Best clean amp for a Ric 330/6

[david/wales/u.k]

Simple question............What's the best amp to use to bring out the jangle on the 330/6....For use mainly at home, possibly a small gig..... budget of $500.

[jimk]

You're going to get a lot of responses on this one; and each of them quite subjective. So that said, here goes.

I found a used MusicMan RD110 Fifty in your price range a couple of years ago. It has a 10 inch Jensen speaker, and a solid state pre amp. The power amp is tube, driven by 2 6L6 tubes, (I think). It's smallish size and weight make it a really nice home amp or for use at small gigs. It weighs less than 40 lbs.

So basically, it's a poor man's hybrid Princeton Reverb.

JimK

[JakeK]

My amp is the Fender Deluxe Reverb, and it gets a great sound. Princeton and Super Reverbs are good, too, if you're looking into a Fender. Of course, I'm going to save many the trouble and say the Ric's best friend is a Vox AC-30, which also sounds great dirty. Since you mentioned you are mostly a home player, then probably the AC-15 is a better choice. Either way, any of the amps I mentioned will get you an awesome sound, they've all won me over.

[sloop_john_b]

Jim has given you a great recommendation here. Those old Music Man amps are small, cheap, loud, and clean. I had a 50 watt 1x12 and I couldn't break it up if I tried. In fact, I couldn't even STAND the thing past 2 or so on the volume control!

The typical "clean" amps - regardless of guitar choice - are the Fender Twin Reverb and the Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus. The Twin is a tube amp, the Jazz Chorus is a solid state amp.

None of the amps Jake mentioned above, though good in their own right, are known for their clean tones.

[JakeK]

Really? I always thought the amps (especially the AC-30) I mentioned were known for clean. Guess you learn something new every day!

[sloop_john_b]

Really? I always thought the amps (especially the AC-30) I mentioned were known for clean. Guess you learn something new every day!

AC-30s do sound good clean! But in my experience, they really start to break up (in a very nice but not always wanted way) at stage volume and cease to be clean amps. I sold my last one because I needed something that would stay cleaner when playing live.

I think the OP was asking about really pristine, sparkling, distortion-free amps.

[Hotzenplotz]

I used to have a Music Man RD 110 fifty and sold it because it was a small screaming point in the corner, very hard to adjust, IMHO.

From the money selling it I bought a VOX AC30VR. And I spared exactly one Euro! (Bought a beer for it...)

As mentioned before the AC30 (all tube or not) start to sound "smokey" from a certain point on, but far away from distortion. In my ears it sounds just "british", perfect! The ringing bell-like sound of a 300series six stringer combined with the singing VOX AC30 sound is a really perfect combination (since over 50 years as we know!). Having Your words in mind "mainly home use, small gigs" my advice: catch it, You will love it!

The AC30VR is exactly in Your range You want to pay, very versatile, doubtless good quality and 10kg less weight than the all tube AC30 - all this for less than half-price. And it is a real two channel amp with a two style option for the gain channel (OD1 and OD2). The only thing is it does not offer a loop - what I never missed until yet. You can nearly put all the things You want in the normal chain and it stays on top.

The VR is very (dangerous) close to the classic AC30 - the people at VOX did a really, really good job, I hope they will not start to regret it and will make it disappear! O.K. I am totally convinced, no secret, but nobody pays me to be this way. I just wish these VRs will make a lot of home runs, ment in a literally way. This amp is worth to become an icon similar to the great brother without the VR in the right bottom corner of the frontside. With the AC30VR I found my sound, playing 90% clean, BTW.

I doubt You can buy more amp for the money anywhere. And: it is soooooooo nice.

[jcreasy]

And I don't know about Wales, but here in the US... You will not see a decent Twin for $500... You'll have to hunt and get lucky to get a JC 120 for that, but do'able.

JKC

[Hotzenplotz]

A few bucks more than 500$, but not much, an example:

http://uk.lookat.com/vox-ac30vr-amplif-guit-vox-ac-30vr

Shipping already included.

For people in the UK I warmly recommend http://www.soundaffectsmusic.com in Liverpool. O.K., 26£ more, but free shipping, too and an outstanding and friendly service. There I bought my 330/6, BTW.

[sloop_john_b]

Somehow I missed the "budget" part.

[Hotzenplotz]

And I don't know about Wales, but here in the US... You will not see a decent Twin for $500... You'll have to hunt and get lucky to get a JC 120 for that, but do'able.

JKC

With some luck:
Here some B-stock in the US:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vox-AC30VR-Va ... %26ps%3D54

450$!!!

[Hotzenplotz]

Somehow I missed the "budget" part.

You did not! You just did not type "VR" behind the "30". Everything You said is still true.

[david/wales/u.k]

Thanks for the replies......The one I had in mind, tried it today in fact, was the Vox AC 15 Valve Reactor...I also tried the Vox AC 30 Valve Reactor ( remember I'm on a budget around £300.. equivalent to US $470-500...The AC 30 VR stretches that a bit ) I'm probably not going to crank the sound up as 'pure' clean with no distortion is the main foundation for me. I was impressed with the AC 15 but the funny thing is that the reverb on it isn't as good as the AC 30 and I don't think that had anything to do with volume level. I'm not sure either if both the 15 or 30 VR could handle a small gig and stay pure clean.
I'm tempted to maybe get an AC15 all tube....But then, would that have enough volume for a small gig as I didn't try that one. Being all tube I'm guessing it would but would really have to save up for that.
Sascha I also bought my Ric from sound affects.. They were very good and friendly.

[Hotzenplotz]

I case of doubt I would wait to save up some money. You play a wonderful guitar (which colour BTW?), do not spoil Your Rickenbacker experience with an undersized in wattage amp, please not!

If You like the the little breakup (that is definitively not a breakdown!) when arriving the 2/3 of power limit of an e.g. AC30VR is a question of Your personal taste.

Maybe You try some more time a comparison of the AC range at the breakup limit. In these days every dealer has got to understand that people are very carefully before spending hundreds of Pounds for the "right one". If a dealer is able to understand that, then You are in front of the right dealer, probably with the right amp.
(Now we can start to think about Sound Affects...)

[fireglo67]

I've tried litteraly dozens of different amps with my Ric guitars and the one I always come back to is the trusty old Vox AC30.
I tried AC15's both modern and vintage and found them to be a bit muddy and lacking in sparkle and depth.
I know that the size is a pain, but I would ALWAYS go for an amp with at least 2 speakers, the difference in tone/air over single speaker amps is worth having to deal with the size/weight.
You should be able to find a very good condition AC30 CC2 second hand for around £300. Half the price of a used Fender twin reverb and twice as good!
I love the standard model with wharfdale speakers too. I've tried the Celestion Blues and couldn't see any reason why they should cost £400 more than the Wharfdales.
The valve reactors are OK, particularly for home use, but if you gig, play loud and like to use a bit of controlled feedback, tubes are the way to go.
If you want help finding something for a good price here in the UK, drop me a line.