Anyone still using a tube amp?

I still have a Marshall JCM combo that serves as decoration for my guitar room. It’s 60w but unusable at the volume it needs to be played to sound good
 
pima1234 said:
I have it up for sale, but I've held on to my ADA Rocket AD10 for long time. Not so sure I want to part with it... I would also say that about the JCA Circuits GR 1.6 I sold when we moved away from Nebraska years ago. Both are special and unique amps.

I'm currently using zero watt analog amp pedals into FRFR. Enjoying that. Also realizing how much of a headache pedalboards can be (planning to sell off a boatload of great pedals). Giving the FX8 a go, and then comparing it to the HX Effects. Pretty sure that's leading me squarely back into all Fractal territory, but it won't be the FM3 again.

We live in a crazy time as guitarists.
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So true.
They didn’t have these things in the 70s.
I bought a JMP 2203 mkII back in 83.
Kept it until 1995.
Scaled it down and now it’s all about the modelers.
 
Sometimes I hit my custom built amp from a Plush 3000 chassis and transformers (big iron in that puppy!), my Hughes & Kettner Triamp Mark 3, and my Egnater Tourmaster head or 2x12 combo.

Mostly fractal. I play the above tube amps at the house to light up the neighbors. Lol!
 
frankerector said:
So true.
They didn’t have these things in the 70s.
I bought a JMP 2203 mkII back in 83.
Kept it until 1995.
Scaled it down and now it’s all about the modelers.
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I'm very content with the Ethos Clean Fusion Deluxe, a VP4, and some analog pedals in front with 1 in the CFD FX loop.
 
Peavey 5150 Block Letter - one of the original batch. I'll never part with it. No matter how good the Axe-FX III is, there's just something the 5150 has with the cabinet that it I can't get out of the FXIII. It's hard to describe, but maybe the FX is a little sterile, or maybe doesn't have the lower end presence and mid-range that I get with the 3 FRFRs I've tried? It's more alive and warm, so to speak.

I've also got a 1x12 Orange cab with a Orange Dark Terror in my bedroom for giggles. But I'm not in love with it and going to sell it soon.
 
likelinus said:
Peavey 5150 Block Letter - one of the original batch. I'll never part with it. No matter how good the Axe-FX III is, there's just something the 5150 has with the cabinet that it I can't get out of the FXIII. It's hard to describe, but maybe the FX is a little sterile, or maybe doesn't have the lower end presence and mid-range that I get with the 3 FRFRs I've tried? It's more alive and warm, so to speak.

I've also got a 1x12 Orange cab with a Orange Dark Terror in my bedroom for giggles. But I'm not in love with it and going to sell it soon.
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I get some realistic block letter tones into my Laney LFR-412 and my LFR-212 FRFR cabs. The 412 is a beast! Thinking about using it my July 18th gig!
 
GLiDE BPM said:
I get some realistic block letter tones into my Laney LFR-412 and my LFR-212 FRFR cabs. The 412 is a beast! Thinking about using it my July 18th gig!
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I haven't tried the Laney, but I bet that 4x12 is awesome. I just picked up the Fender FR-12s with the compression driver upgrade and horn. Waiting for the V3 preamp. I also have a pair of Xitone passive running on a Matrix 1000 1U Power Amp. I did have some Eminence, but got rid of those a while back.

It might also have something to do with I still have the original OEM speakers in the 5150 cabs and they are Peavey Sheffield speakers. They may have been built by Eminence, but I'm not quite sure who actually manufactured them. They don't make them any longer and they were relatively short lived before they moved to Celestions. It may be all in my head because I've had it for 30+ years, but dang I love them, lol.

Best of luck on your gig in July!!!
 
@likelinus try running the axe 5150 into the loop return of your block letter, or at minimum the speakers. If you arent using the speakers then no i wouldnt expect the model to sound the same. Doubly so without sheffield ir’s :)
 
likelinus said:
I haven't tried the Laney, but I bet that 4x12 is awesome. I just picked up the Fender FR-12s with the compression driver upgrade and horn. Waiting for the V3 preamp. I also have a pair of Xitone passive running on a Matrix 1000 1U Power Amp. I did have some Eminence, but got rid of those a while back.

It might also have something to do with I still have the original OEM speakers in the 5150 cabs and they are Peavey Sheffield speakers. They may have been built by Eminence, but I'm not quite sure who actually manufactured them. They don't make them any longer and they were relatively short lived before they moved to Celestions. It may be all in my head because I've had it for 30+ years, but dang I love them, lol.

Best of luck on your gig in July!!!
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I've got the FR-12 with V3 and horn upgrade as well. I sit it on top of my LFR-412 and jumper them together. Killer!

