The Top Five Amps In 2024
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
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Just picked up a Supro Delta King 12 and love it. No matter what they say YOU CAN tell the difference in the feel when sitting in front of a tube amp of any size.
I have replaced all my tube amps (Vox, Marshall, Fender) with a Boss Katana Artist Gen 3 combo. It is absolutely incredible and I have focused on beautiful, quality guitars. Happy new year!
You know that thought has crossed my mind! I only play at home, so why not concentrate on becoming a better player instead of trying to replicate exact specific tones. Even Phil says "if it's close enough, that is good by him"!
@@brianmckenzie1318 I use their models but I also run pedals into the clean channel of the amp, including a Revv G3. It's a sensational amp.
Good thinking. There's so much good equipment out today, even affordable stuff, that you don't have to have big honking rigs. I haven't been able to turn an amp up past 3 at a gig in years anyway lol.
Great point about the reason why many people are not shipping amps. I just sold my '68 Custom Vibro Champ on a non-Reverb site as pick-up only for cash, so no shipping worries and, most importantly, no fees and no tax 🤫
Same here. I always sell as pick-up only for the same reason. No shipping costs/chance of damage and no taxes/fees.
So did you sell your item yet or not ?
Usually it's not likely to sell any where near as fast as when you ship.
No broken tubes either!
@@marions.120 Yep. packing and shipping a high dollar tube amp is too stressful!
@@AuntAlnico4 That's true, but I'm patient. I sold my Boogie TC-100 as pick-up only and it did take a month or two for sure.
"Good tone is heavy and hard to carry"- Tom Bukovac.
Tone is in the ears of the listener...
Says the guy who has cartage. :-)
Amplified Nation, anything they make, Volume on 3.75, everything else at 2 O’Clock
I love my Amplified Nation SSS amp. Just amazing. Worth every penny.
You got it completely backward about the hot rod. Tube for the clean preamp and no tube for the reverb :-)
V1 in a Hot Rod Deluxe is a 12ax7 and is part of the clean channel preamp (may be part of the drive channel, as well, IDK (don't use it)). A common mod, stock on the George Benson model, is to replace that with a 12at7 or 12at7 to tame the volume. Did it years ago, still using it.
It’s a good move. Worked great on my deville.
Was that 12ax7 to a 12at7 or 12au7?
I swapped the ax7 for an au7 I think.. in my art tube preamp.
For me-I will always play through a good solid well built tube amp! I love my analog pedals (except for a digital delay that is always on in the effects loop). I have to believe that tube amps will always be relevant (Joe Bonamassa has 500 of them). The feel of a tube amp will never be matched with a modeler(IMHO) analog pedals which also feel really great when you have the right ones for your rig will never be replaced with modelers. The industry has always tried to come up with "the next best thing". Kids need to remember that bands like Zeppelin, The Beatles, Hendrix, Cream, Grateful Dead etc...recorded some of the most incredible music without digital gadgets(auto tune DAW, Pro Tools etc...)they all used real tube amps and their music is still incredible 50 years later...just something to think about!
Every Carr amp gives you that "why would i play anything else" feeling. Despite owning one myself, I still played the Helix because of volume, both at home and on stage at church. Eventually I sold it. I think the direction tube amps need to go is with the lower power settings and attenuators built in. Some of the boutique builders are going that direction and I think that's smart.
Morgan AC 20 does this. I have one. Can play it in my bedroom or an outdoor stage. Most versatile amp I've ever owned.
No modeler can replicate the feeling I get cranking a Marshall JCM800 or Bassman or absolutely overpowering everyone by turning a Twin Reverb up to 4 😂
I agree 100% , but technology is getting close
I don’t believe for one second the QC was the best selling on Reverb. And to be real, Reverb sucks. Fees, shipping, drama, false advertising etc. I’ll never understand how Reverb is still even in business.
I will keep using my tube amps as long as I can afford to buy tubes.
I am watching the amp sim/DI market very closely, though. I feel like it's just a matter of time before they have them down to where I can't tell the difference in how the digital model reacts to playing dynamics and guitar control adjustments in a way that I can no longer distinguish digital vs tube.
