Amp advice

PaulD70 said:
Thanks everyone. I’m not playing any professional gigs, so running through the PA is not always an option. I’m also nowhere near NY. I’m still on the fence. It will probably come down to a snap decision when the Egnater croaks.
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I run a Jet City Amelia with a Jet City JCA24S 2x12 cabinet. It's 50W and not stupidly heavy. It can do teh chugz if you set it right but it's really a more vintage-voiced amp with a decent amount of gain that's there if you want it (and can be turned down if you don't).

Bryce at Epic Amplification also can do mods on them for you or sell you the mod kits if you're handy. I've got an effects loop buffer kit on it's way and I'm finally going to install the kit for the three-button switch to make the OD channel footswitchable when I get it.
 
PaulD70 said:
Thanks everyone. I’m not playing any professional gigs, so running through the PA is not always an option. I’m also nowhere near NY. I’m still on the fence. It will probably come down to a snap decision when the Egnater croaks.
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What is the problem with your Egnater? The usual transformer woes?
 
My Egnater problems were initially poor connections between pots and the PCB. Then it went back into the shop for a new transformer. Now getting occasional crackling for no apparent reason. Valuable lesson learned about internet research prior to buying gear. Don’t just search for the item and “opinions.” There were several glowing opinions about the amp and no obvious problems. Search for “Egnater renegade problems” and you get a bunch of results. :-/ it’s a shame because it has a lot of nice features and sounds great when it works.
 
I’ve owned hot rods and a DRRI. There’s no comparison. The DRRI sounds worlds better and has PLENTY of volume and headroom.

There’s probably half a dozen on Craigslist at any moment for $700 or less.
 
BlockInlay said:
The DRRI sounds worlds better and has PLENTY of volume and headroom.
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This turns out to be accurate—at least the part about plenty of headroom. I went to Guitar Center fully intending to buy a Hot Rod Deluxe. I tried a few other amps on the floor that were comparable in price, but the HRD sounded the best to me. I said I’d take one. They brought a new one from the back and I decided to try it to make sure it was in working order. I turned it up a bit more than before. It started breaking up at 3.5 on the clean channel and it wasn’t really that loud. I asked the sales guy if that was normal for the amp. He said it was and suggested a Deluxe Reverb. I tried the 68 Custom Deluxe and 65 Deluxe Reissue. Both were cleaner/louder than the HRD, but the 65 even more so. So the 65 DRRI came home with me. I’ll see how it does with the band later this week, but I think it will be fine. So far I’m enjoying it. Thanks for all of the suggestions.
 
I would take a DRRI over a HRD every time. I played through one for about 6 years and never had a problem. Great amp. I would recommended what I use now (AC15), but it may not have the headroom you are looking for. It works fine for me, but the DRRI does have more clean headroom. I just personally like the Vox clean over the Fender clean.
 
Every amp I was going to recommend ended up being in the $1400-$1700 range like the Mesa Rectoverb 25, a Dr. Z... but I did find a Suhr Badger combo for $1150 (what @Mark Wein uses)

https://reverb.com/item/26867286-suhr-badger-30-1x12-combo

I was using a Mesa Rectoverb 50 for years, switched to (several) Orange Rockerverb 50s and loved all of them. Unfortunately my back didn't love them as much. All very heavy with very heavy cabinets to accompany them (even my Recto 1x12 cabinet is like 40 pounds)

I switched to the Mesa Recto 25 and the portability was amazing without losing any sound quality... and then I upped the ante by putting a Neo speaker in it and shaving about 10 pounds off.

So regardless of which combo you end up with ... if you like the sound of a Vintage 30 speaker, consider dropping one of these in your combo:

https://celestion.com/product/14/g12_century_vintage/
 
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Denverdave said:
I would take a DRRI over a HRD every time. I played through one for about 6 years and never had a problem. Great amp. I would recommended what I use now (AC15), but it may not have the headroom you are looking for. It works fine for me, but the DRRI does have more clean headroom. I just personally like the Vox clean over the Fender clean.
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Provided you can keep the Vox running for any length of time.
 
baimun said:
Every amp I was going to recommend ended up being in the $1400-$1700 range like the Mesa Rectoverb 25, a Dr. Z... but I did find a Suhr Badger combo for $1150 (what @Mark Wein uses)

https://reverb.com/item/26867286-suhr-badger-30-1x12-combo

I was using a Mesa Rectoverb 50 for years, switched to (several) Orange Rockerverb 50s and loved all of them. Unfortunately my back didn't love them as much. All very heavy with very heavy cabinets to accompany them (even my Recto 1x12 cabinet is like 40 pounds)

I switched to the Mesa Recto 25 and the portability was amazing without losing any sound quality... and then I upped the ante by putting a Neo speaker in it and shaving about 10 pounds off.

So regardless of which combo you end up with ... if you like the sound of a Vintage 30 speaker, consider dropping one of these in your combo:

https://celestion.com/product/14/g12_century_vintage/
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You forgot Badcat, Matchless, Carr, and Valvetrain. I’m not interested in much else amp wise these days.
 
reverend1 said:
Provided you can keep the Vox running for any length of time.
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I used it at rehearsals and gigs for over three years and never had any problems at all. Of course it's been sitting in a storage space under the stairs for two years unused now, so hopefully the streak will continue.
 
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