Newbie help

Ok, long story short, I am buying my first "real" amp after playing for 16 years. I am leaning towards a boogie because I heard this local Atlanta cat Barry Richman wailing through one several years ago.

I am totally uneducated an amps, and I don't get to buy equipment very often, so I want the best I can buy for my money (like everyone else). I have a budget of around $800. I play a Lonestar Strat, and play bluesy or folky rock with some jazz thrown in.

I heard the DC5 is purty sweet. Also, the Lonestar would've been cool, but it costs too **** much. I saw a dc5 on ebay for 800...is that a decent price?

If anyone has any suggestions, I would be so appreciative because I feel lost. I also heard the Marshall JCM900 is a great amp too, though I realize that is not a boogie. Again, thanks for any and all input. It's tax refund time!

Jon

what type of features do you want in an amp? dc5s are sweet but are you looking for a higher gain amp? when i think blues, folk rock and jazz the blue angel comes to mind for me. are you looking for multiple channels? and think what type of sound you want.

dylan7620 said:

what type of features do you want in an amp? dc5s are sweet but are you looking for a higher gain amp? when i think blues, folk rock and jazz the blue angel comes to mind for me. are you looking for multiple channels? and think what type of sound you want.

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Thanks for your reply. If this helps, my favorite tones are those put out by the likes of Jimi, SRV, Warren Haynes (Soldano), and Jimmy Herring, not that I want to sound like any of them exactly, but I do love their tone. So, ultra high gain isn't necessarily what I need. Is that what the DC5 is known for? I do like good cleans. My favorite sound out of my Yamaha is when I put the gain on about 3 or 4, and crank the volume up. However, I might want the flexibility of some good high gain. I probably just need to drag my guitar out and play around on various amps, but I thought I'd see what some of you experts thought first. I'm thinking 2 channels. Also, some decent reverb would be nice. I'll check out the Blue Angel.

jontherev said:

I'll check out the Blue Angel.

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I'd also suggest the F-30 or F-50.

The Blue Angel and Maverick Dual Rectifiers are awesome amps. They aren't as high gain ans your typical Dual Rectifier, and are both Class A amps, which mean their 30 watts will appear louder than one might expect. Warm, articulate, and will sound good cranked.

I wouldn't look past a Mark I either. They were high gain for their time, but don't compare to th high gain we all know now.

Another good one would be the Heartbreaker...they are typically harder to find, but are said to be a souped up, slightly warmer sounding version of the Mark I.

an f30 would be a decent choice as well. don't let those low wattages fool you. i played an outdoor concert (metal :twisted: i might add) for 500+ people and i was running 38 watts, now thats cool. other than the blue angel being only one channel i'd say its right up your ally, i get dreamy bluesy/jazz cleans... and a reverb to die for.

go try an f30 and a dsl401 combo together, they are simliare in features and price, but the high gain channels and drastically differnt so itll give you a good comparison to judge what the tone you want/need is. the dsl has a more crunchy jimi'sh vibe, while the f30 has an increbily smooth and buttery lead, while the clean is deffintly better then the marshall, although you wont find jimi in this amp.

(if you can find one, the dsl201 is a great buy and has great tone as well!) i've always been a fan of the subway series of amps as well, you might find one in a secondhand guitar store or somethign like that.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I hope to get my refund tonight, and go shopping this weekend!!! I saw the reviews at harmony central, so that's a good resource too. I noticed a lot of ppl had reliability issues with the Lonestar...I wonder if this has been addressed by Mesa Boogie. I plan to hit up the Mesa dealers this weekend, and will certainly report my findings afterwards. You guys have been very helpful.

I'll second the Maverick. I loved that amp. I think a 1x12 would suit your needs, and you should be able to pick up a good used unit for $650-$750 or so.

Everyone is leading you in the right direction. For blues/roots music, the simpler the better. For rock, flexibility is always a bonus. The Blue Angel would be my first choice for a specialized blues/roots amp, with the Maverick a close second. Both have a very sweet tone that will let your individual sound come through. If you want a bit more flexibility for rock, try out an F30 or F50. These amps can cover more bases sonically; they can sound bluesy and serve up some cool high gain sounds, too. Either way, if you can score any of these amps used for $800, you will be sitting pretty!! They all represent a good value.

jontherev said:

I noticed a lot of ppl had reliability issues with the Lonestar...I wonder if this has been addressed by Mesa Boogie.

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From what I've been reading, they've worked the bugs out.