How many amps do you own? Return or Keep question

[Fat Fingers]

How many amps do you own? How many amps WOULD you own if you weren't gigging?

I suppose this gets more into psychology than technical stuff. I bought some amps, and I feel like I have to many maybe.

I got a NOS blues jr for next to nothing, no problem at all keeping that one at that price.

The two that keep me up at night are the '57 custom champ, and the Princeton Reverb w/12 inch Cannabis Rex speaker (the Sweetwater special edition). I played them both some and I like them both.

However, I want to hear from experienced gear guys, because honestly I don't have a lot of experience with quality amps like this. How similar are these two amps, other than the obvious vibrato and reverb in the Princeton?

They both seem to be able to pump out some sweet, sweet clean tones, and they are both in my price range (in fact I could keep both if you all think it's a good idea to do so)

I like the champ because its super simple, just one knob, set it and go, plus it has killer compression at higher settings.
--But does it have the versatility of the Princeton?

I like the Princeton too, its super smooth and the reverb and tremolo are fantastic, seems to have more headroom for pedals as well.
--But is too much like the Champ to justify keeping both?

Should I keep both (are they different enough to justify that)?

Which one of those two should I keep (if not both)

I know it's ultimately up to me, and I was prepared to pick one or the other, but I wasn't prepared to like them both SO much.

[blille]

I have that PRRI (12” CR) and a 5e3 and I think they are both different enough to keep. One blackface, the other tweed. If I had a champ, I would justify it even more since the speaker is smaller and even more unique.

Edit: I just realized that your three amps have tweed styling, right? Nice!

[icr]

You can't have too many amps. Unlike my wife's comment about guitars, you can play more than one amp at a time...

[morroben]

65 Amps Tupelo
Mission 5e3 kit
Fender Supersonic 22
Fender Pro Jr
Crate VC508
SWR California Blonde

I've thought about parting with something to make some space, but I like them all, and know I would regret selling any of them.

A Princeton and Champ are very different amps. I could easily justify keeping both.

Now that I think about it, I might need two more amps...

[Midnight Blues]

Marshall YJM100
Marshall 1974X
Marshall Class 5

Wish I could answer your question re the Champ and Princeton, but I’m a Marshall guy, so I’ll leave that for others.

[pingu]

You can't have too many amps. Unlike my wife's comment about guitars, you can play more than one amp at a time...

ok I get , you like amps !

whats the little amp at the front looks like an old valve radio ?
thats cute , I love that

[ThatRhythmMan]

A few years ago I had actually trimmed down to using only an Axe FX II. Then I picked up a couple of amps that needed a lot of work and a crazy deal on a Clark amp and an empty Clark 2x12 combo cabinet. Since Michael Clark lives about 10 minutes away from me, I started finding myself at his shop a lot, and tube fever hit me again. This is where I am now.

-Clark Low Country (Tweed Bassman) 2x12 with Weber Ceramic California speakers

-Clark Piedmont (High Power Tweed Twin) head with 2x12 cab with Weber 12A150 speakers

-1950s Fender 5C3 Deluxe in a Fender Tweed Tremolux cab (rebuilt by Michael Clark) with two 10” Eminence Cannabis Rex Speakers

-1957 Fender 5F11 Vibrolux (rebuilt by Michael Clark) with a Weber 10A125

-Ampeg Gemini V currently with Celestion Greenback

-1950s Gibson BR-9 with original Rola field coil speaker

-Bad Cat Hot Cat 50 head

-Fuchs ODS head

-ENGL Powerball Head

-EVH 5150 III LBX with 1x12 EVH cab

I’m currently swapping the large heads through a Marshall AVT 4x12 cab, until I find what I’m looking for. I’m hoping to give an Orange 2x12 cab loaded with Celestion V30 speakers this week.

[artdecade]

Fender Pro Jr when I need some clean and maybe a bit of tube grit.
Polytone when I want nothing but clean.

I am thinking that some day I would like something like a Gibson EH-150, because Charlie rocks my socks.

[icr]

ok I get , you like amps !

whats the little amp at the front looks like an old valve radio ?
thats cute , I love that

Gretsch (Valco).

[Fat Fingers]

yep three tweed looking amps (although mechanically i would call the Princeton blackface right?)

[ronjazz]

Bose Compact and modeling pedals, 250 different amps, 1 load-in trip, 15-minute setup.

[rictroll]

Halsey Deluxe Reverb
AR Clarus 1
Carvin BX (for bass and guitar backup)
Alto TS10 (2) for acoustic guitar gigs and use with modelers
Fender Blues Jr. (modified - tubes, speaker, and reverb tank)

The Blues Jr. is the only one I consider an 'extra' or non-essential, but I like it as a grab-and-go for rehearsals.

The Halsey and AR Clarus are the go-to amps for gigging and recording.

[wzpgsr]

I am downsizing. Just sold off the monitoring side of my modeling setup, and trying to sell a custom-built 5F2A head and cab (plug: see the For Sale section). That'll leave with me a Victoria Ivy League and an Ampeg Gemini II, plus my studio monitors for any time I want to spend (that is, "waste endlessly") tweaking modeling patches.

[Stringswinger]

Being that I gig 4 nights a week and have two homes (I like to keep at least a couple of amps in each home), I need a few amps. I have six, I probably could get by with four and if I wasn't gigging one or two would suffice.

