Pls help newbie - What amp to buy?

bmz

So, I should take delivery of my Zakk Wylde end of this month. I need an amp. Something reasonably priced, for a beginner.
I was thinking of a Marshall Amp. Marshall MG15DFX for R1650. Is this any good?
http://www.marshallmusic.co.za/product.php?sub1=5&brand=114

FatBoy

I have heard the MG series is rather crappy. What is your budget, and what sort of sound are you looking to get? The Vox Valvetronix range is awesome, as well as the Roland Cubes.

CDee

I have a MG50DFX (50 Watt) and sad to say it but it is not the best amp ever made. If you are looking to spend that amount rather get a Roland cube. Rather buy secondhand and get something bigger. You'll get tired of the 15w very quickly. There's a nice secondhand one in the classifieds http://www.guitarforum.co.za/classifieds/(s)cube-60/. So for a few extra bucks you can get something a 100 times better. Good luck with your search. ?

Shredder3211

Stay far away from the mg series marshalls - they don`t have much mid or bass response and is a verry "fizzy" sounding amp - rather go for something else, in the R4000 - R5000 range - u can get a sweet 2nd hand amp for R4000. It def is money well spent, the cheaper prac amps is just a waste of money.

Werner-Carstens

Hi bmz, if you want a good allround amp that can cater for most styles and sounds I will recommend the Line 6 Spider amp range (50 or 60Watts). It is not a valve amp, but features amp simulations and built-in effects that will cater for almost every need you might have. Most valve purists (I am one myself) will sneer at this amp, but it is really a great one to start out with and the tones are not that bad. At least it will introduce you to the differences in all the major amp sounds (Fender, Marshall, Vox etc) which will help a lot in deciding which way to go later on, plus you will learn which effects you like and which you don't.
I wish I had all these options in my first amp as it would have saved me a lot of money in knowing what I wanted when I upgraded to my first valve amp.
The price is between 2500 and 4000 last time I checked. Go and play one and decide yourself.
As mentioned by Fritz Brand the VOX Valvetronix is also excellent, which does a similar job than the Line 6 Spider, allthough not to the same extend. The basic clean tone might be better though. It all comes down to personal choice.

Heath

if you don't what to pay the price of a line 6 , you can buy the behringer v-ampire lx112 which is basically a knock off , very good amp i use mine every day and gig with it , and you can get them very cheap on gumtree

Shredder3211

The only thing i have against the spider amp is that the clean setting on the amp has a built in reverb u can`t turn off - and that means no stomp boxes without that reverb....

bmz

Thank you so much for the info guys. Ok my initial budget was under R2k. Seems as though that will not be sufficient. Ok I think I can push it up to R3k :-\