That Pedal Show - Do We Like Transistor Amps? Part 1

Welcome to That Pedal Show! Please subscribe to our channel and visit our store www.thatpedalshowstore.com
In this episode Daniel and Mick attempt to test their preconceptions of transistor amps. It’s no secret that they both love valve amps and really don’t like using anything else. However, transistor amps - and transistor amps that also use modelling - are an important and valid part of the amp world. We keep getting asked for our opinion on them, so this is step one!
We take three low/mid-price amps - one fully transistor, one transistor/modelling hybrid and one valve amp - and use them with a range of common overdrive and distortion pedals. We also chuck in a compressor for good measure, and touch of delay here and there.
There are some surprising discoveries alongside some entirely expected outcomes!
Pedals in this episode…
• Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
UK & Europe: bit.ly/2dvn8Xy
USA: imp.i114863.net/mMbvO
• Fulltone OCD V7
UK & Europe: bit.ly/2dhU2ro
USA: imp.i114863.net/xMbvy
Australia: bit.ly/2qgh9eW
• Electro-Harmonic Big Muff Pi With Tone Wicker
UK & Europe: bit.ly/2cFpzRr
USA: imp.i114863.net/QDeX6
• Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Deluxe
UK & Europe: bit.ly/2cbsLUm
USA: bit.ly/323rheM
Australia: bit.ly/2rPSRWo
• Strymon El Capistan
UK & Europe: bit.ly/2cVgRPr
USA: imp.i114863.net/jb24Z
Australia: bit.ly/2pUnPeu
• Kingsley Harlot Tube Overdrive
kingsleyamplifiers.com/
Amps in this episode…
• Orange Crush Pro CR60
UK & Europe: bit.ly/3s5qHa3
USA: bit.ly/3D4uieQ
• Roland Blues Cube Stage
UK & Europe: bit.ly/2ddT7JP
USA: imp.i114863.net/QDeXx
• Fender Bassbreaker 18/30
UK & Europe: bit.ly/2dIuciB
USA: imp.i114863.net/k6bv3
As ever, all switching and routing is handled by TheGigRig G2. www.thegigrig.com
* Why do we have preferred retailer links? Find out here: www.thatpedalshow.com/partners
Interesting bits and go-to sections…
• Intro & context setting: 0:40 - 3:15
• Today’s amps: 3:15 - 6:00
• Today’s pedals introduction: 7:00
• Tube Screamer & all three amps (amps set ‘clean’): 7:51
• OCD & all three amps (amps set ‘clean’): 11:09
Big Muff Pi With Wicker into all the amps (amps set ‘clean’): 14:08
Kingsley Harlot into all the amps (amps set ‘clean’): 18:06
Origin Cali76 Compact Deluxe into all three amps (amps set ‘clean’): 21:20
All pedals into the Orange (amp set with gain): 29:27
OCD into the Roland (amp set with gain): 31:33
OCD into the Fender (amp set slightly more crunchy): 32:18
Tube Screamer into all Fender and Roland (amps set with gain/more crunchy) 33:05
Harlot into all three amps (amps set with gain/more crunchy) 34:08
Kingsley Harlot into Fender vs Roland Blues Cube on its own: 38:00
Everything on at once 43:30
Guitars in this episode
• Fender Custom Shop ’63 Telecaster- watch Dan’s video at bit.ly/2dlZJ6K
Fender American Vintage ’62 Stratocaster - watch Mick’s video at bit.ly/2cQv3yT
PRS DGT- watch Mick’s video at bit.ly/2d8Xo2I
We hope you enjoy this video. Please subscribe to our channel.
You may even want to buy a T-shirt to support our efforts www.thatpedalshowstore.com
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/ thatpedalshow
Please visit our preferred retailers!
UK & Europe: Andertons Music bit.ly/2cRvIvt
Australia: Pedal Empire bit.ly/2mWmJQf
USA: That Pedal Shop www.thatpedalshop.com/

[@coltrane2323]

I love these guys. Sitting here at my desk, waiting for my programs to compile, and listening to Dan and Mick. Best thing ever.

[@andersierra8757]

You should do more episodes of transistor amps!! Seems that there are quite few that worth it nowadays!! Love your channel!!

[@someweirdguy101]

I love to watch the interaction between the tones and the playing. The playing instantly goes from rigid and boxy to dynamic and inspired when an outstanding tone comes on.

[@spencercox4092]

I feel like nobody ever talks about the quality with which these videos are shot. The lighting is perfect, the camera is never out of focus, even when they move, the audio is mixed perfectly every single time. Major shout out to their production crew.

[@ThatPedalShow]

+Spencer Cox Thank you Spencer, very kind of you to say! There's no crew though - our friends Mitch and Simon help us out with shooting and editing, and Mick also does a great deal of the latter. Cheers!

