Please advices, Steel String Singer substitutes

[thelabarum]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum, I'm looking for an amp with the real nice clean tone like the Steel String Singer but in 30-50watts instead of 100-150watts and less than or around 3000USD.

Any suggestion,advice is welcome.

Since I mainly use the amp for clean tone, so any kinda amp with real nice clean tone(even not SS Singer like) is welcomed too.

Thanks very much for your help.

All the Bests.

[ChrisM]

If its 30-50W I wouldn't be talking about the SSS, totally different beast.

Maybe check out a Super Reverb or some other amp with a pair of 6L6s.

[Structo]

Welcome to the forum.

Do you want your clean tone to be totally clean like a Twin Reverb or do you like it with a little hair on it?

The Overdrive amps have a decent clean channel, you can also do a few things to make it more so if that is your thang.

Do you only play clean?
If not and you like a good sounding overdrive, then look no further than the non-HRM ODS.
There are a couple ways you can go with that as well.
As in, high plate or low plate loads.

I think that a 2 x 6L6, non HRM Overdrive Special type amp would fit your bill nicely.

[thelabarum]

If its 30-50W I wouldn't be talking about the SSS, totally different beast.

Maybe check out a Super Reverb or some other amp with a pair of 6L6s.

Thanks very much, I will check out the Super Reverb.

[thelabarum]

Welcome to the forum.

Do you want your clean tone to be totally clean like a Twin Reverb or do you like it with a little hair on it?

The Overdrive amps have a decent clean channel, you can also do a few things to make it more so if that is your thang.

Do you only play clean?
If not and you like a good sounding overdrive, then look no further than the non-HRM ODS.
There are a couple ways you can go with that as well.
As in, high plate or low plate loads.

I think that a 2 x 6L6, non HRM Overdrive Special type amp would fit your bill nicely.

Thanks very much for your suggestion.

I don't really play only clean(even most of the time I play clean), I do enjoy a nice overdrive sound, but I think if i got a real nice amp which is specially for cleans, so I can get myself a real nice overdrive pedal to achieve both. Do you think so? Or the Overdrive amps already got a real nice clean?

Do you mean the non-HRM ODS is the Ceriatone ODS?

I look for something like a SSS type amp is because as what I observed thru SRVs video, I found he strummed real hard on his guitar and the amp doesn't sound any kinda overdrive(or less overdrive) but the tone is still very big, full and clean. And I really like his tone on Rivera Paradise and Lenny, man, classics. (he used SSS on these 2, rite?)

I tried a Quinn Amp(Dumble clone), the model was made for achieving Robben Ford's tone and it's name is kinda something Overdrive or Overdrive something, it's a special ordered model. And I find out I need to play real, real soft to achieve a decent clean tone or else if I strum the guitar a little bit harder, it's "mids" are kinda like going to overdrive even I turned the gain down. Do you mean Overdrive amps are this kinda amp?

And what does HRM means?

And 6L6 is a kind of tube, right? Is it mean that if I put on 6L6 on any kinda amp will make the amp sound "cleaner"?

Oh man, please forgive my long/'ve been asked 1000x times questions, since I don't know much about amps and I really wanna know more.........

Thanks heaps again, I will surely check out the amps you suggested.

[M Fowler]

If you really want a SSS then I would talk with a member on this forum named Jelle and see what price he can build you a SSS for or at least answer some of your questions. Maybe that is not the amp for you.

Mark

[Funkalicousgroove]

or maybe someone that has actually seen/worked on a few sss's........

[jaysg]

or maybe someone that has actually seen/worked on a few sss's........

Brandon -- a question to demonstrate my naivite'...why is Denver a place where Dumbles abound? I live 100 miles from LA, but no one here has ever seen one, except on a stage.

[Structo]

HRM stands for Hot Rubber Monkey.

It is a Dumble amp that has a separate tone stack for the OD channel.
It is located on an extra circuit board inside the amp.
It has trimmer pots on it that you adjust the OD tone to your liking.
It isn't real convenient to adjust though since it requires you to pull the chassis out.

Several amp builders are now putting these controls on the front panel to make it easier to adjust.

