Ultimate clean amp

[axion]

Hi.
Im going for the ultimate clean amp. I have a Fender SR 65 not a reissue but I want a monster clean amp with alot of headroom next to it.

I just love the Twin reverb but have only played the Silverface.
But what do you guys think?
I guess the Twin reverb suits me best what wich one of them?

I've read that there is a 135W monster for lap steel. Guess that would do the trick.
Im going for that SSS Dumble sound. Guess that 135W would be a nice donor. Maybe its impossible to find, since I live in Sweden and all. The blackface is quiet hard to find to. I see alot of the silverface 100W but dont see to good reviews on that one?
But as I was saying I played it once in a music store and really liked it. But you really dont know until you take it home with you.

So what do you guys think?
Thanks, Erik

[Mesotech]

If you want really clean and a tube amp, the 100W SF Twin will get you what you're looking for. It tends to be a bit more sparkly or bright than the BF, but it's a subtle thing you'll never notice unless you put them side by side. Plus the SF gives you a master volume (if that's your thing). I've read reviews on the 135W that were less than stellar, but I presume they were written by people who were hoping for a different sound than what they got.

[elicross]

How 'bout a SF Quad Reverb? 100w-135w into 4 12" speakers!

[axion]

Damn that was a big combo amp.
Yeah I heard nothing but good things about the Twin reverb. But People tend to lean more at the blackface. Why is that?
I've also heard that they dont like the version with the master vol. Why is that? Do all silverface have a master?

Thanks

[Mesotech]

Not all SF Twins have a Master Volume. I think they began adding that around 72 or maybe 74.

Some people seem to prefer the BF because of reading how other people tend to prefer the BF. Others have actually played both and prefer the BF because it sounds a bit richer. In my opinion, there's nothing wrong with the way a SF sounds. I own a BF Twin (67), and while it does sound good, it's not that much different than several SF Twins I've had the pleasure of being around or working on. You honestly get a lot more tonal variation with speaker choice on these amps than by the circuit differences.

I don't know much about the quad reverb except that it's BIG.

[axion]

Thanks once again. Think I will try to get my hands on a silverface. More of them out there.
Guess it would best to buy a Twin reverb reissue but read that people really dont like them that much. Havent played one myself though.

[curtisstetka]

Roland Jazz Chorus 120

[cooltone]

The best sounding clean amp I ever heard was a Super Reverb.

[chuckocaster]

you want clean? 135 watt UL twin will get you there. turn it up to 8 and you get the "nuge" tone. under that though, clean clean clean!

[phantomman]

you want clean? 135 watt UL twin will get you there. turn it up to 8 and you get the "nuge" tone. under that though, clean clean clean!

+1!

In the loud/clean arena the Fender 135-watt UL platform has few equals. For even more grunt and projection, try the '77 Dual Showman Reverb. It's a solid amp, especially for outdoor venues.

[axion]

The best sounding clean amp I ever heard was a Super Reverb.

Hi. Well I have a super reverb and to my ears that isnt the way of a clean amp When I turn it up to 3-4 it breaks up wonderfully.
What I want next to it is a clean channel nothing less. No breakup what so ever.
Thanks for all the help guys.

[5er Driver]

Ultimate Clean Amp = SF Twin Reverb 135 Watt Ultra Linear with JBL D120Fs.

[Offshore Angler]

JC 120 - still the champion afer 30 years. Clean and built to last.

[stratcat55]

My 76Twin was seriously clean. The Super Six was really clean too. A 100 watt Twin with six 10's. I wish I could lift one.

[Jazzguru]

I agree with the JC120 - got one and its all they say it is.

[ES350]

get one of the Sunn models with 4xKT88; that's another dimension of clean...

[bluespckr]

JC-120 or a Twin. Can't go wrong either way.

Paul

[jerryjg]

UH oh double post time.
well, time to expound. Lots of folks say the Sunn is aclean amp. Its also alot about the cabinet. If'n i run my little 60 watt 2X KT88 Sunn tube head through a 4x12 Marshall, you get a real organic sounding heavey distortion, yet i hear people saying it isnt possible cause Sunn amps are clean amps. Ain't neccesarly so. Maybe with different cabinets, like the original JBL D's they were paired with they are clean only.

[jerryjg]

Hiwatt, Sound City.
"I coulda been a Contendah!"

[Uyasgali]

I have a twin reverb RI and love it. Most of the negative feed back about them is that they don't break up. I like the clean beautiful tone it provides. It moves a lot of air and gets real loud.

It does weigh 64 lbs so you may get tired of dragging it around...

[Doc W]

The cleanest and loudest amp I ever heard was a Webb amp, made for pedal steel. I think it was over 200 watts. It was like a Twin Reverb's really really huge younger brother.

[freshchops]

I love this topic!

From personal experience, it's a toss-up between my Fender Twin Reverb RI (85w via 6L6's) and Gibson Goldtone GA-30RVS (30 stereo watts via EL84's). I LOVE cleans and I LOVE both of these. Each a little bit different character, most noticeably and obviously because of the power tube sections, the Twin a little more thick and rounder and the Goldtone a little more articulate sounding. Type of guitar, pick-ups and style would have to be considered for which is better.

