Post #180037 by Haole Kat on Tue, Aug 16, 2005 11:12 AM

Now amps are a BIG can of worms. It really depends on what type of tone you want. The tonal quality of any given amp is very subjective, possibly even moreso than instruments.

Overall, I prefer vintage Fender tube amps for my own purposes. I also tend to prefer the tone of other players who use tube amps rather than solid state amps.

That said, in the hands of the right player, the crappiest rig can sound heavenly. No kidding. Sooooo much more is in the hands than the equipment. I have also heard pricey boutique gear sound like ass in the hands of the wrong player.

If it sounds good to you, go with it. Your taste will likely change over time, so you can just move on to the next thing...it gets addictive! We call it G.A.S - or Gear Aquisition Syndrome...YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!!!

For a clean sound, I really like the sound of TJ's steels through my Princeton Reverb. They are usually available on e-bay for a wide range of prices...you'll likely want Blackface electronics, not Silverface. '72-'74 models have Silverface cosmetics, but Blackface electronics. They can often be found a bit cheaper than "real" BF models from pre-'71 or so.

For a slightly grittier tone, like on alot of classic Hawaiian recordings...a smaller wattage amp sounds even better. 5 watt amps can be pushed without becoming too loud, so you can get the natural tube compression without Pete Townsend volume...Fender Champs, Supro Amps...TJ has a 5 watt Crate(!) that sounds great in that context.

Feel free to contact me with any questions...I'm a total gear geek!

Josh
http://www.whollycatsband.com