Something to keep in mind is that TH-camrs earn money from making videos not providing the actual truth. Some of the TH-camrs you showed has the equal amount of videos where they praise tube amps.
One week it’s one modeller or another, next week it’s a big tube amp. Third week it’s small tube amp
Or they like both and none of it matters that much unless you like it.
Powered wedge monitor with DI from pedals & cab sim - sometimes just a spark go straight into wedge monitor. Tube amps are great. There is a cost+benefit+weight issue with them. Tube amps are awesome for shows with only a mic on the vocals - if youre micing up a tube amp for a live show - congrats on getting such a huge gig.
I am a very late (68) newcomer to all of this. I am not interested in modellers and trying to chase a million tones - I'd like a good tube amp that can do very clean when needed and clips 'nicely' when driven a little harder. I can get all the other 'tones' I need from my Les Paul, SG, and American Stratocaster and their controls.
P.S. my only amp at present is a Boss Katana 50 MK II, it is left on the Panel clean setting but with a little gain and reverb at times. What tube amp combo will do both the clean and the nice (soft) 'clipping' distortion when required.
Maybe a Fender Princeton if you’re wanting a true tube amp. Great cleans, has reverb, same size as the Katana 50 and does dirt well with humbuckers.
Suhr hombre is worth a look. Or just a deluxe reverb reissue from fender
Regarding the Hot Rod amp preamp, all Hot Rod series amps have all-tube signal path except for reverb. But it's not digital reverb. There is a genuine Accutronics spring reverb tank that have TL 072 op-amp drivers.
Just bought a Hughes n kettner 20 tubemeister. Amazing!
That's good work phil, minimal waffle, im an old duffer, I've been a professional musician the 1970s, I've owned most of the desirable amps with the exception of dumble, recently I've owned the Premier modellers, the Quad, the headrush, I've just sold the lot, no amount of " modelling " can emulate " feel " there's no question the modellers do a fantastic job of modeling, but i have A / B my tube amps against modellers and the real amps just sound ,play and feel better, so I've gone against the grain and purchased a 35 watt two rock amp and a roland 501 space echo, and guess what I've never Been happier, I must stress I cannot get it wrong, this is my livelihood, I purchased catalyst 100 watt model as a practice amp, at £249 it's a bargain and terrific as home practice unit, it would last less than a week on the rd in the environment I work in, it is I believe obvious, the primary cause of the modellers overwhelming popularity is convenience, that's it, I've just returned from south east asia, just about every venue now has a house amp that is either a boss katana or a line 6 catalyst, house Amps are nothing new but there used to be variety, it's the same situation in europe and in truth it's great young players have access to so many tones, I just hope one day the young guys who have only ever known these emulators get a chance to plug in to an amplified nation cranked. peace
Noone many people buy tube amps off reverb, shipping is expensive. See what sweetwater percentages are.
It's all very subjective. I think while reviews by credible folks such as yourself Phil are useful, there are a number of variables in terms of budget, needs, etc....as to why we chose what we do. Tube amps are more expensive and are generally speaking heavier...and solid state amps can sound phenomenally good...as can some modelers. For most players, blindfolded its very difficult to distinguish the difference between a tube, or solid state amp or a high end modeler or profiler.
I just ordered a Roland JC22. 30w for a non touring player who prefers clean tones and likes the fact it has a fx loop, and the I/O's it offers.
The Decillia Single 25 seems to fit those new market requirements pretty well. 25 watt, single ended is actually NEW, AND it’s new. Not a bad design to “ride” for a while. I Wonder if you can drive a FRFR speaker in it with a cab sim pedal?
That looks like the Wonderland Overdrive in the background - do you still have the Ampliphonix & Gain? Do you have a favorite?
What about the companies focusing on smaller, quiter, cheaper, lighter weight companies like Supro? They seem to be focused on small amps that are reasonably priced. Do you think that company model would stick around?
I have a Marshall DSL5cr and it’s practically the same thing and I was wondering that too! Because this sounds much better than a katana or a modeler at the same DB levels! And it’s all tube but with a 10” speaker
How much do you think the numbers are skewed simply because people aren’t trying to ship or pay for shipping on a used tube app? I suspect most tube amp sales occur off of reverb or other sites that typically involve shipping.
