Josh;

Congratulations on the cool Wilson Bros. deal!

You know, I think if I were just starting out in surf, I'd go for something like the Reverborocket you mentioned...I'd be trying for a nice warm vintage amp tone, and add a reverb or tremolo effect...

Another approach might be the "practice amp" or "portable amp" such as a Roland Microcube...a small CMOS amp-modeling type amp for around $150.

I hear what your are saying regarding playing with a drum machine, or style-emulator...but, I have no personal experience with Fender's GDEC...I still play along with CDs and LPs, as well as playing with other players...

Is volume a concern: in other words, do you need a low volume rig, or are you trying for a louder amp that can jam with others in the garage?

good luck,
-dp

If I could find a Reverend in that price range, I would jump
on it. A used Fender Deluxe Reverb reissue would be a good
option. You could probably pick up a used Fender Hot Rod
Deluxe For $350.00. As long as you stick to the clean channel
they sound pretty good. Peavey's offer pretty good bang-for-
the-buck. As DP said, a lot of people like the Roland Cubes.
Line 6 modelling amps aren't bad for the money. Solid state
amps and modellers get better all the time, but still, I would
stick to a tube amp.

Bob S.

Bob

Thanks for the input...

On the VM75 - I won it on Ebay for $295. It has a small scratch on the back spring plate so it was considered a factory 2nd. Shipping tonight!!!! I believe that the route I will go is to get the Reverb Tank and get an Ampeg Superjet or Reverberocket used or a Fender amp of some sort. I may be able to go a little over $500

I third both Bill and Danny,
Much as I've heard good bands without tanks, and know that you can get good sounds out of an onboard, there's nothing like the "booch" of an outboard.

Hell, I love my tank reverb so much, I've got two of 'em!

~B~

it ultimatly depends on what you want to do with it now, in the future, and what you in the future want to buy/spend.

I agree with woody that there's no absolute need to buy a tank. BUT ...

the hotrod or blues deluxe - as great amps as they are - have solid state reverb drivers. these are, to put it bluntly, annoying to the ears at higher levels, and don't have anything close to surf sound - really, you 'll be way less disappointed by a simple $80 digitech digital reveb pedal. And this is not elitest gotto have all blond fender talk, cause I 'm actually way with Woody. thing is, I owned a blues deluxe for a long time and i ended up selling it because of the poor quality of the reverb, and this was before I really got ino playing surf! the sound of the amp is not really suitable for surf anyway, even regardess of the reverb. they are also way overpiced, at least here in the netherlands.

the deluxe IS a really nice amp, but again, it really depends on your wants and needs. if home-use is your large basement in a stand alone house with awesome neighbours, sure. If you, like me, live in a 1930's house in a city with elderly neighbours and kids that sleep early - forget it, the deluxe will be either way too loud or sound bad.
by the same token, if your planning band-use - playing backing guitar in a band with a light touch drummer, the deluxe will be awesome - playing lead with a real hard hitter, and you defnitly want to keep a clean sound, the deluxe probably won't cut it.

so basically, what it boils down to is, if you have a house with some 'headroom', want to play with others asap, and the 500's gotto cut it, that deluxe is a great option that might get you a long long way.

however, if it needs to be living room volume when the kids are a sleep for the next three years, but you're defintly looking for that astronauts sound, then a reverb tank, even with a fender frontman or something alike, will actually get you closer.

alternatives to the gdec (better, from what I understand but I don 't know about these amps personally, I just read the reviews in guitarmags. I'm a dork with a long train commute) are that micro-cube, and the similar small modeller amps by vox and ibanez. esp the vox gets great reviews, as does all their modeling equipment, btw.

finally, if you're going the route of an amp without sex-appeal, you might as well consider the Crate power block. ($200, but no speaker) one thing this one has going for it, is that it sounds equaly good at low and and high volumes. hook it up to whatever old bs (hifi if need be) speaker you have lying around and it makes a decent practice amp (better then a frontman I assure you) - hook it up to a serious 2x12 cab and BAM - stage volume. it also has headphones out, balanced line out and cd-player in, so it is a VERY versatile thingy. No it's not a tube amp, but it gets close (sound, not looks~) ... you defintly want this with a reverb tank though.

I've got one (duh) and, to be honest, personally I wouldn't want it as my first amp, all though, if i was on (such) a budget, I'd gig with i without a problem. as it is, the thing gets more use then my bassman - our second guitarist plays on it frequently at gigs, I use it for home recording, and often as practice amp. but sexy, it aint.

good luck choosing, let us know what you decide.

WR

Rules to live by #314:
"When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is."

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Thanks for all of the advice! I am really thinking that the reverb tank and a low end started amp in the way to go. I will be watching Ebay for that killer deal though. Like a $500 Vibroking

for homeplaying i really dig my vox da 5. it can be run on batteries too!
for playing in a band you need something from 20 watts up, i think a deluxe reverb is the way to go if you are not a ptp-elitist. its got the looks and sounds. i would also try to find a used fender tubeamp or a musicman somewhere.
eddie

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