Mika's amp search (boutique content)

MIKA-the-better-one

SO I leave now in just over a week.... and I have almost got all my money together for a new amp....
I have also started talking to guys in the USA about certain amps... I must say I have found a few amps that keep reoccuring in my interweb travles...

TO sum up quick: I want a El84 based amp, that can hold its own in clubs (mic'd) and practice, in a semi loud rock n roll band. I like a hairy clean tone.... not a Fender sparkle..... So here they are the leaders in the Race.....

Voc AC151TV: I have one I can buy with Vintage mullard tubes for $895..... This has that EF86 channel, and I have heard its pretty loud, but never fully clean .. which is all good. I am worried however if it will take pedals.

Dr Z maz 18: Apparently this is a Fender/ Vox sound but still unique.... VERY loud.... for its wattage.... And they look beautiful. I have been offered two. One head and 1 by 12 cab for $1300, or a 212 combo for $1200. I dont know much about these but htey look and sound sweet. But not super vox like.

Tophat Deluxe: The highest Wattage thus far... 33 watts, can do both el84s and 6l6's (Ithink) It sounds sweet..... SS rectifuer, so no SAG, and its seems a little more gritty amlmost Tweed like. Prices from $1200 - $1500 (used) I love the look of this amp them ost, and it seem ot call to me everytime I see it.

Vox ac15HW: similar to the TV but take away the EF86, but looks cooler in my opinion. But its also got the Celestion greenback, not alnico blue ☹ Price is similar to the TV version. But DAMN this Demo sounds SWEEEEEEET.

Morgan ac20: I want this so bad, but its just above my budget, apparently for the vox enthusiast this is the best... and oh do I believe them. Dark and bright channles..

So this is me so far... I could just go get a ac30 C2 the new model, and have ALOT of money left to upgrade it, with alnico blues better tubes etc etc etc....

AlanRatcliffe

The DR Z or the Vox HW head. The Maz can do cleaner tones too. HW combo is a bad idea as EF86s are very prone to microphony and combos stress them more than heads - you'll have to invest in a good NOS EF86 anyway (Mullard, Brimar, Miniwatt, Philips or Telefunken).

MIKA-the-better-one

yeh, I have read that EF86's are prone to go bad... and they are expensive and becoming a rarity..... but they sound so so so good.
The TV I am looking at comes with 2 mullard ef86's so should last a bit, if i was to get it

ActionArnie

Doesn't gearmanndude use the maz 18? If so, it sounds really good.

aja

ActionArnie wrote: Doesn't gearmanndude use the maz 18? If so, it sounds really good.

Indeed! And the white coily cable of coolness/death/doom/glory/mojo etc etc

And you also need to get really ugly alligator skin shoes.

But his tone on that amp is awesome!

Dinosaur-Snr

Dr Z without a doubt!! Well... any of those other choices wouldn't be bad either ?

ActionArnie

aja wrote:
ActionArnie wrote: Doesn't gearmanndude use the maz 18? If so, it sounds really good.
Indeed! And the white coily cable of coolness/death/doom/glory/mojo etc etc

Thinking of getting me one of them white coily cables of coolness. They're 500 bucks though ☹

MIKA-the-better-one

My coily came to about R300

Oh and may i add I am now looking at the DR Z Carmen Ghia, my fave so far ?

AlanRatcliffe

MIKA the better one wrote: yeh, I have read that EF86's are prone to go bad... and they are expensive and becoming a rarity..... but they sound so so so good.
The TV I am looking at comes with 2 mullard ef86's so should last a bit, if i was to get it

Two Mullards should last you decades. ? Lots of character too. I had a Tele in mine, which gives it a bit more clarity and evenness. But to be honest, I usually preferred the top boost channel. That's the nice thing about the HW - it's two different AC15s in one.

Oh, and definitely loud enough for most situations ...as long as you don't want sparkly cleans (especially with humbuckers). Mine rarely left the 7W setting. It does do cleans, just not sparkly Fender ones - lots of character.

vic

MIKA the better one wrote: yeh, I have read that EF86's are prone to go bad... and they are expensive and becoming a rarity..... but they sound so so so good.
The TV I am looking at comes with 2 mullard ef86's so should last a bit, if i was to get it

The EF86's are great sounding and they're not that unreliable...what they don't enjoy is vibration. They gave problems in the old AC30/4's some of which were used for bass. If you go piggy-back, you'll have no problems with EF86's.
My '65 AC10 combo still has its original Mullard EF86 and EL84's.

AlanRatcliffe

vic wrote: The EF86's are great sounding and they're not that unreliable...

New production are - if they are not microphonic immediately, they will be in a month. Vox fits a heatshrink tube over their stock Sovteks in an attempt to at least get them through the warantee period (largely unsuccesfully, judging by comment). Even with the old ones you have to cherry pick - I rolled a half dozen in a year and only found two that were good enough (a Telefunken and a Miniwatt, both selected by Mike at KCA NOS, specifically for guitar amp use). I will say that when you find a good one, they seem to stay good.

vic

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
vic wrote: The EF86's are great sounding and they're not that unreliable...
New production are - if they are not microphonic immediately, they will be in a month. Vox fits a heatshrink tube over their stock Sovteks in an attempt to at least get them through the warantee period (largely unsuccesfully, judging by comment). Even with the old ones you have to cherry pick - I rolled a half dozen in a year and only found two that were good enough (a Telefunken and a Miniwatt, both selected by Mike at KCA NOS, specifically for guitar amp use). I will say that when you find a good one, they seem to stay good.

mhhhh...good to know. Pity.

MIKA-the-better-one

yeh in general I have read the new ef86's are pretty unreliable.... but yeh just pop in a NOS tube...

I have made it a point on this new amp purchase to avoid amps over 33watts..... I want to eliminate an OD pedal from my rig....

So alan you had the AC15TV? AND IT WAS PLENTY LOUD? super important as I intend to reduce my hearing even more ?

AlanRatcliffe

MIKA the better one wrote: So alan you had the AC15TV? AND IT WAS PLENTY LOUD? super important as I intend to reduce my hearing even more ?

Loud by my standards. Loud for a 15 watter and certainly loud enough to hang with a moderate drummer. Maybe not loud by your standards though - You'd have to be the judge of that...

Vick

My two cents:

Have a look at the:
Orange AD15 ?
Not many around,short production run,head, 12" or 10" combos...pop up on eday from time to time, from 450 and up, sumtimes way to much actually... But yea,have a look.

Matchless lightning ? ?
Hehe...what more is there to say, kinda expensive thou...

Of the amps you mentioned, the morgan,no doubt...but yea,experience with then is obviously limited to demo's-n-reviews :'(

Have heard a vox AC30hw in person on the 15 setting, sounded amazing with single coils and especially with p-90's... ?