There may be some truth in that but it’s largely only real enthusiasts that are buying tube amps today and most of them already have their amp. When you think of amps like the Katana, Fender’s Mustang’s, all the Spark stuff, and then all of the amp-in-a-box things, I’m betting the tube amp market is tiny these days, not just on Reverb
I think you are right about the amp market, But on a different topics, I just bought a new gretsch player Edition white falcon, I would like to know your professional thoughts on that guitar
I would consider a Revv combo amp. Nothing else in the solid state world. A guy can source so many old great hand wired amps at every price point. I have an old Regal amp that I picked up for $250. It is amazing and is 57 years old.
To each their own but I’m definitely with Johan Segeborn and many more like him, and their love of tubes amps on this one.
It’s also entertaining to wire a Mojotone amp and get a great new amp at an affordable price.
Phil have 1999 vox cambridge, great amp first v9x hybred when korg took over still working, pre amp has tube, but power amp is solid state very clean if you want
I love tube amps, but I just play at home these days, so I bought the Friedman IR-J and I run it through a frfr. I haven’t touched my tube amps since. I get the tube sound at a manageable volume and I can use my preferred pedals with it.🤘🏻
I bought a Supro Delta King 12, not online but from my local mom and pop music shop. Not interested in modelers.
That's like the best amp for under $600 you can get right now and sounds way better than all the competition. The only thing better than that would be the new EVH 5150 Iconic 40 combo 12 inch speaker ! Awesome amp but you can find em used but still new for $600 and the 15 watt combo can be had under $600 and it's an awesome amp if you don't need major bass freqs which are almost overpowering in the 40 way watt but the 15 watt sound perfect especially into a 412 EVH cabinet with green backs.
I’ve got the Delta King 10, it’s amazing and I certainly won’t be swapping it for a modeler any time soon
Hard to beat the value of the Boss Katana. The new Gen3 head is the way to go.
Does Sovtek tubes still exists? I liked to use them! 👍
Affluent gear bro's have bid the cost of quality tube amps up to the point where first line musicians, who make up the majority of actual performers, can't afford any of that stuff. People are tired of those guys talking down to anybody that doesn't have a stable of original 60's tube amps. You can see why young people have turned to modelers and I suspect they won't go back. Sure, the deep pocket hobbyists will keep buying the bougie gear, their golf buddies don't want to hear about their Kemper or quad cortex, but the people that are actually out there making the music we'll all care about are moving on. Thats how life works. Out with the old, in with the new.
I use my solid state Orange Super Crush 100 along side my Friedman and REVV. The performance gap between them is so small in 2025. High performance solid state will eventually end tubes.
Either that, or the boutique amps will fold from the lack of purchases
I really need the supro delta king 12 in all black...
So growing up I had no way to play tube amps and get a good driven sound. Volume, so modelling amps were kinda lame but it was quit and didnt have my neighbors pounding on the walls. My first tube amp was a disappointment because I still didnt want to play at 120 Db to get my tone. I play guitar for fun (never gigged) and now modelling is great so my tube amps are pedal platforms. I love listening to metal at a concert with Marshals or whatever cranked and you can feel the music but in my bedroom, I love getting really close to the sound without going any deaffer. (Is that even a word)
To be fair, the Hot Rod Deluxe, the Blues Deluxe, the Blues Junior, all of the signal chain is tube driven. The only solid state amplification is the reverb and the effects loop circuits. That doesn't mean they're the best designed tube amps out there, but I'd still pick any one over a Spark or Katana.
It'd be interesting to subtract duplicate sales and isolate duplicate sales cause while seeming to be hot.. it could indicate not great.
Are these people home users? Or live gigging musicians ?
I always think the same thing. These “Top _____” lists are not scientifically accurate because they’re not including a lot of specific variables. I have said for the last 5 years that they need a social scientist with the knowledge to conduct yearly quantitative and qualitative research to collect and analyze accurate data. Without scientific methods being used, looking at sales lists is pretty useless when there aren’t any hard facts and evidence backing the claims. They need to test a hypothesis (perhaps several) with an independent and dependent variable, and then analyze the attributes depending on the methods used to help construct a better understanding as to why certain products are selling more than others and whatever else they are trying to ultimately test.
