Your First Good Amp

[nuke_diver]

At least IMO my only good amp is my Mesa TransAtlantic 15. It's a head and I have a decent cab with it (1X12). It's really way more than I need or deserve (from a skill standpoint) but I could afford it at the time and I did have delusions of playing with a band.

 

[bsman]

My Tech 21 Trademark 10




And, fuck you -- it is TOO a good amp!




Especially compared to the Peavey Rage it replaced! rotflmao

 

[gtrjunior]

I've had this amp probably for 15 years now. I'll never sell it. This bitch has mojo:

 

[Chad]

My Tech 21 Trademark 10




And, fuck you -- it is TOO a good amp!




Especially compared to the Peavey Rage it replaced! rotflmao

I had a Trademark 60 many years ago. I liked it.

 

[dodgechargerfan]

My Scamp.

Built from a kit from Trimity Amps. Their Tramp is described as such in terms of design and controls: "The single-ended design features a variable-level DC power supply and swappable output octal tubes for power stage distortion at a variety of volume levels. Utilizing one 12AX7 preamp tube, the design also supports one 6V6, 6L6, KT66, EL34, 6CA7 or KT77 power tube. Controls include Power On-Power Level, Volume/Tweed-‘Tude, Bass/Fat-Thin, Treble, Master Volume."

The push pull switchesswitching allows for a Tweed/Champ kind of sound or a Marshall growl, and everything in between. It's a ton of fun and the chimey cleans are 'luxurious'.

 

[Wyatt]

My first amp, the Sano I posted in the other thread, was a good amp from all accounts. Excellent clean with no breakup regardless of how much volume you fed it. I had to buy a Boss distortion pedal to play rock, since there was no gain on the amplifier.

The first really good amp was the 1985 Carvin X-100B I bought after selling the Sano:

Mine was a 1987 Carvin XV-212 I bought used in the early '90's.

 

[Jbird]

Mine was a 1987 Carvin XV-212 I bought used in the early '90's.

I would like to find a nice clean mid-to-late '80s Oak cabinet one, some day

I've seen a few for sale here and there that have been pretty beat up :(

 

[Wyatt]

I would like to find a nice clean mid-to-late '80s Oak cabinet one, some day

I've seen a few for sale here and there that have been pretty beat up :(

Never again for me. The 212 was 86 pounds...needed a luggage cart to move it. But the tone was great on either channel (but not both on the same settings).

 

[Lerxst]

PV Classic 50
....which I replaced with a JCM 900 4100; out of the frying pan and into the fire

 

[wok]

I have had only one good amp:

Before that I managed on shit amps for over 20 years

 

[Jbird]

I have had only one good amp:

Before that I managed on shit amps for over 20 years

drool0

Everything I've ever heard from those amps, whether over at HC maps forum, or youtube, always sounds fantastic.

 

[wok]

drool0

Everything I've ever heard from those amps, whether over at HC maps forum, or youtube, always sounds fantastic.

Funnily enough it was one of the cheapest heads they had, and the inly one that didnt sounds like a full on metal amp, while still having plenty of gain. The cleans were quite usable as well

I sold it as i wasnt gigging, considering getting another one

 

[mongooz]

first good (actual guitar) amp. 1975 Mesa Boogie Mark I

 

[DFB]

I had a Carvin V16 with the mods and it was nice. very nice.

My Zinky Blue Velvet was amazing. That was number 1 ,toanz for days.
The clean is not great, but the lead channel soars.

 

[Modern Saint]

first good (actual guitar) amp. 1975 Mesa Boogie Mark I

I wanted a Mark I a few years later. Had an opportunity but failed.

 

[mongooz]

I wanted a Mark I a few years later. Had an opportunity but failed.

about 10 or so years later i got a Mark II and then a Mark III.....NOT the same amp.
should have kept the Mark I....but i could say that about a LOT of gear i don't have anymore.:(

 

[Modern Saint]

first good (actual guitar) amp. 1975 Mesa Boogie Mark I

Hey mongooz - is this a picture of your actual MKI? If so, way cool!!!

The MKII in my pic is my amp.

 

[Modern Saint]

about 10 or so years later i got a Mark II and then a Mark III.....NOT the same amp.
should have kept the Mark I....but i could say that about a LOT of gear i don't have anymore.:(

No worries. I still kick myself for getting rid of mid 70's Princton Reverb after I got the Boogie. Thankfully I still own the MB MKII. Cost me a pretty penny at minimum wage for $2.65/hour in '79.

 

[speakerjones]

This is not mine, but it looked just like this. Laney Pro Tube Lead 100 AOR Series. In white.

 

[mongooz]

Hey mongooz - is this a picture of your actual MKI? If so, way cool!!!

The MKII in my pic is my amp.

no, that's not the actual amp, but a pic of one exactly like it. i sold/traded it back in the 80's for a Marshall 2x12 combo, which didn't sound anything like i wanted. which prompted the Mark II and then Mark III purchases, but they weren't right either. so i picked up a pair of Fender Bandmasters, a 1964 and a 1965. the 1964 came with the 2x12 cab and the 1965 was just the head and i had a 2x12 cab for it. of course, those are gone now too.

you can see the 1964 with the additional 2x12 cab behind me in this pic (i'm in the middle). this was a couple months before i picked up the 1965 head. i got the '64 with cab for $350 and the '65 head for like $275.:(