Going to upgrade my setup, need ideas

[yoyo1299]

Hey guys,

It's been a while. Since "then" I've purchased a new acoustic guitar, an Ibanez AEG. I've also got REALLY into blues, ie John Mayer, Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews etc. I'm also playing out now, so i think it's time for some new gear. Note: I still play alternative rock.

I was looking at the Epiphone Jumior Stack. Cheap, powerful enough for my small gigs, looks very versatile (not kidding). I'd play it with my gt-8 and ds-1 and any other pedals yall suggest. It's a tube amp meaning great cleans. Added with the gt-8 i think i'd be set and have a pretty nice tone.

Also, what pedals would yall suggest?

Thanks
Jason

[yoyo1299]

No one going to help me?

[smooth55]

Well, since you already have the GT-8, that can give you most of the tones that you're looking for with some adjustments. What are your long term plans with your set up? That'll go a long way to helping people give you suggestions.

[yoyo1299]

I'll gig more often once i upgrade, but gigs will be never be more than say, 500 people. Mainly bars and clubs. I want to get a good tone that's versatile and will sound pretty decent.

[yoyo1299]

No ideas?

[smooth55]

It's not that I have no ideas, I just think that you have a GT-8 that you said you're planning to use. If you like that, it'll cover just about all the tones you'll need for blues rock. If you don't like it, for the bands/styles you listed, you'll want a good overdrive (TS-9 or similar), a wah (standard crybaby/vox), a delay pedal (DD-3/5 or something from line6 or digitech) and perhaps a chorus or flanger depending on your tastes. That said, I think you'll find yourself using the GT-8 to cover a lot of your ground because the valve junior only has a volume control and you'll use the GT-8 for a lot of tone shaping.

[yoyo1299]

Ok, let me rephrase myself.

I was more trying to ask whether the epiphone junior valve is any good? Will it work?

[smooth55]

Sorry, I thought you were mainly asking about pedals from your first post. As for the Valve Jr., I've played it in GC a couple times and it will certainly get the job done with a decent cab for small gigs. A lot of people like them because they're so cheap and there are several mods out there to tweak the tone and voicing on them. I'll let someone else give you a more difinitive user/owner experience. Still, I'm a big proponent of take your guitar down to the music store and plug in to see if you like it. Always try before you buy.

[jim777]

I think the Valve Jr is a cool amp, but at 5 watts it won't give you great cleans. That isn't really what it's meant for. It might be a nice clean up to a certain low volume point, but the idea is for honest tube distortion fairly quickly. Not high gain distortion, but basic tube distortion. Have you played one yet?

[yoyo1299]

I will try to play one asap. My local GC isn't that nice tho.... I hope they have it in.
It's really cheap... but i guess i shouldn't buy something cuz of price.

Any other amp you'd suggest i try out/look out for jim?