narciso
Hello everybody,

Call me unorthodox, but two months ago I bought a 15 watts orange tiny terror head with a 212 cab (volume at 11 and gain at 4-5) and with a tele and a malekko chicklet reverb I can get some really interesting beefy clean surf sounds. It is not the same as with the fenders (I have one green hot rod deluxe special edition) but it is a 'clean' sound of its own (not crunchy or semidistorted, and my drummer hits like a beast and he cannot beat me)

Regards

That chicklet pedal sounds interesting.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

I have read through the thread quickly and I don't think anyone has mentioned speaker sensitivity. Watts in themselves don't mean that much - there's a huge difference between a speaker giving you 97db from one watt at 1 metre and on one giving you 100db. After that, it really does depend how loud your drummer is. I've done stand-ins where I've struggled to hold back my 30w amp and others where I couldn't hear it.

I'd struggle to do any sort of gig with the drummer I normally work with and a 15w amp. I tried it once in a REALLY small venue and it was just OK for rock but there was no clean sound - and I'm talking about my Vox hand-wired AC15 with the blue-back speaker which is one of the most sensitive you can get. Had it been a surf gig it would have been awful.

For general-purpose gigs (which include a handful of surf numbers) I use a Peavey classic 30 head through a 2x12 with 2x Celestion G12H speakers - which again are very sensitive - and it's a good compromise between a controllable headroom for the rock stuff and a fairly clean surf sound when needed - I wouldn't want to do an actual Surf gig like that though....

For Surf I use a Fender tank through a 2x12 100w Peavey Valveking which is an excellent loud and clean Surf amp - but it's an amp I find uncontrollable for indoor rock gigs because of it's huge headroom. Horses for courses.

Add to this mix of watts, sensitivity and desired headroom the fact that every venue sounds completely different - and you can see it's an equation that just doesn't have a simple answer! If you use an open-back cabinet then your sound will be completely different between playing in front of a glass door or a velvet curtain for example.

Therefore - if you like a really clean sound, then just use a big amp and you will get one nearly everywhere - if you like an edgy sound with a bit of breakup then you really need at least a couple of different amps to suit different gigs.

http://www.myspace.com/thepashuns

Youth and enthusiasm are no match for age and treachery.

Or if you're a real masochist (like me) bring 2 amps. I'm now running the bandmaster which is semi-clean in tandem with a Harmony (supro off-brand) that is totally cranked for a lovely complex tone. _Kudos to a former member of this forum (who would prefer to remain anonymous) for the suggestion. _ Between the 2 amps I'm probably pushing as much volume as the Showman. I'm using EV's too which are very efficient speakers.

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

I am now playing trumpet with Prince Buster tribute band 'Balzac'

Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party

Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF

What do you guys think of the 40 watt VibroVerb? Reissue or clone built with 1 x 15? Can you get Showman like tightness and cleaness for Surf?

I'm loving the idea..... just can't lug a head, cab, tank, guitars, pedals and my old timey ask anymore.

Peace to you, not on you

Diggey
What do you guys think of the 40 watt VibroVerb? Reissue or clone built with 1 x 15? Can you get Showman like tightness and cleaness for Surf?

I'm loving the idea..... just can't lug a head, cab, tank, guitars, pedals and my old timey ask anymore.

Diggey, the Vibroverb RI is a great amp for most venues most surf bands play (small to medium size bars/clubs.) With more efficient and higher wattage speakers, you can get the headroom to where you need it to be. My VVRI is pretty damn loud and that is with 2x10" speakers. Is it clean like a Showman? No, but that's not a bad thing IMO.

Ryan
The Secret Samurai Website
The Secret Samurai on Facebook

FYI, the BF Bassman is rated at 50 watts, but I've seen several examples that put out more: 60-80 watts.

I have a range of Fender amps (see avatar), from a Vibrochamp to a Dual Showman. Generally, I tend to prefer one amp over another according to the situation, rather than thinking in terms of a single preferred "wattage".

If I were to pick a single favorite, I'd say my favorite amp for surf is a 50 w 1964 6G6B Bassman with outboard reverb & tremolo (Weber "Tore-vibe"). Nice low end, but plenty of presence (heh heh, it has the presence knob). I've used it in bigger clubs, and on outdoor stages, and even there, it's almost too loud at 4 or 5.

For convenience (not having to carry head, cab + reverb), my usual gigging amp is a SF Vibrolux, which is maybe 40 watts, and also plenty loud for any show. It's rare I push it beyond "5" and it's fairly clean to that point.

There's a couple of smaller clubs I've played where I could have gotten away with a Deluxe Reverb (without even mic'ing it), and have regretted bringing the Vibrolux instead.

I wouldn't say I play with distortion, but I prefer not to play totally clean, a touch of break-up gives more immediacy & edge to the sound. It also depends on the sound I want, and the band I'm playing in.

The thing about high-wattage amps I don't like is that it's hard to get a decent stage sound-- I don't like to rely on monitors, so I wanna hear everybody reasonably well on stage. If I'm playing way lound, then so is everyone else, and at a certain point, it just gets gratuitous. Turn down a bit-- I'm not talking bedroom levels-- and it all fits together better.

But that's boring little ol' me.

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/rockinrio.delrosa

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/TheHighTides

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/pages/The-Blue-Demons

sounds like you've got some keepers

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/rockinrio.delrosa

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/TheHighTides

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/pages/The-Blue-Demons

I would imagine, some differnet tubes to help it clean and with the Solid State Rec switch taking it to 50 watts, it would be clean and tight right? Just Curious. I know Marsh makes them, with 1/2 switch and choice of speakers and such.

Peace to you, not on you

synchro
Based only upon a test play at a local music store I would suggest that the Vibroverb with a single 15 is a decent surf amp, perhaps not quite as clean as a Twin. The sound is a variant of the basic Fender clean blackface sound with the heft of a 15" speaker. Not Gomez Surfer perhaps, but certainly a worthy amp for small to medium venues.

Well like I said earlyer.. I have two Vibroverbs.. their very cool however, I'm not gona call them a Surf amp! I'm gona say their great for country or blues.. I play Surf and they work don't get me worng! I just don't like the open back because they lose the punch of the bass! thats where the Bassman / Showman do their Magic! Thats just in MHP....