Amp for a strat

Killaqueen!!!

Yes, I don't even know what amps are best for strats...

By the end of the summer I should have enough money to get my strat off ishibashi! I'm looking at about 600-700euro in total (shipping, VAT etc.) for a decent japanese strat (without extra costs they're actually really cheap!) and I forgot that I'm going to need to get a new amp as well, cos all I have is a sh1tty Epiphone Studio 10.

I'll be playing at home unless I manage to join a band..I love all styles of music but I suppose I want an amp thats good for rock/blues. I'm not sure what price range yet but unfortunately it'll be under 500euro.

Can anyone recommend an amp?

I'm really researching my buys this time. I'm gonna read lots of reviews etc. Thankfully, I'm set on buying a japanese strats. There isn't much info on them on the internet, or in magazines etc. so hopefully I'll be happy with it!

feylya

Maybe something like a Peavey Classic 30? Nice amp that's has reasonable volume but can turn into a decent higher gain amp with a nice distortion box.

Duff_Man

they aint much good for home use though! and they mite be out of his budget great amps otherwise. you cant go wrong with some of the peavey gear man. the fender amps complement the strats as they have more bottom end in them adding more bass to teeh strat. buts its still best for you to go around and try out loads of amps to see what you like!

LundiMardi

Personally, i wouldn't even buy an amp unless you're gigging. I think an amp is wasted at home. I say use the money for the amp to get some kind of software such as guitar rig, much more versatile than an amp and you can record your playing and experiment with effects. That and a good quality pair of headphones and/or speakers and you're all set.

Ger the man

How about a VOX?

Killaqueen!!!

LundiMardi wrote:

Personally, i wouldn't even buy an amp unless you're gigging. I think an amp is wasted at home. I say use the money for the amp to get some kind of software such as guitar rig, much more versatile than an amp and you can record your playing and experiment with effects. That and a good quality pair of headphones and/or speakers and you're all set.

Hmm...thats a good idea. I mean, I'm not a professional and my epiphone amp might keep me goin for a while. Excuse my newbieness (well I've been playin for a while but still..) whats a guitar rig? If it's software for recording it's probably gonna be expensive right? I've always wanted to be able to record though - I'm sick of using my phone!

Vox's are sweet but are they suited to strats? Never even tried a Peavey amp..

LundiMardi

http://www.thomann.de/ie/native_instruments_guitar_rig_2.htm

I have it, and it's quite awesome.

Killaqueen!!!

Looks good. I wouldn't know the first thing about how to use it though! I'm sure I'd be able to mess around with it though. No money back guarantee though...

Well, it's an option. I'm gonna order my guitar first.

LundiMardi

I don't know anywhere that would offer a money back guarantee on any instrument to be honest. Unless it was actually visibly damaged on arrival. So i wouldn't worry about that. Plus thomann offer a 3 year warranty on most of their stock, not sure about this though.

Using it pretty self explanatory when it's all set up though.

colm_r

Killaqueen!!! wrote:

Vox's are sweet but are they suited to strats? Never even tried a Peavey amp..

Rory Gallagher used a Vox AC30 with his Strat ... http://www.roryon.com/duck248.html

Killaqueen!!!

Speaking of strats, what pickups are best? I'm looking at ones with texas specials and (surprise surprise) I've never tried them out.

My concern with buying a strat is their bridges. I had a strat copy (it was a crap budget one mind you) where the bridge caused a lot of problems.

Oh, and what are Aerodyne strats like? Never heard of them but I'm just looking at them on ishibashi...

LundiMardi

You're better off going into town and trying a few out for yourself to be honest.. If you don't feel comfortable then ask the guys behind the counter to play and few and then you can pick the one you like the most. People can tell you all they want about how they interperet the sound of a particular pick up, but it's all opinion based. Just because we like a particular product, doesn't mean you will.

Killaqueen!!!

I know yeah, it's just I know fuck all about the technicality behind guitars. I don't know anything about pickups and I've been searching on the web and they don't have much info about strats.

See if I go into town the best I can try is a mexican or maybe an american and it's not the same really is it?

I'm looking on ishibashi and it's showing me stuff like ST62-78TX OLB
So basically that means it's a strat 62 and it has 78texas pixkups?? and the OLB is the colour right? And the ST68-92TX is virtually the same except more expensive because it's an upgrade on the pickups so to say...?

Sorry about all the questions but even before I try the guitars in town I want to know my stuff.

LundiMardi

That's what they're there for.. I recommend Musician Inc, I bought a guitar in there from Roger and he was very informative.

To be honest, being a beginner (i presume), you're not going to notice a huge difference, even between an American and Mexican strat.

novarock

Killaqueen!!! wrote:

Speaking of strats, what pickups are best? I'm looking at ones with texas specials and (surprise surprise) I've never tried them out.

My concern with buying a strat is their bridges. I had a strat copy (it was a crap budget one mind you) where the bridge caused a lot of problems.

Oh, and what are Aerodyne strats like? Never heard of them but I'm just looking at them on ishibashi...

Aerodyne strats are amazing, in fact any of the Aerodyne series are fantastic instruments. I normally wouldnt give the slightest thought to owning a Telecaster except for the Aerodyne. If you were getting an Aerodyne strat try and get one of the older models second hand. I have a Japanese Strat as well and would highly recommend one.