I have the following:

Henriksen Blu
AER Compact 60
Acoustic Image Ten-2
1964 Fender Princeton
Polytone Mini-Brain (I have 4 Raezer's edge cabinets for this, but I will probably sell 2 of them)
Line 6 Mini Spider (for the one or two gigs a year where I need a battery amp. I will probably replace this with a portable power supply at some point)

[Cunamara]

Hmm. I have a 5E3 clone that I built from a kit which is my primary amp; Clarus with RE 12" and RS 8" cabs that I've had for about 10 years; Cube 60 that lived at my old band's rehearsal space (and which I have forgotten to get back yet, along with a Tele Affinity); Egnater Rebel 30 combo which I haven't used in a very long time, not quite the sound I'm looking for. And I have a Polytone Baby Taurus to be shortly on the way.

Quite frankly, since I don't actively gig for the past couple years and am not planning on ever gigging regularly if at all again, most of those amps could be the only one I have. They're all good but I have way more than I have space or use for. I plan to sell the Egnater for sure and I prefer the RE cab over the RS one so I'll probably sell that too (and maybe the Clarus and the RE cab). The 5E3 is a keeper, probably the incoming PT; the Cube is a versatile and low-risk amp for sketchy gigs and/or for leaving at rehearsal places.

[patshep]

Marshall YJM100
Marshall 1974X
Marshall Class 5

Wish I could answer your question re the Champ and Princeton, but I’m a Marshall guy, so I’ll leave that for others.

I want to hear a Marshall amp playing jazz, I never liked them in the past, but my interest is piqued about what i could do with one now.... sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone

[cosmic gumbo]

I've not sold an amp in 40 years.

Sunn Alpha 112R
1968 Fender Deluxe Reverb
Carvin SX100
Fender Super Champ XD
Fender Mustang I
Fender Champion 50XL

[patshep]

Carr Sportsman 1X12"
Deluxe Reverb Reissue (6L6 modded)
silverface Princeton NR
Gibson Goldtone GA-5 les paul jr reissue

[iim7V7IM7]

5 lb. - Acoustic Image Clarus IIR Series III (250w, solid state head) + 23 lb. Buscarino Chameleon (8” two-way speaker)
30 lb. - Evans RE 200 (100w, solid state, 1 x 10” combo)
32 lb. - Redplate RP40 (40w, 6L6 based tube, 1 x 12” blackface + tweed combo)

[Mezza]

Nice collection patshep - how does the Princeton compare to the sportsman?

I have an Evans RE200 with extension cab, Princeton RI, Carr Skylark, and Mesa Transatlantic 30W combo. The Princeton is usually my favourite, if not, the RE200 is nearly just as pleasant and my go to practice amp (with the Barb eq). The others are when I want something different and would probably sell if I needed the cash. Another way to look at it ... all my guitars sound pure and transparent on the Princeton and RE200 so using them gives me one less thing to think about.

My advice Fat Fingers - keep both if you can afford it and never think about amps again - you’ve already got the perfect canvas IMHO.

[Jim Soloway]

A DV Mark Little Jazz and a DV Mark Micro 50 Jazz head with a Buscarino Chameleon passive cab.

[medblues]

The ones I play most are (this was an exercise to see if I could think of them off the top of my head):

Fender George Benson HRDx
Henriksen Bud
Polytone MBII
Fender Super Champ X2 head into Lil Buddy cab

Less:
Yamaha THR10C (night practice, jamming on headphones etc)
VHT Special 6 head into Eminence Wizard
Yamaha THR100HD (for stereo, high gain stuff, combining clean sounds with overdrive)
Gallien Krueger MB200
Carvin BX250 (mostly for 5-string bass)
Blackheart Killer Ant

Retired for now:
Egnater Rebel 30 head
Vox DA5
Roland Micro Cube

I use them often enough that justifies keeping all of them, the retired ones I rationalize by the cash they represent and that they might be handy if I ever gig or bask (battery powered ones).

If I get anything more, it would be a Fender AA1164 or AA964 circuit amp (or build it myself) just out of curiosity.

[Longways to Go]

My amps, in order from most used to least used:

Fender Pro Junior III
Musicman Special 130HD210
Henriksen 110 ER
DV Mark Little Jazz
Polytone Minibrute
Acoustic Image Clarus
Schertler Giulia
Yamaha THR10C
Roland Microcube RX
Randall RC30

I'm probably forgetting something. Oh, and I have two amps on consignment in a local shop in an effort to downsize a bit.
It's a disease. I could easily get by with the Pro Junior and the Henriksen, but it's fun to explore different sounds. Which is why I still fantasize about the new Henriksen Blu !!!!
And the irony is that I prefer to play unplugged most of the time

[MarkRhodes]

I have three.
1) Polytone. Bought it used in 2004---I'm not sure when it was made. My favorite. But too bulky for my current circumstances. (Taking care of elderly mother at her place until she can be placed in a nursing home----hope that happens this year but it's not a sure thing.)
2) Fender Mustang. It's fine for what it is.
3) Roland Mobile Cube battery-powered amp. This is the one I keep handy. (The first two are in storage.) It's a nifty little thing. If I want to jam with a neighbor or play-along with a record, this is sufficient.

[ptuner1]

when naming your amp, include the weight.