Jump to content

What's a good amp to run clean and use distortion pedals with?


mbengs1

Recommended Posts

  • Members

I currently use a bugera 6262 head with a 212 cabinet. I think it sounds ok but it's definitely a cheap amp not made for serious practice. I'd like quality sound at a low price. what amps fall into this category? i'd like to spend less than 1000 dollars just for the head.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

The OP mentioned "serious practice."

 

The Fender Princeton Reverb is available with an optional 12" speaker. That would be my recommendation.

 

The Princeton is also a great amp for plugging straight in and really getting to know one's guitar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Ok, define "serious practice"? ANY amp is for "serious practice" IF you practice seriously, and not just play noise making sounds.

The question SHOULD be: "What's a great sounding clean amp, at XX amount of wattage, that takes pedals well under $1000?"

 

Do you want tube, SS, or hybrid? Head, combo, digital, 2x10, 2x12, 4x12?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you heard the PRS Sonzera? They sound great clean or dirty (they're two channel / channel switching amps) and it's within your budget. I'd recommend the 50W head. The only drawback is that the volume controls are a bit touchy at the very low end of their travel; IOW, they really are not a great low-volume "bedroom" amp, but from your previous posts, I suspect that's not a huge concern for you.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 3 weeks later...
  • Members

What distortion pedal does Petrucci use if he doesn't have an amp ? I thought I remember seeing a pic of his pedals there was a boss metal zone and ds-1 in there. but DS-1 doesn't seem to have enough gain and doesn't seem to suit prog metal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What distortion pedal does Petrucci use if he doesn't have an amp ? I thought I remember seeing a pic of his pedals there was a boss metal zone and ds-1 in there. but DS-1 doesn't seem to have enough gain and doesn't seem to suit prog metal.

 

Here's a complete rig rundown...

 

[video=youtube;9QXLuyIoCtI]

 

https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Rig_Rundown_Dream_Theaters_John_Petrucci

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • Members

if you want to practice you don't need more than a Blackheart Little Giant*, if that.

a Deluxe reverb is enough to gig. and that bugera you already have is more than enough to tour with.

 

90% perspiration, 10% inspiration, and a 1000% determination

 

find the best teachers you can convince your worth their time, and if you can't earn enough with a ts9** and a zoom ms70, keep practicing and/or networking.

 

if you get good enough, people will give you gear

 

i just wish i'd really understood that when i was young enough it mattered.

 

* nowadays, you could tour with the little giant

** or a rat etc., I love stacking an ocd/timmy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Members

Not long ago, L.A PD notified by email, that they found my old 1968 Fender Princeton Silver Face from a pawn shop in Down Town L.A., that was stolen from my old place in the Fair Fax District back in 1988.

Single channel, great legendary cleans but distorts heavenly with smoother break up than my other amps with a second overdrive channel. It has 12 in. Alec speaker instead of the 10 in. that usually come stock with the amp. Simple meat and potato amp, no bells and whistles ... just simple great versatile tone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I noticed my solid state Laney head doesn't sound good with distortion pedals. Is it really this way with solid state amps? I supposed you got to use distortions with tube amps mainly. Is there a way to make a solid state amp sound good with distortion pedals?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
I noticed my solid state Laney head doesn't sound good with distortion pedals. Is it really this way with solid state amps? I supposed you got to use distortions with tube amps mainly. Is there a way to make a solid state amp sound good with distortion pedals?

 

The difference between tube amps and solid state amps is how they respond when they are pushed. An overdriven tube circuit has a warn pleasant while an overdriven transistor circuit can get really nasty.

 

If you run the output level of your distortion pedal high it may overdrive the first stage of your amplifier. This may cause the solid state amp to sound unpleasant compared to the tube amp.

 

Try running your pedal(s) with the gain/drive turned up as usual but with the output level turned down a bit - you can make up the volume loss by turning up the volume control on your amplifier.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

in the last 3 months ive purchased two very lightly used amplifiers. the first is a Roland JC 77. SS stereo true phase shifting cleanliness @ 80 watts rms through two 10” ... the roland jc series has been an industry standard and still performs. last week, a marshall origin 50... 5/20/50 watt plexi type circuit and sound through a single celestion 12”... both of ‘em take about the same footprint as a super reverb... ive got under $700 in the two of them, together... serious practice amps? i would and probably will gig with both of these...

 

life is only as difficult as we decide to make it...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...