Suggestions for a 2nd Tube Amp

[tomvwash]

One '65 Fender Deluxe should be enough for home, but somehow...not. Sold a '68 Princeton from cage or tube rattle-whatever--loved the dark tones on that, but just trouble. Dirk Laukens commented on his tone from his lesson page, and he has a Fender Tonemaster--not a tube amp. Still considering something that can meet the darker, richer bottom end for jazz tones and equally cut out, maybe for blues, with a semi-hollows. Thank you for any advice. Price point not critical, but space might be--solely for home studio.

[MiniMerckx.22]

Why not just search for an amp that sounds great without limits to how it gets a great sound? If you played a SS smp that you loved, would you pass on it because if lacks tubes?

[tomvwash]

Why not just search for an amp that sounds great without limits to how it gets a great sound? If you played a SS smp that you loved, would you pass on it because if lacks tubes?

Im not implying that it has to be a tube amp, but I don't want to drop $1500 on SS without doing more homework, or seeking advice here. Tube amps are all I know, at present.

[Jx30510]

The Supro Amulet with 10 inch speaker sounds super good.
It has power scaling, reverb, trem, and can get gritty at low volume, in a very good way. Think Grant Green, or that kind of stuff.
It's really the best alternative to Fenders, in the sense it's very different but just as good.

[Jx30510]

There's a 12 inch version also

[DawgBone]

What's the budget?

[2bornot2bop]

Sequel Skoter ll is my favorite. Small, simplistic (no reverb), and all tube bliss. It’s the junior amp to the Sequel Ravine, a great amp with the same old school simplicity of circuitry. Designed to replicate the sound of old school amps from the 50’s. 2x 5881 power tubes and a 12AT7 tube.

Check out another member’s review of the amp:

Sequel Skoter II, first hand experience?

[omphalopsychos]

One BF, one tweed. That’s all you need.

[Stringswinger]

One BF, one tweed. That’s all you need.

Or own one Quilter and you can have both (plus a brownface/Blonde) without the weight and unreliability of actual tubes.

[marcwhy]

What's the budget?

This should always be included in a "what should I buy?" post! Tube amps are $300 - 5,000+, so where are you?



When it comes to tube amps, I would also ask: Combo or head+cab?

Please buy this Frenzel before I do, thanks! [If you don't know Frenzels, they are "the best bang for the buck" in terms of hand-wired, high-quality amps, made in Texas!]

Jack Anderson's amps are one of my favorites, too, also in the "best for the price" realm! Call Jack and he will make what you're looking for!

Enjoy!

[marcwhy]

Sequel Skoter ll is my favorite. Small, simplistic (no reverb), and all tube bliss. It’s the junior amp to the Sequel Ravine, a great amp with the same old school simplicity of circuitry. Designed to replicate the sound of old school amps from the 50’s. 2x 5881 power tubes and a 12AT7 tube.

I really wish one of these would show up on the "used" market! They seem pretty cool!

[tomvwash]

What's the budget?

Any price point will do.

[tomvwash]

What's the budget?

I have already indicated that the price point does not matter in my OP.

[tomvwash]

One BF, one tweed. That’s all you need.

What is a BF Tweed?

[Sam Sherry]

One '65 Fender Deluxe should be enough for home, but somehow...not. Sold a '68 Princeton from cage or tube rattle-whatever--loved the dark tones on that, but just trouble.

My preference runs to 6L6s. I like the big sound and 6V6s tend to rattle, at least in combos. And that would contrast to your Deluxe.
Just a thought. There are zillions of 6L6-based heads and combos, ranging from Peaveys and Crates to Mesas and boutique items.

Remember the directions on the back of the Frisbee? "Flat flip flies straight -- tilted flip curves. Experiment!"

[Cunamara]

What is a BF Tweed?

Two amps: one tweed (such as a tweed Deluxe Fender 5E3), one Fender black panel style (also called blackface) such as a Princeton. However, a tweed and BF Champ could be a great option for a home use. Both 8" speakers, very compact, great sounds. Julian Lage toured with a Telecaster and a tweed Champ and sounded great.

I have a Fender Pro Reverb which I've had for probably 40 years now and just basically never use anymore. It weighs too much to take out of the house in combination with my back problems. I've got a Fender tweed Deluxe clone which is a great amp and really would be the only one I need, except that it's a little large and overkill for many situations I find myself in. So I also have a Toob Metro BG+ with a DV Mark EG 250 Raw Dawg head; it's tiny, sounds great and gets the nod most of the time that I'm going anywhere.

[omphalopsychos]

8" combos tend to sound horrible. I don't understand this mindset of "you want a student level fender amp for home use". The best sounding amp in my home is the best sounding amp period. My 1964 vibrolux reverb.

I had a vintage champ and it's fun for a gimmick but I got rid of it pretty fast. I do still have a Dearmond R5, which is an improved version of the champ with a better cabinet, a tone knob, and a 10" speaker.

If anything, if an is for home use, you don't need to worry as much about portability tradeoffs.

[starjasmine]

Can you be more specific about what you are seeking from the 2nd amp that you don't get from the Deluxe?
F'rinstance, if you want ultra clean jazz tones and don't care about weight/size (since it will never leave the home studio) I'd suggest a Twin.
But if you are looking for distortion (BF Deluxe is renowned for that, so IDK whether you want 2nd amp to distort at all, or to give a different dist tone than the Deluxe does...) then there are lots of choices, mostly subjective... maybe a BF Twin would cover both cleans and bluesy distortion.

I'm a real tube amp snob tho, so can't give any up-to-date advice on modelers or the better SS amps out there, but a Kemper or a Fractal or even a Helix might scratch the itch.

And if you just want to see a ton of gear with demos, Joe Bonamassa has several hourlong videos up on YT talking about and demoing a lot of vintage gear.

Good luck!

[Bob_Ross]

Lots of good advice in this thread already. The only thing I can add is

If I had unlimited wherewithal and wanted to get more than one tube amp, I would get the following in this order:

- silverface Fender Twin Reverb
- Marshall 1959 Plexi with 1960A cabinet
- blackface Fender Deluxe Reverb
- tweed Fender Princeton...or maybe tweed Fender Champ
- Vox AC30

...but...if I had to cart them to gigs myself, without roadies? NONE OF THE ABOVE.
Well, maybe the Deluxe.

[Cavalier]

I'd suggest a old Ampeg of any description. Gemini 1 or 2 ?

[DawgBone]

'57 Custom Tweed Twin

[spencer096]

victoria vicky verb

[2bornot2bop]

I really wish one of these would show up on the "used" market! They seem pretty cool!

Coolest small tube amp I’ve owned. You can purchase one brand new at a modest price of $1599. I bought mine used locally and it was still $1100. One has to decide what $500 means to them.

[58flame]

Something with el84s. The clean channel of Budda Superdrive 30 is pretty nice for jazz and whatever.

[jhbpa]

Get Mike Marsh to make you a Mellowverb, based on BF Vibroverb, but sans Tremolo and with 2x10, instead of 1 x15, choose three knob reverb (Blend, Dwell and Tone) or two (Dwell and Blend) with extra knob for MV. MV, IMO much more useful for in home and it is totally transparent.

Direct out with IR on rear, external bias points on rear.

All in around $1,500. Best jazz amp I've ever owned, got rid oall the vintage Fender stuff, who needs all the maintenance hassles. I still keep a Carr Sportsman around for a 6V6 alternative but seldom use it.