Your questions are just the tips of the iceberg here. Are we talking bedroom players or working musicians? Are the home players living in apartments with little room or homes with space for amps? Are the working musicians gigging, working at a studio, or traveling elsewhere and how often? What type of music is being played? Then are loads of additional variables that can be considered. Then all of those need to be compared against race, ethnicity, income bracket, gender, country of origin, etc. to get a better sense on how those variables play a role in the sale of items like amps and how players ultimately make their decisions.
Oh and don’t forget the source is just Reverb. What about sales data included from other sources like large retailers such as Sweetwater, mom and pop shops, eBay, etc.? The sales data may change drastically if additional sources are factored into the yearly top sales figures.
If this isn’t done scientifically, the sales data is ultimately useless and we can be guessing why certain gear sells the most each year until the cows come home. Basically, these top Reverb sales lists are for entertainment purposes only and should actually even say that - it’s pretty silly when they themselves literally don’t make an attempt at studying their own data with any scientific method and evidence.
You ask a good question, but plenty of gigging musicians use modelers live. You would be surprised at the amount of club venues that won't let you use amps.
I always think the same thing. These “Top _____” lists are not scientifically accurate because there is no actual hypothesis being tested and these lists (or the articles and content that comes from them) are not inclusive and exhaustive of all relevant variables and being properly analyzed. I studied sociology (also early childhood and childhood education) and tutored undergraduate and graduate students at a major NYC based university in research methods for 15 years. I have said for the last 5 years that they need a social scientist with the knowledge and ability to conduct yearly quantitative and qualitative research in order to collect and analyze accurate data that ends up being meaningful rather than meaningless. Without scientific methods being used, looking at sales lists is pretty useless when there aren’t any hard facts and evidence backing the claims. They need to test the collected data using a hypothesis (perhaps several) with an independent and dependent variable, and then analyze the attributes depending on the methods used to help construct a better understanding as to why certain products are selling more than others and whatever else they are trying to ultimately test.
Your questions are just the tips of the iceberg here. Are we talking bedroom players or working musicians? Are the home players living in apartments with little room or homes with space for amps? Are the working musicians gigging, working at a studio, or traveling elsewhere and how often? What type of music is being played? Then are loads of additional variables that can be considered. Then all of those need to be compared against race, ethnicity, income bracket, gender, country of origin, etc. to get a better sense on how those variables play a role in the sale of items like amps and how players ultimately make their decisions.
Oh and don’t forget the source is just Reverb. What about sales data included from other places like large retailers such as Sweetwater, mom and pop shops, eBay, etc.? The sales data may change drastically if additional sources are factored into the yearly top sales figures.
If this isn’t investigated scientifically, the sales data is ultimately useless and we can be guessing why certain gear sells the most each year until the cows come home. Basically, these top Reverb sales lists are for entertainment purposes only and should actually even say that - it’s pretty silly when they themselves literally don’t make an attempt at studying their own data with any scientific method and evidence.
I always think the same thing. These “Top _____” lists are not scientifically accurate because there is no actual hypothesis being tested and these lists (or the articles and content that comes from them) are not inclusive and exhaustive of all relevant variables and being properly analyzed. I studied sociology (also early childhood and childhood education) and tutored undergraduate and graduate students at a major NYC based university in research methods for 15 years. I have said for the last 5 years that they need a social scientist with the knowledge and ability to conduct yearly quantitative and qualitative research in order to collect and analyze accurate data that ends up being meaningful rather than meaningless. Without scientific methods being used, looking at sales lists is pretty useless when there aren’t any hard facts and evidence backing the claims. They need to test the collected data using a hypothesis (perhaps several) with an independent and dependent variable, and then analyze the attributes depending on the methods used to help construct a better understanding as to why certain products are selling more than others and whatever else they are trying to ultimately test.
