which amp

[chazbear]

hi all
looking to find the best amp for shadows sounds at the moment in using a boss katana 100 which im not too happy with the clean sound is dead no sparkle even using tone studio im not inspired so im looking for something else .i will probably need to go down the valve amp route.Can enyone give me some ideas as to which amp would give the best sound....set up at the moment is zoom g3x boss katana and squire strat
best regards charlie

[shawbridge]

Chambers
If money not a problem, British made VOXAC30, job done.
Peter

[asimmd]

As Peter says if you want he best without spending thousands on a vintage
original AC30 then the AC30HW 2X would be the one to go for.

How do i know because ive got one.
When you consider the price of amps and the different makes then the asking price
for one of these is not unreasonable.Here is a link to one.

Alan

www.andertons.co.uk/vox-hand-wired-ac30-with-alnico-blue-speakers

[Steve Reynolds]

i'm surprised that you cant get a good sound out of the katana. I rarely use my AC30 these days because i prefer the sound of the Katana!

[rogerbayliss]

Try the new Vox Cambridge 50 or VX50GTV plenty of top end sparkle and top boost channel as well as normal channel.

[peterbower]

I won't mention any brands of amps, but bare in mind that a valve amp is no guarantee of getting the 'Shadows' sound, of course there are valve amps and valve amps but in one instance I experienced at a gig the lead guitarist was using a 100-W Solid state amp and it was of the nearest Shads sound I had heard in a long time, there are other important factors in the sound chain that all contribute, so keep that in mind.

Peter

[Stu's Dad]

If you open the Tone Studio for the Katana and look at the effects section the heading tags are in three blocks. The second tag in the third box is EQ. Open that and select GE-10. Then refer here for the settings charliehall.proboards.com/thread/19314/caline-cp-24-band-settings. That will give you the tones you want. You should set the Bass, Middle and Treble knobs to 12 o'clock first.

It's definitely worth doing because the Katana has a Class AB power amp, giving it the best valve type sound you can get from a solid state amp. I'e got a very similar set up to yours and it works fine.

Len

[chazbear]

hi all
thanks to all who replied good advice
might have solved my sound problem....is it possible to overdrive the katana at the half watt setting at fairley loud volums...at 50 and 100 settings the sound is clean and sound is acceptable just wondering am i wright or am i talking rubbish
best regards charlie

[gruntfuttock]

Hi Charlie. There are several overdrives in the Tone Studio that would be able to drive the amp on any of the three power settings. There is the separate Gain setting on the amp and you also have the five amp settings if you need even more drive. If any of the above didn’t work you could always use an external overdrive but that shouldn’t be necessary.
Dave

[scanners]

Yeah I reckon the echoes jump out better on the Katana I don’t know if it’s something to do with it being solid state?
Matthew

[didier]

Mar 11, 2020 9:26:50 GMT shawbridge said:

Chambers
If money not a problem, British made VOXAC30, job done.
Peter

If you want to go the Vox valve amp route, an AC15 is enough in most cases.

Didier

[driftin]

I humbly direct you to my ad in the for sale section

regards

les

[bor64]

I'm with Didier,

VOX AC15H1TV is what I use the most for the old sound,although I have a 60's VOX AC30 and a Matchless DC30 they are gathering dust...
For other sounds and for that sound I use also a VOX AD60VTX regularly....

Cheers Rob

[dakwah]

Hi Rob,

reminds me I have an old AD60VT in the garage. Are you using the AC30TB setting? I may try it with the Halls and Collins I have as a change from my helix LT.

regards Stan

[sheendigs]

If you ever come by a VOX AD120VT or AD120VTX, grab it!

You can program a lot of sounds you like and if you do not have an echo, it has one too!
I have been using one since it came and has never looked back.

You can also change from 5 watts up to 120 watts...and it has send loop in stereo

Try one if you ever come by on your trips.


Sheendigs

[bor64]

Hi Stan,

I use the AD60VTX for the "fool around sounds" and when I need a not shads amp.
But I use it also in it's AC15 and AC30 mode for the shads sound.
I've find a setting that's a kinda spitting image of my AC15H1TV.... just that special tube-ish is missing when I have it side by side with the tube amp.
Used the VTX on it's own, nobody complained.... remember the punters in the pub don't give a t*ss what you use, they want a pleasant sound that reminds them to the shads and they want have a pleasant night.

Cheers Rob

[dakwah]

Great, thanks Rob.

[andyj47]

last week I came across a mint condition vox ac30vr , with my amtech age one it produces a good shadows sound ,looks the dogs doodahs , and its a bit lighter than the real thing !this last thing is very important to us over 70s !can recommend one of these.

[barryg]

Is it the amp that's the problem? When so may other players use the Boss Katana with amazing sounds I doubt it. The problem could be the guitar pickups or the guitar needs setting up or strings even. The echo unit or the settings may not be right or a combination of them all. A good AC 30 is going to cost a lot so I would keep the Katana and use the money to buy a quality guitar instead.

Barry

[shadfan4]

The problem could be the guitar pickups or the guitar needs setting up or strings even. The echo unit or the settings may not be right or a combination of them all. A good AC 30 is going to cost a lot so I would keep the Katana and use the money to buy a quality guitar instead.

As with any chain, whether steel links, a house buying chain etc, or this one, players fingers,guitar, strings, pups, effects & amp the weakest link will determine the final sound, could even be the room acoustics.

Mike.

[shawbridge]

Hi Barry,
I agree really I see the guitar as the front end as we have with HI FI, a really awful turntable through good equipment will show it up for what it is, it will amplify is shortcomings.
Use a good guitar through really awful equipment, is better than the opposite way around, it’s just as how I’ve found it through the years.
At our open mic nights in a Rainford, I use my custom shop 56 kinman pickup set up, through my H&C +Vox AD30 modelling amp on the AC30 setting and I get a ballpark shads sound, everyone is appreciative of the sound.
I can tell you for sure, it is nothing like my AC30, but I would rather play a good guitar through the AD30 with a good guitar as opposed to my AC30 and really awful guitar, I have tested it both ways, cheap guitar through my AC30;is left wanting, no comparison.
Cheers
Pete