[@burnvictim1977]

For me, the Blues Cube definitely wins on this one. I don't know if the mics and speakers are playing a role or not, but what comes through on my speakers=BLUES CUBE for teh winz

[@JurrenMekking]

Sorry Dan, but the Fulltone manual says: HP/LP switch: Set to HP (High Peak) you get increased Bottom-end, increased distortion throughout the Drive Knob's range, more volume, and a slight increase in upper mids (around the 3.5Khz) for more "British" vibe (ala Vox ans Marshall) Set to LP (Low Peak) you get incredible accuracy to the original sound of your Guitar and amp... very little coloration! Excellent for Clean Boosting, for cranked Blackface or Tweed-style ones, and for when you're not going for a British type sounds. But nevertheless; lovely episode! As always!

[@claudiopetucco]

Very interesting video! It is worth watching just to see Mick and Daniel's blissful faces each time they switched on the valve amp!

[@ThatPedalShow]

+Claudio Petucco hahaa

[@ckjjclan]

Honestly, my favorite guitar related show on the tube. Thanks for making a great show guys! Cheers.

[@Django67]

Was really hoping to see/hear a Roland JC-120 or JC-40

[@19Cluj]

Regarding the OCD switch, I might be wrong, but I think it means "High Peak" (more distortion, more bottom-end, more volume, a little more upper-mids) and "Low Peak" (more transparent). Great show as usual!

[@Zladysman]

Just wanted to say, I love this show! Thank you guys for doing what you do. Rock on!

[@2Plus2isChicken2013]

I've heard good things about Quilter amps. Everything they make is solid state. If you can get your hands on one of their amps that might be a good idea for the next part of this. Great episode as usual! Stuff like this is basically my television now. I watch every weekend. Thanks for being informative and entertaining. You're both awesome players as well!

[@JensLarsen]

Just time to watch this before I leave for a gig :) Thanks guys!

[@santos0x]

Personally, I like both tube and SS amps. Both have their applications. I've gigged with both. In general SS wins for reliability, but not all dirt pedals work well with SS. Tube amps are easier to get a good basic tone, but are heavier and you can't always turn them up enough to hit its sweet spot. I gigged a 30w tube combo for years and never turned it more than1\4 of the way up. These days I have a small 1x10 tube combo that's too loud for home use, and a small hybrid combo that I run through a 1x12 speaker cab, and it sounds great. There is no absolute of one being "better", they're just different.

[@fridgenugget]

Ignoring everything else, I just love how quick, noiseless, and fluid it is for you guys to switch between amps. Great setup.

[@TVplanetclaire]

I probably say this every week, but I love this show. You are like two naughty little boys in a sweet shop and it's just the highpoint of the week for me. Big smiles :-)

[@joshhuatheg3m3ni5]

It’s all personal preference. Valve amps are nice and can sound great. They are also super expensive outright and to maintain, biasing and replacing tubes etc., they can be finicky with certain pedals but that can be said of any amp. They also can act up when not getting adequate power and that can happen at the gig or practice spots. On the other hand there is solid state and my biggest takeaway from that is to find a good one, the Orange crush models are pretty sweet and super affordable. Some solid state can sound over digital with many pedal stacks and the lower quality of pedal the less it is received by most solid state amps. I had the Marshall AVT150H and loved that amp. The high gain channel sounded so good all I used was a boost on the front and used the drive from the amp and controlled volume between my bridge and neck pickups. You can spend your money on the amp going with valves or you can spend your money on pedals with the solid state. Every now and again you get lucky and somebody made the amp and was feeling especially good that day and produce something exceptional. In the end it’s up to your preference. Don’t let some asshole at a gig not take you seriously because you’re rolling in a solid state half stack. Shred your ass off and shut the fucker up with your skill. Dimebag Darrell used solid state until close to the end of his life and he made them sound killer. Bringing in a Line 6 spider anything might get you laughed at but if you can shred, save up your dough and get a better solid state. Have a good one and keep playing.

[@GurpreetKakar4873]

This channel have taught me about pedals and amplifiers more than from my engineering school ..thanks from India...:)

[@DrFearCo]

Gurpreet Singh Kakar this channel doesn’t teach you about engineering... so I’m confused about what you are expecting to learn in school.

[@jmiles9368]

it never ends, no!? thanks for the entertainment Mick and Dan...look forward to it each week

[@AdamLayneFisher]

Dan & Mick- You guys are providing a massive public service. I've got all the guys in my band tuning in as required learning. So good! I've been a tube amp guy for years, but got frustrated with my tubes blowing and amps being finicky and sometimes unreliable. My personal gem of an amp is a '62 Airline 12" combo. Great for studio but terrible for live- random buzzes and noise come and go at will. I just bought a Yamaha THR100H for gigs and haven't looked back. There's just something about the way it models my tube amps... and it never breaks down! I'd love for you to try to include at least one of the THR amps in the next video. Is a modeling amp considered "transistor"? Not sure, but thanks for considering. Keep on rockin. 🤘

[@cgraugaard]

The lack of enthusiasm in the beginning cracked me up! :D

[@rodd1000]

Yeah was rolling around the floor, hilarious 🥱

[@flatsix666]

Very informative and fun! Everyone needs to listen with their ears today & not their eyes! Some great tones and some 'sounds'. Guys, please invite Dave Simpson who I consider a master of solid state amps to the show and check out his channel. His tones from the Orange CR120 are amazing!

