One amp to rule them all.

[Pepe Silvia]

I have been debating replacing my 69 Bandmaster Reverb with something a bit more manageable for at home playing and with two channels. The clean sound on my amp is amazing but it is binary at low volumes, it's either off or loud enough for everyone to hear.

I was looking at an Orange Rockerverb 50 combo,especially the old 1x12 but we do live in the golden age of amps and I don't know what else is out there.

Requirements:
Not made in China
No el84s
Good clean, Weezer blue album level of gain, preferably 2 channels.
Built in, good, reverb
Quiet enough for use at home, loud enough to keep up with drums or play in a small room
~$1300

[Arthon]

I have been debating replacing my 69 Bandmaster Reverb with something a bit more manageable for at home playing and with two channels. The clean sound on my amp is amazing but it is binary at low volumes, it's either off or loud enough for everyone to hear.

I was looking at an Orange Rockerverb 50 combo,especially the old 1x12 but we do live in the golden age of amps and I don't know what else is out there.

Requirements:
Not made in China
No el84s
Good clean, Weezer blue album level of gain, preferably 2 channels.
Built in, good, reverb
Quiet enough for use at home, loud enough to keep up with drums or play in a small room
~$1300

A Princeton Reverb with a good drive pedal...

[marqueemoon]

Fender Super-Sonic?

No idea where it's made though.

IMO the Blue Album distortion sounds are almost cartoonish. They're neat, but heavily layered. I'd rather have a pedal for the really over the top stuff.

[panoramic]

why not get some attenuator and call it a day?

[Pepe Silvia]

why not get some attenuator and call it a day?

Won't the attenuator just let me turn the amp up without increasing the volume of the amp? Problem is that this amp is too loud even at its lowest volume.

[Arthon]

There is surely a Mesa Boogie that fit the bill. They are expansive new, but dont keep their value well, so they are not that expansive used.

[sears]

I would start a pedalboard. You have one of the best amps, ever, right now. I have a 1970 Bassman that's just killer with any sort of pedal in front of it. Turbo Rat, TS808-derived overdrive..

[Pepe Silvia]

I would start a pedalboard. You have one of the best amps, ever, right now. I have a 1970 Bassman that's just killer with any sort of pedal in front of it. Turbo Rat, TS808-derived overdrive..

The amp sounds amazing, I wanted to get a second amp but I'm a bed room guitarist in a cramped row house. I need something smaller, quieter, make room for a small bass amp as well.

I have a pedal boatd. SHO, Overdrive, Rat, Fuzz... plus fun pedals like a Moog Murf, it all takes up riom. I would love a smaller amp. Keep the sho and fuzz, then just have fun pedals instead if dirt boxes.

If I played out I would keep this amp. I've held onto it for 6 years in hopes of playing out, it's just not going to happen.

[Pepe Silvia]

There is surely a Mesa Boogie that fit the bill. They are expansive new, but dont keep their value well, so they are not that expansive used.

Considering an old Son of Boogie but I can't find clips of anyone playing anything interesting. It does the boring rock sound well, but can it get the crunch like some MkIs could?

[shoule79]

Mesa 5:50. 2 channels, 4 voices, switchable between 5 and 50 Watts. 6L6’s. High gain channel does the blue album tone all day long. Overall, it covers a lot of tonal ground. Nice Reverb, but doesn’t sound like a Fender per se. They are generally cheap used.

It doesn’t have me rushing to sell my PR, but I could survive with it as my only amp. I kept it over my 76 Vibrolux Reverb.

[Pepe Silvia]

Mesa 5:50. 2 channels, 4 voices, switchable between 5 and 50 Watts. 6L6’s. High gain channel does the blue album tone all day long. Overall, it covers a lot of tonal ground. Nice Reverb, but doesn’t sound like a Fender per se. They are generally cheap used.

It doesn’t have me rushing to sell my PR, but I could survive with it as my only amp. I kept it over my 76 Vibrolux Reverb.

This might be a winner. Thanks for the tip. There are so many Mesa Boogies and I don't understand what is what.

[s_mcsleazy]

line 6 spider?

nah, in all seriousness, i liked the fender supersonic amp when i tried it. i think if you kept your eyes open you'd find a used combo and put the rest towards some pedals.

[FightingPlankton]

If I had that kind of budget I'd go after a Rivera amp. Possibly the clubster. Super clean cleans, gritty dirt channel, reverb...and effects loop. I would personally prefer the 55w fandango 2x12 but that's probably overkill for your needs. Seriously tho, check out Rivera stuff.

[StevenO]

Have you considered a Mesa Subway Rocket?

[Pepe Silvia]

Have you considered a Mesa Subway Rocket?

I'm going to look it up, so many Mesa Boogies, so many demo videos of people wanking generic licks, I'm sure they have an amp that fits me though