Amp Questions

TrainWreck · 07-09-2012, 10:52 PM

So, I need an amp that is gig worthy. I was thinking of this.

musiciansfriend com/amplifiers-effects/fender-frontman-212r-fsr-limited-edition-red-100w-2x12-guitar-combo-amp (delete space)

I play a lot of blues rock. From Zeppelin to Clapton to The Black Keys. I also play some alt rock, White Stripes and the like. (The blues is still in there :P)

I really only need a clean sound. I use a big muff pi for my distortion. I don't have much money now, about $300. I could possibly go up to $400. If I were to get the above mentioned amp, I planned on changing the speakers to some better ones. But I don't know what kind I should get.

So... recap:
1.) What amp, if the one I'm thinking of is crap, do you suggest? I only need a good clean sound, overdrive etc would really just be a bonus.

2.) If I get the Fender Frontman, what speakers should I put into it later?

littleknowitall · 07-10-2012, 06:59 PM

I've had a lot of awful amps and some nice one's. Orange for me produce the best clean sound around but they're really pricey....so it was really of no benefit me mentioning it. =/
I had a 150 watt Laney amplifier once. Terrible distortion sound but the clean channel worked really nicely. Especially with my Gibson Les Paul. Out of all the amps I've owned the only nice clean sound I really ever got was through a Laney and although they don't have a great distortion sound to my mind you can always just buy a little Boss pedal or something later on if that was the route you wanted to take.

I'm pretty sure this works in under your price range. They're not a high end make. it's 65 watts which is a little small for gigs but it is a valve amp which I was once told makes a difference.

Laney LV100 65 Watt Guitar Valve Enabled Combo Amplifier

I've owned a Fender guitar amplifier before now too and I own a Fender Bass guitar and I love the make. The only thing I would say out of experience Is I spent a lot of time trying to invest in the high end makes e.g Gibson and Fender only to reflect in later years and wish instead of buying a £1500 guitar I could have bought two £500 guitars and still had £500 over to piss about with and I would probably have been happier. The audio benefit of paying that much for an instrument unless you're really at the high end of the spectrum doesn't make a worthy difference. It's more about how good you are at working with what you've got and any difference it does make most people won't appreciate anyway so...

Aim low is I guess what I'm trying to say. Go to some shops, try out as many amps as you can. Be as much of a pain in the arse as you can and really listen for a good, clear clean tone that you like and go with it. Personally I always find valve amps to be a nicer choice. I can't stand things like the line 6 transistor amps. They just sound awful.

Laney, Fender, Orange. All Good.

The amp you picked I can't really comment on without it physically being in front of me to test. But you can't really go wrong with Fender so I guess I just should have written go with it and saved us all some time.

.....Go with it!

rnrloser_IX · 07-13-2012, 12:03 AM

You didn't hop on the solid state train yet, did you? I've had a lot of experience with the frontmans in general. In my town, I think every guitarist has had the 25R and a lot have cycled through a 212. It seems your a pedal man like myself and your right in saying you want a good clean. Thats your bread and butter. From my experiences, most solid state amps sort of lack on the clean attributes, especially for a nice warm bluesy sound. Seriously, save a few more hundred or shop about and go tube. Go try every tube amp until you find what your looking for and save up for it, best investment ever. As for trying to change speakers, I don't know how much it could help the Fender 212 but it seams like, unless if you really know speakers, amps, and what your going for, will be a huge headache. Trust me, if you want a really solid clean that you can really crank for a live performance without it getting chinsy at high volume, go tube, and shop around. Don't rush into it, big mistake.

07-09-2012, 10:52 PM	#1 (permalink)
TrainWreck Groupie Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 1	Amp Questions So, I need an amp that is gig worthy. I was thinking of this. musiciansfriend com/amplifiers-effects/fender-frontman-212r-fsr-limited-edition-red-100w-2x12-guitar-combo-amp (delete space) I play a lot of blues rock. From Zeppelin to Clapton to The Black Keys. I also play some alt rock, White Stripes and the like. (The blues is still in there :P) I really only need a clean sound. I use a big muff pi for my distortion. I don't have much money now, about $300. I could possibly go up to $400. If I were to get the above mentioned amp, I planned on changing the speakers to some better ones. But I don't know what kind I should get. So... recap: 1.) What amp, if the one I'm thinking of is crap, do you suggest? I only need a good clean sound, overdrive etc would really just be a bonus. 2.) If I get the Fender Frontman, what speakers should I put into it later?

07-13-2012, 12:03 AM	#3 (permalink)
rnrloser_IX Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: North bum-feck, NH Posts: 98	You didn't hop on the solid state train yet, did you? I've had a lot of experience with the frontmans in general. In my town, I think every guitarist has had the 25R and a lot have cycled through a 212. It seems your a pedal man like myself and your right in saying you want a good clean. Thats your bread and butter. From my experiences, most solid state amps sort of lack on the clean attributes, especially for a nice warm bluesy sound. Seriously, save a few more hundred or shop about and go tube. Go try every tube amp until you find what your looking for and save up for it, best investment ever. As for trying to change speakers, I don't know how much it could help the Fender 212 but it seams like, unless if you really know speakers, amps, and what your going for, will be a huge headache. Trust me, if you want a really solid clean that you can really crank for a live performance without it getting chinsy at high volume, go tube, and shop around. Don't rush into it, big mistake. __________________ -IX

07-10-2012, 06:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
littleknowitall Pow! Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,671	I've had a lot of awful amps and some nice one's. Orange for me produce the best clean sound around but they're really pricey....so it was really of no benefit me mentioning it. =/ I had a 150 watt Laney amplifier once. Terrible distortion sound but the clean channel worked really nicely. Especially with my Gibson Les Paul. Out of all the amps I've owned the only nice clean sound I really ever got was through a Laney and although they don't have a great distortion sound to my mind you can always just buy a little Boss pedal or something later on if that was the route you wanted to take. I'm pretty sure this works in under your price range. They're not a high end make. it's 65 watts which is a little small for gigs but it is a valve amp which I was once told makes a difference. Laney LV100 65 Watt Guitar Valve Enabled Combo Amplifier I've owned a Fender guitar amplifier before now too and I own a Fender Bass guitar and I love the make. The only thing I would say out of experience Is I spent a lot of time trying to invest in the high end makes e.g Gibson and Fender only to reflect in later years and wish instead of buying a £1500 guitar I could have bought two £500 guitars and still had £500 over to piss about with and I would probably have been happier. The audio benefit of paying that much for an instrument unless you're really at the high end of the spectrum doesn't make a worthy difference. It's more about how good you are at working with what you've got and any difference it does make most people won't appreciate anyway so... Aim low is I guess what I'm trying to say. Go to some shops, try out as many amps as you can. Be as much of a pain in the arse as you can and really listen for a good, clear clean tone that you like and go with it. Personally I always find valve amps to be a nicer choice. I can't stand things like the line 6 transistor amps. They just sound awful. Laney, Fender, Orange. All Good. The amp you picked I can't really comment on without it physically being in front of me to test. But you can't really go wrong with Fender so I guess I just should have written go with it and saved us all some time. .....Go with it!