Trying to find just the right combo for under $2k

[dNA]

So I went to NYC for the weekend and among other things I went to play some music with a friend of mine at his rehearsal space. I like his bass, so I just brought along one guitar just in case. It was my ibanez Artist, which I recently rewired after something was wrong and made it unplayable for a couple months. I've been fairly happy with the sounds I've been getting on my amp at home, but when I plugged that guitar into the Fender Twin Reverb reissue, I was blown away. The cleans sounded so perfect.
I realized that I've been spending so much time and energy on guitars and tweaking them, but if i keep running through an amp that's not doing them justice, I'm just spinning my wheels. So I'm looking into getting a new amp as soon as I can, and I wanted to get some recommendations.

Getting a beautiful crystalline clean sound like a Fender is really important, but I don't think Fender's gain sounds are going to cut it for me. I don't play metal, but I do like to get some modern sounding heavy gain sounds (on my Nomad, I keep both gain channels switched to "vintage"). I'm into a lot of modern indie, alternative, and experimental music. I use vintage output pickups on all my guitars too.

So i'm wondering what combos I might consider for under 2 grand (that seems like a reasonable price range.) I don't need anything bigger than a 2x12 combo. Looking for rehearsal/gig volume capabilities.
The only amps i know much about are Mesas - the Mark series are supposed to have great (maybe not amazing?) cleans and an unbeatable lead tone. Lonestars are supposed to sound as good as a fender does clean, but I don't know how they sound in terms of distortion. I know Orange amps sound great distorted, but I don't think i've seen any that were two channel and I don't know how I'd do w/ a one channel amp. I'm more inclined to take something with the best cleans and resort to pedals for distorted sound than vice versa. Anyway, anything I would think of is a shot in the dark and that's why I turn to you guys.

I can get to a GC or a Sam Ash, though I don't know of any independent guitar shops in driving range that carry other stuff. I have to check out the new music section in the Best Buy I've heard so much about. Any info or direction would be great! Thanks guys

 

[pabloman]

Fender Supersonic or their vintage modern stuff. It might surprise people to hear this but Marshall really aren't bad.

 

[toronado]

I have an Orange AD30HTC Head. This baby has two channels. You can get a wide range of sounds from it (clean to moderate distortion). but don't expect new metal/death/black etc sounds from it. Its a great amp.
Orange also has a 2x12" Combo, its called Orange AD30TC. But the price tag might be a little high in the USA (I found prices in the range of ~ $2,250). (I'm in Europe...)

Regarding clean sounds: I think the key to great clean sound is a good amount of reverb, IMO. The Orange has no built in reverb (unlike most Fender combos), but there are plenty of nice sounding foot pedals.

<--Check out the myspace page in my profile, you can hear the Orange in the first and 3rd song.... (Kussnacht, No surrender) from our upcoming CD. Just in case  :icon_smile:

 

[dNA]

Regarding clean sounds: I think the key to great clean sound is a good amount of reverb, IMO. The Orange has no built in reverb (unlike most Fender combos), but there are plenty of nice sounding foot pedals.

no built in reverb??? That sounds like a nightmare! :sad: I'd rather go with a spring reverb tank than use a pedal. i'm in love with that spring sound and it would also mean one more thing in my signal chain if I used a pedal.
btw, interesting music and ecclectic influences Toronado. band sounds really nice. I really love the distorted tones i've heard from Orange amps, but I haven't heard any clean sounds from them that I loved - what I've heard is usually a cleaned up gain sound (like volume rolled back). Do you have any clips of how that amp sounds clean?

 

[toronado]

btw, interesting music and ecclectic influences Toronado. band sounds really nice. Do you have any clips of how that amp sounds clean?

Thanks!  
I'm afraid we used a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe for the clean sounds, so I don't have an actual example here. But if you're really interested, I could record something in the rehersal room.
But I would also have a look at Mesa Boogie, the Lone Star Special 30Watt combo sounds really good to me. Has even spring reverb. Unfortunately, Mesa Boogie amps are really expensive here (That one would be 3300$ here in Germany, insane  :dontknow. Thats almost double the price in the USA.

 

[kboman]

I'd consider just getting a really good ad reasonably priced clean tone amp from Ceriatone and relying on various pedals for dirt (this also works great for other effects, for instance reverb).

The fuzz-pedal-into-squeaky-clean-Hiwatt method has worked pretty well for a couple of guitarists with shades of red in their band names...

 

[dNA]

Thanks!  
I'm afraid we used a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe for the clean sounds, so I don't have an actual example here. But if you're really interested, I could record something in the rehersal room.
But I would also have a look at Mesa Boogie, the Lone Star Special 30Watt combo sounds really good to me. Has even spring reverb. Unfortunately, Mesa Boogie amps are really expensive here (That one would be 3300$ here in Germany, insane  :dontknow. Thats almost double the price in the USA.

seems like a lot of artists that i'm into run a two-amp setup. It would be ideal, but it's just not practical for me, so i guess finding an all-in-one amp is a bit of a compromise.
The Mesa sounds like it'd be a good choice, though they seem to start around $1800, so I'd probably look for one used. There's one 2x12 going for a great price right now. i'm so tempted to spend money recklessly when i have it... gah

I'd consider just getting a really good ad reasonably priced clean tone amp from Ceriatone and relying on various pedals for dirt (this also works great for other effects, for instance reverb).

