I've been flirting with the idea of getting a small combo for a couple of years now. I've been heavily into digital modeling since about 2002, and while i love the versatility i get with my GT-6, i found myself wanting something simpler, punchier, more organic and tubey.
For a while, i was running my GT-6 into a Peavey Classic 50/50 and Genz Benz G-Flex cab. It sounded great, and i fell in love with the sound of an EL-84 power section. But hauling a big 2x12 and a heavy rack to every show was getting a little tiresome. A couple of years ago, i started looking at downsizing my rig.
I shopped around, seeing what was out there. I looked at the Peavey ValveKing and Classic 30, tried a Koch Studiotone and rented a Nomad 50, but my search ended when i tried the F-30. It did everything i wanted it to. Gorgeous cleans that could be pushed into a warm, bubbly drive, and a drive channel that went from nice grit into full-on metal "chug" when pushed a bit harder and with Contour mode kicked in. I tried the F-50, but like the Nomad 50, i found its cleans and crunch sounds to be great, but it didn't have that percussive low-end rhythm "chunk" i was looking for, which i found in the F-30.
But at the time, i couldn't give up my addiction to the tones and effects of my modeling setup, so i opted to downsize to a lighter amp and a single Thiele 1x12 cab. But the F-30 lust never subsided. In fact, it probably even grew over time, as the F-series was discontinued and the Express series failed to live up to my expectations.
My band is currently recording, and we've been thinking about renting some cool amps to use when we start tracking guitars. I've been looking at the Orange Tiny Terror and the new Egnater Rebel 20... but then it occurred to me that for about the same price as either of those, i could probably find a used F-30, probably a head, since i already had a killer cab.
So i set up a search on eBay, knowing that F-30 heads are relatively uncommon, and that i'd probably not find one for a few weeks or months.
Then one shows up within days.
Starting bid of $550, super-clean condition, fully retubed with JJs, with a cover and the footswitch. I watched it like a hawk, the seller was willing to ship to Canada, so i watched and waited. Surprisingly, there was little or no action. I put in a "snipe" bid for just over $600, hoping i'd snatch it up. And NOBODY bid on it. I got it for $550 plus shipping! WOOHOO!
It arrived this week, and it's everything i remembered and loved about the F-30 combo i tried a few years ago, and even more with it going through the closed-back Thiele cab. This little head LOVES that cab.
I took it to my rehearsal space last night and played the whole evening with nothing but guitar --> ISP Decimator --> amp and was in tonal heaven. I couldn't believe how huge this amp sounds. The low end is just incredible, yet not overwhelming. I got the best palm-muted "chug" sounds even on the clean channel... there's just so much depth and warmth, yet a great percussive attack and incredible note definition.
I found myself continually turning down the gain on Channel 2, and the amp kept sounding bigger and heavier. The sweet spot is definitely between 8:00 and 10:00, though i'm finding i'm using the lower end of that scale more.
The whole evening, me and my bandmates just kept looking at it and shaking our heads in awe at the amazing tones that were coming out of it.
I love this amp. I don't think i'll ever part with it. I can't wait to record it, and i'm definitely looking at picking up a second Thiele cab to use live in a little mini-stack config.
I forgot to snap some pics before leaving the studio last night, but here's the head. It's absolutely immaculate.
I've been getting a little bit of a crackle, which seems to be related to the power tubes... either a bad tube or wonky socket. Re-seating the tubes seems to remedy it, but i think i'm going to pick up a spare set of JJ EL-84s and see if that's a more permanent fix. If not, it's probably just a cold solder joint on one of the sockets.
Next up, i'm trying to find a push-pull 25k linear-taper pot to convert the effects loop to switchable series/parallel.
I LOVE THIS AMP!
For a while, i was running my GT-6 into a Peavey Classic 50/50 and Genz Benz G-Flex cab. It sounded great, and i fell in love with the sound of an EL-84 power section. But hauling a big 2x12 and a heavy rack to every show was getting a little tiresome. A couple of years ago, i started looking at downsizing my rig.
I shopped around, seeing what was out there. I looked at the Peavey ValveKing and Classic 30, tried a Koch Studiotone and rented a Nomad 50, but my search ended when i tried the F-30. It did everything i wanted it to. Gorgeous cleans that could be pushed into a warm, bubbly drive, and a drive channel that went from nice grit into full-on metal "chug" when pushed a bit harder and with Contour mode kicked in. I tried the F-50, but like the Nomad 50, i found its cleans and crunch sounds to be great, but it didn't have that percussive low-end rhythm "chunk" i was looking for, which i found in the F-30.
But at the time, i couldn't give up my addiction to the tones and effects of my modeling setup, so i opted to downsize to a lighter amp and a single Thiele 1x12 cab. But the F-30 lust never subsided. In fact, it probably even grew over time, as the F-series was discontinued and the Express series failed to live up to my expectations.
My band is currently recording, and we've been thinking about renting some cool amps to use when we start tracking guitars. I've been looking at the Orange Tiny Terror and the new Egnater Rebel 20... but then it occurred to me that for about the same price as either of those, i could probably find a used F-30, probably a head, since i already had a killer cab.
So i set up a search on eBay, knowing that F-30 heads are relatively uncommon, and that i'd probably not find one for a few weeks or months.
Then one shows up within days.
Starting bid of $550, super-clean condition, fully retubed with JJs, with a cover and the footswitch. I watched it like a hawk, the seller was willing to ship to Canada, so i watched and waited. Surprisingly, there was little or no action. I put in a "snipe" bid for just over $600, hoping i'd snatch it up. And NOBODY bid on it. I got it for $550 plus shipping! WOOHOO!
It arrived this week, and it's everything i remembered and loved about the F-30 combo i tried a few years ago, and even more with it going through the closed-back Thiele cab. This little head LOVES that cab.
I took it to my rehearsal space last night and played the whole evening with nothing but guitar --> ISP Decimator --> amp and was in tonal heaven. I couldn't believe how huge this amp sounds. The low end is just incredible, yet not overwhelming. I got the best palm-muted "chug" sounds even on the clean channel... there's just so much depth and warmth, yet a great percussive attack and incredible note definition.
I found myself continually turning down the gain on Channel 2, and the amp kept sounding bigger and heavier. The sweet spot is definitely between 8:00 and 10:00, though i'm finding i'm using the lower end of that scale more.
The whole evening, me and my bandmates just kept looking at it and shaking our heads in awe at the amazing tones that were coming out of it.
I love this amp. I don't think i'll ever part with it. I can't wait to record it, and i'm definitely looking at picking up a second Thiele cab to use live in a little mini-stack config.
I forgot to snap some pics before leaving the studio last night, but here's the head. It's absolutely immaculate.
I've been getting a little bit of a crackle, which seems to be related to the power tubes... either a bad tube or wonky socket. Re-seating the tubes seems to remedy it, but i think i'm going to pick up a spare set of JJ EL-84s and see if that's a more permanent fix. If not, it's probably just a cold solder joint on one of the sockets.
Next up, i'm trying to find a push-pull 25k linear-taper pot to convert the effects loop to switchable series/parallel.
I LOVE THIS AMP!
