Which amp for country music but can still rock too??

[tele_jas]

Hi, I currently have a triple recto and a rectoverb II combo, but I'm getting ready to venture back to my roots a bit and start playing a bit more "modern" country music but still keep the rock background for stuff like Bon Jovi, Creed, Puddle of Mudd (strange mix, huh??). I'm looking for a Keith Urban or Brad Paisley tone...... For those that arent familliar with their tone, it's a clean twangy tone but sounds like there is a tubescreamer in front of it set on about 4 to give it just a bit of grit. I know that Brad Paisley uses Dr. Z amps and Keith Urban uses Matchless and old Marshall amps..... I did the Fender Deluxe/tubescreamer/Multi Fx pedal set up for about 8 years playing country, but now I want to keep it simpler and just go with an amp.

I will still need a solo boost and atleast 2 channels. I plan on keeping my rectoverb II, but may part with my Triple if I can find the right amp to replace it...... I'd like to stick with Boogie, but I dont really have to - and also like a 2x12.

Heres what I've been looking at so far"
* VHT PitBull Classic or 50/12
* Lone Star series
* Rivera (several models)
* Bogner Shiva
* 1994 Tremoverb with a serial FX loop, but those weigh 107 lbs and I'm wanting to have something easy to lug around.
* Traynor YCV

If it doens't have a solo boost, then I'd like a serial FX loop so I can run a volume pedal or a boost pedal in the loop and activate on for the leads.

Or do you think I'm totally crazy and my Rectoverb will work fine for this and I should hang on to my Triple recto set up?? I just don't think it will get played too much after the first of the year. Believe it or not, my triple sonds AMAZING for country music, but is kind of big to lug around - thus the need for a combo.

 

[Humbility]

Vox

 

[screamingdaisy]

I'd A/B a Fender Twin with your Triple, but I don't think that's what you're after.....

 

[tele_jas]

Vox

Which one?? Is there one with a solo boost on it?

I'd A/B a Fender Twin with your Triple, but I don't think that's what you're after.....

Hell, after a couple of gigs of setting up 2 amps I'd be ready to trade it all in on a G-minor Harmonica :lol:

 

[screamingdaisy]

Hell, after a couple of gigs of setting up 2 amps I'd be ready to trade it all in on a G-minor Harmonica :lol:

Hire a midget to carry your gear. He can double as a side show between sets.

 

[no soul]

Considering you have 2 rectos, Id just go with something that really has the clean sound you want and A-B with one of your Rectos, but you did mention you dont want to do that (I really dont blame you, I dont either).

Hmmm, the Lonestar would definitely give you some fantastic cleans for the kind of stuff you would want to do, but I dont think its OD channel would hack it for your needs.

If you want to stay in the Mesa family, check out an F series, its clean channel can easily hang with, if not outright beat, any of the amps you mentioned, and its got more than enough gain for any of the sounds you mentioned as well.

 

[tele_jas]

I do have a V-Twin that I plan on keeping in the food chain, so that can add to any "lack" of distortion thats out there.

How would the V-Twin sound like this: Put the Lone Star on medium crunch setting and then kick in the V-Twin, would that get me over the top?

 

[scotspine]

i put a voodoo sparkle drive through my lonestar and it gives enough lift for orbit. if the v-twin has anything like the boost/gain of the sparkle drive then you're in.

 

[tele_jas]

The V-Twin can sound like a Rectifier set on about 1:00 - 2:00 if you run it into a clean channel with the V-Twins gain up all the way on the lead channel.

 

[tele_jas]

I think I made up my mind...... I'm going to go with a Tremoverb and try to get a 1994 model with a serial fx loop. More than likely the head since the combo weighs more than that midget does.

So, I'm going to be selling or trading off my Triple Recto to get the Tremo.... See the for sale section. I think this would be the best route and still let me keep my recto sound when I need it.

 

[scotspine]

"I'm going to go with a Tremoverb" - [sharp intake of breath] well on your own head be it! us regular lonestar folk will try not to smirk [too hard] at the tinny sounds coming from chez tele_jas 8)

 

[tele_jas]

I tried a Lonestar yesterday for about 2 hours at a local music store and the cleans were nice, but I didn't like the distortion at all... No offence ment, but it's just not my cup-o-tea....It'd be great for a blues player or a "Rolling Stones" type of player, but I still plan on doing some harder stuff too.

 

[prsisbest]

I really think you should try a Mesa F series amp. It sounds like that would be the way to go. Unbeatable cleans, and enough gain to do modern/classic rock, so the gain would be more than suitable for country.

