What amp is the right for me?

[EndlessDescent]

I've recently taken a huge turn from Drop D and Standard with skinny top - heavy bottom's to start different projects.

long story short, Im on GHS's 11-70 Boomers in Drop A tuning and I've spent over two months now trying to figure out what to do ampwise.

Im looking for a head, and the two, after I've literally scanned through the sales market of used amps of my country(sweden), that I have found is a SUNN 1200S, for $700~, but thats a bass amp on 1200 flipping watts, waaaay too much and it kinda feels like I wanna get on it because... well.. sunn. The other one is a HIWATT G200R HD at $350~. this is in my price range, but I'd have to purchase it without testing it and could end up with a $350 head I didnt like(no pun intended).

 

For a heavy and clear sound, be it SUNN o))) or Bongripper, whats your advice at lets say 350-700$?

 

Cheers!

[WRGKMC]

You might want to get an amp with a 15" if you're tuning down that much. I have a 70's Sunn Concert Lead which can handle those kinds of lows, even for bass. I found a newer style one here. http://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Sunn/Concert-Lead-Solid-State-Guitar-Amp-Head-112289779.gc?country=us&currency=usd&source=4WWRWXGP&gclid=CL6N6bKkvM4CFYU1aQodGd8Ibg&kwid=productads-adid^78244844802-device^c-plaid^142911771621-sku^112289779@ADL4GC-adType^PLA You'd still need a cab though.

 

 

For a combo a 65 Twin with a 15" JBL like this would be ideal but is likely out of your price range.

 

http://www.zzounds.com/item--FEN2173000?siid=103523&-1hoSlvM4CFYKCaQod5gkCsQ=

 

You want something that can handle the bottom end with strings tuned that low. I'm not a big fan of tuning that low. The strings get way too wonky even with heavier gauges. You really need to use fat core strings designed for lower pitch tuning tensions to sound right. If I wanted strings that were 5 semitones below concert pitch I'd get a Baritone guitar. The neck is longer and its designed for those lower tones.Just tuning down has major string twang, string buzz string flex and intonation issues once you go below 2~ 3 semitones. 5 semitones would drive me bonkers with all the string beating problems.

 

You're half way between guitar and bass however so either a guitar amp with over sized speaker and extra power or a bass amp wide a wide frequency response range would be my choice. If it is a bass amp, something like an Bassman head with tubes would likely sound better then a sterile SS bass amp. Depends on what drive pedals you use too. Bass amps are usually pretty bass heavy and can be linear up to maybe 3K. The speakers that come with combos often lack the ability to reproduce the upper harmonics a guitar amp speakers can. A guitar speaker may not be able to produce the lower tones coming from the strings. .

 

Maybe the ideal amp would be to run a bass and guitar amp together since the guitar is tuned between the two. Use the guitar amp for highs and upper mids and the bass amp for lows and lower mids. That's kind of what I do running my Marshall and Bassman together to get a big sound.

[EndlessDescent]

Thanks for the very thorough answer!

I've been down to drop G and that's basically the point where it's more hard to tell the difference between two notes of different octaves. Drop A was kind of the sweet spot for me.

With that said, I have thought about getting a bass amp but I'm even more inexperienced on that end. I've seen some ampegs that'd put me on a top ramen diet for the following month but... It could be worth it?

Anyway, since you seem experienced, do you have any specific guitar OR bass amps that'd be suitable and atleast not too far off of my budget? A cab will be a story later(next month haha).

Thanks again for the answer man!