Your questions are just the tips of the iceberg here. Are we talking bedroom players or working musicians? Are the home players living in apartments with little room or homes with space for amps? Are the working musicians gigging, working at a studio, or traveling elsewhere and how often? What type of music is being played? Then are loads of additional variables that can be considered. Then all of those need to be compared against race, ethnicity, income bracket, gender, country of origin, etc. to get a better sense on how those variables play a role in the sale of items like amps and how players ultimately make their decisions.
Oh and don’t forget the source is just from one retailer. What about sales data included from other large retailers, mom and pop shops, other similar sites with new/used gear, etc.? The sales data may change drastically if additional sources are factored into the yearly top sales figures.
If this isn’t investigated scientifically, the sales data is ultimately useless and we can be guessing why certain gear sells the most each year until the cows come home. Basically, these top sales lists are for entertainment purposes only and should actually even say that - it’s pretty silly when they themselves literally don’t make an attempt at studying their own data with any scientific method and evidence.
@ So, how does this work? Guitar into pedal board, into modeler, into PA board, and out of your monitor?
Separate monitor feeds for each band member, for customized monitoring? Good luck finding a mixer with 4-5 independent aux. sends.
I’m intrigued by this set up…is it less, or more work, than the traditional stage configuration?
In terms of quality, tone, features, weight, output options, volume, and versatility, it's gonna be hard to beat the Quilter Mach 3 combo amp.
You get 3 classic Fender voicings, a Plexi and a Vox. The overdrive circuit sounds amazing. 200 watts, at 21 lbs?! Come on, guys. You just can't beat it.
Review it, Philip!
Vox adio gt air is amazing small but mighty 40 Watt amazing speaker and ive got a spark 2 but I love my vox ac30 top boost but my favourite is my big red epiphone triggerman halfstack 110
Recently picked up a ToneX and quite pleased with it. Been using tube amps for over 35 years and still do.
Great video, excellent information.
How bout Community Focals?
I remember my dad freaking out when i bought an 1968 Fender ProReverb in the mid 1990s. “Cause it was outdated technology!” He was so mad, he also knows nothing about guitars and music.
I stopped using tube amps back in 1992 when my Garnet Session Man and Peavey Mace valve amps took a dump. It was gonna cost a lot of money at the time and the tech could not guarantee that the issues would be resolved since they had been repaired many times that year. So, I went out and purchased a Crate G130CXL and GX130C 2X12 combo amps. I put my Celestion G12T75 and V30 speakers from the two old amps into the Crate amps and closed the backs. Then I connected them to an old 1989 Crate 4X12 with Peavey Scorpion speakers. These two amps are great pedal platforms for analog pedals and old digital effects processors like the Digitech GSP21 Pro, Art sgx 2000 and the Rocktron products. I have tried amp modelers over the years and did not like them. I'd rather use my Crates with my 1992 Digitech RP1 or the analog pedal board that I built 30 years ago. This set up just works for my style of playing. The only modeler I have now is the Line M5 stomp box modeler that I use with my RP1. I really do love the old valve and solid state amps that were made then. Peavey, Crate and Ampeg made some really good guitar amps from 1989 to about 1994. The Crate: Stealth, Blue Voodoo, G130CXL, GX130C, Power Block 150, Ampeg: VL10002, VH140C and the Peavey: 5150, VTM, Butcher and Supreme 160 are still awesome.
I tried modelers, it's easier to plug into a Joyo sitting on a 1X12 cab with a good speaker. Modelers are faf
All is good and new and practical tools are welcome, but when you took a lifetime to perfect your tube amp sound , 'all digital' won't cut it (yes they're getting and better at it). Maybe the everyday touring musician, will go for the most practical, but, back at home, I bet he'll keep he's beloved tube amp, and occasionally taking it out ...!
ps have you check the 'middle of the road ' solution ? The Thomas Blug Amp1 and siblings (Mercury & Iridium), soon to be overlooked over the AmpX ? It's the perfect solution for the 'purists' who want practicability, a full fledged nano-tube, 4 channels, 100w amp ...!
But was vox AC30 or clean as super beatle.
