If I could only have one amplifier

[jaymen]

So I'm Robinson Caruso,
stranded on an uncharted desert isle with my Gibson Jazz box, a solar panel and a 120V 300 watt inverter salvaged off the SS Minnow,
what amp would I want?

A Black Face Fender Princeton Reverb, or Deluxe Reverb, and it would be hard to decide which one as I like them both equally well. For jazz however, the Deluxe Reverb Amp would win out for me.

[John A.]

So I'm Robinson Caruso,
stranded on an uncharted desert isle with my Gibson Jazz box, a solar panel and a 120V 300 watt inverter salvaged off the SS Minnow,
what amp would I want?

A Black Face Fender Princeton Reverb, or Deluxe Reverb, and it would be hard to decide which one as I like them both equally well. For jazz however, the Deluxe Reverb Amp would win out for me.

Do you accompany Enrico Crusoe? And what about jam sessions? Do you have to schlep your amp over to Friday's place? In that case you might be better off with a Henriksen.

[AllanAllen]

I’d take an Epiphone Deluxe, non-cutaway, acoustic.

[alltunes]

Headstrong Lil King (high quality DR clone)

[DawgBone]

Twin Reverb so I can alert the authorities to the fact that I am stranded from many miles away, no signal fire required LOL.

[Gitfiddler]

Desert isle amp?

Deluxe Reverb is a great choice for sweet tone and features, in a reasonably portable package.

However, since this fictional scenario places me on an island I might need a bit more power.

So I'd also consider my 45 watt, tweed bassman-focused Heritage Liberty amp. Plus that beast is loud enough to scare off pesky seagulls.

[sgosnell]

If you have a Quilter Superblock, you don't need the inverter. You can power it directly from the solar panel, and have plenty of power left over to heat water for your coffee. With the right cabinet, it sounds so close to a Fender amp that I would challenge you to tell the difference in a blind test.

[213Cobra]

If you have a Quilter Superblock, you don't need the inverter. You can power it directly from the solar panel, and have plenty of power left over to heat water for your coffee. With the right cabinet, it sounds so close to a Fender amp that I would challenge you to tell the difference in a blind test.

....on an island with the sound of ocean waves and prevailing winds as your critical listening environment. -Phil

[Tom Karol]

Two 100w Marshall Heads with 4 4x12 cabinets - a double Marshall stack: I'd be found almost right away, but whether they'd be willing to rescue me is another matter!

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Two 100w Marshall Heads with 4 4x12 cabinets - a double Marshall stack: I'd be found almost right away, but whether they'd be willing to rescue me is another matter!

[jzucker]

kemper profiler and an alto powered pa speaker

[djg]

fender jazz king. best amp i've ever played. it can also provide shade and can be used as a small boat should you want to leave the island.

[Stringswinger]

Quilter Mach 3 Combo

[jim777]

Fuchs ODH 1x12 combo. 22 pounds of all the sounds.

[JazzPadd]

When I was 17 I had a Peavey Mace that weighed a ton and was loud enough to shake the coconuts right outta them trees, and probably partly the cause of my hearing loss. Today it’d likely be a Henriksen Blu Six, ‘cause I now like ‘em light and punchy.

[Eugle]

I’d probably lean toward the Deluxe Reverb too just for the extra headroom and versatility, especially if you’re sticking with a jazz box most of the time. It’s one of those amps that just works in a lot of situations without overthinking it.
I’ve also seen FactoryOutletStore pop up when looking around for gear deals, so it made me think that if I were stranded, I’d hope I bought some backup components or a killer power backup before the ship went down. Having that extra reliability would be the only way to make sure the island jams don't cut out right when you find the perfect tone.

[DawgBone]

I’d probably lean toward the Deluxe Reverb too just for the extra headroom and versatility, especially if you’re sticking with a jazz box most of the time. It’s one of those amps that just works in a lot of situations without overthinking it.

I've never considered "extra headroom" to be a feature of the Deluxe Reverb. Usually the lack of headroom is the reason guys grab a bigger Fender.

[Skip Ellis]

Henriksen Bud or Evans RE200 and a Tele with NoCaster pickups and maybe an Earthquake Systems Dispatch Master reverb/delay......oh......and I'd need a bunch of Fred Kelly thumbpicks and a lifetime supply of GHS Burnished Nickel Rocker strings......and a decent cable.

[213Cobra]

From 1995 to spring of 2025, if you had asked me the "if I could only have one guitar amp?" question, my answer was my Mesa Blue Angel. Starting in 2022 and knowing I would eventually unload all my heavy tube amps, my answer was fast becoming Henriksen Bud, overlapping with the Blue Angel. But much as I love my Bud Six and am certainly keeping it, my answer now is the SeQuel Vermont. Beautiful Johnny Smith tone, but also transparent for pedals to voice it outside its jazz bailiwick, and it sounds splendid with Telecasters, archtops, 335s, any variation of humbuckers and Charlie Christian homages. Tube amp front end feel with modern Class D quiet, dynamics and tone.

Phil

[Bob_Ross]

silverface Fender Twin Reverb, or similar vintage Fender Dual Showman Reverb, either with period-correct JBL speakers

[Greywolf]

Of my 9 amps , my Fender Tweed Blues Deluxe is my desert Island fave by far. Everything sounds good through it.

[wildschwein]

Epiphone Triggerman 60 DSP for me.

[Little Jay]

This one, my Framus Strato 345, built in the 60ies by German guitar manufacturer Framus:


Because:
A) sounds phantastic: all tube, true point-to-point, 1x12”, depending on the tone settings it can sound like a (clean)Tweed Deluxe or a Blackface;
B) the 2x EL36 poweramp has plenty of power to deal with any situation (I guess it puts out around 35 watts): loud drummers, outside stages, loud bands. I think the old German Elbau speaker is very efficient;
C) it stays clean untill too loud, no break up whatsoever;
D) with ‘only’ 17 kgs it’s reasonably light (specially for a tube amp);
E) it looks great!

Pretty much my ideal amp. Because of it’s uniqueness, I’ve traced the circuit to be able to rebuild it if it ever gets lost:


The interior:


Oh and this has proved to be a lovely combination with it:


Here it is on a gig with my trusty ES-125:

[rpjazzguitar]

Over the years I have used, each for some time, the following. I put the reason I moved on in parenthesis.

Ampeg Reverberocket, 1964 (fragile with age)
Yamaha JX40 (doesn't sound great)
Fender Twin Reverb, silver face, probably mid 70s? (too punchy and way too heavy with JBLs)
Mesa Boogie Mark III (great sound, but apparently I ordered it in depleted uranium by mistake)
Roland JC55 (icy)
DV Mark Little Jazz (good sound but not as loud as I sometimes need)
JBL Eon One Compact (I haven't moved on yet)

I tried the Blu (a little icy), Bose S1 (inadequate EQ) and Everse 8 (not bad but not as smooth as the Bose or JBL).

So without trying to rate them, what I'm actually using is the JBL. Guitar>ME70>Joyo American>JBL or sometimes with a mixer in front of the JBL. It matters that I also sing, so there's an advantage to a powered speaker, if it sounds good enough for vocals and guitar.

[jim777]

I recently got a chance to play a used Amplied Nation Overdrive Reverb head (100 watts) through an Orange 2x12 cabinet at a Guitar Center in Delaware, and it just completely blew me away. I literally can't stop thinking about it, and I was playing at just a hair above living room volume. The bride and I are going to Ireland tomorrow for 2 weeks, and I think if it is still there when I return I may have to go bring it home. I'll tell the bride it was a bargain because Delaware has no sales tax!
I recently got my '67 Bassman back from Andy Fuchs, and that sounds fantastic, but the Overdrive Reverb just kills it and everything else I've ever gotten the chance to play. It had the kind of sound that makes you feel putting an effect in front of it would be blasphemous.