The block 5150 I had way back yonder had a slant 5150 cab with original Sheffields. It was The Beast! I hate I sold it. I've
gotten so used to the H&K Triamp Mark III so much though that I don't miss it nearly as much. Just don't gig it much.
That is for the FM9 Turbo and Axe FX III MkII Turbo!
 
likelinus said:
Peavey 5150 Block Letter - one of the original batch. I'll never part with it. No matter how good the Axe-FX III is, there's just something the 5150 has with the cabinet that it I can't get out of the FXIII. It's hard to describe, but maybe the FX is a little sterile, or maybe doesn't have the lower end presence and mid-range that I get with the 3 FRFRs I've tried? It's more alive and warm, so to speak.

I've also got a 1x12 Orange cab with an Orange Dark Terror in my bedroom for giggles. But I'm not in love with it and going to sell it soon.
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For me it’s a power thing.
When I had my JMP 2203 with a Full Stack, 2 4-12 cabs, I would take it off standby and hit an A.
There’s nothing that can replicate that pure power.
Tube Amps, I believe, will never be erased.
 
SpudMan said:
I am looking at buying a Mojotone 5e3 Tweed Deluxe kit built out by Mojotone from Reverb.
Are you happy with yours? I was looking for a Victoria 20112 Tweed Deluxe clone amp but the Mojotone looks like a much less expensive alternative. If it is good quality and sound, I would look into it futher.
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I believe this is the only tube amp kit I've built, so I might not be the most authoritative person to review it. I was very happy with the kit, the quality of build, the instructions provided, and I had to get some feedback from Mojotone's folks, and they were quick to respond with accurate answers. The sound was (is) great. At the time I purchased the kit (probably about 8 or 10 years ago) this setup seemed to have the strongest user base with the most positive reviews. When I built this one, they made their cabs through an outside builder, and the cabs are top-notch. Components were high quality in the amp section. I have swapped out several tubes since the stock ones, so no way to give an accurate tone of what it sounded like new; I can never leave the tubes or speakers alone in any of my amps (new, used, OR fresh-built) until I think I've got it tuned up to exactly what I want. I believe I swapped out the stock Mojotone speaker for a Weber, which I liked better. Completed build was quiet, with very little hum.
I had not played, or owned, a 5E3 prior to this build, and this was a way for me to gain the knowledge, as well as the amp, in a cost-effective manner, all while learning in the process. I was happy with the kit, in every way, but have little prior experience with other kits to offer a comparative review. Hope this helps, a little...?
I have kept this amp, along with a couple of others, but have sold everything else. I definitely recommend checking them out, if you have a little bit of building knowledge, and aren't afraid to try it.
Whether you'd be able to build one better than a Victoria, I can't say....I've heard some very good things about their amps, too.
 
api4u said:
I believe this is the only tube amp kit I've built, so I might not be the most authoritative person to review it. I was very happy with the kit, the quality of build, the instructions provided, and I had to get some feedback from Mojotone's folks, and they were quick to respond with accurate answers. The sound was (is) great. At the time I purchased the kit (probably about 8 or 10 years ago) this setup seemed to have the strongest user base with the most positive reviews. When I built this one, they made their cabs through an outside builder, and the cabs are top-notch. Components were high quality in the amp section. I have swapped out several tubes since the stock ones, so no way to give an accurate tone of what it sounded like new; I can never leave the tubes or speakers alone in any of my amps (new, used, OR fresh-built) until I think I've got it tuned up to exactly what I want. I believe I swapped out the stock Mojotone speaker for a Weber, which I liked better. Completed build was quiet, with very little hum.
I had not played, or owned, a 5E3 prior to this build, and this was a way for me to gain the knowledge, as well as the amp, in a cost-effective manner, all while learning in the process. I was happy with the kit, in every way, but have little prior experience with other kits to offer a comparative review. Hope this helps, a little...?
I have kept this amp, along with a couple of others, but have sold everything else. I definitely recommend checking them out, if you have a little bit of building knowledge, and aren't afraid to try it.
Whether you'd be able to build one better than a Victoria, I can't say....I've heard some very good things about their amps, too.
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It does help. Thanks so much! In this case the amp I am looking to buy from Mojotone is the 5e3 amp kit fully built out by them. But it has their Anthem speaker which I am not sure about. I would likely prefer a Weber or Eminence for that particular amp.
 
SpudMan said:
It does help. Thanks so much! In this case the amp I am looking to buy from Mojotone is the 5e3 amp kit fully built out by them. But it has their Anthem speaker which I am not sure about. I would likely prefer a Weber or Eminence for that particular amp.
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I'm not familiar with the Anthem series, but I definitely liked the Weber Alnico Classic.
 
api4u said:
I'm not familiar with the Anthem series, but I definitely liked the Weber Alnico Classic.
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I was also wondering about the output transformer upgrade they offer. For 4, 8 and 16 ohm speakers. I am not knowledgeable enough to know if this is needed.
As to the tubes and speakers, I hear you for sure on that. For tubes I would likely leave them as is initially. But the speaker is another issue. I know vintage custom deluxe amps had Jensen, at least I think so. Newer ones have Eminence. But Weber speakers are also good choices. Either the

12A125-A, or 12A125-B​

Not sure which of the two are "better". The "A" is more vintage spec, the "B" is more moderm spec. At least I think that is correct.
 
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