Good amp for Muddy Waters Telecaster?

[Methos]

So I'm getting back into playing. I suck, but I love to play. My last gear combo was a mid '90s '59 Bassman RI and a G&L ASAT Bluesboy. Played in a band with my kids. It was fun. But they've moved on to bigger better things and I sold the gear, of course immediately found I missed it, and am gearing back up. Starting a band with some other work friends who suck equally. Just going to play in my basement and try to forget we're all pushing 50.

I'm a Tele guy and always loved the Muddy Water's sig Tele - owned one before - and own one again. I'm looking for a nice amp that will get me by. Something used, get's pretty loud, good for blues and hard rock - not metal. I've got an HRDx home right now I'm auditioning and just can't get a tone I like. I think I'm still hearing the 4x10's of the Bassman and the 1x12 just isn't cutting it.

Thinking of maybe a Blues Deluxe, or a DRRI. Are there any Muddy Water's Tele players out there? What are you playing your Mud through? Recommendations from anyone welcomed. Trying to keep it under $500. The HRDx is only $369. It's older, the made in USA model, but it's immaculate - hardly played. Pots are a little scratchy. I was thinking about trying one of those $20 volume attenuators on it so I can get the tubes cranking, maybe get some better tone.

Thanks in advance for any ideas/experiences.

M.

[JimiBryant]

mebbe a Silverface Super Reverb, just like Muddy used?

[tazzboy]

Actually Muddy used I believe a 65 Super Reverb (Pre-CBS) and used Open G tuning. I've always wonder what amp Muddy used before settling on Super Reverb?

[Axis29]

I don't have Muddy Tele, unfortunately, but I do have DRRI which sounds pretty righteous. Though you might have a tough time finding one used for under 5 bills these days.

My best suggestion in that price range might be a Super Champ XD. It's rated at 18 watts I think, but those are pretty darn loud watts! And it can get down and dirty. They're 299 brand new, full price!

[rhomco]

how good your HRDX will sound with a Muddy Tele if you put in a Celestion G12H speaker and some good tubes such as JJ's. Push the amp hard using the effects loop to control the overall volume. I have this exact setup and it rivals my AC-30.
Rob

[Big Tony]

Originally Posted by tazzboy

Actually Muddy used I believe a 65 Super Reverb (Pre-CBS) and used Open G tuning.

At one time he did, but when that amp was stolen, he replaced it with a silverface version.

He used open G a lot in his early days, but played mostly in standard tuning during his last decades.

/ Tony

[JimiBryant]

yesh, a SF it was. I saw him use it several times, and I'm a better man for
the experiences I'll tell ya what. I saw Muddy open for Eric Clapton at some
enormo-dome in Rockford IL, I think it was EC's "Money & Cigarettes" tour
and Albert Lee was in the band - but Waters killed Clapton right from the
get-go 'cuz Muddy was so amazing: even in a huge venue he had the same
power over the crowd that I'd witnessed in a club atmosphere several times
before.. he wouldn't really play a lot of guitar in later years - but when he
did.. man-oh-man! I sat right up like I had 10,000 volts shootin' through me!

actually my co-worker took harp lessons from Muddy for a while and I was
freaked when he told me about it: "how'd ya wrangle that, Johnny?" I asked
and he says "I looked up McKinley Morganfield in the Westmont phonebook
and called to ask him" and I was simply in awe of the mere concept that
anybody could simply pick up the phone and call Muddy Waters!! (I was
about 17 at the time, I think)

I can still remember that EC was using MusicMan amps, BTW.

[KC]

just watched the Newport 1960 Muddy footage, now available on DVD along with a couple of other concerts from later eras. Great footage. It looks like he's playing a Gibson amp in the Newport era and a Super after that. But he's Muddy Waters -- you could put him through a Hiwatt stack or a transistor radio and he'd still sound great.

For your purposes, though, that HRdx seems like a pretty good deal. New tubes all around and you should be good to go, on the clean channel, anyway. Blues Deluxe is mostly the same amp -- I never liked the drive channel on mine, either. DRRI is a nice package but not crazy cheap -- and once you get north of $500, your options really open up. Play a bunch & keep an eye on Craigslist. There was just a Gemini VI went by for $300 here.

