Pop-Punk Amp Question

[frenchatticus]

Hey everyone, I have a quick question.

I've been looking at amps (heads specifically) for my pop-punk band and I have a basic idea of what I want, but I'm looking for outside opinions on what head would provide the best tone for the genre. Specific tones would be something related to NFG or Hit the Lights.

Anyway, the amps I've had my eye on are:

Orange Rockerverb 100
Orange Rocker 30
Orange AD30
Mesa Single Rectifier
Mesa Dual Rectifier
Marshall JCM900

I'm aware that there's a variety of JCM900's so out of those, which one would best fit the tone I'm looking for.

Also, I will be playing through a 4x12 Mesa, Orange, or Marshall 1960A Cab with Vintage 30s.

[Yontsey]

I would look at the Rockerverb 50. Trust me it'll be more then enough power for what you're doing. I own one and absolutely love it. I like it better then the RV100 because gain channels sound the best when they are cranked all the way up and with a 100, you'll almost never get to do that.

I also have it paired with an Orange 2x12 closed back and like I mentioned, it is definitely loud.

[patrickhowell]

The Mesa Single Rec is what you want. This is what Hit The Lights uses, and their live tone is always great. There is ZERO reason to buy a Dual Rec. The JCM 900 has a very unique tone, but it's not an especially reliable amp. They made a lot of strange decisions and cut a lot of corners in that design. The Orange AD30 is kind of an odd man out in this list. It's a great amp, and it might be what you like, but it's totally different from the rest.

Also, springing for a brand-name cab isn't really a necessity... you're really overpaying just to have a logo on the front. Check out ABCustomAudio.net (http://abcustomaudio.net). My roommate just bought a custom designed 6x12 cab from them (unloaded) for $400 shipped (nearly half of the cost was shipping), and the turnaround was about a week and a half. It's made out of the same quality birch ply that Orange, Mesa, and most other manufacturers use. Their list price for a 4x12 is $179.80, and you can get custom color and style. I know they make Orange, Marshall, and HiWatt styled cabs, and if you ask, they're willing to negotiate on price.

Look at WarehouseSpeakers.com (http://warehousespeakers.com) for speakers. They make two different styles of Vintage 30 clones, and both are better than the original V30. Vintage 30's have a really great midrange sound, but they have a harsh spike in the upper mids. Their "Veteran 30" is pretty much an exact copy of the Celestion, but with better upper midrange tone. Their Retro 30 is a really similar speaker, but with tighter bass response, more clarity, and better note definition. Plus they're only $69 each.

[mylastflight]

mesa rec is what i suggest although people over at harmony central will disagree.
i dont think ad30 is what you want i think jcm 800 would be kinda cool for that sound too.
also check out buddah superdrive 30

[Yontsey]

Also check out this site for cabs: http://www.avatarspeakers.com/

They do amazing work, have great prices, and have a lot of user testimonies that you can get from people around here that have them. They also have a store on ebay where they sell some of them cheaper. Very customizable too.

[patrickhowell]

Also check out this site for cabs: http://www.avatarspeakers.com/

They do amazing work, have great prices, and have a lot of user testimonies that you can get from people around here that have them. They also have a store on ebay where they sell some of them cheaper. Very customizable too.

Yeah, Avatar is great, but as they've grown, they've cut some corners in their production and raised their prices a lot. Avatar cabs are smaller and shallower than AB Custom Audio's, so they're more directional and have less bass response. However, if you can find a used Avatar that you like, go for that. You'll save a good amount of money and end up with a really solid cab.

[Paulb-182]

Hey everyone, I have a quick question.

I've been looking at amps (heads specifically) for my pop-punk band and I have a basic idea of what I want, but I'm looking for outside opinions on what head would provide the best tone for the genre. Specific tones would be something related to NFG or Hit the Lights.

Anyway, the amps I've had my eye on are:

Orange Rockerverb 100
Orange Rocker 30
Orange AD30
Mesa Single Rectifier
Mesa Dual Rectifier
Marshall JCM900

I'm aware that there's a variety of JCM900's so out of those, which one would best fit the tone I'm looking for.

Also, I will be playing through a 4x12 Mesa, Orange, or Marshall 1960A Cab with Vintage 30s.
The rocker 30 from orange is a nice head indeed.

I use a Marshall JCM 2000 head and it gives the best crunch tone I've ever played with. It also works well with a more distorted sound that you appear to be after.

[frenchatticus]

The Mesa Single Rec is what you want. This is what Hit The Lights uses, and their live tone is always great. There is ZERO reason to buy a Dual Rec. The JCM 900 has a very unique tone, but it's not an especially reliable amp. They made a lot of strange decisions and cut a lot of corners in that design. The Orange AD30 is kind of an odd man out in this list. It's a great amp, and it might be what you like, but it's totally different from the rest.

Also, springing for a brand-name cab isn't really a necessity... you're really overpaying just to have a logo on the front. Check out ABCustomAudio.net (http://abcustomaudio.net). My roommate just bought a custom designed 6x12 cab from them (unloaded) for $400 shipped (nearly half of the cost was shipping), and the turnaround was about a week and a half. It's made out of the same quality birch ply that Orange, Mesa, and most other manufacturers use. Their list price for a 4x12 is $179.80, and you can get custom color and style. I know they make Orange, Marshall, and HiWatt styled cabs, and if you ask, they're willing to negotiate on price.

