A Good Tube Amp for Fusion?

**spriggster** · 03-22-2014, 09:54 PM

Hi all,

I'm looking for a good tube amp with a strong clean sound. I'm going for a Jeff Beck/Scott Henderson/Ben Monder style amp. I play on both a Fender Stratocaster and a Les Paul.

I'd like it to have a great clean sound that handles pedals rather well. I don't use many pedals (Boss RC-3, Arion Chorus, Vibe Machine, Rocket Pedals Blue Note OD, and custom Wah), but I use my OD pedal for a bit of a bass boost and a smidge of gain.

My budget is currently $1500, and at the moment I won't be able to go much higher than that, so I'm looking around there or lower.

**fumblefingers** · 03-22-2014, 10:10 PM

Mesa Boogie Lone Star?

Fender Twin?

**jads57** · 03-22-2014, 10:19 PM

If you're looking for a tube amp Mesa Boogie is a great way to go especially used. Many great amps in their line up including the Lone Star, Electra Dyne, Royal Atlantic and Mark V for new choices. Used there's many more as well also like Nomads, F series, Mark 1-4, even Class A Maverick, Blue Angel. For Solid State I'd highly recommend the Quilter Aviator 1x12" combo especially w/ pedals. Light,loud, and great clean platform for pedals. There are many more as well but yoou'd be hard pressed to find anything better than those amps. Best of luck!

**marcwhy** · 03-22-2014, 10:53 PM

Jack Anderson amps or
Frenzel Amps.

**DRS** · 03-23-2014, 01:34 AM

New or used Mesa Boogie Express 5:50 Plus
Used Mesa Boogie Mark IV or Mark IIC

**michael_ge** · 03-25-2014, 04:21 AM

I play mostly jazz fusion experimental and work solely through a software stereo amp modelling setup. If you are starting out on getting guitar gear, or upgrading to some modern maximum sound the choice is vast. Tube amps have their positives and negatives, they are very expensive, valves can be 'fragile', etc. S-Gear has tube amp modelling and has tube like dynamics response to guitar playing input - with stereo in a stand alone app that does not need a DAW to function.

I use a MOTU audio interface, Mac OSX, Logic Pro X, then two 250 watt active PA boxes that are bi-amped. A few pedals - volume, Wah, looper and a few signal splitters A/B. I have two ribbon mic's that I then record from the speakers outputs, I also mic' my acoustic guitars through the amp modelling setup.

Mike Stern's gear is stereo - two combo's.

If you go the combo amp direction consider the Roland GA-212, with a fully variable tube amp sim, 4 channels, stereo line inputs, 2 chan effects loops.

Good luck.

S-Gear software amp link - & some info quotes below -

S-Gear

"S-Gear is a collection of guitar amps, speaker cabinets and effects implemented in software for use with your computer, Windows PC or MAC. The software comes as a Standalone Application and as plug-ins for use with the most popular DAW (digital audio workstation) recording software."

"The sound of a boutique tube amp, turned up loud!The really special thing about S-Gear is the amazing high quality of guitar amp tones achieved simply by plugging your guitar into a computer via an audio interface. S-Gear gives you a professional guitar sound without the expense and hassle. We are talking about the sound of a high quality tube amp, turned up loud, and mic'd up professionally in a suitable acoustic space. S-Gear's four boutique designed amps, coupled with accurate convolution based speaker cabinet emulation, provide a massive range of guitar tones."

**jzucker** · 03-25-2014, 10:51 AM

some type of dumble clone would be the absolute best IMO. There's a used redplate in the emporium that's a great amp

**DRS** · 03-25-2014, 01:29 PM

Or

A Zendrive or Jetter GSR in front of a 6L6 tube amp like a Hot Rod Deluxe for the D*mble sound, or for more of a Boogie Mark sound, a Mesa Boogie Flux Drive in front of a Hot Rod Deluxe.

Of course, Al DiMeola played a Les Paul Custom into a metal panel Marshall, no?

**jzucker** · 03-25-2014, 01:42 PM

dimeola always had a horrible lead sound IMO.

**vejesse** · 03-25-2014, 01:57 PM

For a tube amp have you checked out the Fender Supersonic 22? I've been able to dial in a sound just on the verge of breakup (I'm thinking Frank Gambale on that Mike Varney Centrifugal Funk record) all the way to a pretty high gain, almost metal type of lead sound. The clean side is very good. I know the Mesa purists will cringe at this recommendation but I think it sounds great and you don't have to mess with a lot of knobs and switches. Pretty light in weight as well.