[milocj]

A Peavey Classic 30 or Delta Blues is also a really great amp for the money. They're relatively loud, portable, and pretty versatile. The clean isn't quite like a classic Fender, but it's darn good, and the drive channel is better than the Hot Rod series from what I remember about owning mine.

[getbent]

I saw Mud & band at the Roxy in 1980 and everyone in the band played sf super reverbs. It was a piercing moment for me because I had a blackface super at the time and had that moment of realization that they ruled and I sucked and I had better gear. It was a great lesson. That and the harp player over played like crazy and Bob Margolin was way too friggin loud. The other guitar player, I think it was Pee Wee Madison had a Led Zeppelin belt buckle on which made me feel a little sick inside for some reason... it was a great night, our table was on the front row (got hooked up with the spot) Etta James opened and was terrific.

I learned a lot that night.. about gear, band dynamics (Mud shot several "I will kill you if you do that again" looks) Pinetop was cool even if he played the same 4 or 5 licks all night (they are great licks) but, yeah, they had sf supers... Maybe you could try to find out what Mud recorded "Hard Again" with if you are looking for that sound.. I'd bet Johnny Winter would remember...

My favorite Mud recording is "Live at Mr. Kelly's"... my guess would be that the amps coulda been just about anything.... Gibsons, Supers, who knows...

All I know is it is what I think of when I think of a show I'd like to hear.

[stantheman]

+I used to follow Muddy around New England in my early years just to watch Luther Johnson cut for 30 seconds.
Truthfully I think Luther's a better Geetarist than just about EVERYONE that came out of The South and West Sides with Magic Sam being the exception
and Sam and Luther were very close.
The first time I heard "Get Out On The Floor" I was floored and had NO idea that it was Luther for almost THREE YEARS!
That solo changed me forever.

[Methos]

Thanks for all the suggestions - and stories. I wish I'd gotten to see Muddy.

As for the suggestions, the DRRI is something I thought of, but as the poster said, good luck finding one for under five bills. $600 seems the minimum now that they are going for $900 plus new. Swapping out tubes and speaker in the HRDx is a possibility, especially since I can get this one for well under $400. And used Peavey Classic 30's and Delta Blues are also a solid bet. The last time I was in another local music store there was a Delta Blues in pretty darn good condition for $249.

M.

[jh45gun]

Originally Posted by getbent

I saw Mud & band at the Roxy in 1980 and everyone in the band played sf super reverbs. It was a piercing moment for me because I had a blackface super at the time and had that moment of realization that they ruled and I sucked and I had better gear. It was a great lesson. That and the harp player over played like crazy and Bob Margolin was way too friggin loud. The other guitar player, I think it was Pee Wee Madison had a Led Zeppelin belt buckle on which made me feel a little sick inside for some reason... it was a great night, our table was on the front row (got hooked up with the spot) Etta James opened and was terrific.

I learned a lot that night.. about gear, band dynamics (Mud shot several "I will kill you if you do that again" looks) Pinetop was cool even if he played the same 4 or 5 licks all night (they are great licks) but, yeah, they had sf supers... Maybe you could try to find out what Mud recorded "Hard Again" with if you are looking for that sound.. I'd bet Johnny Winter would remember...

My favorite Mud recording is "Live at Mr. Kelly's"... my guess would be that the amps coulda been just about anything.... Gibsons, Supers, who knows...

All I know is it is what I think of when I think of a show I'd like to hear.

Which iswhy I CRINGE when I see these post which amp can I use to get so and so's sound? its the guy or gal behind the guitar more than it is the equipment. Most really good players can make most any rig sound good. its all in how they play. Yea good equipment helps but I have heard some guys get awsome sounds of of mediocre stuff.

[Methos]

Originally Posted by jh45gun

Which iswhy I CRINGE when I see these post which amp can I use to get so and so's sound? its the guy or gal behind the guitar more than it is the equipment. Most really good players can make most any rig sound good. its all in how they play. Yea good equipment helps but I have heard some guys get awsome sounds of of mediocre stuff.

I hear you on that. That is why I stated up front that I suck! I was looking mostly for ideas on an amp that would sound decent with the Muddy Water's guitar. I was not looking for an amp that would get me the tone of Muddy Water's the guitarist - that would be foolish.

[jumpnblues]

If you can solder...a tweed Deluxe (5E3) kit.


Tom