The Definitive Gear Thread

I'll stick to guitar gear for now. My guitar is a Godin Solidac.

Not my first choice for a guitar if I'm being honest, but it's pretty versatile and has helped me find an archetype for the tone I want.

I do not have my own amp at the moment (I have a mediocre solid state, but I don't use it and only keep it for when I don't have access to >>>>>>>>). I generally use my brother's Fender Hot Rod Deville. I plan to get a Deluxe as I like the HR amps but want one I can crank higher that's a little quieter than a cranked Deville.

As far as pedals, I've not got many and most were impulsively bought so it's all across the board (pun not intended). Mooching off my brother, still, as a result, but I'm working to get my own pedalboard functional.

I have a ZVex Fuzz Factory that I like but don't use. I can dig the noisy aspects of it, but I don't use fuzz that often. I may try and integrate it into my bass rig, but if I can't manage to wield the animal I'll probably sell it.

I also have a DS-1. Don't use it, can't sell it for more than $20. May get it modded someday, after I've gotten the gear I need.

My favorite is my Malekko Ekko 616. A beautiful analog delay with some nice, easy to use oscillation. Probably will stay in my rig for a while.

Now that I need the essentials, the impulse purchases are kind of embarrassing. I don't even have an overdrive. On top of that, I don't have a steady income so I've been applying for jobs and selling anything I don't need. I've brainstormed a few other ways to make money, but a job seems like the best solution overall.

I'll use this thread to pose this question: what guitar amp should I get? I have a very nice amp that's great for recording and practicing, but it's much too quiet for a live performance, specifically when playing with a drummer. Are there any models, brands, or whatnot that I should look out for for a loud amp that's high quality but cheap?

Smurph wrote: For my rig I use a Les Paul Gibson Double Cut because I play backwards and I need it. It's a great guitar. For my amp I use a Fender Deville 4 by 10. I prefer that to the 2 by 12. I dknt use pedals because I am not good enough at guitar to deserve them. For my home recording I own an Axe FX Ultra. I can get an infinite number of sounds out of this. Perfectly amazing. I don't use it live though, because Im not good enough and don't want to shell out 1000 dollars for the switchboard.

You certainly have plenty of chops on your instrument, but I can understand not wanting to use them as a crutch. I can also understand them getting in the way of playing in a live setting. Having anxiety, I can see how the extra stuff might hurt your playing. It sometimes does mine and I have to do some extra practice with the extra elements to perform my best.

Edited by Polymorphia - December 04 2014 at 16:24

You might find a used Hot Rod Deluxe for that amount. That would be my amp of choice.

If you don't care about having many options, you might try the Excelsior. It is a small-ish amp, but bigger than the one you have (if that live video of you is any indication) and loud for its size. It has a nice warm tone and goes for $350. It's a tube amp as well if you don't want solid state.

Looking at this guy for an overdrive. Nice, tight sound without a lot of loose granular shrapnel like I've seen in a lot of overdrives.

The only piece of equipment I've really splurged on is my amp.  More than anything else I wanted a good, warm clean tone to work with.  It's a 40 watt amp with one 12" speaker - a Fender Blues Deluxe Jr

I have a Traynor "Darkhorse" 40 watt head (DH40H) and it solved every problem I was having staying on top of a power mad bass player with a stereo rigged Rickenbacker bass (two 500 watt Markbass heads into two 4x8" Markbass cabs... it's NICE and it's LOUD!) I was using a Bogner Rebel 20 into two Celestion Greenbacks (25s) and dimed it sounded swell but the rest of the guys were burying me. 

They were truly great in the late '60s - early '70s, then Yorkville and Pete Traynor had a parting of the ways (circa '76? ... around then anyways) and they just about dried up. But recently they began to put out reasonably priced amps based on the old Pete Traynor designs. They're hard to find, only one NYC authorized guy. I think they are trying to earn their way back into the mainstream, hence the very reasonable prices for what one gets. In any case, I'm impressed. 

Guldbamsen wrote: No definitive gear thread should be robbed of this magnificent instrument. Just so happens to be at the very top of my Christmas list: I want one dammit!!!!

That's it. I'm giving up guitar, bass, keys, and everything else. I'm going to be a yaybahar player now.

^Devilles are good too.