Bludotone and Glaswerks being two that offer this type amp.

A non HRM amp does not have this so the clean and overdrive channel share a single tone stack.

There are a few iterations of these amps depending on the era they were built.
There are ODS type amps that are called high plate amps.
This refers to the plate load resistors on the two preamp tubes.
The high plate amps have 220K/150K plate load resistors.
Then there is the low plate amps which use either 100K resistors or the mid value plates with 180K/120K resistors.
These all make a tonal difference in the way the amp sounds and feels.

It appears that you don't have much of a background in electronics so you will have to start learning some electronic theory and tube theory if you ever hope to build a tube amp.

A 6L6 is a power or output tube.
It is what is called a Pentode because it has 5 internal elements.

Most Dumble type amps are very sensitive to pick dynamics and what you found out is true.
But many find that a very desirable feature as you can change how the amp sounds by how hard you pick.

These are relatively complex amps to build and even for some to play and adjust the controls for the optimum tone.

I built one about 2 years ago and I am still working on it.
Not so much because it needs it but, I just love experimenting with stuff like this.

If you want to start learning about tube amps you should buy several books.
Here are a couple that should get you started.

Dave Hunter-"The Guitar Amp Handbook"

Gerald Weber-"Tube Guitar Amplifier Essentials"

You should be able to find these at Amazon.

Have you checked into the possibility of a Marshall type amp for your needs.
Some models can have a decent clean tone as well as the famous crunch.

Also, I don't mean to burst your bubble because you sound excited about getting a tube amp, but you will not find too much for around $300.
Maybe a Peavey or Crate tube amp but nothing too exotic.

EDIT: I don't know why I thought you said $300.
For $3,000 you should be able to find just about any amp you want.

[Funkalicousgroove]

or maybe someone that has actually seen/worked on a few sss's........

Brandon -- a question to demonstrate my naivite'...why is Denver a place where Dumbles abound? I live 100 miles from LA, but no one here has ever seen one, except on a stage.

No, only 4 that i know of- but lots of folks from all over the country send me their dumbles to work on. I've worked on 2 SSS's ( one used to be Eric johnson's), and seen a few more. The one that John Mayer has now I just happen to have pics and a detailed schematic of from before it was his.

That being said, a silverface twin or showman reverb can be made into a sort-of SSS amp, fairly easily 30-40 Watts just won't work for a clean amp, it'll distort.

[M Fowler]

But I have never read you volunteer to ever build one or advertise one but Jelle does.

Brandon I have to take that back it looks like your Hi Plains Drifter is a SSS type of amp 150w and more than what the poster stated he was willing to pay $3000 but perhaps the Bludotone would make a great amp for him.

Mark

[mlp-mx6]

A 6L6 is a power or output tube.
It is what is called a Pentode because it has 5 internal elements.

Being picky, I know, but a 6L6 is not a pentode, it is a beam power tube. An EL34 *is* a pentode. So is an EL84. A 6V6 is not - again, a beam power tube. A beam power tube is similar to a pentode, but does not have the 3rd grid - instead it has "beam forming plates" which are not quite the same thing.

[Structo]

My bad, I was reading the Tube Data Sheet Locator and didn't really think about it.

[ER]

Why not try a newer Fender vibroverb? I think the 64 "re-issue" is a little over $2K. I prefer the 63's with 2x10" without the diaz "mods" and they can be found for under $1K. Both have solid state rectification (switchable on the 64) and good clean tones up until about 6 on the volume knob. I rarely play my '63 above 4/5 with a full band in a normal club situation.

The early ODS was more or less an attempt to get Lindley's cranked deluxe tone at a stage volume, Stevie's SSS was different than others, more like a bass amp, and again more or less what he liked from his vibroverbs but on a grander scale. These are also in the power range you're seeking.

When I saw Stevie play his SSS rig I thought it was to loud, even with a plexi-glass baffle in front of it in a 2,700 seat theater.

-ER

[thelabarum]

Sorry for the late reply, I was kinda busy recently.

And thanks everyone for your suggestions, I will check out those amps you guys suggested.

How about Standel Amps? Anyone tried one? Seems their clean is really decent.