Valve Amp - who’s still using them?

[AScheck9]

Ah I thought I'd been a smart little detective too! Don't I feel like a numpty. 

[Reggaebass]

38 minutes ago, AScheck9 said:

Ah I thought I'd been a smart little detective too! Don't I feel like a numpty. 

No problem 🙂, I would like to try one though but they don’t come up very often around my way, or if they do they are well overpriced 

[Reggaebass]

Picked up my Ampeg PF-50T yesterday from a local tech who has done the humbuster mod on it , it wasn’t very noisy really but the slight hum kinda annoyed me, so pleased to get it back and what a great sounding amp it is, I’m thinking of pairing it with a barefaced two 10s , has anyone tried it, or maybe an Ampeg 1x15 , any thoughts 

[Sean]

I'm still gigging and rehearsing with 3 proper battleships:

 

#1 and King of Tone is my Mesa 400+ that lives in a rack case made by Jeff at Matamp while I waited. The amp came from @Beedster probably about 12 years ago. I still use the mug nearly every day, Chris! Nothing comes close to the tone but saying that, Line 6's HX models of it are very accurate. I'd like a second one tbh.

 

#2 is my Laney Nexus Tube 400. I've had it about 10 years. 8xKT88 and lots of fancy switching options and pre-amp settings. It's epic.

 

#3 MJW Amplification Taranis 200 - 4xKT88 and it's pretty much a Matamp GT200 clone with extra preamp channels and power switching options 200w/100w(4valve)/100(2valve)/50w(4valve)/50w(2valve). MJW worked at Matamp for a while. It's pure filth. Nowhere near the Mesa or Laney as far as power, headroom, blood and guts but it has that old Orange/Matamp tone with the added flexibly of being able to rag the @rse of it at relatively low volume using the power switching.

 

They're heavy, sometimes they go wrong, they're expensive to fix but on the whole, I love them.

 

I've totally embraced Barefaced cabs this last 12-14 years, so that helps keep the weight down a bit. And I always carry a Markbass head in the car too just in case 😉

Edited Friday at 06:37 by Sean

[Kiwi]

On 03/01/2025 at 07:07, Sean said:

I'm still gigging and rehearsing with 3 proper battleships:

 

#1 and King of Tone is my Mesa 400+ that lives in a rack case made by Jeff at Matamp while I waited. The amp came from @Beedster probably about 12 years ago. I still use the mug nearly every day, Chris! Nothing comes close to the tone but saying that, Line 6's HX models of it are very accurate. I'd like a second one tbh.

 

They're heavy, sometimes they go wrong, they're expensive to fix but on the whole, I love them.

One of my favourite amps as well.  Velvet brick kind of tone, nice compression on the top end and a fabulous warmth that doesn't sound overwhelming.  Great for bright basses.  I have a 400+ profile loaded in my Kemper but it doesn't come close to the real thing.

[Reggaebass]

Can’t remember if it was mentioned before but how cool looking is this Arkham amp, apparently they are made to order , has anyone ever tried one 

[taunton-hobbit]

Looks like someone who could build a well sorted Sound System amp.

 

😎