Look at WarehouseSpeakers.com (http://warehousespeakers.com) for speakers. They make two different styles of Vintage 30 clones, and both are better than the original V30. Vintage 30's have a really great midrange sound, but they have a harsh spike in the upper mids. Their "Veteran 30" is pretty much an exact copy of the Celestion, but with better upper midrange tone. Their Retro 30 is a really similar speaker, but with tighter bass response, more clarity, and better note definition. Plus they're only $69 each.

Like the guy below you was saying, Harmony Central isn't too fond of Single Recs, and according to them there is a reason to buy a Dual. But maybe that's just them, and maybe I would find a nice tone from it. Anyway, thanks for that website. I'm gonna check that out.

[Yontsey]

The rocker 30 from orange is a nice head indeed.

I like the Rocker 30 but I personally like having reverb with my amp. If you're someone who never uses reverb then the 30 would be perfect.

[rawkandrowl]

Forget the JCM900 I also have had a bad experience with one of those, and it's hard to dial in a good tone.

I would recommend Mesa. Try out the Single and Dual Recs side-by-side and make up your own mind. The single has a slightly thinner tone, but in a good way. The Dual can be worth it if you want to have that crushing tone.

The NFG sound is the sound of an EMG (81?) pickup through a Dual Rec.

[patrickhowell]

Like the guy below you was saying, Harmony Central isn't too fond of Single Recs, and according to them there is a reason to buy a Dual. But maybe that's just them, and maybe I would find a nice tone from it. Anyway, thanks for that website. I'm gonna check that out.

Reasons to buy a Dual Rectifier:
1) You want ultra-clean tones at extreme volumes, at the expense of better overdrive
2) You prefer tube rectifier sag over the clean attack of a silicon diode rectifier

100w is just too much wattage to get the power tubes pushed as much as they like to be pushed and keep your amp at usable volumes.

Also, the harmony central reviews all give the Single Rec a better rating for sound quality than the Dual.

[frenchatticus]

Reasons to buy a Dual Rectifier:
1) You want ultra-clean tones at extreme volumes, at the expense of better overdrive
2) You prefer tube rectifier sag over the clean attack of a silicon diode rectifier

100w is just too much wattage to get the power tubes pushed as much as they like to be pushed and keep your amp at usable volumes.

Also, the harmony central reviews all give the Single Rec a better rating for sound quality than the Dual.

Wait I'm confused, at first it seems like you're leaning toward the dual, but then with the wattage and whole Harmony Central thing it seems like you're leaning toward the single.

[frenchatticus]

What do you guys think of the B-52 AVT 100 Head?

[Sal]

Used Mesa Singles are so hard to find. It's always Duals and Triples I see on craigslist and at Guitar Center.

[patrickhowell]

Wait I'm confused, at first it seems like you're leaning toward the dual, but then with the wattage and whole Harmony Central thing it seems like you're leaning toward the single.

I'm saying that you don't need the Dual Rectifier because those are its only benefits over the single. You don't want a tube rectifier for pop-punk, and you want better overdrive tone. Get the Single Rec if you get a mesa.

What do you guys think of the B-52 AVT 100 Head?

It's one of the worst tube amps you can buy.

[patrickhowell]

Used Mesa Singles are so hard to find. It's always Duals and Triples I see on craigslist and at Guitar Center.

About a year ago, there were Singles EVERYWHERE for about $600... somehow the trend came back around for lower wattage amps, and now people are snatching them up... going price is about $750-$850, and they go quick.

[Sal]

About a year ago, there were Singles EVERYWHERE for about $600... somehow the trend came back around for lower wattage amps, and now people are snatching them up... going price is about $750-$850, and they go quick.

I always wondered what a used Single was valued at, thanks. I've seen a couple for 1100...but I've also seen Duals for the same price, so it didn't sound right.

[splitsecond]

About a year ago, there were Singles EVERYWHERE for about $600... somehow the trend came back around for lower wattage amps, and now people are snatching them up... going price is about $750-$850, and they go quick.

there seems to be a dearth in general of cheap used amps right now, at least around here. there used to be new stuff popping up almost daily on craigslist. I snagged a mint AD30htc for 800 and a mint shiva for 1400, but i have not seen much of anything lately.

[patrickhowell]

I always wondered what a used Single was valued at, thanks. I've seen a couple for 1100...but I've also seen Duals for the same price, so it didn't sound right.

Even if I had to pay the same price, I'd rather have a Single Rec than a Dual: lighter weight, better overdrive, less maintenance.

[frenchatticus]

Thanks for the tips guys!

[frenchatticus]

Even if I had to pay the same price, I'd rather have a Single Rec than a Dual: lighter weight, better overdrive, less maintenance.

One last thing, what's the deal with the Solo 50 as far as Single Rec goes?

[foisol]

Rockerverb 50 or a Dual Rectifier. Versatile... although both have very different tones (British vs American, if you catch my drift).

