Help on choosing a guitar amp!!?

Question

Hey guys,

I recently bought a new Gibson Les Paul Studio and I was looking for a good practice amp around 30 watts. I narrowed it down to three amps:

Roland Cube 30x

Line 6 Spider III

Peavey Bandit Transtube

I mostly play rock and punk - some classic rock. I would love a nice amp with good distortion on it.

Thanks alot!

Answer 1

If i was to buy any of those amps.. would probably be the Roland.  Im not fond of any Line 6 "modeling" amp at all.  These are merely toys that will not do if you plan on playing in a professional setting.  Sure the pros use them.. but these are HIGHLY HIGHLY modified amps from what you buy at the local music store.  Plus... when the effects mess up and you have to take it in to get fixed... no amp.  

  Hope you check out the link im going to send you... cause this amp is 4 bucks more than the Roland, and this amp will blow the doors off of any amp you have listed.

http://www.samash.com/catalog/showitem.a...

This is a relatively new line that Crate has... and the V in this stands for Vintage.  Its an 18 watt 2x12" inch TUBE combo amp.  It would be hard for most 40-60 watt solid state amps to keep up with this puppy.  I recently bought one of these, and was floored at the natural overdrive sound the tubes give you in this amp.  Crate also sells one of these in a 1X12 set-up as well, and it sells for 229 bucks from the same site.  

   Recently, this amp blew the doors off of our rhythm players 100 watt line 6 with Two 12's in it.  Dont let the 18 watts fool ya... this is a serious piece of professional gear that will last you a lifetime. By the way.. you wont find this amp cheaper anywhere else.  Most of the other sites are selling it for 120-150 bucks more!

By the way... nice guitar you just purchased.  Im very fond of those..... and a good way to REALLY compliment the tonal qualities of a Les Paul would be with TUBES!   Add a couple of pedals down the road.. you will have one heck of a rig!

EDIT:  tim v makes a very good reply to this as well.  The Fender Blues Jr. is a very fine amp.... the Crate I suggested also has the same power tubes as the Fender.

Answer 2

i concur. i have a 20 watt avt marshall and the distortion is godlike. les pauls through marshalls are rocks classic combo, and for good reason!

but from what ive seen of your choices on youtube, people like the peavey for its blues tone and the roland for its crunch (but like i said, i think the marshall sounds better)

Answer 3

I have the Line 6, and the distortion is not too great.  I would go for a small Marshall if you want great distortion.

Answer 4

i own a peavy   played on friends Line 6  and Roland

and Peavy would do the best

they have great distortion for punk (which i play alot of on mine)

Answer 5

Peavey makes a better practice amp called the Rage 158. Ditch the on-amp distortion... go get a nice fender blues junior (its an all tube amp with el84 power tubes) and plug a BOSS super overdrive, or an ibanez tube screamer.

Answer 6

Hey Dustin, you have a very good guitar and match it with the Roland Cube is you want it to sound like a gibson.

Marshall amps are garbage and their is no power to them.

I use an old 1963 Gibson Les Paul through a Roland Jazz chorus 80 watt for studio work. Good clean sound. If I want to do heavy metal stuff, i hook up a Boss distortion and the sound is clean, lots of sustain and no funny noises.

Your choice. Its worthless to but a nice Gibson and to make it sound like a $100 guitar through these Line 6 and what not.

edit....That Peavey Tube amy is also good. It will give more bass, a more analog sound (because of the tube). But then again, Gibson already has a fat sound which is why I suggested the Cube.