anyone here actually prefer NON tube amps? what amp?

The classic jazz sound is a Polytone with an ES175. If you hate that sound, your a fender man.

 

I spent some quality time with a Fender Deluxe 90 the other day down at the LMS. It sounded super chimey, wouldn't break up no matter how hard I pushed, it was super loud and it doesn't weigh 80 pounds like my Vox does.

 

Love my Fender Jazzmaster Ultralight, always turns heads and takes pedals amazingly well.

Recently picked up a Quilter Toneblock 200, that's got me looking at their Steelaire with the 15" speaker.

 

All tube amps, SS and modeling amps aren't the same....so

If I had a limit of $500, and was gigging, I'd prefer the Mustang III. It does a lot of tones really well, from vintage 1950's to modern.

It's a gigging machine, no doubt. No need for pedals. It's easy to forget it doesn't have tubes, so whether or not it has tubes is a non issue for me. That being said, it's nice to know I don't have to replace tubes every few months. I don't think tubes last as long these days, based on what I read on the net. Then again, if I was gigging, I'd be able to afford new tubes.

My favorite amp of all time is a Mesa Boogie Mk1. I wouldn't care if it was solid state or tube, I love that certain tone that I don't get from other amps. If that were the choice, I'd go with the Boogie, if I could afford one. If I had both the Mustang III and the Mesa Boogie, all my amp needs would be covered..........that's all I'd ever need....the Mustang III and the Boogie......and a Marshall Plexi 50 watt head....that's all I'd ever need...the Must.......

 

In the 70's and early 80's. I used acoustic heads with pedals....they sounded great.....never had any problems at all....100% reliable ....plugged it in then played .....I like both tube and solid state....I have/had and played many amps over these 46 years....amps are to me part of the pallet of different tones/flavors ....there are a lot of good ss amps out there both old and new....I remember trying this one out a few years back....some no name amp from the 70's...solid state
. 12inch speaker....the distortion sounded amazing!!! Great brown sound! They wanted $39.00. I thought I have enough amps. Tibe amps....I drove away....20 minutes down road I turned around to go back...to buy it....and it was sold...the guy that was standing behind me while I was playing bought it...for the love of me I can't remember the name of it...some odd name....oh well....I have a fender stage 112se that I really like....and you can dial in a really decent distortion ....the cleans are great..some here have said these are one of the best ss amps that fender made ...I concur! I have a vox pathfinder 15r which I love..just picked up a peavey encore because of the reviews here....has a nice pallet of tones....and for $49. I do love solid state!!!

 

That would depend entirely on the tube amp. It's not like there aren't any horrible sounding tube amps in the world. I've never heard a Hiwatt, Peavey, or Ampeg tube amp that I liked among several others.

Good SS amps were:

Peavey red line Bandit
Hartley Thompson
Tech 21 Trademark
Gibson Lab Series
Polytone
Fender Studio/Stage Lead
Acoustic 134

Those were all good at different things though. I'd say only the Bandit and the Trademark were much good at overdriving a Tele. The others were better at cleans and flatout Gibson type front pickup distortion. They got used a lot during the jazz-rock fusion era. That music didn't require much by way of dynamics. You were either playing squeaky clean or heavily compressed distortion.

 

Eh.......no. Only the Quilter amps piqued my interest in solid state amps.

 

I like both tube and SS amps.. I have not played Quilter, but I have own a Labseries L5 it was real cool. I gave to a good friend who is still using it. I had Peavey Renown I loaded with Black Widow 12s nice amp. And my favorite was the first Peavey Bandit 65 very cool amp with a Celestion Vintage 30. I am using a Rivera Clubster now tube amp, but would love to have another Bandit 65.

 

I like em both but have been tube exclusively for well over 2 decade, their just more "me". But that said I would not hesitate to snap up what was my 1st amp back in the late 80's, a GK ML250 and pair with 2x12 cab. Brilliant SS amp.