[@overnightgrowth]

This was a great video for me since these set-ups reflect more what I would be able to have, based on my available budget. Very informative and surprising good sounds especially when you add pedals to these amps.

[@martinreid1740]

Thanks for your reply. Which any way we look at it,it's what makes syou confident to go out and play and get the tones you love. I'm in my sixties now and have been lucky enough to have owned every vintage guitar ,fender and Gibson. and played through all these great amps. One of my fondest memories is playing my 60 strat into a vox AC 30. the amp is long gone but strat is still with me.

[@mixville2]

You guys really put on a great, entertaining, intelligent and informative show. Thanks! I don't know if you've tried a Quilter. I'm a long time tube snob and I just love the way the Quilter feels under the fingers. I run it just over the edge into distortion and use pedals to go further. May be just me, but I really like it. I have been turning to my Quilter more than my beloved Tone King lately. And being ridiculously lightweight it's a dream for gigging, especially for this 58 year old. SS is getting better, no doubt.

[@ThatPedalShow]

+mixville2 Hello! A few people have been singing their praises. We'll get one for the Tranny Amps part 2 episode. Thanks for watching!

[@aquilarossa5191]

Here in NZ on a Kiwi guitar forum they have been gushing over the Katana for a few dozen pages. Not a modeller, but solid state. I think they are like sheep on a bandwagon tbh. Can you get one in the next episode?

[@DoctorMcFarlandStudios]

You guys should do a show on Quilter amps. My Pro Block 200 will blow your mind at how "tube like" it sounds and responds to your playing.

[@SocksworthRiffs]

Having used SS/Transistor amps most of the time I've been playing guitar (aside from when I gig) I've gotten used to the sparkle and super clean sound they have. I really enjoy that, especially with the JC120 (one of the best amps I've used in general) I used to use to play blues and jazz. Now that I have a valve amp however, I can definitely say I enjoy it more, but I still use a SS amp in stereo/as a clean channel just because they do cleans so well.

[@JeffCloutier]

Great contrast video. After watching any of your other videos it is easy to see why tube amps are necessary. This also shows people that can't afford a tube amp or just have a solid-state laying around that you can still use them to get decent tones. My favorite SS setup is my Lab L7 with an old Distortion Plus in front as a boost. Sounds and feels more tubey than some tube amps. I believe the magic is in the transformer.

[@hubieh3374]

Mick's face when Dan starts to shred is classic!!

[@Xirque666]

I really loved the ORANGE SOUND

[@vexguine]

Really? It sounds like shit to me... =\

[@ydyd4410]

@@vexguine change your ears. Lol

[@barrettisgold]

I'm a fan off the Award Session Sessionette-75. It's loud, you can blend the clean and dirty channels and bypass the preamp and run a valve preamp into the effects return. It also has a nice spring reverb. I also thing it takes pedals well. Any other fans? Great show guys. Keep up the good work. Thanks for turning me onto the Kingsley pedals...and Simon's playing!

[@sduke39]

Nice job on the comparisons. It was refreshing to see honest reactions to real life experience. Not going to lie, I was surprised by how much difference there really is between valve and transistor amps.

[@gmofftarki]

Orange did a very good job of responding to the pedals... the BluesCube sounded pretty good when just working on the amp, but somehow the digital modelling reacted weirdly with already-modified input signals from the Fulltone and Fuzz pedals. Clearly, the Fender sounded the best, hands-down, with the Ibanez pedal. I haven't gotten to the dirty side of things as yet, marking this down so I don't forget what they sound like.

[@marccolon6297]

i've been looking forward to this one for ages thanks guys

[@ThatPedalShow]

+Connor Braidwood our pleasure ;)

[@petergeoghegan2013]

Absolutely.

[@juanmartinreborati7928]

yep... Me too.. Haha. Thanks for that guys!

[@guitrr]

Although I have several tube amps, I gig frequently with both a Quilter Mach 2 (1x8), and a Henriksen Bud. Both are wonderful amps, take pedals well, are under 20 lbs, and have a small footprint. Perfect for the small club gigs most of us play the majority of the time.

[@bwgti]

oh yeah. and i absolutely love this show! keep up wonderful work guys!

[@MrBingping]

This is actually a really great episode. Very informative, yet I don't feel the urge to spend money I don't have like with your other episodes lol

[@MrBingping]

And then you turn the harlot on...Dammit...

