Best Clean Tone in a combo amp for 1000.00 - 1200.00?

[AlexL]

I'm thinking about running a two-amp rig, one for clean, one for distortion. I have a superb all-tube half stack that does everything from vintage to crunch to high gain very well, but it just doesn't do crytal clean very well.

So, I am thinking of getting a separate amp for cleans, and then using a footswitch to switch between rigs.

I am looking at the Fender Twin (the one with the 25/100 watt switch).

Here are my requirements:

- All tube
- Must sound good at low and high volume (either with a separate master volume or power reduction switch)
- Combo preferred
- Parallel effects loop preferred

I checked out the Mesa Express 5:50 2x12, but that was a bit more than I wanted to spend, has a series effects loop, and the tone controls don't seem to do a whole lot.

Any other amps out there that I am missing?


- E.

[ABSOLUT CHARVEL]

yes .... lose the tube thought and get a JC-120.

[Shibs]

VOX AC-50 halfstack or an AC-30 Combo

[markD]

well, cleans are VERY important to me.....so i have a bit of experience with some great all clean combos. here is my opinion....

that twin you are looking at is an AWESOME amp. that would be my top choice for what you are looking for in an amp.

my next choice would be what i actually play and have used for 17 years...the rivera M/S pro series amps. i use an m100 combo, an m100 head, and an s120 head. the cleans are killer.

BUT....i would still prefer an actual fender twin if i was going ONLY clean...

the AC30 has a nice clean, but it is a 30 watt amp. the headroom isn't there to be LOUD and clean. they are very chimey but lack the dimension and depth of a fender, in my opinion.

the JC120 is very sterile sounding. i used to use the JC120 before i got my riveras. it was in an A/B setup with marshall 2204 half stack. i HATED it. it was VERY one dimension to my ears. it is clean. it is loud. it is sterile.

if you didn't need an effects loop, i'd direct you to a silverface fender combo. those are CLEEEEAAAANNNNN!!! i also used to use a fender bassman 100 head into a fender 2x12 cabinet loaded with JBL G12S speakers. talk about NO break up!! but it also had depth and a girth to it that let the notes bloom as they came from the speakers. silverface twins, supers, etc...ANY of the high powered 85-100 watt fenders are great.

for effects you can use a jumper cable from one of the channels plugged into your effects, then come out of the effects and plug into the first input of the other channel. then you use that channel volume to blend in you effects signal. the tone controls are nice too because they can change the sound of your effects and make them stand out more or blend in better....

currently when i am playing an ALL clean gig, like a country thing, i use a modded '63 fender tremolux head. it was originally 35 watts. i had a twin transformer installed along with two more power tubes to bring it up to 85 watts. i take my effects, which for that rig is pretty much a fender spring reverb tank, and plug them in the way i described up above. i plug that head into a fender supersonic 2x12 loaded with the JBLs then pkug my strat or tele into it and it is SUPER clean, spanky tones with beautful bloom on the notes and a complexity that is just gorgeous.

hope this helps....

[Twisteramps]

A clean amp isn't going to need an fx loop as badly as a distorted amp. You'd be surprised how well your fx will sound in the front end of a truly clean amp...

Having said that, I'd probably get a Fender Twin or an AC 30 combo as a previous poster mentioned. Twin will get you more headroom than you can use, AC30 will crunch a little as you turn it up. If you play really loud, I'd go twin. You can get a silverface and have a decent tech 'blackface' it for fairly low $... and it would make the amp sound better imho.

Pete

[AlexL]

Thanks for the advice. Looks like I'm on the right track. I might check out the VOX as well.

- E.

[jtr]

Look on craiglist I've seen at least 2 twins for $500-$600 range.

[GodOfRhythm]

twin Reverb

[yard dawg]

Go for a Rivera combo or Get a good used Fender. You might want to look for a Used Dr Z also.

[kelly user]

i was playing a few fenders at GC, and they sounded a bit fuzzy, and hardcore twangy. but i don't think i was cranking it enough. now that we are on the clean topic, does anyone know how to dial in Hetfields cleans?

[toejam]

I checked out the Mesa Express 5:50 2x12, but that was a bit more than I wanted to spend, has a series effects loop, and the tone controls don't seem to do a whole lot.

Any other amps out there that I am missing?


- E.

Check out the F series... F-30, F-50, F-100. They were the predecessor to the Express series. Their clean channels sound great, the gain control even has a bright pull pot for expanding its eq.

[ABSOLUT CHARVEL]

i was playing a few fenders at GC, and they sounded a bit fuzzy, and hardcore twangy. but i don't think i was cranking it enough. now that we are on the clean topic, does anyone know how to dial in Hetfields cleans?

i think that would be a JC 120. same with the dude from Rush.

[jgcable]

Twin Reverb
Super Reverb
Deluxe Reverb
Carvin MTS3212
Mesa Nomad Series
Vox AC30

[hippietim]

I'd go with a Fender Twin Reverb. Eric - they do (did?) a version with a single 15" speaker which is an absolute monster.

+1 to what Pete said - effects in front of a clean amp will not be a problem.

[AlexL]

I'd go with a Fender Twin Reverb. Eric - they do (did?) a version with a single 15" speaker which is an absolute monster.

+1 to what Pete said - effects in front of a clean amp will not be a problem.

I was waiting for some input from you, Tim, thanks.

Did you ever get that Randall setup you were looking at at NAMM last Summer?


- E.