Amp of choice

Paul Vassallo · Post by **Paul Vassallo** » 12 Sep 2023 5:40 am

Just moved here to Nashville, I have vintage amps Session 500 and a Nashville 400 both have their issues. I’m looking for a new amp. I know that everyone has their own taste of what they like, if there was a poll taken, what amp would stand out. Let’s take weight into consideration because of the old gray mare thing.
Thanks people in advance.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 12 Sep 2023 7:33 am

What's your budget? How loud do you need to be?

Chris Harwood · Post by **Chris Harwood** » 12 Sep 2023 8:02 am

Fender Tonemaster or a good working original.
Flip side...Kemper or Line6 Helix.

Anything else is just another hat in the ring.

Rod Robichaud · Post by **Rod Robichaud** » 12 Sep 2023 12:49 pm

Evans AH 200 Head , only 5 lbs. I use it with a 15" JBL Cabinet. Love the tone and the weight.
Best of luck with your choice!
Rod

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 12 Sep 2023 5:25 pm

My advice would be to sell the "boat-anchor" 500, repair the 400 and then put in a Neo speaker, which would knock off about 10 pounds of weight. Then, if you felt the need, you could get a 2nd (small) amp for practice and smaller gigs.

Total $ outlay for all that would be well under a grand.

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 12 Sep 2023 5:33 pm

Amps are like lap steels. You can't have just one.

Paul Vassallo · Post by **Paul Vassallo** » 13 Sep 2023 3:57 am

Thank you! My budget 1,000-1,500. Would like something new. The hard part about this is not knowing, but we have this great forum, thanks to Bobby R.I.P.
Thanks again

Brooks Montgomery · Post by **Brooks Montgomery** » 13 Sep 2023 7:37 am

Jack Hanson wrote:Amps are like lap steels. You can't have just one.

Absolutely.

I’ve got a somewhat odd collection of amps for guitar, harp, lap, and pedal steel, and I’m sure my collection is tiny compared to many here:
65 Blackface Princeton (tone monster)
Fender Musicmaster Bass 12-watt amp (badass little guitar and harp amp)
Quilter Toneblock 201 w/ 15” speaker (very portable).
70’s Gibson Twin SS amp (weird old clean heavy amp w/ tank reverb)
Pignose 40 watt
Fishman Loudbox mini (fantastic little coffee house acoustic amp w/ mic xlr channel)
Fender Hotrod Deluxe (meh)
DeArmond little old antique tube amp (screams like a dinosaur for harp)
Fender Twin Reverb Tonemaster. (Attenuator switch shape-shifter)

If I was told I could only keep one (picture a wife, hair in curlers, in bathrobe, cigarette in lips, holding a rolling pin in a threatening manner, pointing at all my amps) I would pick the Fender Twin Tonemaster. It is amazingly versatile because of being able to choose from 1 watt to 85 watts).
And 37 lbs.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 13 Sep 2023 8:02 am

Fender Tonemaster Twin or something like this with a Tone Block in it:

https://www.gregcutshaw.com/Quilter%20L ... 20Amp.html

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 13 Sep 2023 11:13 am

My budget 1,000-1,500. Would like something new.

These would be at the top of your budget range.

Quilter TT-12, 200W 27 lbs.

Quilter TT-15, 200W 38 lbs

Jonathan Cullifer · Post by **Jonathan Cullifer** » 13 Sep 2023 11:42 am

I've been in Nashville for 17 years and played the vast majority of my gigs through a Nashville 112. The only time I want for more power is on club gigs with no sound system (somewhat rare) or outdoors (also somewhat rare). I normally run a Little Walter these days.

I see a a fair number of Boss Katanas floating around town too.

To echo Donny, I'd sell the Session 500 (too heavy), fix the NV400 and use it for the gigs where you need some power, and get a Nashville 112, Quilter, Boss Katana, or something else lightweight to daily drive, especially if you are playing in town where parking might be less than optimal.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 13 Sep 2023 1:48 pm

Nobody really needs more than one amp. I started playing in 1963, and only owned one amp for 19 years! Played 5 nights a week in a club, and even toured for about 9 months; one amp, one guitar, one volume pedal. I bought a second amp in 1982, and have (rather stupidly) bought another dozen or so since then.

What you want and what you need are opposite ends of the spectrum. $:\$

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 15 Sep 2023 10:47 am

I think it depends on what you are doing. If you are playing on lower Broadway, where you may not be parking or unloading close to the door....I would go for something that is portable and has the necessary headroom - Quilter Tone Block or Kemper. These gigs typically require you to travel light.
If you are playing out at a club where you are parking reasonably close to the load in door, then a NV112, NV400, Fender Tube Amp of your choice. A Neo speaker will also shave some weight off.

Paul Awalt · Post by **Paul Awalt** » 15 Sep 2023 5:31 pm

Jonathan Reynolds has a Telonics Amp listed here located in Nashville.