[@TonyHookedonVanlife]

bottom line: non-valve amps have come a loooooooooooooong way since those awful combos from the 80s! I started playing guitar in 1987(I will turn 50 next year) and my first one was a *15w Gorilla amp*... ACK!! **shudder** LOL I play a multitude of styles, from classic rock to stoner-doom to thrash, black metal and death metal too(!), so *versatility* is an absolute requirement. I am also a disabled US military veteran so money is in short supply, so a selection of valve amplifiers is IN REALITY an unobtainable dream, therefore I play a 100w Fender Mustang III v2 w/ 12" Celestion speaker. It ticks all the boxes AND allows me to record as well(in the past I have recorded an EP and a handful of singles, released to the masses and garnering a multitude of crickets chirping & deafening silence! LOL). For *ME*, in *MY* playing situation, it's the perfect amp.

[@Robstafarian]

I am disabled from birth, so I can relate financially; I also know a hell of a lot about guitars and gear: find me on Rob Chapman's forum (the mention of which allows me to avoid posting contact details publicly) if I can be of service. Speaking of which, thank you for your service.

[@TonyHookedonVanlife]

***** thanks very much

[@MatthewJohnCrittenden]

tony93666 I'm not far behind you age-wise, for versatility I can't fault my Mustang either. Sure there are "better" tones out there but compared to 30 years ago technology is amazing. I play through the iPad too and stuff like Bias and Tonestack isn't too shabby either.

[@TonyHookedonVanlife]

TheVimFuego oh yeah, I totally love Guitar Rig and Amplitube as well. I used to own a POD X3 and did quite abit of recording with it, but it's nice to actually hear stuff thru an amp. I tried running the X3 thru my Bugera 1990(Marshall JCM900 clone) half stack and I just couldn't get a good tone... they were each great on their own, but I could never get a good amplified X3 tone. I have no problems getting good tones thru the Mustang.

[@Robstafarian]

tony93666 Did you connect the POD X3 to the Bugera's effects return?

[@iwiggs6870]

This isn't fair. Once again you guys have done such a great job of micing up these amps that to be honest, all of them sound pretty damn great.

[@JimmyWatfordGuitar]

So much to say. You guys always say its how everything reacts with one another. Guitar, amps, pedals, player. As an owner of a super reverb and the orange cr60. I can say I enjoy both very much, and honestly I don't prefer the sound of one over the other, they just mean different things to me. Also I enjoy all the amps that were chosen in this video. I will however say, even though it looks like the Orange was less preferred in this video. I believe it caused a reaction from Dan to start playing like he ate his schreddies for breakfast. You guys are great. Some of my friends complain that your videos are to long. I wouldn't want them any shorter than an hour. Keep up the great work.

[@waynetowers5046]

I own an Orange CR120C, I love it to bits, prefer it over a Fender Twin I replaced it with & I even preferred it to an ex-demo Orange Rockerverb MKII 50 2x12 combo - yes, you heard that correctly, I just felt more "at one" and inspired by it. It's much louder than you'd need it to be, it sounds better the louder you have it without it going harsh on you & that's pretty unusual for Solid State amps, takes pedals in the front and in the FX loop so well and it's so much more than a back-up amp in case your valve amp conks out, which too many people tag it with. However, it is so much better than the CR60C. Yes, it's the same amp albeit 60w 1x12 vs. 120w 2x12, but when I tried the CR60C it just felt like it was pushing too hard and it sounded a bit too harsh to me, the bigger (and heavier, wouldn't want to carry it too far) CR120C just sounds so much bigger, clearer and 'open' with so much more presence, if that makes sense?...

[@vladvartosu]

I was in doubt about the two until this comment. the 120 will definitely be my next buy, thank you.

[@ryanpaulretouch]

Definitely won't be switching to solid state OR modelling anytime soon! Every time you kicked the Fender on, I smiled.

[@Gloveberg1]

I watched this episode expecting to love the Orange but for me the clear winner was the Blues Cube. Sounded great to me.

[@hammondsphoto]

My BluGuitar AMP1 is in large part a SS amp (with a 'nano tube') and I really, really like it. Bought it as a lightweight solution but since having it I have barely touched my two valve amps as it sounds great in its own right.

[@hukl3945]

Orange Crush vs Orange OR, Marshall MG vs Marshall DSL. Best setup would be if all amps went through the same speaker cabinet as that has a huge impact on the sound. Re-amp for consistent sound samples could be cool - maybe with the new TC Wiretap

[@ShoreyJr]

John-Paul Bader Would have to be an Orange Rockerverb. The Crush Pro is voiced after the Rockerverb.

[@Robstafarian]

The Orange OR15H also gets its voice from the Rockerverb.

[@userPrehistoricman]

Agreed. Having these amps play through different speakers with different tone settings will clearly have so much effect that will diminish the difference between these amps

[@cyrusfontaine2598]

I'd love to see a Quilter in a future video! All of these sound great to my ears though!

[@guitargeezer16]

Mick i agree I had a sessionette amp for 3 years and it was by far one of the best sounds I have ever achieved with a transistor amp

[@10sassafras]

Dan’s description at the beginning of the difference in sound was spot on. If you listen for the starting transient, ss vs tube amp sounds are obvious.

[@anxiousmindmusic]

Blues Cube/Blues Jr stereo rig would be cool. Always have a 'back-up' as well that way

[@JensLarsen]

I just played a gig in a museum where I was not allowed to use my amp because of insurance policies. I played a three hour gig on the PA for the speeches. That was the least rewarding guitar sound I have had in years....

[@leonardtristan6873]

omg sorry for you dude

[@ZephyrCrypto]

OUCH!!

[@rohanverghis]

3 friggin hours

[@bluesrocker91]

I think would have just turned the gig down...

[@mattgilbert7347]

I have to do that every Sunday. Bought a NU>X Cerberus for DI purposes, it's reasonably priced, has IR loading, and good mods and delays. I still have to use a few pedals because the drive tones are a bit meh, but my DI sound is now ok. A Maxon TB-09 helped - the tube sorta warms up the tone. Ofc it is in no way a valve amp, it's a pedal meant to go into an amp, but into my IR cab ems it sounds nice enough. The only Fuzz that I have which DI's ok is the Caroline Olympia. Pleasant surprise.

[@clembo3rc]

Best guitar related show on the internet guys! Keep em coming.

[@alanredversangel]

I have a peavey bandit and a peavey stereo chorus. Both monsters and both take pedals really well, and super reliable. One of those paired with a middy valve amp sounds huge too.

[@Beizeiten78]

No, the OCD toggle stands for "high peak" and "low peak", any EQ difference you hear is simply the increased frequencies in that voice, like more pronounced mids in "hp" mode. It is not a high or low pass.

[@dodgecukc]

Am a valve amp player but I like that Orange. Definitely do a Kemper show please.

[@HomoChomsky]

That Orange sounded great, nicely harsh with a typically Orange-y voice.

[@jamesrobinson529]

I must admit, I didn't see the usual enthusiasm until the end of the video when all three amps were used...and I can hear why. All three definitely sounded better than either on their own. However, the Cali76 through the Fender Bassbreaker sounded incredible, with the clean tone, withthe strat!

[@tomclementsmusic1654]

Roland blues cubes are ace. if you guys want to borrow my HH VS 100 solid state amp from 1978, you are more than welcome too. it has a valve sound module, it sounds ok. another top show guys!

[@rogerploch1251]

you should totally make a "Shreddies" t-shirt

[@nohandle54]

yes, please - Shreddies: part of a complete breakfast

[@leedavis6372]

I'd get one!!!

[@GingerLeftyGuitar]

If there indeed is to be a part 2 as the title would suggest, I have one word for you; Quilter.

[@YTOnceAgain]

Ha! What Beardo says about solid state being so fast and immediate is EXACTLY what I like about them, respectively miss in tube amps. Some people associate this with being sterile... but you could also call it precise. Or you could call a tube amp's behavior random.

[@mythographer]

I own a small music store and carry the blues cube line (not the Orange). We are constantly A/B'ing the BC against my 68 vibrolux and other high end tube amps with lots of pedals, including the various Roland tone capsules. IMO the BC comes very close to my Fender, so close that I doubt whether most listening to the band would be able to tell the difference. BTW, a compressor in front really helps the BC. If you massage the dials and pedals, you can get lots of great tones and create a nice 3 channel setup with basically a compressor and od. I prefer my Fulltone Fulldrive. It sounds killer! The BC cost is lower overall than tube when you factor in the cost of service, replacing tubes, repair, etc. Reliability is much greater,no need for a backup. And the biggest plus is? The weight! A BC Stage is almost half the weight of my Vibrolux. Last point: the Robben Ford tone capsule is fantastic, up levels the amp for sure, though it's good without, too.

[@geecen]

one of my fave amps is the Roland jazz. mmm

[@simoncusack]

Try a quilter labs amp, a micro pro or a tone block which is designed to be a pedal board amp. Patrick Quilter from QSC knows his stuff.

[@CARBr6]

Hi chaps. Another great video, I am currently looking at getting myself a valve amp after many years of running through a transistor. This is largely because the majority of videos I watch on KZbin and other guitarists I speak to say that it's must! (I hav also tried a few out and I do enjoy the sound) but perhaps for your Part 2 you could take a look at Transistor amps that claim to emulate the valve sound, such as the Peavey Bandit Transtube (you're more than welcome to use borrow mine), or amp modulators, such as the Kemper (that so succinctly defeated Chappers in a recent Andertons vid)

[@arkada]

thanks, just the vid i was looking for, pedals on transistors and valve amps

[@jeremyhyrkas9541]

the classic line with oranges, transistor or tube, is that they're pickier with pedals than other amps. i think that was on display here...running that ocd into the cleaner channel was killer, otherwise maybe just use the natural sound of the amp. for what it's worth, i also had the orange crush 120w head for a while, and it sounded better to my ears than the crush here. not sure why..

[@BeyondtheRecord]

i will say, the orange was terrible to me, but the blues cube... that was actually really good! D:

[@rollerskater]

They could have dialed them in to sound alike... such a hack-y video.

[@seandekonty9992]

I'm glad you said "they're so immediate", I think that's how I've been trying to explain the sound I want. I love an open, almost brash tone that reacts extremely fast to my playing and pick attack which I've found with my Quilter 101! For an old school breakup tone though, you can't beat tube amps. (or maybe some super expensive kemper/axe fx)

[@cavanray6742]

The bluea cubes give that as well, but you have to crank the master volume to really get it sagging. To my ears it sounds best set to 7 or 8 (out of 12).

[@777Yoni]

19:45 - Guitar run + Mick's reaction = priceless. Ooh, there's an even better one at 32:00. Too Amusing. And please market Shreddies cereal.

[@urbanesoul8400]

I'm actually surprised by how that Roland Blues Cube performed, but the tube amp (Bass Breaker) blew the Orange out of the water of every test. It bested the Roland as well, but not quite as badly; the Roland would be a decent sit in amp if you're worried about using a tube amp at a gig for whatever reason. Might be a good look starter amp too, depending on price... although you can get decent lil tube lunchbox heads on the cheap & then upgrade your cab as you can afford it. Great review all around! I really enjoyed this video, guys!

[@wadenkrangguttenberg3750]

I just feel the blues cube should cost alot less. its SS for the price of tubes. to me if the cost is the same why go SS?

[@urbanesoul8400]

Wadenkrang Guttenberg Oh, I didn't realize it cost as much as a tube amp. That takes it out of the starter amp category then. It's a great lil amp for a solid state, but not if you can get a decent lil tube amp for the same price, eh?

[@Robstafarian]

The best starter amp is a tube preamp: either a used higher end one (e.g. Mesa Boogie) or something from the Two Notes Le Preamp series.

[@bobbyberetta4206]

Damn that Blues Cube sounds great

[@kramllama]

Love this show! I just bought a shirt. Keep up the good work! I'm learning a lot from you guys. I have a Blues Cube (the "Hot" 30 w version) and I'm pretty happy with it. I really don't like the Blues Jr. (too shrill for me) and prefer the Roland. But I am still coveting a tube amp. Other than a short stint with a Peavey Classic 30, never had one). That bass breaker sounds great and not a bad price. I may have to visit some shops this weekend.

[@DerRufProductions]

Hey guys, nice comparison done there. One question that came to my mind was why you chose the Orange Amp for this video. All other amps you tend to you use are either more leaning on a "vintage" side or in case of the Lone Star are mostly some kind of clean platform. In my mind, Orange is always connected with a certain trademark sound that's going into a hard rock or even metal direction. So they are voiced in a special way - which your video proved. But as a pedal platform, with or without driven sounds - that voicing contradicts most of the sounds we know and love you guys for even before you turned on the amp :-) In my personal opinion both transistor amps lacked a certain kind of tonal "depth" which I associate with tube amplifiers. The Roland surprised me and I can see a lot of reasons for acquiring that kind of amplifier for home and practice use. The Orange totally reminded me of all the SolidState-Combos that generations of guitar players bought as a first or second amplifier because it looked cool and had a lot of gain going on. And after half a year of playing they all were safely tucked away in the basement, the darkest corner of the rehearsal room or on eBay. So - I would like to ask if there is really someone here who is totally happy with his SolidStateAmplifier - apart maybe from that JazzChorus kind of thing. Or - to break it down into a question you could answer on a show: Is there a scenario in your life and work as guitar players in which a SolidStateAmp, whatever price, makes you happier than any tube alternative apart from the quiet rehearsal at home? :-)

[@twat75]

Keep up the good work boys. Something I'd like to see when you guys get a JC-40 in is a wet/dry/wet setup with it and some tube amp. I've been planing on picking up a JC-40 as a wet amp as it seems it would make things really simple with the built in stereo inputs (no stereo pedals currently) and direct outs. Make it so.

[@ThatPedalShow]

+twat75 Yep - great suggestion. Dan and I were discussing that very thing this very morn.

[@MrBingping]

A friend of mine uses a three amp rig. Vox ac15, marshall class 5, and a JC-77. It's a very cool sound

[@CrookeNtheCoppers]

Beat me to it! I've been thinking of doing something similar recently. My lower back urges me to keep things simple though...

[@MrUltraworld]

I don't see why this needs a part 2. The JC is as dry as a goat fart. Great for well Jazz of course, and Reggae.

[@sleepthieves8025]

I almost did this same thing after seeing their wet/dry/wet setup video. Such an affordable amp to get 2 clean channels for stereo wet. Tube amp for sweet drive and clean tones.

[@yomanb258]

You guys should demo Quilter amps.... best transistor amps !

[@tiborrisko7349]

"We want part 2! We want part 2!" I've been using an old MIJ Roland Cube 60 from the 80's (the orange one). Small and light in weight, epic warm clean sound platform that takes pedals well. I stack my overdrives and fuzzes into it and I get great results. Dig the vids chaps! Greetings from Hungary

[@Steve-nq8jc]

great video guys! I'm really enjoying the Roland blues cube.

[@abechiggy2267]

Could you guys do a show on cap simulators like the Two Notes Torpedo cab, Logidy EPSI, Palmer DI, ADA gcs-2 e.t.c?

[@basvredeling]

Yes, this is a great idea! They could also include the built-in cab sim from the Strymon Big Sky and compare software Impulse Response vs purely eq based cab sims.

[@ThatPedalShow]

+Abe Chiggy it's on the list

[@Nicko30able]

Maybe you could work in a couple of pedals that have cab sim as well, like the Ethos and such. Great idea though. I have the Palmer and the ADA.

[@arbitermatt]

don't forget Bluguitar Blubox!

[@paperwallsstudios]

Part 2: please isolate variables? Perhaps a single cabinet driven by the different heads? In this ep the tube amp is 2x12 and the xistor amps are 1x12 and the volume of the cabs are all very different. I don't know which variable(s) I'm listening to. Love you guys. Love this show. Ordering my t-shirt.

[@thehoppo]

My thoughts exactly, makes a massive difference

[@txguitarslinger]

Quilter Amplifiers are one the best "transistor" amps I've ever played (no modeling). I use a Pro Block 200 for practice and some gigs (I also bring it as a backup when I'm using a tube amp). Will I give up my Boogies for it? Probably not, but it's definitely got its own thing going on and it sounds pretty awesome. The bonus is that it's bulletproof -no worries of failure and it loves pedals

[@tobiasjones1721]

Do you know how Snoopy does his happy dance with his nose in the air and his eyes closed? The look Dan had on his face whilst playing the Fender reminded me of that. Joy!!!

[@TheActressAndBishop]

Having said you can't compare vale amps to transistor amps, there is the fact that Steve Rothery got epic sounds from a relatively modest combination of a JC120 and a Boss DS-1 for ages ...

[@regortex3364]

People that think you need to be playing through tubes (exclusively) to sound good, are gullible.

[@Pedrohsc2]

How about we come back to our Plexi journey guys?? I just can't wait any longer LoL

[@devildrinkslinger]

Been thinking about this for a bit- how about a show on tone settings for home alone vs. a full band/live setting? Would be really useful for a lot of folks I bet. You guys ROCK!

[@alastairtilley3585]

From 11:06, the OCD through the Orange first, when Dan switched to the Blues Cube, HOT DAMN did it make my nether region tingle. Epic video guys, thank you.

[@ThatPedalShow]

+Alastair Tilley any sort of tingle is job done :)

[@SteveKuhMusic]

I own a Quilter Aviator 2X10, which I really like. It has 2 channels and reverb. Channel 2 has a full EQ and a gain dial. It is a solid state amp, but not a modelling amp. Perhaps you might consider demoing that transistor amp on Part 2? Thanks!

[@ThatPedalShow]

+Steve Kuh We really want to try a Quilter. Lots of good things said about them!

[@SteveKuhMusic]

Good deal! The only thing I'd add is that the Aviator is the one to try and it should be either the 2x10 or the 1X12, which are open backed. (I also demoed a Quilter Micro Pro and I did not like that one, because it has several different voicings, a feature that I do not like because only one or two of them sound alright.) Hope that makes sense. Love your show and hope to see Part 2 soon! Happy New Year!

[@fvckoff4ever561]

The Crush is something special

[@peterjessop1878]

Decided to watch this again after trying a Quilter at the weekend. I have to say Quilters are on a different level. I nearly bought one as part of a wet/dry rig with the Quilter being the wet amp, but something stopped me from committing. Now gone completely the other way and modded my fender hot rod deville for better volume control for rehearsals and at home to act as the wet amp. It sounds huge and I don’t think any solid state or digital amp could compete even a Quilter. May still get the Quilter but only as back up

[@phishfacemountian]

Really cool show. Pretty much nailed it. I have always used both SS amps and tube amps. They are just different approaches and have both strengths and weakness. When I am using one type I miss certain aspects of the other. I have a JC40 right now and it has been a very useful amp (loud and light weight). It allow for me to get a pseudo-stereo set up with out having to carry two amps. I will admit, it is the flattest sounding amp I have every owned (SS + 2x10). This leads to another whole set of questions and possibilities: Speaker replacements. Some people scoff at replacing speakers in JC amps. Being that I have had enough experience with JC amps, speaker replacements do have a impact (good or bad is subjective and based on what a person wants to accomplish). (Right now I also own a JC120h, which allows me to chose witchh of my cabs to run with it). My plans are to put in a couple of Celestion Golds and see if that creates a little more depth while retaining the snap/forwardness of the transients.

[@leafbelly]

Great video. I'd love to see your thoughts on some affordable modeling amps, such as the Vox VT, VR or AV series; Fender Mustang; and - despite the hate - a Line 6 (Amplifi or Spider). I know Line 6 has a lot of haters, but is it justified? And, are they giggable or better left in the bedroom.

[@frankie28web]

They are better left in the trash can! Digital modeling has it's place when it comes to recording, going direct into the mixer or for bedroom practicing. For anything else, forget about it...

[@leafbelly]

It's quite surprising how very little the audience actually cares about guitar sound compared with how much some guitarists obsess over it. It's kind of funny, really, how much more improved digital amps are now compared with 30 years ago, yet by reading comments on KZbin, one would think they've gotten exponentially worse.

[@JazzzRockFuzion]

Maybe actually try a Blackstar ID:60 TVP, or Vox AV60 before crassly talking about leaving it "in the trash can". There are some surprisingly affordable, *giggable* solid state amps that achieve awesome results through analog tube emulation rather than digital modeling.

[@tiomkinnyborg2289]

Guitarists live in the past. They believe the 50's-60's were a 'golden-age'. Everything made then was better. In the real world things have moved on and modelling amps are better than tubes. Why have one fragile amp when you can have twenty + that won't break and weigh next to nothing and are bullet proof? Even guitar design has stagnated. We have the same bolt-on square heel axes of old. And when they try to bring out a modern guitar it gets slated as 'gimmicky'. No wonder keyboard players laugh at us.

[@rogeriusrex1]

come on, man! it's fine to use a valve amp as comparison, but use a single speaker version to keep things fair. you can't compare a 2x12 setup to 1x12, even comparing valve to valve or ss to ss.

[@lance134679]

I've got a Fender M80 1-12 solid state combo that I bought in 1990, and it's never been serviced, but it still works! It doesn't sound very good, however. Once I got my hand-built 65 Deluxe Reverb clone, I never looked back.

[@YawpMusic]

Maybe the best show ever! It's good to question basic assumptions. I grew up with HH Amps, and Award Sessionettes, and quite a few artists I grew up with used similar amps at least some of the time: T.Rex, Dr. Feelgood, the Undertones etc. A lot of the sounds on today's show remind me of those sounds. They do have a character much different from the somewhat homogenized tube/boutique sound that everyone seems to go for these days. Maybe it's time to explore the road less traveled. Thanks, guys.

[@MrUltraworld]

When played clean, the SS amps aren't bad at all. The OD & Distorted tones are not very good. I think the Orange is the better of the two. But neither can touch the Fender. What I find interesting are the prices. SS amps used to be half the price of a valve amp. Not any more. The Orange is $599, the Roland is $699, the Fender is $599. I don't see what the benefit is to either of the SS amps. I sure wouldn't pay $100 more for the Roland. Hands down, the Fender easily wins here.

[@echotheresa]

It most certainly is reliability combined with an amazing more modern sound.

[@frankie28web]

Yes that is really ridiculous! Those transistor amps are cheaply made in China and sold at high price. I call it a ripp off and would never ever spend that amount of money if I could have a decent tube amp new or used in the same price range...

[@MrUltraworld]

Osa I didn't hear anything amazing.

[@echotheresa]

Fred Garvin I didn't like the sounds in the video either, but I own the amplifier, so I know it can sounds amazing. Other than that, it's a pretty subjective thing.

[@MrUltraworld]

Osa You need you need to get out more.

[@stephen9944]

Yamaha THR100H is quite good.

[@MisterAndrewBuckley]

I agree, I have a thr 10C as a vacation amp. Bloody superb .Great show by the way

[@eranmontiel]

Yea I love my Thr10. Check out the Philip Sayce demo on KZbin, he puts pedals through it and it sounds epic.

[@chenjunhao]

Believe it or not, I used my thr5 in a rehearsal with a polite drummer and I turn the thing all the way up , with some reverb it really sounds bigger than what it is. I believe if you mic it up you can really take it to small gigs

[@nxnemu]

I hope they'll consider this for the part 2.

[@Irkennalpha]

I love the THR’s!. Has anyone tried using the flat setting on the THR10/5? With single coils is just killer.

[@JohanSancho]

I'd love to see a part 2 with Marshall Code and Boss Katana! Love the show, greetings from Brazil!

[@kroese3896]

Do an episode about flangers! The MXR, the Minifooger, the Hartman, the Boss BF2, etc... Awesome show, guys. Keep up the great work!

[@davidwlucas]

You're missing a Quilter! Maybe for round 2?

[@pterantula]

For part II of this "test", I'd love to hear you guys through the new Boss Katanas.....? As well, please do a run-through of Lunastone pedals! Thx!

[@mystichamster5900]

Since the begining of the video I really liked the Fender. Anyway I think Mick makes everything sound amazing and that's the first thing everyone should learn. How to play well and then choose your equipment.

[@therugburnz]

luv the show and this episode much as well