You can get really cool sounds through solid state amps. They aren't going to sound like tube amps though, ever. But that doesn't mean you can't get great sounds out of them. They are just different.

I had a Crate 120 watt 2x12 for my early years of playing and I had that paired with a tank. I was never the most traditional player, but solid state offers a very very smooth sound that is quite unattainable with tube amps.

So, if you have a solid state amp you don't mind, why not give that a shot for a while, try and find your own sound. There are also much better alternative than a $1500 Twin Reverb RI. Vintage head, get a cheap cabinet, and reverb tank comfortably for $1500. Or even a silverface Twin Reverb, or many many other possibilities.

What it boils down to, is what do you want? Do you want to nail a trad tone, or do you have this idea in your head that you want to perfect?

I have tried to get a good surf tone out of a lot of solid state amps, but always seemed like it was missing something. I had the best luck with a GK 250rl into a 2 twelve cabinet with a spring reverb tank. The rig is lighter,and less trouble, but as soon as I plugged in one of my tube amps, the tone was worth the trouble. There are a lot of great tube amps for less than $1500, I currently use a Peavey that was less than $400.

Ah heck any amp will do until you get going good. My favorite set up is my Hot Rod Deluxe running at the same time as my Deluxe Reverb. Both run through my Reverb tank using a splitter. So If I can get some decent sounds that way you surely could get some another way.

Joel

I get very good tones out of the Crate Powerblock, and it weighs only 5 lbs. Here's an old thread about it:

http://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/968/?page=1#p10383

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

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

I should note to readers of that old thread that our old buddy Bruce Duncan got a little miffed and quit after this discussion. Bringing up forum rule #10

http://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/1/

Scroll down to page 3 at Ivan's post. If it's good enough for Ivan...

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

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

Thanks Kenposurf. I'm assuming someone has plans for a killer Reverb tank?

Ride that tube into space!

BlisterChicken

I used to use a '72 Twin Reverb but got so tired of lugging it around I switched to the solid-state Fender Jazzmaster Ultralight Amp. It was designed for jazz players and boasts a whopping 250 watts! It is a tiny 17lb. head and a small box type cabinet with a lightweigh neodymium 12inch speaker. I find the small closed cabinet hinders the tone for surf but works great for many other things. I had a custom 2x12 open back cab made to get a much more traditional wide and uncompressed tone. I have yet to finish wiring it, so I'm not sure how much better it sounds than the original cab. It has plenty of headroom for surf and a voice switch that works almost like a bright setting that is voiced like a twin. My band plays 60's music that varies from traditional surf, garage rock/rock n' roll like the sonics and early beatles, to harder edged blues and soul like The MG's. It works great for most everything and as others said, doesn't sound exactly like a tube amp but does sound really good. The extreme lightweight nature and size of the amp was huge for me but I wouldn't have bought it if it didn't sound good. I got mine used for around $800. Could be worth checking out.

Exactly! and I forgot to mention that I use a Gomez G-Spring. That certainly doesn't hurt my tone...

Tim

Noel wrote:

I just checked the G-Spring on the Gomez Website. They
say it's being discontinued.

Last I heard, Dario was closing shop indefinitely, so they're all going to have a discontinued status. Damn shame, cause he did some great work.

As for the thread topic, my personal school of thought is to spend 'til it hurts, get exactly what you want... it will ultimately give you room to grow, and (in my case) should aspire you to work harder in order to justify your purchase. The powerblock idea is excellent to get you by while saving up though, I might see about getting one as a backup too.

Mike
http://www.youtube.com/morphballio

Well, here's my two cents. The equipment used to perform and record the original surf is authentic. If you want a completely original sound, that makes sense. But you have to buy and play original 1950's and early '60's gear. As both collectors and thieves are interested in this too, it gets expensive to buy and keep. More than a few who own this stuff don't let it out of their houses.

Then, there are the modern reissues of the same gear. Some say these don't duplicate the original sound. That makes some sense, what with all the various differences compounding each other until the overall sound isn't the same. I've heard that said about any two or three pieces of the original gear as well.

The only way to tell exactly is to use electronic measuring equipment to record sound-prints of everything and compare them. But, can the audience tell the difference? Can I? My ears have been through a lot, and each venue is different and adds to the differences.

Like with a lot of things, you'll know what you like when you hear it. And, you'll keep liking it until later when you hear something else you like better. At some point, trying to achieve perfection becomes the enemy of accomplishing something good enough.

Do I play what I really want in the long run? No. Have I acquired the best I can afford for now? Sure. Did I have to let better gear pass by because I couldn't afford it when it was offered to me? Sure.

Why didn't I wait and save up until I could buy the holy grail as described in the first paragraph? Well, I wouldn't be playing surf at all then, and I'm having a terrific time learning to play better and making it sound more authentic as I improve.

Will I upgrade my gear as skill and budget justify? Yes. I used to have a Triumph TR-3 because I couldn't afford a Jag anything. I used to have a Honda 350-4 K1 because I couldn't afford an MV Agusta 750 America. Did I enjoy what I had enough to have a real blast with them? Sure did, and I learned a lot from owning them too.

I don't know if I'll ever have the holy grail of surf gear, even if I play well enough to really take advantage of it. But, if I play that well and don't have all that gear, I'll sound more truly surf that I would today with all of it in front of me.

I think everyone is agreeing with the general idea. Buy the best amp you can afford, even if it's solid state. The best amp I can afford right now is a Fender Stage 112SE. Buy the best reverb you can add, even if it's a pedal (the best I can afford is a Boss RV-5) for enough reverb and drip is better than not enough.

It's not perfect, maybe far from it, but most listeners think it's really great. And, I grin everytime I fire it up, strike an Em chord and take a dive on the whammy, the sound, the reverb and drip surrounding me.

Will you (or I?) every have the best there is? No. Why wait? Play surf now!

I gotta go play something.

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.