Shoegaze/Noise Rock Amps?

[ThePearDream]

Maybe a Yamaha G100 212 II? I have the smaller G50 112 II that cost me $200 USD, plus another $30ish for a new reverb tank. It's insanely loud and very clean. The parametric EQ section is really versatile for fine tuning your sound, but it also sounds good without it. I put a full size, 3 spring reverb pan in mine, which gets as splashy and surfy as I'd ever need. But it also handles pedals really well. I often have multiple dirts stacked into mod pedals for some shoegazey sounds, with no issues. I also have two baritones that get regular use through this amp, without issue.

FWIW, I don't gig or play with anybody right now.

[Tafarel]

As someone mentioned upthread, AC30s. Two of the three guitarists in our shoegaze/dreampop band use them to good effect. When the venue permits, I run a Marshall SV20 parallel with my AC30. Fecking immense.

[Dr Tony Balls]

I'm not a fan of the concept that you need a specific type of amp or guitar to play a specific type of music. Play shoegaze on a Fender Champ. Play jazz on a Diezel. Get creative.

I will say that about no one needs a 100W amp. They're only marginally louder than their 50/30 watt cousins. You'd do better to change speakers or use an extension cab if you want to be louder.

[panoramic]

musicman amps, silverface fender twins, pa100's, peavey roadmasters and stuff like that are all pretty solid. I think you could easily get there with an
early hot rod deluxe but hey that's me and I am a cheap ass.

[cestlamort]

This definitely has zero cool factor-

but an old Peavey solid state combo like a Bandit/ Special/ Etc. does this well, and potentially very inexpensively. They are loud, clean pedal platforms that seem about indestructible. I use a Special for gigging this type of music. Does the job well.

Maybe a Yamaha G100 212 II? I have the smaller G50 112 II

It's well worth checking out the older solid state amps such as Yamaha, Peavey, H|H (for those of you in the UK/EU), (original) Acoustic, etc. They may need some servicing but I've been consistently blown away by the features and functionality (and often the sound – especially if using pedals).

Weirdly, two successive guitarists in my band used the same model of Peavey Chorus 2x12. Both sounded completely different from each other but both sounded absolutely great. (And both had been using their Peavy combos for ever). There are supposedly differences between the models (oh, the "blue line is the one to get" or "the italic font has more overdrive" or some such thing, I have no idea) but they've all sounded great and are cheap (in the US at least). Peavey stuff was ubiquitous in the US... The Pixies used some small Peavey combos before getting Marshalls. Also consider running two 112 amps too. (Redundancy + two amps can do some cool stereo things, whether with stereo effects, wet/dry, clean/dirty, etc)

Often the premium pricing kicks in for amps for their special overdriven flavors / breakup / warmth / etc. but that's not a concern if you're using it as way to make your pedals really loud. (Note: this theory does not include later solid state amps / modelers such as Line 6 etc.)

All that said, a SF Fender will sound good.

[distressed]

The real poor man's twin:

[UlricvonCatalyst]

The real poor man's twin:

Depends where you live. That was more like a poor man's JC in the UK, and both were for richer men than were using (old, not vintage) H/Hs around the time the Japanese amps were new.

[panoramic]

The real poor man's twin:

these things sound so good for like $150

[OffYourFace]

Supposedly Kevin Shields used a Red Knob Twin a lot right? They sound better than they look (The Showman head version is basically the same amp if you want a head).

They're still cheap because they're the typical PCB designed amps of the era and not as easy to service when they have issues.

[unrecoverer]

Supposedly Kevin Shields used a Red Knob Twin a lot right? They sound better than they look (The Showman head version is basically the same amp if you want a head).

They're still cheap because they're the typical PCB designed amps of the era and not as easy to service when they have issues.

Found the MBV fan.

Not sure honestly, I think Kevin used EVERY amp a lot haha.

[OffYourFace]

Supposedly Kevin Shields used a Red Knob Twin a lot right? They sound better than they look (The Showman head version is basically the same amp if you want a head).

They're still cheap because they're the typical PCB designed amps of the era and not as easy to service when they have issues.

Found the MBV fan.

Not sure honestly, I think Kevin used EVERY amp a lot haha.

Only after Loveless did he start using 'everything'.
I'm probably the least fanatical MBV fan here, I was 18 when Loveless came out (in the USA) so I'm a bit sick of it and just have lots of useless knowledge in my head still. The red knob twin was only recently talked about by KS. It was his live amp pre-loveless and he started off the loveless sessions with it, something like that. Someone else here knows better I'm sure.

[sessylU]

I'm not a fan of the concept that you need a specific type of amp or guitar to play a specific type of music. Play shoegaze on a Fender Champ. Play jazz on a Diezel. Get creative.

I broadly agree with this, but I would say that some things are better suited to certain genres. I've never been able to coax the darker, foggy sounds I want out of Vox or Fender-style amp. Maybe it's doable but it always felt like an uphill struggle to me.

I don't really think of there being a specific shoegaze/noise style amp though. I'd have thought everything is pedals, then use as many amps as you can get your hands on.

I love seeing gear out of its usual context though. The "jazz in a Diezel" suggestion reminds me of when Hughes and Kettner were going after the nu metal crowd and apparently their Warp 7 ended up being a secret weapon of jazz players who loved the bassy clean sound from it.

[Dr Tony Balls]

I'm not a fan of the concept that you need a specific type of amp or guitar to play a specific type of music. Play shoegaze on a Fender Champ. Play jazz on a Diezel. Get creative.

I broadly agree with this, but I would say that some things are better suited to certain genres. I've never been able to coax the darker, foggy sounds I want out of Vox or Fender-style amp. Maybe it's doable but it always felt like an uphill struggle to me.

Right right but thats tone's. Amps generate tones they dont generate genres.

Now i'm off to start my bright, E-standard doom metal band...

[Unicorn Warrior]

Any amp will work. Any big well built solid state. A JC-120 is a prime candidate for this and has been used extensively for this application by a lot of famous artists for a reason. That said, stay away from the newer ones. They don’t have the magic of the old ones. Also, just make sure it has a clean bill of health. Amps are a headache if you don’t know anyone to work on them.

I’ll also second an AC 30/15. Twins will obviously work. Don’t forget the tone master twin and super reverbs. Big power, watt variable, great sound..insanely light weight.

[cestlamort]

One thing in the SF Fenders' favor is that they will run forever, maintenance is relatively minimal, repairs are simple (barring catastrophe) and pretty cheap (if you have a good tech or are willing to learn. The former is true for me). Things got a bit more complicated when they went to circuit boards in the red knob era. With an old Fender, you may pay more upfront but that is also an investment that pays off in future savings (and appreciation).

Personally, for the noisy stuff, I'd find something cheap (peavy, Yamaha, Roland, HH, etc) and reliable and spend the extra money on pedals/guitars or (better yet) save it for trying out some other amp later after your tastes shift.