What is the best amp you have ever heard or played?

[knotts]

They guy I play with has a few soldano's and a few sought after marshall's. The one that turned my head was the soldano hot rod 50+. Seems like a one trick pony, but a really good one at that.

 

[mrodr008]

mark v! i'm done looking for an amp.

 

[glguitarman]

In order:

Played:
Mesa/Boogie Mark III half-stack that I bought in 1987 (can't remember if it was a blue stripe or red stripe)

A 1978 (I think) large box 50 watt Marshall JMP Master volume amp. This amp changed my life, before this it was all Boogie for me. It was an amp that was traded into the store I worked at and another guy that worked there got it. You could play a note and the bottom end of the note was clean and the top had this singing sustain, beautiful sound. I found one at a used mail order company, but when I received it, it had been modified with more gain. It sounded great, but it was not what I was looking for so I sent it back for a new 1987x (this was 1997ish). This amp sounded good as well.

1971 small box 50 watt non-master (model 1987) amp.

1965 Fender Pro Reverb amp (not my amp).

Trainwreck express clone (owned by an employer).

Marshall 1974 reissue (not my amp)

Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+, wish I was able to keep it. I currently have a Mark IV, sounds good, but missing some mojo in the clean channel, for my taste anyway. Had to part with my Marshalls listed above (and the Mark III).

Heard:

It's hard to say about this because there are so many ways to interpret what you hear. I could list oodles of guitar player tones, but I might be wrong about what amp they are using at the time (i.e. Jimi didn't always play Marshall, he was American after all). However, there is a guy on you-tube that makes a lot of videos with his 1960 Bassman, 1959 Bandmaster, and 1964 Super Reverb that sound amazing. Also there are two Bludotone amp videos that make them interesting. One is the High Plains drifter (SSS Clone, Eric Johnson voicing), and another is a ODS clone. Last but not least are all of the videos of that guy that plays his Trainwreck Express and 1959 Les Paul.

I guess my taste is somewhat "normal". I like Fender style cleans, both tweed and blackface; a Marshall jacked up pretty loud controlling it with the guitar's volume and an OD; and Boogie singing sustain/crunchy rhythm sounds.

 

[Tucker44]

Mark V

 

[rfrakes]

RR, I have to agree completely about modeling amps. At first they sound great then ear fatigue sets in and all I hear is buzziness.

A 65 Super Reverb at or above 6 is killer, and my LSS. Both these amps get most of my play.

The LSS has been my favorite for home play.

 

[phyrexia]

Mark V, and I told Randall Smith this fact, to his face.

 

[markeje]

For days of old - I loved my Early 90's Black face dual recto with Mesa 4x12 cab.
And my a buddies early 90's tremoverb -

Now - My Baron KT88 with that same old Mesa 4x12 recto cab.

I am digging my buddies Carol Ann right now as well.

 

[siggy14]

How would you compare the EVH 2x12 vs the 4x12? I just got the 50 Watt head and trying to decide between the two.

I recently ditched all my gear in favor of the 5150 III... Don't know what it is about it but I love it more than any other amp I've played .. I've owned 7 different Mesa heads, 4 marshall heads, and several others, and this one just does it for me... My favorite amp hands down.

 

[Given To Fly]

My Roadster Combo actually a takes the cake! I'm sure there are better sounding amps but none that I have experienced. One of the reasons I like the Roadster so much is it continually challenges me: its unforgiving when you play poorly, but it will reward you when you play well. I barely scratched the surface of the tones available. Plus the feature list is unparalleled except by its big brother the Road King!

 

[knike_99]

Clean: '59 Fender Bassman - Nothing beats it!
Nasty: Mark III

I think overall though (if I had to have just 1 amp) would be Mark IV.

 

[jdurso]

Best cleans:
Victoria super sonic: I was at wild west guitars just checking out the place... in awe of the amazing high end products and the guys there literally made me play everything. Who was I to say no? I had never heard of Victoria amps and wasn't really digging the cleans of the diezels or spawns so they said play this but be prepared to be haunted by its tone. Boy were they right... most lush, 3d tone I've ever heard. The clean sound was so responsive and robust that I had one of those moments where you feel your fingers guitar and amp are one. Still one of the greatest playing experiences I've ever had.

Dirty:
My old two channel TR through a mesa 4x12 traditional cab. There was just something about that amp... I still kick myself for selling it.

 

[bandit2013]

The best amp I ever played through was my Mesa MarkIII combo (blue stripe if that means anything). It was at it's peak after retubing and just before I sold it. I gave it a good send off. After it was gone, my Mark IV combo just did not seem up to par after that. I thought that was the greatest amp ever especially through the 412 cab that I bought with it. I retubed the Mark IV which was a huge improvement. Still something not right. Installed an EVM12LBL which was awsome but did not care much for fit (way too big, no clearance for the power tubes). Then I bought the Mark V but was not happy with that either. Revamped the 412 with all EVM's and reinstalled the C90 back into the MKIV. Now the MKIV sounded better than the MKV...... The holy grail tube was installed in the Mark V which is now the best amp I ever played through.

All that matters is being happy with what you have. There really is no best, it is just how you use it that makes a difference.

 

[screamingdaisy]

What was your holy grail tube?

 

[walnutroof]

This is my first post, so be gentle please.
I own a dual recto (multiwatt) and orange rockerverb 100MKII. I have played Soldano SLO it was awesome! but Ive borrowed a Blackstar HT100 the other day and WOW! it was thick from blues, rock, heavy metal, you name it! it made me smile when I hit an open E chord, from clean, crunch and heavy! and its well priced! this is just my opinion.

 

[Heritage Softail]

MKIIC

Played it in a store for about 15 minutes and bought it.

The guys there did not know how to dial it in. After 10 minutes of tweaking, I found the promised land of metal.

Clean channel is great as well.

 

[bandit2013]

What was your holy grail tube?

JAN/GE 5751 NOS from 1982.

 

[bandit2013]

Baron, Carol-ann, and many more names I never heard before. Interesting Web sites. I keep forgetting that Mesa Boogie is also a boutique amplifier company as well. You sparked my interests.

 

[GP Mockingbird]

Don't laugh... I had a Sunn Beta Lead back in the 70's and it kicked **tt! I found it interesting that several major recording artists had Fender Amp Stacks on stage and then used the Beta Lead behind the stack with a mic... 8)

 

[cradlefish]

For me it's the Mark IV, although I haven't had a chance to take the V out to jam. The IV is just an incredible amp! Cleans and distorted tones for both channels are great and useful!

Takes a bit to tweak but once you find the tone, you'll be rewarded!

 

[barfly]

Compression doesn't so much bother me as I like both compressed and uncompressed amps for different reasons.

+1