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I'm new to the group, Jimbo, Venice, CA. I've seen Los Straitjackets
and their Vibroluxes, Dick Dale and his huge Fender rig; it seems
like most surf guitarists go with a Fender amp. Does anyone out
there have any other recomendations for Amps? A friend has been
raving about the Line 6 Flextone III XL. Or is it a sin against God
to play through a solid state amp? What amps do you like?
Peace,
Jimbo
Fender amps seem to be the standard. If you want that Eddie and the
Shomen/Dick Dale sound nothing beats a Showman with a reverb tank.
But, you can use anything you want. Personally I prefer a tube amp.
I'm yet to find a solid state amp that sounds as good.
I'm using a '65 Super Reverb with 4 10 inch speakers. The Super
isn't really considered a "surf" amp but it works. My bassist uses
vintage Ampeg heads with custom fender style cabs which I think sound
better than any fender bass amp I've heard.
I'd recommend going out to a few places and trying out as many
different things as possible.
Bill
--- In , "JIMBO" <jimbodeluxe@e...>
wrote:
> I'm new to the group, Jimbo, Venice, CA. I've seen Los
Straitjackets
> and their Vibroluxes, Dick Dale and his huge Fender rig; it seems
> like most surf guitarists go with a Fender amp. Does anyone out
> there have any other recomendations for Amps? A friend has been
> raving about the Line 6 Flextone III XL. Or is it a sin against
God
> to play through a solid state amp? What amps do you like?
>
> Peace,
> Jimbo
Jimbo:
I am a Fender tube-amp devotee (Fender Bassman and Fender
RI reverb Unit)...however the Little Lanilei Miniature Tube
Amplifier looks
intriguing.()
Also, I think a HIWATT amp would probably work out for
surf, also a Laney or Vox might work out okay...I'm sure a
Traynor would work okay.
Although I am all into live performance tube tones, I do
have a solid state Peavey Backstage that sounds okay for
jamming. I also have a Digitec solid state digital reverb
stompbox...that stuff sounds pretty good, and it's way
easier to lug around to jam at friend's pads.
For live gigs and recording and "serious" practice or
rehearsal, I use a 1965 Fender Bassman 50 amp head with
1967 4X12 Celestion/Utah Fender cabinet , Fender RI reverb
and a Blue Tube 12AX7 preamp...all tube tones.
The choice is yours,
good luck
DP
--- JIMBO <> wrote:
> I'm new to the group, Jimbo, Venice, CA. I've seen Los
> Straitjackets
> and their Vibroluxes, Dick Dale and his huge Fender rig;
> it seems
> like most surf guitarists go with a Fender amp. Does
> anyone out
> there have any other recomendations for Amps? A friend
> has been
> raving about the Line 6 Flextone III XL. Or is it a sin
> against God
> to play through a solid state amp? What amps do you
> like?
>
> Peace,
> Jimbo
>
>
>
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Hi,
Having used a line 6 flexitone for practice a few times, I'm not that
impressed.
It's still a simulation of some sort. The only good sounding modeling
amp I used was a Vox "Valvotronic".
I played surf on a Sovtek Mig 100, a Laney Pro-Tube 100 and now I use a
SF Bandmaster reverb.
I switch between a 2x12 Vintage Eminence loaded home built cab (which I
hope to rebuilt to Fender specs, soon)
And a 1960 Marshall A Celsetion 4x12 cab.
All the amps sounded resonably good to my ears, although the Fender
sounds best, even though it's a Silver Face amp.
If you like it use it....If you are "Rockefeller" and have loads of cash
to spend, go for a BF Showman or Dual Showman, a 2x15" JBL cab, and a
vintage reverb tank.....You will nail the sound.....
I also tried several SS amps, and they work o.k., but none really beat a
tube amp (IMHO)
Perhaps try to find a Bassman head, even the SF are quiet good, just
played on a Bassman Export coupled on a 2x12 JBL cab and what a sound,
for little money....
--- In , "JIMBO" <jimbodeluxe@e...>
wrote:
> I'm new to the group, Jimbo, Venice, CA. I've seen Los
Straitjackets
> and their Vibroluxes, Dick Dale and his huge Fender rig; it seems
> like most surf guitarists go with a Fender amp. Does anyone out
> there have any other recomendations for Amps? A friend has been
> raving about the Line 6 Flextone III XL. Or is it a sin against
God
> to play through a solid state amp? What amps do you like?
>
> Peace,
> Jimbo
.
Visit for archived messages,
bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
Yahoo! Groups Links
For me it is a sin to play surf through a solid state amp. Aside
from my Fender Vibrasonic (1x 15", 1960), I play through an all tube
Garnet Revolution. I'm sure somebody uses solid state and gets a
great surf tone, but it's not for me...and don't even get me started
on amps with a master volume.
Old and set in my ways,
Mike/ Urban Surf Kings
--- In , "JIMBO" <jimbodeluxe@e...>
wrote:
> I'm new to the group, Jimbo, Venice, CA. I've seen Los
Straitjackets
> and their Vibroluxes, Dick Dale and his huge Fender rig; it seems
> like most surf guitarists go with a Fender amp. Does anyone out
> there have any other recomendations for Amps? A friend has been
> raving about the Line 6 Flextone III XL. Or is it a sin against
God
> to play through a solid state amp? What amps do you like?
>
> Peace,
> Jimbo
Amps: Fender's rule, but let me put in a good word for a vintage
amp made by renegade ex-Fender employees in Arizona in the
1970s. The amp company was AIMS, and the amps were built
like brick outhouses. My '73 Dual 12 stacks up to the best
Fender Twins, and everyone raves about its tone. It's clean up to
the very top you actually need to push the pre-amp tubes with
an overdrive to get appreciable break up. The built-in reverb and
vibrato circuits are surfalicious too.
