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Hi All,

My mate is giving me 2 amp options to buy. A fender tweed champ (5f1 japan) with treble, bass and reverb control for $400 - a Mesa boogie studio caliber dc-2 (22w) for $650. Both are nice, Mesa works well with low volume. I’ve never tried the champ, how does it work with bedroom levels and pedals? And are they naturally warm? He only gave me today to decide lol.

Vox Ac15c1 for $300

Thanks In advance! As you can see everything is a steal haha

given he seems desperate to sell then make him wait .... no idea on which amp, it all depends on what kind of tones you are looking for. It is far better to get the amp that suits that instead of getting an amp and trying to "make it" do the tone you want

Haha the thing is I’ll be okay with the fender or the boogie, but just want to know if anyone’s got experience with the tweed amp as well. Yea he does sound desperate but he pushed the price really low for me hahaha

buy them all

I'd go vox. Tweed champ is a very easy build. never really liked the caliber I had. the vox is a classic.

I had a dc-5 years ago that was stolen. A really great and super versatile amp. I'd totally recommend that. Not sure if the dc-2 has an eq though?

Hollowpoint wrote:I had a dc-5 years ago that was stolen. A really great and super versatile amp. I'd totally recommend that. Not sure if the dc-2 has an eq though?

Oh man sorry to hear. I heard they’re really famous for low levels too. Has headphone and recording out as well as a line out and a foot switch. Yea the dc -2 doesn’t have the graphic EQ but they have their own EQ in each channel. I tried it the other day and it sounds dead really good in low levels.

Bg wrote:I'd go vox. Tweed champ is a very easy build. never really liked the caliber I had. the vox is a classic.

Possibly. The tweed champ im looking at is for Japan only. Has a spring reverb, treble and bass control as well as a master volume haha. I was looking at Vox amps too but haven’t had the chance to play them properly but they are really loud lol. I’m only playing at low levels for the time being but would like to have the extra power.

Another thing is the DV Mark Galileo 15. 15w American type amp. But it’s a head so I’d need a cab with it.

Buy the ac15 and the Mesa, sell the AC for $500, profit!!!

Marshmallow wrote:

Hollowpoint wrote:I had a dc-5 years ago that was stolen. A really great and super versatile amp. I'd totally recommend that. Not sure if the dc-2 has an eq though?

Oh man sorry to hear. I heard they’re really famous for low levels too. Has headphone and recording out as well as a line out and a foot switch. Yea the dc -2 doesn’t have the graphic EQ but they have their own EQ in each channel. I tried it the other day and it sounds dead really good in low levels.

Bg wrote:I'd go vox. Tweed champ is a very easy build. never really liked the caliber I had. the vox is a classic.

Possibly. The tweed champ im looking at is for Japan only. Has a spring reverb, treble and bass control as well as a master volume haha. I was looking at Vox amps too but haven’t had the chance to play them properly but they are really loud lol. I’m only playing at low levels for the time being but would like to have the extra power.

Another thing is the DV Mark Galileo 15. 15w American type amp. But it’s a head so I’d need a cab with it.

If you want low vol, and not to use pedals, then go the boogie. You'll need dirt pedals for the others.

The tweed champ is still a ridiculously easy build, and if you want dirt you're going to have to push it hard.

I still say keep him waiting and he'll drop the prices more

Michael wrote:buy them all

this then make your mind up, sounds like you could get your money back easily enough

Ac15
Tweed
Mesa thing.

(In that order)

That AC15 seems like a really good buy.

But TBH, amps are such personal things and everyone wants different things from them - go with what you gut is telling you as ultimately that's probably going to be the best decision for you.

Mini Forklift Ⓥ wrote:That AC15 seems like a really good buy.

But TBH, amps are such personal things and everyone wants different things from them - go with what you gut is telling you as ultimately that's probably going to be the best decision for you.

this x100000.

Never listen to people who tell you X amp is the greatest, unless you like the same types of sounds they do. I went through a ridiculous amount of cool amps for several years before realising that I was basing buying decisions on the recommendations of people who were after something totally different that I was. Part of the trick is working out what you are actually after (do you like chime? Snarl? Thick swirly goodness? Warm edge of break up?), then going from there. In the end I wanted a great warm pedal platform, so buying amps with great amp OD was a pointless waste of time for me as I used pedals off the clean and their strength never saw the light of day. And as great as Joey Landreth makes old 50s circuits sound, I don't play blues and roots music, so no point having a great tweed stack for example.
All three of those amps have a place, and different people will think different ones are better, but unless your ears line up with theirs you'll be disappointed.

willow13 wrote:I still say keep him waiting and he'll drop the prices more

strange attitude.