Thinking about downsizing to a single amp solution

[Tonray's Ghost]

I only have two amps, a Peavey Classic 30 (which I love) and a Vox AC4TV8 (which I don't)....but since I will soon be moving into an apartment, I probably need to get something quieter than the Peavey, and with a headphone jack.
There's a Fender Champion 40 at nearby Guitar Center for $139. Might go check it out later today.

I was looking at the Champion amps myself - wondering how they sound. Were you able to check any out?

I owned both the 40 and the 20 at one time. Don't waste money on the 20, buzzy and couldn't get a decent clean tone out of it. The 40 was pretty decent for what it was..the modeling was Ok and a decent pedal / bedroom platform

[andrewsrea]

I have the Quilter Superblock US. It does "The Thing" pretty nicely and has a dedicated XLR out. I'm using it this morning with headphones to practice, in fact. I originally purchased the UK version but the amps sounded all the same (supposed to be a VOX and two Marshalls)

P.S. I have no idea how to use the MXR Carbon Copy both with this simple set-up and with my Princeton Reverb. There are great tones in there, for sure but I can't find them. Definitely no slapback.

Check out the retro radio I found at a pawn shop last year.


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I am 'delay' challenged. Not so much when post-processing with recording. Just when it comes to guitar rigs.

They sound so nice when they are 'up-front' and lush, when you are practicing Then in a band setting (unless you are doing U2 or Radiohead), that lush turns to 'lost', as in your tone is too washed-out and you are lost in the mix.

I like a subtle, one-repeat slapback where the repeat has a little modulation and a little analog dirt. I am starting to get into the mix of quarter notes with dotted slightly modulated 8th notes, of the Keeley Halo. Again, you really have to work to get it to fit in context to what you are playing. Luckily, the Halo is programmable. I have a really nice Dunlop EP3 Echoplex pedal on my main board, that I set for a short delay and use occasionally as an 'always-on' effect.

[deeaa]

I wouldn't go to just one amp/modeler. Because things tend to get static once you do.

Of course some degree of consistency is good, but I find that whenever I've used modelers extensively, I slowly but surely gravitate to making them sound nicer and nicer until some day I realize they don't really sound like real amps any more.

Now, I do all my recording and all my PA sound needs with a Boss GX-100 coupled with a separate cab modeler. It's great. Can't get as good sounds on recordings by miking amps, and live on stage there's nothing that rivals that XLR modeled out.

BUT as a personal monitor I like a tube amp. I now have a Marshall origin 20H modded to pretty much JCM800 spec and sound, and a 4x10" Marshall cab. It's vet portable, looks great on stage and sounds effing amazing - true classic tube Marshall.

What I do I have the Boss as my FX box and it's divided to two 'sides'. One has the basic effects, EQ, that's it, and feeds into the Marshall. The Boss also handles channel swithcing or boost on amps. But it's pretty much straight to the amp, just add some pedals in front as need be.

The other side has a Marshall model and a cab model and quite different EQ's, several of them really, and then it goes out to another cab emulator and I can get a stereo signal or mono signal to PA - and these sounds I've built to sound as much the same as the real thing as possible. That's what I also hear from my stage monitor some, but standing in front of the amp I still get that tube punch and feel, and feedback etc.

Kind of best of both worlds. I also havea Victory V30 Mk2 head, and a 1x12" so I can mix and match, and it doesn't really matter what cab or head I use, I can have slightly different presets in the Boss to make them all sound the same.

But the bottom line is...hearing that real amp as well allows me to 'keep it real' and not go on editing the modeled side too unnatural etc.

I really like the setup. Think I'm gonna keep using this for a long time indeed.

[deeaa]

And this is the Boss floorboard. The Gold PLX I later replaced with a Palmer isolation box to eliminate any noises from ground issues. The Plx was there as a buffer anyway only, and as a backup if need be. The Ibanez wah is handy as it's automatic on/off that works great. Don't use it that much but it's still important.

[honyock]

I picked up a Mooer GE300 Lite and some Studio Monitors.

I am super happy with the setup.

It is still the honeymoon period, so I can't say it will last, but it is really easy to adjust everything right on the screen and it sounds great through the monitors or headphones.

I'll probably sell off the SCX2, Blackstar ID60, and Marshall AVT20.

I will keep the Duoverb plus the Footpedal I bought and the Monoprice 50w since I think they are plenty versatile and sound great.

The only other I'll keep is the Vox MV50 since it is tiny and would be a good garage/workbench setup.

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[nomadh]

That's awesome that Line6 is still updating. They haven't always done that. And I get it, the company doesn't make any money giving away updates. But its still a pretty sweet perk when you buy something and get free updates 10 years later.

I may get something like these when they release an open source version

[redman]

@honyock I downsized a few years ago when I started selling I had a Mesa Boogie Lonestar and Studio 22+ a Fender Champ XD, Marshall 50watt Plexi w 4x12 cabinet and Sunn Concert Lead with 4x12 cab. I now have a Boss Katana and a Monoprice Stage Right 15 and a Blackstar Debut 10 on my bench and I don't need anything else.

[andrewsrea]

@honyock I downsized a few years ago when I started selling I had a Mesa Boogie Lonestar and Studio 22+ a Fender Champ XD, Marshall 50watt Plexi w 4x12 cabinet and Sunn Concert Lead with 4x12 cab. I now have a Boss Katana and a Monoprice Stage Right 15 and a Blackstar Debut 10 on my bench and I don't need anything else.

I am not going to say it because every time I do, more gear instead of less, comes into my possession!

[deeaa]

I just love buying and selling gear. I've never amassed any collection of it...well I've had about 20 guitars at best but now I just have seven Vees and a bass and a couple acoustics.

But I've never had more than maybe three amps at once. They are expensive and I can't justify owning very many.

Currently just have two real amps, a Victory V30 head and a modded Origin 20 head. Two normal cabs and one recording cab..A headphone amp late night noodling and a Boss modeler for recording and live gigs along with the tube amps. Amplitube 4 And 5 as well and a number of other plugin amp systems.

More than enough.

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