But get tone i need was EHX Mig 50, was chasing my 67 fender bass man head eunninh theu tiny cab ported Jensen black falcon speaker, that what were in my 67 bass man cabinet
We are spoiled, I mean look at all of in the Helix world begging for Helix Tuah, when there really isn’t much wrong with the first, the older I get the more I just grab for my acoustic and the Tele doesn’t get played near as much cause I feel digital fatigue
Now I feel like a dinosaur, I can’t imagine having hundreds of sounds AKA using them all. Speaker models, amp models, etc etc
I typically use Clean, amp distortion, delay, occasionally a rotator or a flange, the boost, compression. But my fly rig is 1 amp, 1 speaker, delay/boost/compression, I even have a special luggage cart….i’m 68, moving and setting up just that
would definitely detract from playing
But at the same time, I don’t gig, I don’t leave my house…..& if I did, I wouldn’t want to carry the 2 amps I play everyday, 2 speakers and my whole board, so I very much understand an Axe effects and an FRFR, I understand why Guthrie Govan has gone digital …..this is all so depressing…groups are becoming a thing of the past…..only in Nashville🙄 everything done on a computer…..aaarg…
The DSM Humboldt Simplifier X is the most appealing "modeler" in my opinion. No menus, no app, no gritty digital artifacts. For now though, I'm sticking with real amps.
With ibanez SG copy installed seymours saturday night speciap, les trem, roller bridge, lovkung tuners tusq nut, swear getting barry the fish melt8ne tones im happy tones
Finding tubes is problematic and expensive including outright shortages to deal with.
Obviously digital products have become extremely popular, but there's a partial explanation that I really haven't heard anyone talk about.
The ox box was one of the top "amps", it's not an amp but it's a product for tube amps.
But the bigger thing is, look at the number of really good digital modelers or profilers, there's not very many, they're all basically in this list. But there are a countless number of amps on the market, tons. I bet if you added all the real amps up and compared them to digital products it would paint a much different picture.
I had a Helix stomp... and I sold it and bought a Marshall.
I've played Kempers live and each time was the lamest guitar experience of my life second only to my first amp which was a 1x8 solid state First Act.
stop the cap! jackass
A 50 watt tube amp is amazing on stage if you're allowed to turn it up at least half way.
@ seriously. A tube amp. Not all tube amps sound good. Also 50 watt to 100 watt is a 3 db difference.
@@gben2457 I usually run 15 watt Magnatones live. Attenuators will fix the volume problem.
You should get someone to set it up for you then. They’re absolutely incredible and always have been. Hence the biggest bands on earth using them live for well over a decade.
So how can high end ones getting more expensive, should be the other way around.
The thought has crossed my mind to stop buying amps as well and just go with modelers and frfr speakers.
Your title should say, the top 5 guitar amplifiers beginners and the inexperienced tone seekers buy in 2024. The big issue with a high quality "WELL" built tube amp is the tubes / Valves. Modern offerings are not that good. JJ's 12ax7's are probably the best modern offerings "IF" you're using a good compressor and dirt pedal on your board. In V1 nothing sounds as good as a NOS Mullard ECC83 period. pushed it becomes a beautiful thing, full of harmonic content. They made early Marshals and other amps sing. You don't need a lead channel on your amp, choose your own fuzz or dirt pedals. What can one say to the electronically ignorant? nothing. Professionals and techs know better. Stop supporting the big corporations for they don't care about quality . They seek only cheap to build products and higher quarterly earnings. To those with ears to hear...
I literally just bought my first tube amp
(Friedman little sister)
I am surprised Tonex is not #1, what a value for what it delivers
There's a Good Reason Why , Joe Bonamassa , Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Orianthi , Carlos Santana , JJN, John Mayer , Eric Clapton, David Gilmour To Name a few !!!!! Tone !!!! TUBE TONE !!!!!!!!!!! 📺📺📺📺🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶 Many New Metal bands and others use solid state ,that's ok , i grew up 60's 70's 80's with probably the Best Guitarists era Ever.. and as far as i know Every single one of them used Tube amps. Solid state were available...The big change in Hi FI stereo Amps. and pre amps , receiver's .. Lots of Hi End companies ... But i guess no one was interested in using solid state guitar amps...