I too was looking at a JCM 900... but it just didn't have enough gain for me. Killer tone though. If you want to get the tone of a JCM 900 without paying a JCM 900 price, look into a Bugera 1990... they emulate the JCM 900 tone really good and for half the price.

[rawkandrowl]

I think Solo 50 just means a Single Rec with a Solo channel and no reverb. There was a version with reverb and I forget the name of it.

Do not get a Bugera. It will just break down.

[patrickhowell]

I think Solo 50 just means a Single Rec with a Solo channel and no reverb. There was a version with reverb and I forget the name of it.

It's called the Rectoverb 50

[TheSkyline]

Egnator amps are where it's at! You can play any kind of music through those and it will sound good.

[patrickhowell]

Egnator amps are where it's at! You can play any kind of music through those and it will sound good.

The new Egnater amps are built in a huge factory in China. So are the new Bogners. They're too new to know about how this has affected the quality, but I would expect it to be a lot less than it used to be.

However, the Egnater Seminar head is one of the best sounding high-gain amps I've ever heard. If you can find one of those, snag it !

[TheSkyline]

The new Egnater amps are built in a huge factory in China. So are the new Bogners. They're too new to know about how this has affected the quality, but I would expect it to be a lot less than it used to be.

However, the Egnater Seminar head is one of the best sounding high-gain amps I've ever heard. If you can find one of those, snag it !

Ah, that kind of sucks. I didn't know that. But still, assuming it doesn't change the quality of the amp much, I would still kill for a renegade 60 head!

[frenchatticus]

The new Egnater amps are built in a huge factory in China. So are the new Bogners. They're too new to know about how this has affected the quality, but I would expect it to be a lot less than it used to be.

However, the Egnater Seminar head is one of the best sounding high-gain amps I've ever heard. If you can find one of those, snag it !

Any idea on the year they started moving to China?

[patrickhowell]

Any idea on the year they started moving to China?

Just recently, I'm pretty sure... Egnater moved production to China when they started making the Renegade, Rebel, and Tourmaster. The Bogner Alchemist is their only Chinese-made amp.

[Sal]

Just recently, I'm pretty sure... Egnater moved production to China when they started making the Renegade, Rebel, and Tourmaster. The Bogner Alchemist is their only Chinese-made amp.

How do you feel about the Orange Tiny Terror? Would you recommend it for pop-punk, and would it be loud enough to gig with?

I have an avatar 4x12 with V30s if it makes a difference.

[patrickhowell]

How do you feel about the Orange Tiny Terror? Would you recommend it for pop-punk, and would it be loud enough to gig with?

I have an avatar 4x12 with V30s if it makes a difference.

It's a pretty good sounding amp... You'll be able to gig with it unless you need to have any really clean tones... You probably won't be able to get very clean at full gig volumes.

[splitsecond]

How do you feel about the Orange Tiny Terror? Would you recommend it for pop-punk, and would it be loud enough to gig with?

I have an avatar 4x12 with V30s if it makes a difference.

I would just spring for the rocker 30 to be honest.

[Sal]

It's a pretty good sounding amp... You'll be able to gig with it unless you need to have any really clean tones... You probably won't be able to get very clean at full gig volumes.

Thanks. I've been shopping for heads for a bit, because I don't like the one I'm currently using.

I would just spring for the rocker 30 to be honest.

I wish I could afford that. I was saving up slowly for a Mesa Single, but they're hard to find used and my current head has been crapping out on me that I kind of need to replace it soon.

[splitsecond]

Thanks. I've been shopping for heads for a bit, because I don't like the one I'm currently using.



I wish I could afford that. I was saving up slowly for a Mesa Single, but they're hard to find used and my current head has been crapping out on me that I kind of need to replace it soon.

well you should be able to get a used rocker 30 for 800-900 if you look around enough. they are pretty rare though.

[frenchatticus]

If you search Guitar Center's site under the used gear section you can find Orange heads from time to time.
Saw a few Rocker 30s from $999 to $1,099 and above.

[brainfreeze]

Reasons to buy a Dual Rectifier:
1) You want ultra-clean tones at extreme volumes, at the expense of better overdrive
2) You prefer tube rectifier sag over the clean attack of a silicon diode rectifier

100w is just too much wattage to get the power tubes pushed as much as they like to be pushed and keep your amp at usable volumes.

Also, the harmony central reviews all give the Single Rec a better rating for sound quality than the Dual.

you can switch between tube rec and silicon diodes on the dual, you only have the silicon choice on the single rec. granted these things sound better the louder they get, but there isnt alot of volume difference between 50 watts and 100, its just headroom. you can always pull tubes to bring it down to 50 watts if thats your thing

[frenchatticus]

you can switch between tube rec and silicon diodes on the dual, you only have the silicon choice on the single rec. granted these things sound better the louder they get, but there isnt alot of volume difference between 50 watts and 100, its just headroom. you can always pull tubes to bring it down to 50 watts if thats your thing

I'm going to turn this thing into a poll.

[brainfreeze]

im not saying the dual is better than the single, im just saying if you cant find a second hand single rectifier and you can find and afford a dual you should consider it.