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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

Permalink Surf Amp for Starters / Recording

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Hi everybody, I was wondering what you guys would recommend as a solid surf amp?

I want to record some tracks, the style is close to surf rock, and I've been using Logic Pro SurfinStereo Plugin for sound modelling so far. Now I would like to use real gear on my new stuff. I have a Fender USA Fat Strat. I am not into that authentic thing, just want a good vintage sound. I checked a few pedals and thought of getting a Strymon Flint for reverb and tremolo (not decided yet).

If I focus on recording only and I buy a new amp:
- Do I need a powerful amp?
- Is one speaker enough or should I get a two-speaker amp (you only mic one speaker right?)?
- What features should the amp have (e.g. own reverb unit) to get a good surf sound - I would prefer something vintage and not to modern.

What about all the new fender 60s series combos (Princeton etc.)? Can I do anything wrong with those?

thx!

Last edited: May 20, 2018 15:36:26

Quilter. End of discussion...…..

The Kahuna Kings

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447

https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases

Now, now Dave this is a forum, no need to end discussions.

Do you plan on playing on playing with other people at some point SlippyFingers?

Danny Snyder

Latest project - Now That's What I Call SURF
_
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

I'm back playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Do you plan on playing on playing with other people at some point SlippyFingers?

Not really, I'm more a drummer. But I don't have a band and a guitar player, so I play all instruments myself.

If you want a good vintage-y surf tone, put your money into a SurfyBear pedal and a decent used amp that isn't a total distortion machine, in the 25-50 watt range. Since you're overdubbing you don't have to crank the amp so you can keep the tone pretty clean.

Danny Snyder

Latest project - Now That's What I Call SURF
_
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

I'm back playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

With the understanding that I'm a bass player just trying out surf guitar and under the heading of 'what do I know?' I've been researching the hell out of this stuff in the past month, shooting for what exactly what you're doing as well.

Not playing out, just recording, but wanted a valve amp that I could switch out tubes for different flavors, etc, but can run from ultra clean to the Tony Iommi British overdrive.

I ended up with a Blackstar HT-1 non reverb and couldn't be happier. It's 1 watt, perfect for practice, can get a bit loud with the OD, but it's attenuated for headphones or recording, can get a full gamut of sounds at a amazing price ($220 to my door).

I didn't go with reverb since I already bought an EH Holy Grail (trying to coax my bass amps into a useable sound (no go), but I'm even happier since I have Surfy Bear and Trem DYIs on the way as well as a Revisit spring tank.

If I had more money to throw at it, I'd look at some of the other options, but my project required a guitar (60s Lac Jag) and a Moog Theremini, plus the additional reverb, the Blackstar was exactly what the doctor ordered.

-

Last edited: Feb 02, 2024 13:57:32

With the emphasis on recording, a tube amp is the way to go. The smaller reissues would be nice but maybe the best sleeper deal would be a silverface twin reverb. Depending on your area you can find these pretty cheap on craigslist because people don't want to schlep them around. The onboard reverb can be jacked up to get a pretty decent drip.

The Kahuna Kings

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447

https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases

Fender Deluxe Reverb or Vibrolux Reverb.

Strictly for recording, the Deluxe

Jack
aka WoodyJ

The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005)
The Hula Hounds (1996-current)
The X-Rays (1997-2004)
The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012)
Various non-surf bands that actually made money
(1978-1990)

For recording and even for some live work I'm going to once again suggest a Princeton Reverb, reissue or original.

Cheers,
Jeff

http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic

If you just want to record and don't want to spend a lot of money check out a used Vox DA-5. I have an original BF Princeton reverb, Vibrolux Reverb, and a couple of Super Reverbs (all 1966 or 1967) and a fender Deluxe Reverb reissue. I am amazed at how close the little DA-5 comes to the sounds of these Fender tube amps. And, if has a decent reverb and delay effect built in. For around $100 you can't beat it.

Another vote for FENDER PRINCETON REVERB
their very sweet amps

I totally agree with the Princeton Reverb if you have the $$. If money is an issue, you can get 90%+ of the sound at 10% of the cost with the little Vox.

OK, thx so far! I just ordered a Surfy Bear Reverb and will go for a one speaker fender tube amp.

My 2 pesos is an old Vibro-Champ. True, single-ended amps sound different to push-pull, but not in a bad way; it's a matter of taste.

Mic it up in a nice room and add reverb. Turn up past 6 for some grit if you like. It already has great tremolo.

IMO, it’s hard to beat a Deluxe Reverb.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

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

Does effect pedal routing affect a decision buying an amp, if I plan to use reverb and tremolo partly simultaneously? From what I understand you all just route the pedals before the amp? With all the old combos the only other solution would be an extra routing pedal, right?

All pedals and tank before amp.

The Kahuna Kings

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447

https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases

Tailrocker wrote:

My 2 pesos is an old Vibro-Champ. True, single-ended amps sound different to push-pull, but not in a bad way; it's a matter of taste.

Mic it up in a nice room and add reverb. Turn up past 6 for some grit if you like. It already has great tremolo.

I'll second this. You don't need much more than a 5W amp to record with. There's a nice little Champ XD that's pretty sweet.

If you're getting a good sound with plugins though, i'd stick with that.

http://thewaterboarders.bandcamp.com/

synchro wrote:

IMO, it’s hard to beat a Deluxe Reverb.

So true, so true. Even the reissues sound good. There are getting to be more and more people that are making repros of this as well. Find yourself a silverface Deluxe reverb. Don't worry about it being a silverface. The circuit didn't change much.

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