Quiler 101 Mini Reverb vs Award Session Blues Baby?

**Mecena** · 04-22-2019, 06:04 PM

According to internet, the two best solid state amps ever made. Which one and why? Thanks.

**GNAPPI** · 04-23-2019, 09:14 AM

I'd suggest that any description of an amp including the term "BEST" without qualifiers is a rather broad brush stroke and is "best" disbelieved :-)

**sgosnell** · 04-23-2019, 10:20 AM

I hate to burst your bubble, but not everything you see on the internet is entirely reliable. Contrary to widespread belief, they can put stuff on the internet that isn't true. And they do, every day. And they did, again.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 04-23-2019, 10:45 AM

What's yer location? Award Session amps are as rare as hen's teeth in North America. I've looked at their web site and I assume they ship here, but the web site is so awful, right out of 1995, so it's hard to tell.

**cmajor9** · 04-23-2019, 04:48 PM

When the Blues Baby came out, I was excited and ordered one direct from Award Session. Despite paying up front, I never received the amp, nor any explanation of what happened. I called, emailed, and sent letters by post, but never received a reply, let alone a refund. You can search for the thread in which I posted my experience at the time.

**Jehu** · 04-23-2019, 07:29 PM

I can't speak to the Award Session, but I have a non-reverb Quilter 101 and I think it is the cat's pyjamas.

If you're into the Fender thing (which I am), it's an awesome little amp. From what I've read, most of the people who don't like it do not like the blackface Fender sound... so I guess it just depends what you're after.

**Mecena** · 04-24-2019, 10:42 AM

Well, since I'm from surgery ... I can't carry more then 11 ibs for the rest of my life. And since I wanna play guitar again, it's either make small 1 channel clean fender custom head , or buy this tiny fender solid state clones.

Quilter is like less then 5 ibs, and Award won't make problem in terms of sell me just a head (since they said like, give us options - we will see what we can do). I also have one builder expert on Fender circuits, so he could also make me 5w/1w any fender tube clone ....

So yeah ... I got contact for custom box, 1x10" open, should be under 11 ibs, now I need to think about head/amp.

But yeah, I heard for both Award and Quiler, that they are top top tier of solid state range in terms of build (not talking about sound) ... so that's why I said "best". ^^

**Mecena** · 04-24-2019, 10:49 AM

So yeah, I really really heard nice stuff about both Quilter and Award on multiple places so ... And I had fender expert guy amp before, but it was like 50W tube ... not sure if Fender 5W tube one channel would get under 11 pounds ...

Fender is nice option for me. ^^ I'm cool with it, I'm huge fan of Fender clean + Tube Screamer drive so ...

It would be cool to have box/cab under 11 pounds, and head under 11 pounds.

Btw how would you compare Quiler to real Fender? Is real tube Fender worth it?

And yeah, I'm not super huge fan of tubes so .... both options are okey for me so ...

I care about less then 11 pounds head so ..

**Mecena** · 04-24-2019, 11:07 AM

And also, amp would be for bedroom play, I don't play outside my room, so no carrying anywhere, no loud drummer and band ... just small practise playing amp for bedroom.

But it would be a lot easier to have 11 ibs head + 11 ibs cabinet, then 20 ibs combo.

So yeah, either Quiler/Award, or 5W/1W tube Fender clone.

Btw. Fender guy experts amps are very descent in terms of build quality so .....