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New Amplifier - any minute now - question

Started by Hinfrance, January 06, 2013, 01:34:03 PM

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Hinfrance

OK,

So I have decided upon my new bass practice amp - Warwick BC40, but as a budding six string player my question to you more experienced chaps out there is this:

Modelling amp (Vox VT40+, Line 6 IV, Fender Mustang II) or clean amp (Behringer 30VTX, Fender Frontman 25, Stagg 40) and modelling pedal like a Vox Stompad?

My current guitar amp is a cheap as chips Storm 20 with a farty 8 inch speaker and a distortion circuit that only does anything faintly useful when turned up to eleven.

My guitars are an Antoria ES335 copy and a Lidl Electro Acoustic (which sounds and plays unbelievably well considering the source and the price). The little Storm actually sounds really good with the electro/acoustic running through it, but doesn't do the Antoria any favours, especially on the bridge pickup.

I have to admit to a tendency towards the Fender Mustang because it does clean really well, and I might buy a Squier Affinity Strat to muck about with too. If I do that the bass practice amp will have to wait, but no problem, I've got a basement full of Traces ;)

Guitarglasgow

Have you got any idea of a budget and what sort of thing you'd be using it for man? Just bedroom stuff or would it need to be up to band practice levels too?

Hinfrance

Sorry, I had been thinking about it for so long that it seemed obvious to me . . must try to communicate better. :-[

My budget for guitar stuff (excluding the bass amp) is about â,¬400, and I will only be using the stuff for learning how to play and not for any kind of performance. Hence my suggestions of the amps etc I had looked at as being suitable to my requirements.

TBH I am sliding towards a Fender Mustang 2 and a Zoom pedal of some description. I think that my current guitars are good enough and that I might save up a tad more to get a better electric at some point in the (distant) future.

Mick

Quote from: Hinfrance on January 06, 2013, 01:34:03 PM

I have to admit to a tendency towards the Fender Mustang because it does clean really well, and I might buy a Squier Affinity Strat to muck about with too. If I do that the bass practice amp will have to wait, but no problem, I've got a basement full of Traces ;)


Howard, I'm quite liking the the Fender Mustang 2 myself.  It's a neat amp, and loaded with great features and sounds.  You might have already seen it, but there's a Practice amp shoot out here, which features the Mustang 2 http://guitaristguild.com/index.php?topic=93.0  ;)
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Hinfrance

Thanks Mick - yep I have watched the Andertons' video a few times :)

And now the big EU online music store, Thomann, is out of stock with no replenishment date. The local music shop is very reasonable on prices too (well for amps and guitars anyway, just don't buy any leads of strings there!), but they sold their last one before Christmas and don't know when they'll get any more either. They've got a 1 and a 3, but I want the 2 . . .


Hinfrance

Well, I did want the 2, but after a bit more research I have set upon the 3, on account of it only being a little bit more expensive, having a few more features, coming with the basic footswitch and having persuaded SWMBO to sub me for the few bob that I didn't quite have in the piggy bank. Not too sure about the open back, but it won't matter at the levels I'll be playing at.

I've also sorted the intonation issue on the Antoria ES335 using only a screwdriver and some cunning (well it is rather old now).

I don't have to buy a bass practice amp for the time being as I 'found' a 2x8" 200w bass cab that I forgot I had, and after blowing the dust off of the 200W Trace I now have a smallish bass rig that's plenty oomphy and loud enough for the house.

Now to decide on a guitar to replace/sub the Antoria. I have in mind a Squier Classic Vibe 50's Strat, or maybe an Epiphone Les Paul of some description. But that's for a lot later.

Mick

Nice one Howard.  Mustang 3  8) You're a lucky guy.

Hope you enjoy your new amp, and look forward to hearing how you get on with it. :tup:
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Hinfrance

It's Friday.

A nice man from UPS turned up with my new toy, thus giving me hours of future fun trying to work out how to use it properly. 

I've already sussed that I have to now save up for a guitar with single coil pickups, just for a bit more variety - the twin humbuckers on the ES335 are seriously driving. Sounds great though, the metal sounds are VERY metal, but the clean sounds are superb. Lots of programming and customisation coming up methinks.


Hinfrance

#8
OK, now I've been really naughty. Been watching a few YouTube reviews . . .

I went to the music shop and playedâ,,¢ a few different models and then acquired a Squier Affinity HSS Strat in red with a black scratch plate. After a bit of fiddling with the action and only having to adjust the intonation on one string I'm as happy as an MP with a successful second home expenses claim.

The hardware is obviously not top notch, but nevertheless it sounds and, more importantly for a guitarist in training such as myself, plays beautifully. I've not bothered with the tremolo arm, following the oft quoted advice to 'avoid the Floyd'.

The packaged 15w Frontman amp is quite stunning for the money too, typically Fender clean and very bright with the controls set to neutral. Before I'd plugged it in I was going to sell it straight away on eBay, but after I tried it I changed my mind. At the moment I have installed it in the study for occasional use.

All in all I would definitely recommend the Affinity starter pack to any budding strummer.

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