They come up on EBay often, and are a steal. The heads are
very good too.
As anyone on the list knows, I am also a big fan of Premier
amps, which have a dirtier tone and work well for lots of '50s
roots rock. Even the strongest Premiers, like the Twin 12 Reverb
Models or the Model 71s need to be mic'ed to get a decent club
volume.
I agree...
the Fender Bassman is an often-overlooked amp.
great tone, great price...
I also agree that the Bassman's simple circuit remained
unchanged until @ 1968... so the "Silver Face" and "CBS"
versions still sound wonderful...
so, there's my two centavos
good luck,
David Pike
--- Jerry <> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Having used a line 6 flexitone for practice a few times,
> I'm not that
> impressed.
> It's still a simulation of some sort. The only good
> sounding modeling
> amp I used was a Vox "Valvotronic".
>
> I played surf on a Sovtek Mig 100, a Laney Pro-Tube 100
> and now I use a
> SF Bandmaster reverb.
> I switch between a 2x12 Vintage Eminence loaded home
> built cab (which I
> hope to rebuilt to Fender specs, soon)
> And a 1960 Marshall A Celsetion 4x12 cab.
>
> All the amps sounded resonably good to my ears, although
> the Fender
> sounds best, even though it's a Silver Face amp.
> If you like it use it....If you are "Rockefeller" and
> have loads of cash
> to spend, go for a BF Showman or Dual Showman, a 2x15"
> JBL cab, and a
> vintage reverb tank.....You will nail the sound.....
>
> I also tried several SS amps, and they work o.k., but
> none really beat a
> tube amp (IMHO)
> Perhaps try to find a Bassman head, even the SF are quiet
> good, just
> played on a Bassman Export coupled on a 2x12 JBL cab and
> what a sound,
> for little money....
>
>
>
>
> --- In , "JIMBO"
> <jimbodeluxe@e...>
> wrote:
> > I'm new to the group, Jimbo, Venice, CA. I've seen Los
> Straitjackets
> > and their Vibroluxes, Dick Dale and his huge Fender
> rig; it seems
> > like most surf guitarists go with a Fender amp. Does
> anyone out
> > there have any other recomendations for Amps? A friend
> has been
> > raving about the Line 6 Flextone III XL. Or is it a
> sin against
> God
> > to play through a solid state amp? What amps do you
> like?
> >
> > Peace,
> > Jimbo
>
>
>
> .
> Visit for
> archived messages,
> bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
>
> .
> Visit for
> archived messages, bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Win a $20,000 Career Makeover at Yahoo! HotJobs
Thanks to everyone for all the great advice and opinions on surf
guitar amps. This seems to be a very active and enthusiastic
group. I plan to head down to the Huntington Beach Pier and listen
to the surf music this Sunday, May 2. I should get to hear some
surf guitar amps in action!
Have fun, make music,
Jimbo
--- In , DP <noetical1@y...> wrote:
> I agree...
> the Fender Bassman is an often-overlooked amp.
> great tone, great price...
I finally found this list and this seems like a good time to jump
in. This Sunday at the Huntington pier you will definitely have a
great opportunity to hear different amps for surf guitar. Four very
different bands; we'll be the first up (Detonators) at noon. I
haven't decided yet but I'll probably bring either a '93 Super 4x10
combo, or a '65 Showman with a 2x12 cabinet running Celestion Vintage
30's. These have ended up being my favorite rigs over the course of
many, many shows. Sometimes a '65 Bandmaster, but it's always a
Fender of one sort or another.
I look forward to seeing you there--- come up and say Hi!
Rob Woolsey
Detonators
.
--- In , "JIMBO" <jimbodeluxe@e...>
wrote:
> Thanks to everyone for all the great advice and opinions on surf
> guitar amps. This seems to be a very active and enthusiastic
> group. I plan to head down to the Huntington Beach Pier and listen
> to the surf music this Sunday, May 2. I should get to hear some
> surf guitar amps in action!
>
> Have fun, make music,
> Jimbo
>
> --- In , DP <noetical1@y...> wrote:
> > I agree...
> > the Fender Bassman is an often-overlooked amp.
> > great tone, great price...
Thanks Rob, I'll be sure to say "HI!" on Sunday.
Take care,
Jimbo
--- In , "reverbrob" <woolsey@e...>
wrote:
> I finally found this list and this seems like a good time to jump
> in. This Sunday at the Huntington pier you will definitely have a
> great opportunity to hear different amps for surf guitar. Four
very
> different bands; we'll be the first up (Detonators) at noon. I
> haven't decided yet but I'll probably bring either a '93 Super
4x10
> combo, or a '65 Showman with a 2x12 cabinet running Celestion
Vintage
> 30's. These have ended up being my favorite rigs over the course
of
> many, many shows. Sometimes a '65 Bandmaster, but it's always a
> Fender of one sort or another.
>
> I look forward to seeing you there--- come up and say Hi!
>
> Rob Woolsey
> Detonators
> .
> --- In , "JIMBO" <jimbodeluxe@e...>
> wrote:
> > Thanks to everyone for all the great advice and opinions on surf
> > guitar amps. This seems to be a very active and enthusiastic
> > group. I plan to head down to the Huntington Beach Pier and
listen
> > to the surf music this Sunday, May 2. I should get to hear some
> > surf guitar amps in action!
> >
> > Have fun, make music,
> > Jimbo
> >
> > --- In , DP <noetical1@y...>
wrote:
> > > I agree...
> > > the Fender Bassman is an often-overlooked amp.
> > > great tone, great price...
