Best amp for country music?

[PlainAllman]

So typically certain types of music are usually associated with different guitars such as country music/telecaster, classic rock/LP, blues/Strat or maybe an ES etc. I know there are always exceptions and such but as a general rule these things are true. By that same token certain amps are often associated with certain music and often specifically with particular artists such as Jimi and Marshalls or SRV an Twins or Brian and his Voxes or BG and his Magnatones etc. So are there particular amps that certain country guitar gunslingers are associated with. I know Chris Stapleton has a signature Princeton but do people associate that amp with him as a guitar player or are people who listen to country music less aware of those types of associations than say a more hardcore blues or classic rock fan? I’m often times more aware of what amp an artist is using but that mainly because I’m a guitar player but I don’t know particular amps are associated with artists in that way in country musicdom. What y’all think? Also what is a “country music amp” in the most generic of terms?

 

[ce24]

Peavey bandit is all over that one.

 

[mr natural]

Peavey. It’s dependable, inexpensive used and takes any pedal you care to throw at it.

 

[sax4blues]

This line was designed in collaboration with Brad Paisley for Brad Paisley. He plays the 30watt version on stage.

 

[ce24]

Wow $2500-3K….for the 30w Z.

 

[Toto'sDad]

Wow $2500-3K….for the 30w Z.

Well, if you want to sound like a million dollars...

 

[johnny7]

Peavey Classic 30 or Classic 50

 

[Fretting out]

The one that goes….TWANG!

 

[2804Penn]

Country players usually have good technique which allows them to sound good through anything

Kidding of’course…my vote is a Deluxe Reverb

 

[Vibroluxer]

A Vibrolux Reverb, of course.

I like 2 6l6s and a tube rectifier.

 

[Cali Dude]

+1 on a Deluxe reverb for country.

 

[Texicaster]

Most country players I know default to a Deluxe Reverb when I asked what amp I should get for such tones.

I played a Chris Stapleton Princeton and liked the tone but not the price and lack of reverb. I almost bought a used one and kick myself for not doing so. CS plays a Jazzmaster through his.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

+1 on a Deluxe reverb for country.

This

 

[Synchro]

IMHO, an open question. A Deluxe Reverb is a great choice, and is purpose built for clean, bright sounds. Leo Fender loved Country and as his designs developed, it strikes me that he moved his designs towards the bright sounds.But the scooped sounds of the AB763 family amps are not the only game in town.

The Vox family is actually pretty good for Country. The sound is bright, but not exactly like the Fender AB763 sound of the Deluxe Reverb. The tone stack is different and there may be some influence from the tube compliment. The Shadows used Vox AC-15 and AC-30s for a very clean Instrumental Rock, which would have made for a good Country sound. Within the Vox family, there are two basic divisions, with the older designs using an EF-86 pentode in the preamp. These EF-86 amps have a different breakup curve and seem to have a broad plateau between clean and overdriven.

The Chris Stapleton 6G3 Princeton is fairly similar to my favorite amp of all times, which is a Winfield Tremor. The Tremor is an improvement over the Tweed Vibrolux circuit, with an adjustable fixed bias, and perhaps a few other tweaks known only to Winfield Thomas. The interesting thing is that the 6G3 routes the signal through the tubes differently, but is otherwise very similar to the Tweed Vibrolux. Both have a great tremolo, and a clean, somewhat chimey sound. If you push it, the progression into breakup is gentle.

I use mine for Surf, primarily, but it’s perfect for Country. In either case, input a good signal, add some reverb, and the amp will take care of the rest.

Which amp should I use threads are always interesting. The answers seem to run the gamut, from guys that will play any amp, as long as it’s a 5E3 Deluxe, to people that believe a full Marshall stack to be the only valid choice, for any application. I have a wide variety of amps, from the Vox family, to AB763 family to the Tremor. Each has its charm, and each is a great choice. My tastes run to the clean and I seek clean Country sounds, along with the clean sounds of Surf and early ‘60s Rock. IMHO, there is no single right choice.

 

[brookdalebill]

Though I like and use Roland Cube amps, specifically 80XL models, the “generic” answer is a Fender Twin Reverb.
If you’re young, and/or strong, they’re almost perfect.
Loud, clean, clear, articulate, dependable and still not too expensive.
The new Tone Masters are all that, plus they’re almost unbelievably lightweight.
They all take pedals beautifully, too.
Countless hits and gigs have been done with em’.
I’ve had a dozen, over the decades.
BF, SF, Ultra Linear, all great, all cheap-ish, all HEAVY.
They’re 60-100lbs, depending on year and speaker type.
Dual Showman’s are another option.
So are Vibrosonics, with a 15.
They sound great at civilized volumes, but if you want/need to do battle, you can.
Great stuff!

 

[thunderbyrd]

Tonemaster Twin.

 

[985plowboy]

Yeah I’m going to go ahead and +1 the Deluxe reverb.
Really hard to go wrong.

 

[Beachbum]

Twin

 

[tfarny]

Any BF Fender is the stock answer, but I am increasingly partial to Vox myself for country friendly cleans. I don't think there really is a "best amp for country music" if you want that simple of any answer. There are lots of good amps all sounding a bit different and thank goodness for that.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

I played in a Classic Country band about 10 years - with a '68 Deluxe Reverb, with JJ 6V6"s, and a 120 watt Eminence Red, White, & Blues Speaker- so loud, and clean.

I used a Blues Driver for a little breakup, but ( in this band) only on Elvis/Rockabilly tunes

Had to sell amp in 2016 ( $$!!) - Will always miss this amp- great sound