Actually I've played through all of the Supersonic combo amps. I think that I like the 22 better than the remodeled 60, and the twin was best of all. Great amp - the Supersonic Twin will do just about anything but it's a handful.

**woyvel** · 03-27-2014, 06:49 AM

Okay, you may think this is just an ad for ZT, but consider a pair of Lunchboxes (to get a stereo sound, and it's still affordable) and a ZT Extortion with an expression pedal. Seriously! And it's a back saving alternative to any tube amps.

**jzucker** · 03-27-2014, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by woyvel

Okay, you may think this is just an ad for ZT, but consider a pair of Lunchboxes (to get a stereo sound, and it's still affordable) and a ZT Extortion with an expression pedal. Seriously! And it's a back saving alternative to any tube amps.

To me, the ZT amps sound horrible. I played through my dad's acoustic version last week for 5 days and it was small and light and that's about the extent of my feelings for it.
You'd be much better off with a peavey bandit IMO...

**Klatu** · 03-27-2014, 02:58 PM

I like his sound in that clip.

**Klatu** · 03-27-2014, 03:05 PM

I agree that the Vibrolux would sound better, but I try not to let the perfect become the enemy of the good.

**mr. beaumont** · 03-27-2014, 03:12 PM

That amp in the Johnson clip is ported...not a ZT...maybe a mambo?

I like his tone too. Killer playing.

**jzucker** · 03-27-2014, 03:16 PM

oops, you're right jeff. It appears to be a mambo. My bad. Mine sounds better than that but maybe it's the bigger cab I'm using.

**mr. beaumont** · 03-27-2014, 03:17 PM

Could be...I never regard any YouTube clip as an accurate representation of what it sounded like there in the room.

**Franz 1997** · 03-27-2014, 03:28 PM

It could be either a mambo or a ZT club - Trefor Owen, who provides the amps at this event, has both amps and there will have been a few amps on that stage for duos/ trios.

Anyway, can't tell much from the recording IMO, though I agree the sound isn't the best

**woyvel** · 03-28-2014, 06:52 AM

I missed the part at the opening post about desiring a tube amp, and jumped right to the artist sounds reference. I didn't see a Chubster or Clubster listed, but a Rivera would be worth a try. As for the ZT's, the Club would be similar to an LB. The sound and aesthetic you get from a 12" speaker vs a 6" is the only difference. These two can't be compared to an acoustic LB, which is a different animal, made for acoustic instruments.

**jzucker** · 03-28-2014, 07:05 AM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Could be...I never regard any YouTube clip as an accurate representation of what it sounded like there in the room.

don't agree. It was a decent quality recording for what it was. Certainly not audiophile quality but you can hear what everything sounds like and it's all relative.

**Klatu** · 03-28-2014, 09:33 AM

Since the topic of this thread was originally an amp specifically for fusion, I'd like to make the point that the evolution of distortion pedals has allowed many amps that wouldn't have been adequate for fusion sound perfectly acceptable (sometimes excellent).

In my opinion, a high watt Fender wouldn't be the right solution for a fusion situation by itself, but when paired with a Dumble or Marshall style distortion pedal becomes an excellent fusion amp. The reason I haven't invested in a high end "fusion" distortion amp is that I figure that I can always distort a clean amp, but I can't clean up a distorted one.

**GuyBoden** · 03-28-2014, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by Franz 1997

It could be either a mambo or a ZT club - Trefor Owen, who provides the amps at this event, has both amps and there will have been a few amps on that stage for duos/ trios.

Anyway, can't tell much from the recording IMO, though I agree the sound isn't the best

That's Trefor's smaller Mambo amp in the video, Trefor has at least two Mambo amps I've played through at his Guitar Club.

**jzucker** · 03-28-2014, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by Klatu

Since the topic of this thread was originally an amp specifically for fusion, I'd like to make the point that the evolution of distortion pedals has allowed many amps that wouldn't have been adequate for fusion sound perfectly acceptable (sometimes excellent).

In my opinion, a high watt Fender wouldn't be the right solution for a fusion situation by itself, but when paired with a Dumble or Marshall style distortion pedal becomes an excellent fusion amp. The reason I haven't invested in a high end "fusion" distortion amp is that I figure that I can always distort a clean amp, but I can't clean up a distorted one.

yes but most (jazz) SS amps are too dark and muddy to get a good fusion tone. The quilter and peavey bandit sound great for overdrive but most of the jazzy SS amps I've tried do not.