where have all the fancy amps gone

[jeremyb]

Jay, mate; nobody needs to know that.

You can get arrested for that.

You guys, what were you thinking? 9 pound Gibson I was talking about

A 9 pound Gibson is even less believable than your 9 pound wanger!

[codedog]

Jay, mate; nobody needs to know that.

You can get arrested for that.

You guys, what were you thinking? 9 pound Gibson I was talking about

You call yours Gibson? That's a new one...

[jeremyb]

You can get arrested for that.

You guys, what were you thinking? 9 pound Gibson I was talking about

You call yours Gibson? That's a new one...

He always asks the wife to get out his Gibson and play with his Les Pauls.

[StrummersOfThunder]

Maybe we've the low volume, boutique builders to thank for the betterment of corporation amp quality? Not only in challenge to an aspect of market-share, but in the pushing up of price acceptability in the market (education?), and, their R+D to refine tone recipes (externality). If a corporate amp exec can poach some of the R+D found in the more market successful boutique builds and make further margin due to factory scale, then making better amp offerings to the market can happen at a lower price point, whilst having a higher, more exclusive brand offering above that again that can go head-to-head with the indie, boutique dudes.

It has been a strange time in big-name tube amps recently. Fender seem to have gone all-in re: modelling and not introduced anything vaguely interesting otherwise. Marshall are sensibly targeting the lower-wattage market with the Studio series. Mesa have introduced two of my favourite amps of all time (Cali Tweed and Filmore) but their "modern" offerings are all quite uninspiring. It feels like the market is moving away from big wattage, but it's hard for many players to spend big money on an "only" 20W tube amp.

We need another Auckland/Northland gearfest. I miss the warmth of tubes and unshowered men in crowded rooms.

I suspect some of this is being scared off by supply chain vulnerabilities (valves/components)
Probably safer to double down on software

[jeremyb]

Maybe we've the low volume, boutique builders to thank for the betterment of corporation amp quality? Not only in challenge to an aspect of market-share, but in the pushing up of price acceptability in the market (education?), and, their R+D to refine tone recipes (externality). If a corporate amp exec can poach some of the R+D found in the more market successful boutique builds and make further margin due to factory scale, then making better amp offerings to the market can happen at a lower price point, whilst having a higher, more exclusive brand offering above that again that can go head-to-head with the indie, boutique dudes.

It has been a strange time in big-name tube amps recently. Fender seem to have gone all-in re: modelling and not introduced anything vaguely interesting otherwise. Marshall are sensibly targeting the lower-wattage market with the Studio series. Mesa have introduced two of my favourite amps of all time (Cali Tweed and Filmore) but their "modern" offerings are all quite uninspiring. It feels like the market is moving away from big wattage, but it's hard for many players to spend big money on an "only" 20W tube amp.

We need another Auckland/Northland gearfest. I miss the warmth of tubes and unshowered men in crowded rooms.

I suspect some of this is being scared off by supply chain vulnerabilities (valves/components)
Probably safer to double down on software

America is investing big in chip manufacturing due to their main supplier Taiwan becoming part of China any minute now

[StrummersOfThunder]

It has been a strange time in big-name tube amps recently. Fender seem to have gone all-in re: modelling and not introduced anything vaguely interesting otherwise. Marshall are sensibly targeting the lower-wattage market with the Studio series. Mesa have introduced two of my favourite amps of all time (Cali Tweed and Filmore) but their "modern" offerings are all quite uninspiring. It feels like the market is moving away from big wattage, but it's hard for many players to spend big money on an "only" 20W tube amp.

We need another Auckland/Northland gearfest. I miss the warmth of tubes and unshowered men in crowded rooms.

I suspect some of this is being scared off by supply chain vulnerabilities (valves/components)
Probably safer to double down on software

America is investing big in chip manufacturing due to their main supplier Taiwan becoming part of China any minute now

Could easily chip my pants

[jeremyb]

I suspect some of this is being scared off by supply chain vulnerabilities (valves/components)
Probably safer to double down on software

America is investing big in chip manufacturing due to their main supplier Taiwan becoming part of China any minute now

Could easily chip my pants

Might pay to wash them once in a while if they're that stiff!

[robthemac]

America is investing big in chip manufacturing due to their main supplier Taiwan becoming part of China any minute now

Could easily chip my pants

Might pay to wash them once in a while if they're that stiff!

There's audible crunching as he strolls down the hospital corridors.

[StrummersOfThunder]

Could easily chip my pants

Might pay to wash them once in a while if they're that stiff!

There's audible crunching as he strolls down the hospital corridors.

But I don’t wear ‘my’ pants at work.
The crunching noise is probably all the snapped off bits of propofol vials that are imbedded in me

[StrummersOfThunder]

America is investing big in chip manufacturing due to their main supplier Taiwan becoming part of China any minute now

Could easily chip my pants

Might pay to wash them once in a while if they're that stiff!

Not thinking of your special sports sock?

[Jay]

Could it be that this thread has gone down hill?

[codedog]

Could it be that this thread has gone down hill?

Probably... the way of all the fancy amps...

[jeremyb]

Could it be that this thread has gone down hill?

Its done better than usual.

[shednz]

Well to summarise, fancy amps turned digital, not all cracked up to be, hard to buy in living crisis, all owned by Conway, run out of parts, temptresses for playing with ones 9 lber and something about crunchy pants. A worthy discussion, thanks all. I'll keep my eyes out to match the swart and redplate with a kantana.

[GrantB]

Well to summarise, fancy amps turned digital, not all cracked up to be, hard to buy in living crisis, all owned by Conway, run out of parts, temptresses for playing with ones 9 lber and something about crunchy pants. A worthy discussion, thanks all. I'll keep my eyes out to match the swart and redplate with a kantana.

One thing we forgot to ask in the rush to derail the thread; what sort of fancy amp would be likely to spin your wheels?