 

[cnumb44]

This is my first post, so apologies up front if I say something obvious. I think you'd like a LS Classic. I play some more country style sometimes and find its clean channel is fine for the clean jingle without overdoing it.

I like the gain channel. You can go from a very nice growl to some decent distortion like Clapton's Bluesbreakers. Kick in the drive and the distortion gets much thicker and agressive. It'd be nice if they put the drive option on the footswitch, but so it goes.

My speakers have been changed to Weber Silver Bells from the stock MB speakers. The Webers seem to handle more clarity at higher volumes where I thought the MB speakers seemed whine a bit. The Webers also seem stiffer when distorting, which I like.

I am talking about the Classic with 6L6 tubes and, in my case, Weber Silver Bell speakers (similar in tone to V30s, but not as loud). The Weber's handle distortion really fine - nice tight richness, to my ears. I think the 6L6's will provide more of a rich flavor than the EL84's of the Special.

Just an opinion. I did have an F30 for about a week once and couldn't get rid of the hum. Since then I realized that swapping out some tubes and changing the speaker would have helped immensely.

 

[tele_jas]

I apprecieate all the input and a LS probably would be my best choice if I was doing mostly country, but I'm still doing mostly rock (guitar rock) for now.

I actually sold my Triple Recto on ebay earlier today and then turned around and got a 95 tremoverb head, a cream colored one with tan corners and a wheat grill cloth. I plan on doing the mod to change it from a parallel loop to a serial loop and runing a signal booster or volume pedal in the loop for a volume boost.

If I get to doing alot more country music, I may look into a LS again in the future and trade my Rectoverb combo for one, but I also have a 1972 Fender Deluxe that has the best cleans I've ever heard that I can always use along with my V-twin or a Tubescreamer.

Once again, thanks for all the input and I'll post pics of my "Precious" a few days after it comes in on Wednesday or Thrusday. TJ

 

[no soul]

a 95 tremoverb head, a cream colored one with tan corners and a wheat grill cloth. If I get to doing alot more country music, I may look into a LS again in the future and trade my Rectoverb combo for one, but I also have a 1972 Fender Deluxe that has the best cleans I've ever heard that I can always use along with my V-twin or a Tubescreamer.

wow, that T-verb sounds like a real beauty, cant wait to see pix!
and no offense, but a LS will destory the cleans of your of Fender.

 

[j37nm]

The F series will get you some nice cleans, and you will get good bluesy, rock & roll distortion with the gain. The contour mode will get you rectifier distortion. Very simple, yet versatile.

The mesa Nomad might be another option. The cleans are very nice. they remind me more of the mark IV clean. More "hi fi," and not vintage fender, a la lone star. The green mode (clean) can also get the grit you are looking for. This is the "pushed," mode. You should demo the amp. There is a lot of midrange punch. Kinda uncharacteristic tone for boogie, but nonetheless, a great sounding amp.

The orange channel sounds like a Mark III or Mark IV. the modern mode is great sounding. For nu-metal tones, you probably need to get the 100 because it has the graphic eq. You can scoop the 700 hz midrange frequency, boost the 80 & 240hz, & the 2200 & 8600 hz; and get that "metal," sound.

The red channel has a dual rectifier voice, but without the enormous low end. The channel reminds me of the vintage channel on the dual rectifier. You can get some nice blues sounds out of it. It will not do over the top recto distortion.

Very versatile. The tones overall, have that nasal honk of classic boogies, like the mark I & II.

 

[Nomad]

Lonestar Classic 1x12 Wide Combo.

What I like about it for your uses is the fact that channel two can be used Identical to channel one maybe set louder or with just a little dirt. Then you can also switch the Drive Circuit in on channel two and let it Scream.

It would make an excellent Country Only Amp or will Rock with the best of them.

 

[tele_jas]

I do like the Lone Star amps for the cleans, but I just didn't like the distortion... Plus I did get a '95 Tremoverb head that I think sounds pretty good on country music, it may not be as sparkling clean as the Lone Star or have the same feel - but I like the way it sounds on country music.

As far as the F-series, they had more gain than the Lone Star but it reminded me of a Hot Rod Deluxe on the distortion and sounded pretty close to my Fender Deluxe on the cleans.

I was watching CMT last weekend and seen several people using the Lone Star amps (one was Derks Bently's guitar player). I also think I seen an F-series amp on a video but it never went back to it. So you guys are on the right track, but I guess I'm not ready to give up my "Recto" sound just yet. Thanks for all the input and feel free to keep trying to convert me as I am looking at trading my Rectoverb off or selling it for another combo.