New Guitar / New Amp

[Road King]

Just got my Hollow Drop Top T last week before rehearsal. So far I've played through a buddy's Mesa Recto verb, a line 6, and my Eden 210 bass amp which had a pretty cool crystaline clean tone. After spending 10 or so years on bass gigs and the last 6 months as a drummer. (those guys that like to hang out with musicians) I find myself back at my first love, and in need of an amp to match up well with my TAG. 212 combo with fx loop that actually sounds good with pedals. Two channels needed, three seems more like it. Using it for church services and a few biker rallies with other band. Clean and warm, crystal would be nice on occasion, crunch with definition, and of course of little insane-o for the occasional divebomb. Man this thing stays in tune well with the bar.
What are your suggestions and what are you guys using?

Brad

[ckofahl]

There are so many choices out there and many of them are really good. How much are you looking to spend? Are you looking for a separate head and cab, combo all in one, or does it matter?

[kurt1981]

I'd suggest the rivera stuff, for a straight ahead rock gain sound and a beautifull clean channel. I'm selling mine, simply because I don't use the overdrive channel at all. Also, there's another forum member selling a bogner shiva which is a fantastic channel switching amp, very versatile, and with great cleans. It' all about what flavor you're after. The new fender supersonic may also fit the bill, a bit more of a vintage midrangey OD channel, but still very nice.
Kurt

[Stys]

I've been playing Mesa's with Anderson's for 10 great years. This combination works well for me. Although, for really clean tones, I use a Top Hat.

[Road King]

probably looking to stay under 2 grand. It dosen't really matter if it's combo or seperate head and cab although it lighter loads are becoming more important as the years fly by.
I have heard the riveras live twice. One cat at a church i visited played a strat though one with a great crunch. Last Thursday I saw Doyle Dykes at a Taylor thing in Dallas. Of course it was all acoustic stuff but he pulled a great sound. Bogner I'm unfamiliar with other than by reputation as well as Top Hat. I did play through a Mesa 50w 112 rectoverb a friend of mine owns and I must admit it sounded great. I've never owned one and am unsure how effects freindly they are. A great warm clean tone. Are there any pedals that might make the clean tone more sparkley?

thanks for the input guys

Brad

[kurt1981]

Oh man, there's a ton of sparkle pedals, the RC booster by xotic, fulltone fat boost, or a lot of the more subtle compressor pedals, pale green comp, or demeter compulator. Just a ton out there, it kind of depends on personal taste. If you'd ever be interested in the rivera, let me know, I'd like to get $1100 plus shipping.
Kurt

[tom]

can't say enough about the enater mod 50. has made me dump many of my pedals. it may be pushing the budget but after all the amps i've been through in the last few years i'd save for it. there are lots of great things out there. bogner, dr z, carr, depends what you're after.

[Road King]

geez i feel like i've been on a desert island or something. i think i'll go home and kick my jazz bass. i've never even heard of enater or carr or dr z.
much research to be done evidently.
kurt, which rivera do you have for sale?

brad

[Suriel Zayas]

i vote for egnater, carr, bogner, and naylor (smokin')!

[crash]

Bogner Shiva.

Did a fly date a couple of years ago with provided backline, and was pleasantly surprised to find a Shiva waiting for me. It was exactly what you described. All I put between the guitar and amp was a cable. Man, that was a fun weekend.

[ckofahl]

I agree with Suriel, I've owned all those they're great,but I would also throw in a vote for VHT. Not widely used, but it's what I'm currently using and find that it will handle anything I throw at it, great effect loop and very pedal friendly.

[kurt1981]

Mine's the fandango 55 combo, the 1x12. I just retubed it, and have been trying some different speakers, I like the V30 in there a lot, makes it a bit more cutting.
Kurt

[enr1co]

Bogner Shiva.

Did a fly date a couple of years ago with provided backline, and was pleasantly surprised to find a Shiva waiting for me. It was exactly what you described. All I put between the guitar and amp was a cable. Man, that was a fun weekend.


Another plug for my FS post:D

http://andersonforum.com/board/showthread.php?t=4193

e

[Rob C.]

I've had my Shiva for probably 7 or 8 years now and I wouldn't sell it for the world. Well over a 1000 shows and not a single problem with it. If you want a more Marshall type of distortion make sure you get a EL-34 model. Also, unless you relly must have reverb - get one without it as it does bleed a noticable amount of signal off even when disengaged.

[olectric]

+1 for the Naylor--two channels, FX loop, serious amounts of gain on tap, sounds great at all positions on the gain knob, and has a master volume that really, really works amazingly well. I picked up a modded SuperDrive 60 212 that is just killer. So, that gets my vote, but only because my favorite amps don't meet your criteria. :D

[Road King]

alot of you guys are using 112 combos. I've always had an affinity for the 212s because they sounded fuller, kind of a more headspace like sound. We always said they sound like they're pushing more air. are the Bogner and Rivera 112 combos "pushing enough air" so to speak. hope you can desipher my pyscho-babble, but i don't know how else to desribe.

Brad

[kurt1981]

I think they do, and almost any time you need to move that much air, you're miced somehow. I think, for me, it's also a portability issue, I don't wanna lug more than I need. Sometimes I like the directionality of a smaller amp too, it doesn't cover so much space, and you can step in front of it and be sure you're gonna hear yourself.
Kurt

[crash]

The Shiva 1x12 is a closed-back, front ported cabinet (someone correct me if my memory is incorrect!). It sounds HUGE.

But if the experience of having a physically wide field of sound to walk around in and hear your amp is what you want, then a 2x12 may still be better.

[FFOGG]

Bogner Duende and Mesa Lone Star Special