Best amp for country music?

[Tall-Fir]

I have a Princeton Reverb which was changed a bit by David Allen to produce about 28 watts through a 1x12 cab. It is a great amp for country. So, I am certainly in agreement with those who have posted deluxe reverbs or other Fender reverb amps. My old Classic 30 was also fine, but I sold it because I just had too many amps—(living in an apartment.)
I don’t think that for some of the more modern country music that fender amps are the only game in town. Country music is made up of very nontraditional tones nowadays. It really doesn’t matter in the long run. Stretching the traditional tones has been going on seemingly forever in country music though. Heck, Frank Reckard(sp?) played a Les Paul Jr. with Emmylou for twelve years or so. Don’t know what amp he used, but it sure sounded good. Any setup can do country nowadays. JMO.

 

[teletimetx]

A whole lot of variables, no? Now? 10 years ago? 40-50 years ago?

Is Marty Stuart country enough for you? If so, Fender, Fender, Fender - at least when I saw him last month.

Willie Nelson - didn’t he use some kind of Baldwin amp for awhile?

Standell was used by quite a few at some point in the past and certainly Peavey had many folks plugged in.

Personal preferences, fashion of the moment, endorsement deals, touring logistics, back line amps.

 

[telekaster1999]

Absolutely nothing like a tele through a twin reverb for country music if your young enough to carry it.

 

[InstantCoffeeBlue]

Anything BF/SF Fender is the conventional wisdom kinda choice if we're talking classic - pick anything from a Champ to a Twin according to volume needs and it'll "twang" if that's what you want it to do, but I like messing around with conventions and have used plexi style Marshalls, Ampegs and Peaveys. It's really more about the feel and the vocabulary than any specific kind of amp.

 

[Synchro]

Anything BF/SF Fender is the conventional wisdom kinda choice if we're talking classic - pick anything from a Champ to a Twin according to volume needs and it'll "twang" if that's what you want it to do, but I like messing around with conventions and have used plexi style Marshalls, Ampegs and Peaveys. It's really more about the feel and the vocabulary than any specific kind of amp.

I don’t have a lot of experience with Marshalls but I have noticed that Marshalls sound great clean.

 

[Bob M]

Quilter 101 Reverb through a 2 x 10 cab. Long time Fender guy recently converted to SS. Plenty of power and twang and takes pedals really well. Great with a Tele.

 

[WireLine]

There are as many answers as you can dream up…your choice comes down to nuance and flavor. I don’t know squat about so called new country, but I have owned/used a lot over the years, with the standouts being:

- 410 Bassman. Just never a wrong amp
- MusicMan RD50 or SixtyFive
- Deluxe Reverb
- Any Peavey Solo Series
- Quilter 101
- Boogie Mk 2 B
- Mosvalve RealTube II pre/962 power amp
- Rivera

 

[ce24]

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

If thats all it took for me to sound like a million buks id take out a loan.

 

[Frisco 57]

To have one is to love one but a 70's Pro Reverb. Big clean tube tone with a great reverb and tremolo built in, and it's got wheels too!

Same amp size and speaker configuration as a Twin but 40 watts out for the Pro Rev. vs. 100 watts out from the Twin Rev.

 

[Toto'sDad]

If thats all it took for me to sound like a million buks id take out a loan.

Me Tooooooo!

 

[radiocaster]

As far as I remember, 70s-90s was mostly Twin Reverbs.

 

[Henry Mars]

If you have the back, A Fender Twin Reverb. Otherwise there are a plethora of choices. The Peavey Bandit was mentioned and is not bad choice. The Peavey C30 was mentioned too but it is going to need the right speaker. The stock speaker won't cut it.
I might be thinking solid state like the Bandit. If you could find a Special 130 with a BW speaker and learn how to set it up it could also be a killer it is a very versatile amp.
Last time I was in Nashville it was almost all Peavey and clean Fenders. Take yuoue axe to a music store and try out a few amps. Your ear is the best advice.

 

[teletail]

Deluxe Reverb. I don’t know where you guys claiming to use twins are playing, but there is no place in my area where you can play loud enough to get a twin to sound good. I love them, but it’s like buying a Corvette to drive around a parking lot.

 

[That Cal Webway]

100 w Katana
.

 

[JustABluesGuy]

If I had to name some “country” amps, or amps that are often used by country musicians, it would be Peavey Bandits, Crate amps used to be popular as well. Anything loud and pretty clean like a Twin Reverb would probably work well.

That being said I’m sure there are many different kinds of amps being used by gigging country artists.

 

[SPUDCASTER]

Vince and Paul Franklin are now using the Little Walter amps. Probably in the "Z" price range.

Twin, Super or Deluxe Reverbs get good reviews as you've probably noticed.

Peavey Bandit. Generally reliable and takes pedals well.

AC15 or 30 with Celestion Blue speakers. Paisley tones without the "Z" price.

Suggestions might come closer with a little more detail of your playing situation.

Bedroom, live gigs with miking through a PA or just going unmiked live? Full band?

Venue sizes? Small clubs, large clubs or occasional outdoor gigs?

Standard of the industry for years was the Fender Twin. If you can lug it around fine.

The age of the sit-down gigs is over. I've seen bands that used to play in one club for three or four years.

Not anymore. You'll probably be moving something around three or four times a week if you're doing it full time.

 

[Sax-son]

Deluxe Reverb, Twin Reverb, Vox AC 15 are just fine. Any other "clean" amp should do fine as well.

 

[stnmtthw]

Deluxe Reverb. I don’t know where you guys claiming to use twins are playing, but there is no place in my area where you can play loud enough to get a twin to sound good. I love them, but it’s like buying a Corvette to drive around a parking lot.

My Twin sounds great in my house. Use input jack 2, it drops the volume significantly and makes it much more manageable. Way, way fuller sound than any single speaker amp.

Full discolsure- I wanted a Deluxe Reverb when I bought my Twin, but I actually got the Twin cheaper than I could get a Deluxe or a Princeton. Probably because it's the weight of a neutron star.

 

[codamedia]

Iconic country tones have come from ALL types of amps.... pick your flavor.

Marty Stuart plays a Deluxe now, but his hits (90's) were big iron Fenders....
Marty's sidekick Kenny Vaughan plays a Princeton
Don Rich, Buck Owens, Pete Anderson (ie: Bakersfield) were BF Fenders
Reggie Young played a Fender Deluxe
Brent Mason was most often a BF Fender (Twin and/or Deluxe) or a Matchless... and that's 70% of all hits from the 90's.
Modern Studio Players (Greenberg, Bukovac, etc..) often use Matchless & Marshalls but also have Fenders on hand.
Brad Paisley tones are rooted in VOX AC30's... he's used DR Z for many years.
Vince Gill was a Fender guy in the 90's... now he plays Little Walters
Ray Flacke used Lab Series L9's
Albert Lee used Musicman HD130's with JBL loaded cabinets.
Chet Atkins played a Standel for most of his career, but could be seen with Peavey's and Musicman amps as well

... add to that... Peavey Classics are seen on countless stages, and now with modern tours using IEM monitors you also see a lot of Kemper, Fractal and Helix modelers direct to FOH.

 

[teletail]

My Twin sounds great in my house. Use input jack 2, it drops the volume significantly and makes it much more manageable. Way, way fuller sound than any single speaker amp.

Full discolsure- I wanted a Deluxe Reverb when I bought my Twin, but I actually got the Twin cheaper than I could get a Deluxe or a Princeton. Probably because it's the weight of a neutron star.

You have more will power than most. Usually when I see someone with a twin they are playing painfully loud.