In terms of an Amp for Rock and Blues, A fender amp would sound great, a Deville maybe. The New chinese AC30's have serious reliability issues by the looks of it. I Play a cheap as chips Peavey Valveking, you get what you pay for, but for the money its worth a look. they have them in Musicmaker.

Killaqueen!!!

Ok I'm going to go on a whole day trip to all the shops and try stuff. I just hope it doesn't p1ss them off. I just won't tell them that I'm getting a japanes strat. I'll pretend I'm going to buy off them :P

Oh, and you could say I'm a beginner to electrics. I've played acoustic for too long now!

Alanstrainor

novarock wrote:

a Deville maybe.

I'd say if you're going for home use and thinking of going fender at very most go for a blues deluxe, the blues junior would probably suit a bit better. I have a blues deluxe and she's very loud and i have a couple of friends with the blues juniors and it's a crackin amp.

The Freeman

Killaqueen!!! wrote:

I'm looking on ishibashi and it's showing me stuff like ST62-78TX OLB
So basically that means it's a strat 62 and it has 78texas pixkups?? and the OLB is the colour right? And the ST68-92TX is virtually the same except more .

st68-> the year/model of strat
78(or 92)-> the amount of thousand of yens it goes for in japan (RRP), you don't pay this you pay the amount which excludes the vat;)

Fingers Mcginty

If your only playin at home. Get yourself a microcube. Fantastic little amp. I'm still in awe of the sounds i can get out of that little cube.

Doctor J

**** software for a start. If you can find and afford one get a Fender tube combo. If ever two things were made to go together it's a strat and a Fender amp. Yes, it's not practical in the least but at least you'll actually get an emotional response to the glorious sounds you'll get, instead of some poxy digitised ****. Honestly, if you really want to play, it's the only way.

feylya

What have you done with Doctor J?

Jigsaw

I would have to say either the Deville or else the Vox AC30. A mate of mine has a Deville and it sounds damn fine. Don't know anyone personally with a Vox AC30 but their reputation precedes them and if it'll do for Mr May, it'll do for me.

Killaqueen!!!

Devilles are out of my budget though, unfortunately! I'll have a look at Vox prices..

Doctor J

http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=25403&cat=16

Killaqueen!!!

I tried a blues junior and it sounded nice for the price. Had a nice fat sound - I can see why it's called a blues junior! It'll do for at home but I'd need to get a distortion pedal or something!

I'm gonna try out the Valve Kings sometime this week. they look good for the price :O !!!

If I was going for a Vox I'd have to settle for AC15.

Doctor J wrote:

http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=25403&cat=16

Nice price.

EDIT: hope no one saw that stupid question..!

feylya

Scroll to the bottom of the page - there's a comments section. Also, make sure you're logged in! It's a different site to boards so it has different cookies but it reads from the same database.

Ancient1

feylya wrote:

What have you done with Doctor J?

I spiked his kebab.

Doctor J wrote:

If ever two things were made to go together it's a strat and a Fender amp.

Now he speaks the truth!

Seriously though, if you have an electric guitar you need an amp, end of story. There's no soul in software, you might as well plug your guitar into your Nokia phone and headphones.

Killaqueen!!!

Hey, has anyone ever tried out febder gold lace sensor pickups? I'm thinking of getting the strat with them, or the DiMarzio pickups.

barrylyons

Hi . I have been playing the guitar for about 25 years now and have had loads of guitars and amps in my day ,hopefully here is some advice that you might find usefull.I play a 62 origional and a 62 reissue strat

• you would want to have fantastic ears to hear the difference between good pickups ,dont believe all the guff you read . a standard strat pickup is just as good as the rest .
• the variation in tone comes from the playing , if you want to sound like hendrix or gallagher there is only one way ...Practice practice and play as much as you can..no amount of gear will make you sound anything like them... think ahead..what will you sound like in 3 to 4 years time ..will you still be playing ..it does take a lot of practice, and you will never ,never get to the end where you know everything.
• Amps for strats, try them out.. as the old saying goes try a lot ,buy once. Think about what you need it for. If you are only playing at home ,think ahead..do you want to gig , if so you will need an amp that can cope....You pay for what you get.

This is just my personal choice and you might be looking for a totally different sound . I dont use pedals and i use my guitar volume to give me different sounds

• Vox ac 30 .. great amp for a strat
• peavey classic 30.. again great amp for a strat
• marshall 22 watt .. expensive and (see next amp)
• bugerra 22. these are bottom end priced amps €260 new but great little sound,but may be struggeling to get a totally clean sound when playing with a drummer.
• fender delux/blues delux.. 40 watt amp, they can sound great but I would prefare an ac30 a bit bright
• fender blues jr.. great for small jams and house.. they are only 15 watts but not bad
• remember 15 watts is NOT half as loud as 30 watts..amps do not work that way, To get louder than a 30 watt ,you would have to get a 100 watt amp

again I would recommend try before you buy and remember amps sound different in different rooms .

hope this was of some help


And remember
Dont believe what you read, espically by the maker ..after all they are trying to sell something

ball ox

Id say the OP's amp, whatever he went with, is around 3 years old at this stage :<

landsleaving

This place is like a time machine lately..

barrylyons

Well hopefully anyone looking up a search might get a bit of advice from it. ...as its still up there, and i found the thread from a search...is the internet just amazing