The fuzz-pedal-into-squeaky-clean-Hiwatt method has worked pretty well for a couple of guitarists with shades of red in their band names...

that's probably the better option, huh? I've been so spoiled by the 2nd channel on my Nomad. It really is exactly what I want. I just find the 1st (clean) channel to be sterile and kinda harsh. there's no inherent warmth - if i roll out the lows for my humbucker'd guitars, it just doesn't come close to what that Twin was doing for me yesterday. And i have a 3rd channel that I don't use for anything because it's too scooped for my liking.
maybe i'll just find another amp that gets me just the cleans I want and run an A/B setup?

 

[TBurst Std]

When I was analog, it was a Fender, a Vox and a Marshall. Even with my basic 104 gigs/year at church, I need at least that. Now its just simply an AXE-FX.

 

[Volitions Advocate]

You might try looking into Rivera.  I've said it a bunch of times so i probably sound like a broken record.  Before starting his own company Paul Rivera used to  work at fender and he made many of the Blackface amps that bear Fender's name.  I love the clean tone on my knucklehead and I would recommend Rivera anytime.  They've got a ton of different types of combos now that range from smaller versions of their big 100 watt heads, to small amps of their own right, and all sound amazing, with that Fender clean tone, as well as dirty preamps that Fender can't quite match.  And all their amps are tube.  Attach a power attenuator and you've got yourself a monster for any occasion.  Not that you'd really need one in a combo for gigging.

Just my thoughts.  You should research them a little bit.  Or hell.  call them,  I think Paul Jr. would love to answer any questions you've got.

www.rivera.com

...  at this rate I should just work for them or something.

 

[dNA]

seemed like Rivera had some highly rated stuff, though they're totally unfamiliar to me. I think i've seen a few of them in GC before, though I guess because they were a "no-name" to me, I thought they were probably cheapo at the time. haha. guess i was wrong.
it seems like to really get an amp that'll do everything I want really is in the 2k + range new. i had no f'in clue. But the clips I'm hearing of this Rivera Fandango right now are pretty beautiful

 

[Kostas]

Mark V is the most versatile amp I know. Lonestar Classic is also a great amp. Keep in mind Mesa combos are heavy, if you have a cab or you can buy one a head is (always) a "better" choice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMvGwF0xlhA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz3h5jOb6dw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUwtCExJ_Lc

Bogner Goldfinger is a good option but I don't know how much it costs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io_mSdy5Ooc

A less expensive option is a Blackface Fender with a Suhr Riot pedal.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

You might try looking into Rivera.  I've said it a bunch of times so i probably sound like a broken record.  Before starting his own company Paul Rivera used to  work at fender and he made many of the Blackface amps that bear Fender's name.  I love the clean tone on my knucklehead and I would recommend Rivera anytime.  They've got a ton of different types of combos now that range from smaller versions of their big 100 watt heads, to small amps of their own right, and all sound amazing, with that Fender clean tone, as well as dirty preamps that Fender can't quite match.  And all their amps are tube.  Attach a power attenuator and you've got yourself a monster for any occasion.  Not that you'd really need one in a combo for gigging.

Just my thoughts.  You should research them a little bit.  Or hell.  call them,  I think Paul Jr. would love to answer any questions you've got.

www.rivera.com

...  at this rate I should just work for them or something.

This ^^^

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rivera-Knucklehead-Tre-Tube-Head-120-Watt-Amp-/360278917685?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e24c0235

$1395 Buy It Now!! Better hurry, that's a GREAT price.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

http://cgi.ebay.com/USED-Rivera-Knucklehead-Reverb-Guitar-Amplifier-Head-NM-/330449183684?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf04e63c4

Starting bid $900

3 channel Knucklehead Reverb

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Combo version

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rivera-Knucklehead-K-TRE-55W-2x12-Combo-Amp-/300437768498?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f37c8932

$1600 Buy It Now!!

 

[dNA]

haha. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but i'm not keen on dropping $1600 on anything I haven't tried yet.
I'll be going to a shop that has a few mesa and orange combos in stock about an hour from here as soon as I get the chance. I have to sell my current amp. and other junk... and stop spending money until i do it. urghhh..

 

[Death by Uberschall]

haha. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but i'm not keen on dropping $1600 on anything I haven't tried yet.
I'll be going to a shop that has a few mesa and orange combos in stock about an hour from here as soon as I get the chance. I have to sell my current amp. and other junk... and stop spending money until i do it. urghhh..

All I go to say is  :doh:

 

[dNA]

All I go to say is  :doh:

yeah. I got home yesterday, after ordering that neck and saw all the pages I had left on my browser about amp research and i had a  :doh: moment.
I have to chop up my credit card


... or get the limit increased

 

[Death by Uberschall]

All I go to say is  :doh:

yeah. I got home yesterday, after ordering that neck and saw all the pages I had left on my browser about amp research and i had a  :doh: moment.
I have to chop up my credit card


... or get the limit increased

Call it your own little "stimulus plan"  :laughing7:

 

[Volitions Advocate]

3 channel Knucklehead Reverb

!!!!!!!!!! I paid 2700$ for mine!  not fair.

NOTE: I don't like the sound of the K-Tre through the swamp thang's .. I tried it out once and didn't give any where near the sound that the Vintage 30s did.

 

[Phrygian]

Speaking of Rivera, don't discount the early 80's II series Fender amps.  They are all hand wired amps (easier and cheaper to repair), and they'll last a life time!  The two (II) series features (i.e., the lead channel, mid boost) are nothing special, and they don't added up to anything useful really.  However, since they are hand-wired and not as collectible as the Silverface series amps, they make for a good value... And, they still retain that great Blackface clean tone!  See if you can find a Twin Reverb II (combo) or Concert II (head) that you can try out!