Sparkling amp for a Tele

[igorBG]

I read yesterday somewhere (maybe here) that Marshall is not sparkling enough for clean tone on Tele.
I have cheap Marshap and that is something that I have noticed also.
Since I don't have much chance to experiment with different amps, it would be good if someone could rank me here amps by their "sparkling" sound capabilities.

I suppose that Fender Twin Reverb is at the top of this list (I have tried it, and it really sounds like strings are made from glass, not from metal, I like it!!!).

Here is a list of amps I am interested with, you can also add other models as well. This could be also list of the best amps for clean Tele (Country like) tone:

1) Fender Twin Reverb
2) fender deluxe Reverb
3) Fender Blues Junior
4) Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
5) Some Messa Bugie 30W
6) Peavey Classic 30
7) Roland Jazz chorus
8) Vac AC and AD series

[Rizo]

Personally I don't like Marshalls. Some people love them, but they're too muddy and midrangy for me. If I were you, I'd probably go with a Deluxe Reverb or if I had the money a Vox AC30. You could play gigs with them as well as use them for practice, they wouldn't break your back like a twin and are classic amp tones. I'm not sure which would be available (or cheaper) in your neck of the woods... but those are both great, smaller amps that pack a really surprising punch.

[Mike Rice]

You don't mention budget, so I'll throw a black or silver face Vibrolux Reverb at the top of that list. Do yourself a favor and check one out. Not real familiar with the newer Custom Vibrolux Reverbs.

[Telemarkman]

All those you mention are great, and I will add Fender Vibrolux Reverb and Fender Tweed Blues Dlx as well.

But regarding Marshall, I can tell you that Steve Cropper used a Marshall when he was in Norway with the Stax/Volt Review in 1967. Sounded great !

[aunchaki]

The VOXes (VOXen?) have a nice, chimey tone when run clean and Teles sound great through them. I highly recommend the Valvetronix modeling amps, which give you (simulated) VOX, Fender and Marshall tones, though they'e electronically simulated.

I'll confess that I can't really tell the difference between my VOX and some pure tube amps. To me they sound about as different as different models of the same tube amps. In other words, if you were to line up three Fender Twin Reverbs and a VOX AD60VTX (set to model a Twin Reverb), they would all sound a bit different and I doubt I could pick the VOX out of the lineup consistently.

YMMV, of course.

[MORTRHODIE]

I'm playing through a Twin Reverb Reissue -- love the tone, I can dial it right in to where I realy dig it. I play a 52 Tele Reissue and a Strat. I just purchased a Classic 30 Peavey from e-bay. It'll be here today. I just a want a smaller amp so it'll be easier to drag around. If I don,t like it it'll be back on e-bay. I've tried several of the newer Fenders, didn't realy much care for 'em. It was suggested I try different speakers in various models.

[Home Grown Tele]

Fender Twins and the older Vibrolux's are at the top of everybody's lists for Tele tone. They seem to have been built with the Tele in mind.

Also, as I didn't see any budgetary restrictions on your post, the Allen amps are prime candidates for good Tele tone. In particular, the Allen Encore with Eminence Ragin Cajun speakers. It has the spank of the older Blackface Vibrolux's and has a RAW control that allows you to dial in Tweed tone if you want it. Overall a great Tele amp!

[guitarzan13]

I have a Marshall that will split your ears with highs but here is how....It is a AVT50 stack. I pulled out the 12AX7 pre amp tube and put in a 60's 12AU7!!
Big loss in gain, about 60% but with the pre on the clean channel at 2-3:00 it has a sparkle that you have to hear to believe. It will still get as loud as you wil ever need!!! I also have a 10 band EQ in the loop for my darker guitars. As for the second channel.....worthless anyway, I use a modded Sparkle Drive for the dirty stuff!

[Wayne Alexander]

For sparkle and chime, a Vox AC30 (with Celestion Blue Alnico speakers, a must for chime) is better than a Vibrolux or Twin. To my ears the semidirty and dirty sounds of a Vox are nicer than the semidirty and dirty sounds of most other amps, your ears may agree or disagree. If I were you I'd at least try an AC30 before you buy anything else. The current (2004 to now) AC30CC series are fine amps and more versatile than previous versions (master volume, various options on how the filtering and power sections are run for different tonal character). Also good are the Korg-era (1993-2003) AC30's, skip everything made from 1970 or so to 1992, and if you've got a huge budget, take a look at the JMI era ones (1963 -1968 or so), but those are probably too valuable for most people to gig with, and 40-50 year old amps are going to need expensive maintenance from time to time.

[BrianF]

You could try a silverface or blackface Fender Pro Reverb as well... it's a 2 x12 slightly bigger brother than the Vibrolux Reverb

[tweedtone]

I heartily recommend the new Vox AC15. Got one several months ago and I feel bad saying that I haven't used my '63 BFDR but for one gig since (and that was to use it in tandem with the Vox!)

[backmantele]

All of these amps are nice but I haven't heard anything I like better than the Fender Dual Professional. A heavy to carry amp but worth the work when it comes to the nice tele clean twang.

[blue metalflake]

Originally Posted by BrianF

You could try a silverface or blackface Fender Pro Reverb as well... it's a 2 x12 slightly bigger brother than the Vibrolux Reverb

+1 on that.

I've used one for over 30 years & its just like a mini twin. A bit lighter to carry around, and OK for quite large gigs.

[professor]

My Matchless Chieftain doesn't suck with a Tele, that's for sure...!

[studio1087]

Vox or Hot Rod Deluxe (I own both - love them).

Not a Blue Jr. Darker amp.

Pro Jrs. are fantastic. I was playing my Tele through my Pro Jr last night. It's just great. Super jangle.

[Cantom]

My early 70's Twin loaded with JBL K120's is the reference that I use to evaluate Tele friendly amps.
I have a late 50's tweed Champ that I sometimes use for rehersals with a jazz quartet. It sounds amazing. All original with bottom end you wouldn't believe....a $35 garage sale special.

[igorBG]

Thanks for so many replies in short time.
About budget, I am not profesional player (but maybe I will record something in next few months), I like Teles, and slowly I am completing my equipement. Currently I own two Teles, one mexican hotroded with vintage bridge, 52RI bridge pickup, and delta tone nect pickup, and one American series Tele with Texas special pickups. I have lot of pedals, mostly Boss, so my final piece of equipement in some good amp. It would be shame not to have good amp with such great guitars, and I want to buy something which will satisfy me for a very long lime. So I will collect money no matter how much it takes. In my county, used Twin Reverb can be found for 600 Euros ($750), and VOX amps are extremely rare. So I am thinking is it better to take new Blues Jr. or Hot Rod Deluxe, or used Twin Reverb or Vox. I have played hybrid VoxAD, and I liked the sound, but then I found that there are lot of complaints about their quality
Anyway thanks for help.

[fierce_carrot]

I'm a big fan of EL84's and single coils...

[J. Hayes]

and got rid of 'em all.........Fender HotRod DeVille 2-12, Deluxe Reverb reissue, Blues Deluxe Reissue (tweed)... None of 'em hold a candle to my MusicMan HD-212 One Fifty. This is one bad amp! It looks just like a Twin, including the "throwaway" channel on the left but it has a built in phase shifter instead of tremolo. The repairman at Guitar Center referred to these amps as a "Twin on Steriods" and I'd have to agree with that assessment. I traded my Blues Deluxe Reissue straight across for the MM and IMO, I got the better of the deal. This amp will cut it in any venue I've come across, small or large, miked or unmiked. Although I use some effects, this amp sounds great just plugging straight into it. If anyone's not familiar with these, they're hybrids with four 6L6 power tubes, everything else is solid state. I also have another hybrid which is a Peavey MX with a 12" Black Widow speaker. It's my second choice if I need a smaller amp, it's still got a bunch of tone and power but takes up less space.....JH in Va.

[paterson]

I have owned the HRD, Marshall JTM60, Fender twin (80's) and Deluxe reverb re-issue. I play country rock, blues and jazz and I prefer the Deluxe reverb. It's light enough to lug around and loud enough to play any room I've ever played. It's got a great spank to it and that chime sound.

[BritishBluesBoy]

I have a silver face deluxe reverb - I play two different tele's, a strat and a 335 through it and I just love the thing...

[mad dog]

Man, what does a tele NOT sound good through?? Gigged the ASAT Classic last night through a '62 Twilighter 260, same as Magnatone 260. With CRex speakers in there, seems to have more than a touch of Vox, strangely enough. It's a 2x6L6 amp, but not fendery, not anything but itself really. Just beautiful sound. Have been rehearsing through Matchless Chieftans and Bruno UG30. The Bruno could destroy my finances. I've never played Vox, but this 4xEL84 thing and teles just do it.

If I listed every amp my G&L sounds good through, this post would never end. Teles seem to have a million different amp flavors, none of them bad.

[anfontan]

Originally Posted by J. Hayes

and got rid of 'em all.........Fender HotRod DeVille 2-12, Deluxe Reverb reissue, Blues Deluxe Reissue (tweed)... None of 'em hold a candle to my MusicMan HD-212 One Fifty. This is one bad amp! It looks just like a Twin, including the "throwaway" channel on the left but it has a built in phase shifter instead of tremolo. The repairman at Guitar Center referred to these amps as a "Twin on Steriods" and I'd have to agree with that assessment. I traded my Blues Deluxe Reissue straight across for the MM and IMO, I got the better of the deal. This amp will cut it in any venue I've come across, small or large, miked or unmiked. Although I use some effects, this amp sounds great just plugging straight into it. If anyone's not familiar with these, they're hybrids with four 6L6 power tubes, everything else is solid state. I also have another hybrid which is a Peavey MX with a 12" Black Widow speaker. It's my second choice if I need a smaller amp, it's still got a bunch of tone and power but takes up less space.....JH in Va.

I have had a Music Man 65 with the 2 12's for 25 years or more now. Great amp and built like a tank. It has the 1/2 power tap on the transformer so its basically like an attenuator to get a power tube saturation without the audience getting scalped by the volume. Mine just has 2 of the 6L6s and thats still plenty of power for any club. It is strange that it had a solid state preamp but the tone makes you realize its a great combination.

[igorBG]

OK, I will write down
1. Deluxe Reverb ( I had no doubts about this amp, I never headr anyone complaining about this model)
2. Music man HD-212 One Fifty

:)

[tazzboy]

If you like Brent Mason http://www.brentmason.com then you'll like the Delixe Reverb. Although Johnny Hiland also used a Music Man himself.