along. They may very well buy a new Ibenhad or ESPee with it, which doesn't have a U.S.-based parent company.

Boutique amps cost more, and thus more goes to an American company, but boutique builders are usualyl so small that most of that money goes right back into the rent, materials, or basic living expenses. That helps one family at most (that of the boutique builder).

From my understanding the amp guts are assembled in China but the head shells and I think the cabinets are built in USA.

Wow. The cheapest parts. Yay.

how are carvin Legacys? r they any good?

Steve Vai seems to think so, but what the fuck does he know about amps?

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

In terms of the U.S. economy, buying used (even used Chinese) is better than buying foreign, neither of which is as good as buying a U.S.-made amp, boutique or not.

The lure of cheap foreign-made junk is tough to resist... Especially when it turns out to be really good.