Trummer

I used to have a prejudice against Solid State amps, then I found this cheap in a thrift store and got it fixed up a bit, and now I have a hard time going back to my full tube amps. Whenever I do the shootout, this turns almost always out to be the most versatile and controlable option. It doesn't do the airy Fender Deluxe-clean-thing quite as well, it isn't anywhere close to the dry bite of a Marshall, but it does so many other things. So it's great for the stage and for studio situation, where you won't have time to change everything between takes. It loves pedals, for example. It has a great EQ section including the mids that I miss on the Deluxe Reverb. It may not get the warmth of a full tube amp, but it's far from harsh or cold, and the setup allows you to dial in working tones with different pedals that a lot of full-tube amps will get cranky with. It has a lot of switches and input options that actually make a difference and make it real easy to work with different guitars. I love the High / Low buttons, they're often the easy solution switching from single coils to humbuckers. I also love the reverb on it, it starts reasonably modest and goes wide. And I love it, that both channels have a pre-amp and a master section. You can get great clean tones with just the right amount of sparkle even at reasonable volumes. And: you can be real loud and still real clean. Downsides: The Distortion Channel is it's own thing that you're not gonna get from just any pedal, but you also may not look for this version of fuzzy, open-sounding drive. There is an option for an FX loop, but it's complicated (you need a Y-cable) and I've had hum problems with it, when the pedals are not running on batteries. And: It is heavy! Bring a cart, if you can. Or make sure you practice safe lifting techniques...