A couple additional opinions would be:
I would love a Quad Reverb (4x12's, because I've seen 4x10 combos) and have always considered one. I haven't heard one in person but it has the potential to be REALLY clean AND loud! If I wanted a clean monster, that would be at the top of my list.

A couple other's I can attest for as good are:

Roland Jazz Chorus: loud and clean but soooo lacking in character . I personally don't like the sound.

Mesa F-100: I consider this Mesa's answer to the Twin Reverb. I love this amp and found it to have the most tight and thick cleans I'd heard yet. Only thing is, I personally can't stand the tin'y sounding mids of Mesa amps..... I've heard MANY and just can't get used to it! It's also the heaviest combo I've ever seen. It's also the noisiest amp I've ever heard but supposedly, this can be fine tuned and improved.

BRING ON THE CLEANS!!!!!

[freshchops]

^^^^ In addition:

If you are looking for chimmey, harmonic cleans, the two I've found most tasty where the Mesa F-100 and a Sunn Sentura series (or Sunn EL34 based heads).

[jfab]

My vote is for a Twin Reverb Reissue. I love mine for clean, and it does move plenty of air. I would bet it would be easier to find one second hand there, versus a SF or BF. Good deals are to be found all over on the TRRI. Just be patient. And try before you buy. What's nice and clean to my ears might not be what you're looking for.

Just miked my TRRI tonight and recorded it with my POD X3 Live. It came out all right. So, if you feed it an overdriven or distorted signal, it really doesn't seem to add any color to what you're doing.

JFab
http://myspace.com/jackshighband

[jfab]

And ++++1 on those replies which said that baby is heavy. I leave it at the bass player's house where we practice. :)

[holmis63]

I´m in the possesion of a ´78 super twin reverb, 185 watt monster amp! Super clean turned up to whatever you can stand. I live in sweden to, if you want it you can have it for a fair price.

[Rickenjangle]

A couple of nice things about the JC120:

• It takes pedals well. In fact, some of the Boss pedals sound like they've been voiced with the JC120 in mind...
• It's not too heavy...for a 2x12, especially
• It sounds great
• It's not too pricey to find a used example.

[Gris]

Whatever Kimmock is playin thru these days - Two Rock maybe? His cleans are the best and of course his lap steel tone is absolutely jaw dropping and loud as hell.

[Fripperton]

If you're going to go the Twin Reverb route also consider the Fender Showman heads. You can get mid 60's to early 70's models in the $500-$700 range and they use 4 6L6s and do 85 watts into 8 ohms. If you don't need the reverb and just basically want the clean volume and power of a Twin head the Showman does it and can be paired up with a bunch of different cabinets.

[boobtube21]

I had my Twin in a rehearsal studio yesterday, and had it cranked to 10 on both volumes. It barely broke up, and I could only play it that way for about 30 seconds before I felt like I was going to pass out.

Very loud, very clean, and somewhat piercing.

[redddog]

Oh man, those Twins NEVER break up. I think "piercing" is a great word for that amp.

It wasn't quite for me. Although, I HATED selling that amp.

[supershifter2]

1970-1972(early) Twin with the AA270 circuit. The late 72 has master volume no boost and that can easliy be removed and a few resistors changed to make it a pure AA270 circuit.

[redisburning]

JTM45/100 with enough speakers can get there, also does incredible OD but that or a Super Bass can get you there most of the time.

I like vintage twins but personally I'd rather have a 100W Two Rock or Bludotone.

[renderit]

I like tweed Bassmans for tubey clean.

[Revelation Sound]

I have a twin reverb RI and love it. Most of the negative feed back about them is that they don't break up. I like the clean beautiful tone it provides. It moves a lot of air and gets real loud.

It does weigh 64 lbs so you may get tired of dragging it around...

I agree with you 100 percent, I love my 65 Fender Twin RI. It blew my Fender Twin with red knobs out of the water. The Reissue is a much better sounding clean amp. For distortion, I use a Mesa Boogie Flux 5 pedal, Seymour Duncan Vapor Trail analog delay, and their Catalina chorus pedal. I could not be happier.

I found the Roland Chorus only sounds great with the chorus on. Without it, it's decent but it does sound solid state

[supershifter2]

The master volume without boost was added during the 1972 model year. The early twins have the really clean AA270 without MV and the later twins like I have have the MV. Only a few parts components are different and the MV can be removed and circuit made to AA270. ALL 1973-1977 have the MV with BOOST. That can also be removed and made to AA270. As for as I have found out all silver face have "bias balance" instead of "bias adjust". The bias balance can easily be made to AB763 bias adjust. Here are links to the AB763, AA270 , MV-no boost, MV with boost schematics.

http://el34world.com/charts/Schemati...b763_schem.pdf

http://el34world.com/charts/Schemati...a270_schem.pdf

http://el34world.com/charts/Schemati...mv_noboost.pdf

http://el34world.com/charts/Schemati..._100_schem.pdf

[redisburning]

my choices, in general: