A Seventeen Year Search for "Tone"

Joe Smith · Post by **Joe Smith** » 31 Jul 2002 2:51 am

Eddie, I have to agree with you. I am using two tube amps. A Fender Twin, and an old Standel tube amp. They are heavy and Like you said, you have to be very careful when you haul them around.
I got me one of them Rack and Rollers. Best investment I ever made. Now even a 180 lb weakling like me can move these heavy babys around.

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Playing PSG keeps you on your toes.

John Russell · Post by **John Russell** » 31 Jul 2002 7:23 pm

Eddie, if you do a search on the data base here you will find lots of opinions on amps and you'll find plenty of tube amp aficionados. That includes me as of about two years ago.

I played a Fender Vibrosonic Reverb for some 12-15 years then sold it and went the SS route. This included several Peavey amps. Just like you, I couldn't find that warmth and harmonic richness, tried different pickups, different effects. Then, two years ago I bought a Tube Works pre-amp to use with my rack rig. It includes a 15" EV speaker. The effect was a huge relief, great tone again! I'm using a digital reverb and analog delay plus an EQ pedal. Sounds like lots of stuff but it sounds great. Tone is no longer an issue, I can focus on playing and even bad notes sound better than they used to. Last year I bought a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe 40 watt all-tube amp and now, I'm threatening to get rid of the rack rig and live out my remaining years playing the Fender! Great tone, wonderful reverb. It was like going back home. Some folks play in loud bands and need 300 watts but I'm not one of them. If necessary I'll set that Fender on a stool inches from my ear, that's the sound I wanna hear. Let the PA do the heavy lifting.

Why are there (several) manufacturers making "boutique" amps costing thousands of dollars? Because there are people buying them! Guitar players know good tone and they're not all distortion freaks, they just want good tone. Tubes produce that tone. Some things never change.

Some day, I'm sure digital circuits will replicate that sound. They're getting close now and I'm ready for the 17 lb. amp that sounds like a Twin. Until then I'll stick with what works for me.

--JR

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 1 Aug 2002 10:12 am

Moved to 'Electronics"

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 2 Aug 2002 2:31 am

a pal o mine recently sent me this link:

http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/select/0898/tube.html

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 2 Aug 2002 2:35 pm

Many, many moons ago, I used to run a P/P Emmons through a Nashville 400 and an old Fender Vibrosonic. I used a little delay on one of the amps and, at times, a bit of chorus on the other amp. Probably the best tone I have ever achieved. I got tired of lugging those two heavy amps around, though.

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Lee, from South Texas

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 11 Aug 2002 10:50 am

So happy to see this post and to learn of YOUR "tone" chase.
I too started with a Peavy Session 400 and still have it. It always seemed to have too much bass regardless of how I adjusted the knobs. So added a 12 inch Peavy LA 400.
Great sound but still too much of something I didn't care for. WHen played together in stereo it's almost what I've been wanting for years. HOWEVER.....
About six months ago my good friend Pete Burak sold me his old Fender Tw-12-revrb and THERE IT WAS! THAT SOUND! (Pete's tried to buy it back at least twice now!)
But interestingly, I did discover that when I deal in about 2.5-3.0 "saturation" on my LA 400.........I also get a great WARM sound! Almost as good as the Fender sound.