So, basically looking to upgrade my fender frontman 212 for something with an fx loop, some more channels, and tubes. I kind of want to go the route of a custom cab and getting a head so I can have more options down the line without sacrificing to much space if I don’t want to loose an amp but, I am open to hearing about some combo amps recommendations. I’m kind of leaning towards Marshall and Orange right now but I’m not completely opposed to going with another fender. When I play on my frontman I usually play it clean because the od channel doesn’t really like my pedals very much. I was curious about the Orange rocker 32 (https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Rocker32--orange-rocker-32-30-watt-2x10-inch-stereo-tube-combo) but the lack of a clean eq control makes me hesitant. I was wondering what people’s experience with Marshalls have been.

  • get a music man hd-130

    parent

    yea a music man head or a fender bandmaster/showman might be the way to go

    parent root

    Any reason why? I’m not familiar with the unit

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    cheapest 100 watt head you can find as far as i know, it’s like a twin in head form

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  • My recommendations would be:

    Fender Prosonic: 90’s era two channel amp with OD, thick and warm, great cleans, takes pedals well.

    Carvin Legacy: there are a few versions. The OG is usually pretty inexpensive, and the cabs are killer, especially the 2x12s. Thick, harmonically rich OD, huge cleans.

    Rivera Knucklehead Reverb: you’re looking for the three channel version here, not the Tré or two channel versions. 50 or 100 watt will do. Again, big, chimney cleans, thick, mid-focused gain, lots of harmonic content.

    These can all be found used around the price of a new Orange. Camp your favorite used gear site, and look for a bargain.

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  • I use and love my Rocker 32, clean channel is great, it has a true stereo effects loop and a half power setting. Lighter than a lot of tube combos and sounds great

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    How does the dirty channel take pedals? I feel like I get a muddy tone with my fender. How clean does the dirty channel get? I can’t find any near me to try out myself:/

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    Used fender hot rod-deluxe

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    Underrated amp

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    I use it as a dirty clean and run a Fish Circuits Model One OD/Distortion, a Daredevil Drive Bi Distortion and a Clusterfuzz into it. All sound good, modulation and delays go into the loop.

    parent root

    Beautiful that’s kind of what I was thinking of how I’d use it, I’ve got a fender shields blender and turbo distortion as my “dirt” and I use a re-202 space echo for ambient stuff and the stereo feature of that amp really caught my eye. how often do you find yourself using the clean channel?

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    I use it a lot, but I always have some light OD going so it's never totally clean, more of a volume change for quieter parts

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  • how much is your budget though?

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    I’m in no real rush so I could put aside more money but idk ig under a grand. I know that rocker 32 I linked is “out of budget” but I was looking used

    parent root

    gotcha. i guess i was thinking if “tube amp for shoegaze” had any budget then you should be putting money into a hiwatt dr103, a dca templates, a science mother, a 378 model T etc. those are at least double your budget but they are all the most beautiful tube amps for shoegaze in a lifetime imo

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  • Traynor YGL 3A Mark 3. it’s the perfect mediator between an orange and a Marshall. What it lacks in the fx loop area it makes up for in volume and especially headroom. unbeknownst shoegaze tube head lost in the hype of jc120s. really nice amp that you could def find a deal on

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  • parent

    sweet rig, where’s your board tho bro?

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  • I use a Fender Princeton Reverb

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    absolutely not. they push a varying 12-15 watts and with just enough delay break up way too much. same with deluxe reverbs

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    I mean it works for me 🤷🏻

    parent root

    sure, but this person’s asking about an amp with an fx loop, dual channels, leaning towards Marshall or Orange. princenton reverb covers none of that to be fair

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