Guthrie Govan uses a FM3 and the new Laney FR cabs... tell HIM about tone... I dare ya...
After a 34 year life playing guy.. when evaluating todays gear always remember this. Respectfully offered ….if you haven’t stood in front of just a single full stack of cabs with a 100 watt plexi (add klon and bit of delay) or high powered 50s twin …. Ur perspective is off. The air moves into ur back as u play this type of rig and knowing how to use them musically is a talent. It’s guteral. Not in volume alone but you truly can and are forced to acquire time and ur bending has to have some meat to it and everything u touch is heard. It’s just odd that posts like this one where everyone is talking about small bedroom amps. Get some chops and confidence then plug into an amp meant for a stage setting. Rock and roll guitar and its current decline period won’t be better for debates on 10 or 20 watt single 12 combos!!!
Yeah, I've played such amps on stage, but these times are over. Nobody plays a 100W amp flat out through a double stack on stage, and this développement will never get revertet. The only place a guitarist may need more than 5W is in the rehersal room, but even there 20W is more than plenty. The days of big valve amps are over, never to return. I'm getting rid of my Bassman reissue and Fender DeVille while there's still a market for them, and I already sold my JTM45. These amps are nice and great and everything, but they are no longer useful. Small combos or modelers are the way forward. I chose the Tonemaster route for myself, and I'm glad I did.
Tube amps are a cult thing.
I will NEVER stop using tube amps. I despise modelers and solid state amps. I think they sound horrible, most of the time, I refer to them in the same disdain as Strymon pedals.
You should learn how to dial the good ones in. Guarantee I could play whatever tube amp you choose, and a high quality modeler and you’d never be able to tell the difference EVER.
👍
I understand it’s a personal thing but you’d never go to a show and say this sounds like a modeler lol
@@BAND-MAID-USA You should learn to tell the truth. Turn up to drum level, and play with a band to see the error of your false statement.
@@kennethc2466 so I guess myself ( a touring musician of 35+ years, ) and the 1000s of other touring musicians, stage shows, orchestras, Disney shows, Cirque De Sole etc etc etc. I guess we’re all lying and just making it up? You’ve probably been to a show or 10 that we’re using this equipment. But I bet your super special, narcissistic ears immediately started thinking because your ears are better than every one else’s ears, IMMEDIATELY knew the amps were fake and they were using digital. Did you leave too in protest. You sound like the EXACT person, that says the opposite to ANYTHING, ANYONE says. Like someone says, “ wow it’s -20 degrees out, it’s so cold. “ And you come back with, “ This ain’t cold, you don’t know cold, but I sure do. “ people like you get nowhere. Which is EXACTLY where I bet you’ve been your entire life.
🖕🏼🤣🖕🏼
There’s a spectrum of guitar players. Beginner to ultra pro.
The newer, beginner folks are always going to upgrade. Some to technology, some to the traditional amps. How many technology players are also going to use quality amps? Wait and see.
Shouldn't the Title be Top 5 modelers?
WOW another best of list.....
You are incorrect about the hot rod deluxe. 100% wrong.
I don't see Reverb as accurate due to sellers/buyers being reluctant to ship... maybe sweetwater/AMS/GC would be more accurate
Interesting topic and info, but not really good data for comparison. To actually glean any meaningful insight, we'd really need to look at production and sales numbers from all these folks. Not sure if anyone keeps or has access to that kind of data, since it's not like Apple numbers on how many phones, macs, etc they ship, or Ford data on cars sold, etc etc. Public companies as opposed to the mostly privately owned music gear production companies, and not all American either. Plus, I'm assuming the Reverb data is their platform sales, which is a mix of new and used. If that data includes used gear, maybe that tells us more about what gear folks are getting rid of, although clearly someone else is buying it... Good anecdotal information too, on your amp builder conversion. John Suhr or Dave Friedman? Mr. PRS always loves to talk... :+)
Gee, if I had been paying attention to the hottest trends, I could have saved about a hundred Grand that I wasted on amp IRLs last year. 🤔
there's no need to buy a new tube amp every year. one a life time. so how many can you sell? they aren't bic lighters.
tube amps will not get more expensive because of lack of demand.... it WILL NOT happen.... it's the opposite of the way markets work. Yea, there will be niche brands like there are today .... but the notion that the price will outpace inflation has zero basis in market econsomics... at all. Love your stuff Phil - but i think you're dead wrong on this, and you're dead wrong on your advice to Jeff Kiesel and his pricing. Worth mentioning.... I'm placing an order this week for an Amplified Nation amp....thanks to you.
