Ultimate Covers Gigging Amp

[werdna]

If you want to play covers of top 40 songs, what is the ultimate guitar amp?

Money is no object, but you can only pick one single amp.

I am thinking it would need three or four distinct tones. The tones have to have vibe. And each be foot switchable.

The tones would be pristine Fender Twin clean, Fender Deluxe overdriven clean, the classic Marshall rock tone (AC/DC), and, if a fourth channel, Marshall hot-rodded plexi.

Some nice but not obligatory features would be:

assignable outputs so you could run an open backed speaker cab for the first two channels and closed back cab for the second two channels, like the Road King ii;

voltage lowering options, like on recent Mesa amps.

What amps are out there that come close to this description please?

[rocklander]

one of highgainer's VHTs (the first one I saw at the tronfest).. just a superb beastie

[Benrocky]

A pod xt?

[thehenderson]

Something like a Peavey 30 or Fender Deluxe and a couple of the right gain pedals would be affordable and would do all of that

[jeremyb]

Personally, once I get to gigging stage, I am gonna get a Hotrod Deluxe, with my tubescreamer in front of it should provide all the tones I want

[Pakehendrix]

Suhr Badger 30 or Mesa Electrodyne, or maybe something from 65 Amps...the Marquee or something?

Since I'd never be able to afford that, I'd definitely go Fender/Vox and pedals...

[Aquila Rossa]

Vetta 2?
Engl midi thingy?
Pignose?>

[philbit]

Get a Vox AD120VT with a VC12 board,16 on board amp models,10 on board effects with 120watts.32 factory presets and with the added VC12 you get 128 presets.

[Pakehendrix]

That's probably the best option

My suggestion and many others are probably more about what we want to play more than what actually does the job best.

[Phildo]

Road King II

[sambrowne]

Road King II

Yeah!

Actually I'd say unless you're mostly doing hard rock (in which case yes, the roadking!) you're best to get a good 1x12 or 2x12 clean base and use pedals. I do that and get those tones you're talking about. Bear in mind covers are probably 50-60% clean or slightly breaking up guitars, and just a small handful of full on balls out rockout tunes towards the end of the night, with the rest being ACDC overdrive tones at the heaviest. So a great clean sound is important. I use hotcake for up to ACDC, BB for 800 style.

[zdali]

FloorPOD into a PA

[sambrowne]

Also I've gigged the pro junior and it's fucking awesome, basically a small version of the lonestar with the clean channel only and no EQ. Same tone. If it was 30w I'd sell my lonestar and just use the PJ with a line out for an ext cab for bigger gigs. Even with just the Weber 10" running it's a great tone albeit relatively "small" sounding. Fine with a mic though. Takes hotcake and BB really well.

[twistedthoughts]

Also I've gigged the pro junior and it's fucking awesome, basically a small version of the lonestar with the clean channel only and no EQ. Same tone. If it was 30w I'd sell my lonestar and just use the PJ with a line out for an ext cab for bigger gigs. Even with just the Weber 10" running it's a great tone albeit relatively "small" sounding. Fine with a mic though. Takes hotcake and BB really well.

I've toyed with ditching my rig and getting two Pro Juniors and running that shit in stereo using the M13. If only they had 12" speakers and / or a speaker out. Shit would be fucking rad.

[jimi]

FloorPOD into a PA

+1 ... though I'd be temped to go into an clean amp - maybe a Fender Twin.