downsizing amp

[SkaKid0991]

I've been looking around to try to find an answer, but i cant, so I was just wondering what you guys think.

Right now I have a mesa/boogie rect-o-verb 50 combo, which I am very pleased with. I am thinking of getting rid of it though.

I'm looking for a more versatile amp to play styles other than just rock with. I also was thinking of trying to downgrade in price, so that I could use the difference to buy some more toys with (like effects).

I am pleased with the rock sounds I get from my Mesa, though, and would still mainly play rock. I was wondering if there is any amp I can get for less money, be more versatile, and still play good rock with.

Just to be clear, I am very pleased with the distortion I can get from the amp. I haven't tried a distortion/overdrive pedal through it.

I may be dreaming, but I hope this can be done.

I was thinking like a fender hot rod deluxe or a peavey classic 50, both with a distortion pedal like a tubescreamer. I never tried any of these combos out, so I wanted some of your input/suggestions. Thanks.

edit: when I said "downsizing", I meant in price, not size/power of amp.

[damo7v]

you mention the hot rod... i use a hot rod deville 4x10" and a boss gt6.

i don't find the amp's distortion particularly useful for what i play, and i hate the reverb (which is weird for a fender) but it does put out some great clean tone. i use the gt6 for all my processing and am pretty happy with these two working together. you kind of get the responsiveness of the valve amp with the colouring of the effects processor.

[guitarshredder7]

you should be able to get great- any tone with that mesa

[lyconxero]

Dude, don't give up the Mesa. If you want more toys then just save up some money and get them later on. You'll kick yourself in the butt if you sell that amp.

[jemaholic]

Actually, I've just downsized from my Marshall head/ 2-12" cab to a Mesa F-50 single 12" combo.

The Mesa Boogies!

[SkaKid0991]

Really?
Right now I have an sg special w/ emg 81 & 85 in it, so I can't really test this, but I didn't think some of the tones were as good as other amps. If I were to get a guitar with single coils and play this on clean, could I get the same type of tones I could through a fender?

Edit: I was also thinking, if I could get good distortion through a different amp + distortion/overdrive pedals, then I could also have as many (distortion) channels as I want, by just adding more pedals to the chain (putting different settings on them). Here, I am pretty much stuck with just a clean and a distortion channel.

[rgr]

You've got a good amp, and you can add dist/od pedals to it. I usually use them to push the hot channel of amps for more boost/compression for leads, and with the clean channel for bluesy stuff. So, one od pedal is like adding 2 channels, cool! I'm not a Mesa fan, but if you like the sound you have now, you'll probably regret selling the amp. Most of us old guys that have been playing for a while (read: long time) have bought and sold stuff looking for that sound only to find out we were closer before but end up spending more money on more stuff. In other words, don't do something you'll regret unless you are really desperate for money. You won't be able to get $1000 from a $200 amp, at least not if you buy new. Of course there are exceptions, I scour pawn shops and stuff occasionally, I found the Soldano SP-77 preamp that I am using now at one a few months ago, it was marked $394, I let is sit. I came back a few months later and it was still there, I got it for $250 + tax.

ROger

[SkaKid0991]

Thanks for all your input. I'm still confused though. It seems the overwhelming response in this thread is to keep the mesa, that other amps can't touch it, but in another thread it seems the opposite. I was reading this thread:
(http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38770)
and it seems everyone is saying a classic peavey with some pedals sounds great for rock, and it has a good clean tone.

[bonehead189]

Just go out to a Guitar Center and try them all out to see which one you like the best. I did that for the amp I'm getting in a few weeks. It's a Spider II 1X12, but if you don't try it for yourself you will still be stuck in the mudd. It is all about personal preference; whatever suits your needs best, get it! Good luck!

[rgr]

Originally Posted by bonehead189

Just go out to a Guitar Center and try them all out to see which one you like the best.

The best advice yet, only you can decide what's right for you, "advice" is just other people's opinions.

Roger

[Robotechnology]

You're not going to get NEAR Mesa's rock tone with an HRD (I have an HRD and a TriAxis). I like the the Peavey Classic series but, ditto. Try doing what a previous poster did. Downsize to an F50.

[SkaKid0991]

Well, if I can't get get rock tones through a classic or a HRD then I think I'll stick with the Mesa, but can I get good like clean tones and tones other than rock through a Mesa?
Thanks.
Also, I didn't mean the amp's distortion for the HRD or the Peavey, I mean using like a overdrive/dist. pedal.