Recommendations for Amplification

[chrisf]

I am a child of the 80's and love hard rock/hair metal. Everything from Led Zeppelin/AC/DC to Motley Crue/Dokken to Firehouse/Candlebox and everything like it. I play at home through a RP350 and a KRK 6 which I love but I am starting to get good enough to go over and jam with friends. What would be a good little amp that I could both carry over and jam at a friend's house and my bedroom and get that 80's rock and roll sound I like. Also please recommend what ever pedals I may need if that is necessary. I am going to play it before I buy it but I really don't know which amps would work outside of a Marshall 100w 800 but that is too much for what I need both in price and volume. I have just gotten into the guitar and see that now there are a lot of amps to chose from compared to the 80's when I made my first failed attempt at learning to play.

[DonP]

I play similar stuff with a DSL100 and a Laney AOR 50.

[tonemonster]

yes, a Laney AOR would be a good choice. Also look into the Mesa F30. you can pick them up used for a reasonable price. nice features, good tone, pretty portable.

[chrisf]

Thanks for the recommendations... will these work good at bedroom level? I was doing some reading here and it seemed there were also a lot of recommendations for Line 6 Amps?

[tonemonster]

I can play at bedroom volumes with a Laney AOR 30w combo easily, same thing with the Mesa F30 combo. easy. of couse, the Mesa is 2 channels. the Laney is one.

[Eric_kv2]

If you can find one on ebay or locally, maybe check out Gallien Krueger 250ML. Its a solid state luchbox sized amp that you can also hook up to a 4x12. Iron Maiden used it on Somewhere in Time and it will nail that tone.

[chrisolson]

Get a modded Jet City JAC20H or JCA22H - watch for BFG or Friedman modded units. They are EXACTLY what you need.

[AussieTerry84]

Peavey 60w tube Vypyr

[vklobucar]

The Line 6 amps will quickly lose their appeal. I just sold my Spider over the weekend. Yes it was much quieter than my main rig for home playing but the tone was so thin and digital that it did not inspire me to play for more than a few minutes.

I am now using an old ADA MP-1 with a Rocktron Intellifex thru the FX loop. It's powered by a Marshall Valvestate 80 and feeds a small 2x12 that I have kicking around. Awesome tones even after midnight when everyone is asleep.

And perhaps above all a great tone that actually inspires me to wanna play!

[jgcable]

Any Peavey Transtube, Crate XT120R combo (you will be very surprised on how great this amp sounds), several of the Marshall Valvestates. There are tons of amps out there.

[chrisf]

Thanks and keep em coming... I have never heard of most of these.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Get a tube screamer, (Boss SD-1, or MXR Classic OD, or similar OD pedal). Run that first with the gain low and the volume up into the front of a 40-50 watt el34 based tube amp. I'd start smaller with something like the Marshall Haze 40 combo or something. Even an el84 based tube amp would work well for what you're playing, like the Jet City stuff.

Good Luck!

[Chief_CrazyTalk]

There are so many new amps out now that I've never tried and probably never will. I'd do your homework before buying though. Personally I'd suggest going with the real deal and getting that 100W JCM800. I have a 50W combo at home running through two 412s and if needed I can transport the combo but trust me, big amps are a big PITA to move. I should stress that. I don't even own a vehicle I could load the cabs into anymore, and the 112 combo is plenty heavy.

My faves are the "dual channel" 800s with reverb. I believe Marshall made them in 112 and 212 combos, both 50W and 100W, as well as heads. They need a boost for what you want, too. What I love about them is the classic tone...it's all there, and I can get it at reasonable home and apartment volumes. Of course louder is even better.

The other guys are probably right with the newer and smaller amp suggestions, but I thought I'd throw that out there. There's nothing like the real thing though...LOL!

[Hellbat]

If money isn't an object check out the Splawn street rod combo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf6tbOJTxUM

[chrisf]

There is a Marshall DSL401 Combo on CL now for $450 and also a Peavey Triple X for $300. I don't know much about the Peavey but I've had two recommendations for the Peavey Vypyr with tubes. I've also seen some Marshall Valvestates come up cheap before but didn't know much about them.