Solid State vs. Tubes

I still own my first and only tube amp, a first generation Bugera 333XL - one of the early ones with the infamous burning input transformer clip problem (fixed myself). I bought that amp because I could afford it and it fit what I wanted to sound like perfectly (prior to that I was looking at the Marshal TSL JCM2000 and trying to figure out how to afford $3000+ for a full stack). It is quite modded though, once the FS104B Footswitches stopped being availible new for example, I just cut the cord, wired it up with DB-9 Serial connectors (I'm a vintage computer enthusiast too XD) and use thrift shop serial cables for my footswitch! 5 pins + 4 for redundancy. Still using the stock tubes too. I use a VTM (late 80's) Peavey 4X12 with that thing most of the time and it sounds like god to my ears, very Van-Haleny yet in-yo-face with a sparkly Fender-like high end. I might be experimenting with Tubes a bit later though because just like the footswitch, those original Bugera graded tubes are not availible much anymore.

My transistor beasts are a Blackstar IDCORE 10 that I bought because it emulates the Bugera pretty well using the Crunch and 2 O.D. channels, and a Fender MiniTone Master that sounds pretty good for a little plastic box. The only thing I DON'T like about transistors is dynamics and how well the guitar's volume and tone modification controls alter the sound (the alteration is less extreme on solid state for some reason, and I don't like that because it limits my tonal options a bit more).

For exmaple, if I use the Strangle Switch on my Jaguar, the tonal change is negotiable on the Blackstar, but on that Bugera it REALLY changes things. Also the Bugera is much more dynamic.

the bugera is like one of the Peavey Satriani heads before he went back to marshall??? right???????

I mostly play vintage stuff and one boutique, mainly older AC30s, I like to push the power amp whenever possible and the ac30 is the ebst I've tried that balanced useable headroom, clarity and small-venue and studio friendly levels when clipping the output tubes... all 4 of mine do soemthing a little different when abused and Ic an't let them go

I have done marhsall superleads, 800s, studio 30s, 18 and 20 watts, fender BFs of various vintage, laneys etc... I always get back to vox... the new fawn ones are great by the way

right now I have been really into my tweed pro, selmer and traynor PA when I can get super loud.... the voxes are ebtter all arounders but the fixed bias amps have a certain soemthing and all 3 are really different. The pro is its own thing, hard to describe but its one of the ebst 2 tele amps ever for cleaner, punchier twang (tweed deluxe is king for tele grease, had those too), the selmer is like a blackface bandmaster crossed with a blonde bassman built with british parts and bitish output tubes, partway plexi but also some fender pro reverb normal channel into a 2x12 too, greateat, shining cleans on that one and a solid grunt turned up. The Traynor is like a 4 channel, 1st gen orange OR80. Right down to beign rated at 50 watts but doing a good 80 LOL, It breaks up a little at like 3, but has headroom past there and it has a deepness and murk...

I like to push speaker too and cosntantly rotate speakers i pairs or mismatched, I generally play mismatched combos in 2x12 configuration though i have a 15 in my pro obviously and I have matching speakers in 3 of my ac30s though they are all entirely different celestions... my modern ac30 has a blue and an H30 bass cone type from WGS, solid as fuck... I'v een really into fane lately and I've been rediscovering JBL, I always sued their 10s and 15s but the 12s from the D series are pretty sexy as it turns out

and I just rodered this itty bit quilter pedalboard amp and have high hopes for a jam sessions solution. I might take my non-midi pedals and make a little jam board with teh quilter, an mxr OD, one of my echoes and maybe a fuzz... build it on a little pedaltrain and I can just borrow a cab.

Ever since I've gone tube I haven't looked back...Orange Dark Terror (beautiful), Blackstar Soloist 60, and my Jet City all sound great.

I think I'd be tempted towards tubes if I actually performed, particularly with harmonica which transistors find particularly troublesome. Currently however space constraints require a one size fits all solution. which is why I've been drawn to the Peavey Vypyr VIP thing.

Ideally I'd have a dedicated harp amp. I once passed on a vintage Fender bassman in the late 1980's because I assumed it was for bass guitars, not knowing it's a holy grail for amplified harp! - who'd've thought it! - £80 the guy wanted!

Mind you the thing was 'kin huge and weighed a ton and was not remotely barrack room friendly. No doubt it found a better home.

you might wanna try a pro for harp, enver tried mine on harp not being into that type of thing, ut i ehar the 15 loves the old Hi-Z shure bullet type mics

I actually like tubes for both because, well, I like some overdrive on my bass, and nothing beats tubes on guitar sound-wise for me, and it's dynamics. Also, is it just me, or are overdriven tube amps less hum-crazy with single coils?

Yesterday I was at Guitar Center and was playing a Squier VM Jaguar and 2 different J.Mascius Jazzmasters through an Orange OR15 and a Bugera V22, and I noticed NEITHER had any real noticeable hum or "artifacts" that every solid-state amp I've played has. Same experience with my 333XL, bassist's Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier, and the ol' Mesa Stilletto I played through a lot years ago.

I like tubes for Bass (bassman head or 4X10 especially) because I like a little overdrive to my bass sound - like Bucky Ballard from Billy Squier's "Tale of the Tape" album ("Rich Kid" in particular).

The only reason I use transistors is because they come in smaller packages.

see, i find that the fender rumble overdrive circuit does a thing that isnt shittily emulating a tube. it made its own sound, which i like on a j style pickuo a lot

would you say the 70's silverface bassman heads are good for playing with pick's ive seen a few used for 500 ish and may get one when i get a new bass

the silverface bassman like the cilverfce twin, is th ost maligned post-CBS fener and fairly so. Ithinkthe bassman 50 an 100 are fabulpus bass amps/. but the regulr old basssmanand silverfce win generally sound like ass stock for guitr unless they are early drip edges or modded.

he fendetr to have in SF bigamps is the SF bandmaster reverb essentially a classic super reverb in head