Poll: How much would you spend on an amp?

How much would you spend on an amp?

  • $200-450 valve

  • $451-900 valve

  • $901-1500 valve

  • $1501-3000 valve

  • I do not buy valve amps

  • $100-200 solid state/hybrid

  • $201-400 solid state/hybrid

  • $401-600 solid state/hybrid

  • up to $1,000 solid state/hybrid

  • Other


Results are only viewable after voting.

RVA

Ambassador
We always talk of how much is worth spending on a guitar, but what about an amp?

The forum does not allow 2 questions in a poll, so please chose 1 answer from the all valve category and one from the solid state/hybrid category. I put solid state and hybrid together because they are roughly the same price. Also, I maxed out my choices, so feel free to explain your "other", including Kemper/AX/Line 6 Pod

EDIT: The issue came up that the question may relate to your cuurrent financial condition. So let's just say , the question assumes you have the money to spend on an amp, or chose to get a less expensive amp and something else if you chose a less expensive one.
 
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I usually buy used, however I have bought a Mesa new @ $1100, and a Dr. Z new just over a cool grand.
The big name tube amps hold value used pretty well too.
Least expensive new amp is the recent Boss Katana 50 @ $199 delivered.
However I wouldn't hesitate spending $400 - $600 on a hybrid if I really loved it.
As was the case with the Spider Valve. I was really jonsein for one after they came out, but lucked out and scored a used one on a swap deal. Then put a JBL in it and rocked the world...
Bad news is I could only get $250 for it when I sold it 6 months ago.
 
Since this is a POLE,,,,,,,,,,,, I might as well use it to Vault as high as I could dream.

As one who never has a plethora of extra cash, I can only answer all these choices with even the lowest cost amp is more than I would spend at present. But, if I had some extra money and could do so,,,,,,,, I'd buy the best and as many bests as I could.
In other words, if a great amp came available like a great Marshall, Fender, Vox,Hiwatt, Sunn, Mesa, Matchless, Soldano,Trainwreck etc. I would not hesitate to buy any of those.
 
The most I have spent was for my Panama.......on average -----I spend 50.00 or less. ;)

WHy spend more when 50 gets you something like this
tko1b.jpg

45 gets you this
Marshall.jpg

38.00 and some (dreaded soldering work) gets you one of these
mustangI_th._SL365_.jpg

OR FREE from a good Friend and some (much dreaded soldering work) from another good friend, and some scrap lumber from around the farmstead gets you THIS:!
mg.jpg

THANKS BOCC69 and OWEGI!!!!

YEah.....no reason ---for ME anyway--- to spend THOUSANDS on amps------ though I have played through AC30's and WALLS of PEaveys and stuff.......my hearing issues dont allow me to turn the ones I have above Vol level 4 ever....usually I am around a 2.5. So why realistically would I need 1000 WATTS of Bugera BASS power Chris???? Why ask???? ---- because I WANT IT!!! ;)
 
Since this is a POLE,,,,,,,,,,,, I might as well use it to Vault as high as I could dream.

As one who never has a plethora of extra cash, I can only answer all these choices with even the lowest cost amp is more than I would spend at present. But, if I had some extra money and could do so,,,,,,,, I'd buy the best and as many bests as I could.
In other words, if a great amp came available like a great Marshall, Fender, Vox,Hiwatt, Sunn, Mesa, Matchless, Soldano,Trainwreck etc. I would not hesitate to buy any of those.
Trainwreck... drool. You can vault pretty high my friend.
That's unobtanium. But your taste in amps is great.
 
Let's just say, if you had the money to spend on an amp, or chose to get an amp or something else if you chose a cheaper one.

Well, based on my answer above I would likely spend $10000 to $20000 to buy ALL the best amps I aspired to have and a few others I learned were desirable.

For Example, I already have an almost plexi 1972 Marshall 1987 JMP 50 watt head. However, I would certainly like a backup ( a plexi) Also even a Master volume model and of course a vintage 100 watt 4x12 Marshall cab like I used to have.

Also on the list are some nice Fenders like Bassman, Bandmasters, Vibros, Twin Reverb
Hiwatt DR 103, Vox AC30, Soldano Slo 50 and 100, and of course if money was still plentiful after those, the Trainwrecks and Matchlesses of the renowned models.

Also I would love a nice Supply of good bass amps too. Mesa Bass 400+, Ampeg, Sunn all made good ones I'd choose.
 
If funds were unlimited I would spend whatever it takes to get the tone I hear in my head. I believe the amp is more important to tone than the guitar. The guitar is about feel and playability and to a lesser extent tone. The amp is all about tone.

If money was unlimited, I'd do like Kerry but I'd be buying fingers as a good bit of tone is there too. :D:D
 
http://im.rediff.com/movies/2009/oct/27slid1.jpg

27slid1.jpg
 
I'm a crap home player, so can't really justify much on an amp. But, I could probably stretch to an AC10 (or one of those nice AC4s with the 12" speaker), and I've always wanted a Mesa Boogie (lower priced one), so I went with the $451 to $900 range.
 
The 2 Supros were over 1K each.
They are worth it.
The Mesa was over a grand too.
Nice but I didn't keep it.

Best deal ever:
A meeting with some guy on the NE corner of Ocean Pkwy and Ave S at 4am.
I give him $400.00 cash.
He gives me a brand new sealed in the box with all paperwork HIWATT DR 103 head.
(This was a couple of weeks before they were available for purchase in the USA.)
 
I have to admit that I voted "Other". The Pandora's Box here is: Unlimited funds. If that were the case, I don't think I would bother with vintage collectables like $20K to $50K Trainwrecks or Dumbles. Instead I would support the modern day builders of clones of these prestigious amps like Two Rock, Komet, Fuchs, Bludotone, Redplate, even Ceriatone. Except for Ceriatone, we're talking about $2K to $4K amps. Currently, all of my tube amps were bought used. The most I've ever paid for one is $1K. A couple of them had an original street selling price of just over $2k.
On the solid state side, my only amp that was bought new is my Yamaha THR10 @ $300. I do dream of a full on Kemper Profiler or Fractal's Axe-FX system. $3K to $4K.
 
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