Those amps aren't for gigging.
Not a tube amp to be seen... ha... Helix lt is a smoking piece of tech...
Pragmatism wins in the end. It's like import guitars...
Seems like nothing is real anymore. Autotune has made vocals fake, and software is making guitar sounds and dynamics fake. I've been playing music since the '60s, when everything was real. I'm really glad my time playing rock and blues was during it's hay day. No amps? No leaning against sound waves coming out of hundred watt amps?
The reason why something like the cortex is high on the list is because not only does it do amp simulations but it comes with an effect where today's amplifiers are so damn expensive that people are trying to find way to cut corners I on The Other hand do not. I have tube amps and Then I buy my effects but that's The Only reason WHY they're High and they're not Really amplifiers they're digital pieces of crap
So the top 5 amps aren’t amps.
Digital modelers amps , Not mot my cup of coffee,
I think analog will overtake digital and tube in 2025. Analog is simply more efficient and more effective. They use less power and can often be ran on batteries even for higher wattages. Digital is ultimately boring. You set up all your presets and switch to the one you want, just boring.... Tube is expensive and heavy and does not sound better than battery powered analog. No reason to tube and digital is just not needed. Analog will be king, just watch and see.
Tune amp companies are going to have to adjust to what we can get for the money with modeling and all the options. There’s literally multiple reasons to not buy a tube amp. Price, ease of traveling with it, clubs that don’t want them anymore, space, needing to crank to get the tone, amp techs going by the wayside by the day and/or waiting weeks or months to have work done. There’s literally no GOOD reason to buy tube amps at this point when you literally don’t need them anymore. Used tube amps for decades until 2013. Went Kemper, the Axe then back to Kemper, the even the budget friendly ones the last several years, HX Stomp, Helix, ToneX, HeadRush MX5. All of them can do anything after learning how to use them. Which can be a horrible experience. Still have dozens of tube amp heads and combos and cans. I still use cabs but couldn’t care less about the amps. Actually debating selling them all while some ppl are still willing to pay decent money for them. Because it won’t be long before no one wants them at all. That’s just how tech works.
Regarding the Ox Box being in fourth position, I suspect a large portion of Ox Box sales may be attributed to the Ox Stomp, which has no attenuator. It just has the digital side (effects and speaker modeling).
I have a Kemper, Tonex, and may buy a FM3 to go with my VP4. And lots of pedals of all kinds. I also own a vintage '68 Bandmaster (born with an AB763 blackface preamp), a Mesa Boogie Rectifier Recording Preamp + 20/20 power amp, lots of cabs, and am planning to buy a Synergy Syn-20IR (which is a single slot Synergy 20 watt tube amp head) when it comes out in February.
I love the sounds I can get out of my gear, regardless of whether it is solid state or tube; digital or analog; or a combination of all of these categories. In fact I often mix my hardware and software plugins which includes over 130 UAD2 plugins that run on my Apollos. The Capital Chambers reverb plugin is to die for BTW.
I just can't understand why it matters so much what the source of your sound is, when your audience can't really tell any difference between a real tube amp, a model (in a pedal or Fractal, Helix, etc.), a capture / profile (Tonex, Kemper, QC, etc.) or a great amp sim plugin. At least, that's my experience with recording guitars and placing them in a mix.
Now, if I was primarily gigging, I'd use an FM3 + VP4 or something similar, simply because at 71, my back can't lug a ton of gear any more. No way I'm carrying my Bandmaster and 2 x 12 cab around like I did in my youth. I'm pretty sure I might be able to discern that my sound wasn't coming from a tube amp, but I doubt many in the audience could tell that I was just using a floor modeler.
Computers are not fucking amps.
All bla bla bla .............