# High-end, or just good SSamps?



## Brett89 (Mar 17, 2007)

I have never found any pricey, high-end SSamps, is there any?

And what's the best SSamp that you every used or tried out?


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## TomAwesome (Mar 17, 2007)

Well, Donnie just got a Peavey Supreme 160 that he seems really happy with. If you consider the Mode Four to be solid state (I think the preamp is solid state, but I'm not positive), it's actually a really good amp. I forget the exact model, but there's an old SS Randall head that a lot of people say is really great. Then of course there's the Roland JC120, which is pretty sweet for clean sounds.


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## goth_fiend (Mar 17, 2007)

vetta I and II, HD-147


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## Makelele (Mar 17, 2007)

Best solid state I've played is a Tech 21 Trademark 60. They aren't that expensive but they kick ass.


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## 999dead666 (Mar 17, 2007)

randall warhead


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## TomAwesome (Mar 17, 2007)

goth_fiend said:


> vetta I and II, HD-147



I'm not really sure if I'd count any of Line 6's amps as solid state. They've got solid state power amps stuck to them, but most of it is digital. Just because it's not tube doesn't necessarily mean it's solid state... I guess it depends on how you define solid state. By some definitions L6 might fall into this category, so maybe this post is pointless.  They're at least different from what you'd generally think of as a solid state amp, though.


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## The Dark Wolf (Mar 17, 2007)

^ Exactly. 

There's really 3 categories of amps - tube, solid-state, and digital.

Tube and SS are both analog-based technology, which makes them similar. Whereas digital (generally) uses SS power sections, like a SS amp, which makes them in turn similar. But tube amps use tube power (again, generally).


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## darren (Mar 17, 2007)

Technically, "digital" is still solid-state... they're still using transistors. Just _really, really tiny_ ones. But you're right in that the signal does get converted into a stream of zeroes and ones, rather than retaining an analog waveform throughout the signal chain.

The Tech 21 Trademark series are _fantastic_ analog solid-state amps. And based on my experience, the Behringer knock-offs (GM and GMX series) also sound really good and are extremely versatile.


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## JPMDan (Mar 17, 2007)

personally the best ss amps I've played were the Marshall Valvestate series the first ones not the "advanced one" which sound like ass to me.


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## InTheRavensName (Mar 17, 2007)

i hate our other guitarist's vs head...so thin and fizzy ¬¬


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## LordOVchaoS (Mar 17, 2007)

Ampeg VH140C
Crate GT3500H
Randall Warhead
Peavey XXL
Peavey Transtube

There's more but those are the ones I REALLY like, especially the Ampeg.


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## DeL07 (Mar 17, 2007)

I hear many rave reviews for the Tech 21....

Other nice ones are the Roland JC-120, best sounding clean available, needs a distortion pedal tho... The new Randall RG3s are amazing, extremely versatile! 

Otherwise Vox are pretty good!  

Just save up and get a used Tube amp...


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Mar 17, 2007)

warhead kicks ass, but where the heck do you pick on of those up these days?


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## LordOVchaoS (Mar 17, 2007)

7 Strings of Hate said:


> warhead kicks ass, but where the heck do you pick on of those up these days?



I had a chance to buy one on ebay for $450 last month. You just gotta look for used ones.


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## garcia3441 (Mar 17, 2007)

The Dark Wolf said:


> :
> 
> There's really 3 categories of amps - tube, solid-state, and digital.



4; you forgot hybrids. This explains them better than I ever could:



> Hybrid Amps: Combining the best of each type of amp into one package, these amps use an actual tube in conjunction with the solid state power section of their amps. Marshall Valvestate amps use tubes in the preamp section and solid state circuitry in the power section to create a tube tone without requiring the use of power tubes.


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## playstopause (Mar 17, 2007)

Peavey XXL.


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## Blexican (Mar 17, 2007)

playstopause said:


> Peavey XXL.



+1.


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## Carrion (Mar 17, 2007)

7 Strings of Hate said:


> warhead kicks ass, but where the heck do you pick on of those up these days?



A friend of mine found one in a pawn shop for $200.


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## D-EJ915 (Mar 17, 2007)

The Randalls are all pretty good imo, if you dig the Randall sound, a lot of people don't because they're really dry.



Carrion said:


> A friend of mine found one in a pawn shop for $200.


lucky asshole, steal of the century


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## budda (Mar 17, 2007)

best solidstate amp i've heard would be a peavey XXL halfstack.


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## XEN (Mar 17, 2007)

The XXL really is that good.


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## Shannon (Mar 17, 2007)

urklvt said:


> The XXL really is that good.



Yep!


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## Bobby (Mar 18, 2007)

I honestly like the Crate GT3500 alot better then the mode 4. I had a randall warhead. Pretty good SS head. I wuit playing after I bought my V3 so I sold it on ebay.


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Mar 21, 2007)

i want a war head!


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## guitarjitsumaster (Mar 21, 2007)

My warhead rules. I love that dry sandblast your face off distortion, so it works for me. The one draw back is that all it has on its mind is "kill". It doesnt do those artsy/bluesy inbetween tones to well. Super-versatile EQ also is a plus.


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Mar 21, 2007)

thats what i'm lookin for man, you lucky bastard!


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