Crate flexwave half stack or other suggestions?

[upnorthbacon]

I've been playing for over ten years but took the last three off with kids and work and such.  I'm getting back to playing and I'm currently using a Roland Cube 15 watt amp which actually cranks!  I'm going to be in the market for a $500 amp and I'd like to go half stack.  I'm looking for a good classic rock sound, and 80's hair bands, maybe some metal at some point too.  It will just be for jamming with friends and pissing the wife off. :laughing7:  I thought the flexwave half stack looked nice with three seperate channels and eq for each.  I like the thought of having three channels although, I don't really play a lot of "clean" music.  I was also looking at the Peavey Valve King in but it's a little more money.  I REALLY need to stick to around $500 max and I'd consider a 2x12 combo, but I like the warmth and sound of a half stack better.  I'd like a good rectifier distortion where I don't have to run extra stomp boxes and such if possible.  I actually considered the 60 watt Roland Cube but I really want to be able to switch between rythm and lead.  Any suggestions would be great, I realize tubes are probably the way to go but It seems like there are some really good digital amps out there.  When the Line 6 spiders first came out I played one of those but I didn't care for thier distortion as much as my Roland I have now.

 

[bpmorton777]

sorry , Ive never played on one of these  and it's $100 more than your budget. Might be a good first start.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Marshall-MG100HDFXMG412-Slant-Cab-Half-Stack-Package?sku=482807


Brian

 

[jimh]

See if you can pick up a 2nd hand Laney GH-50 head.  I used to have one and it was cheap(ish) and absolutely effing rocked.  One had one eq section, but had a 'clean' and ' drive' switch.  but if you set it for a heavy sound on the 'clean', and then hit the drive, bugger me did it go......
Paul Gilbert (racerX, mrBig etc - ie, 80's hair rock) uses them, and theyre great.  The only reason I got rid of mine cos I needed some thing physically smaller, so I could move it around easier ( I only had a small car)

 

[GoDrex]

everyone says those Marshall MG's suck - I've never heard one though.

 

[tfarny]

A small tube amp is less than $500 and plenty loud enough to p*** off a wife, if that's your goal! People are giving rave reviews to the little blackheart amps with bitmo mods, I'm pretty sure that'll be my next purchase. You can actually turn them up past 2 without the cops showing up.

 

[ildar]

everyone says those Marshall MG's suck - I've never heard one though.

+1. The other "guitar player"-though I use the term loosely-in my band has one. It's horrible. I'm not one of those tubes-uber alles guys, some ss amps sound great. But not that one.

 

[chuck7]

+1 to what tfarny said.  I picked up a Blackheart Little Giant 1x12 5 watt combo a short while ago, and I love it.  You can get the 5 watt 1x12 half stack for $300 or the combo for $280.  I know it may not be as loud or big as you are looking for, but it is a fantastic sounding amplifier for a heck of a good price. 

 

[upnorthbacon]

Just checked out those blackheart, they are sweet sounding  :headbang1:  Could I plug in an additional 12" blackheart cab so I'm running 2x12?

 

[jackthehack]

15 watt Blackheart head shipping later this month; got one pre-ordered for $299; you can always add additional 1x12 cabs, or they will be shipping 4x12s in regular/slant versions with 4 of the Blackheart speakers in them; should retail around $329-349

 

[upnorthbacon]

Where did you pre-order from?  If it sounds like it's little brother I'm sold!

 

[jackthehack]

Bananas.com; pre-ordered it a couple of weeks after I got the Little Giant. Should kick major ass after some tube upgrades; enough balls through 2 1x12s for most any small club.