Amplifier Advice

[matlamenace]

Hi,

Sorry I'm a rookie on the Rhodes world.

I need an advice : I will buy a Rhodes and and I will need an amp...

I just want a killer sound, but for a home use.....no need for too much power !

I have noted these 2 amps on several forum :
1) ROLAND JC-40 JAZZ CHORUS
2) Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb

Any other recommendation ?

Thanks a lot

[Filmosound 621]

Hi there.

I just noticed, that this is your 2nd post in two years of membership and that your first post received no answer at all.

E-Pianists are a cruel bunch, who would have thought so ?

not me.




you want a vintage tube amp with alnico speakers, not smaller than 12" for a start.   

or you buy a solid state amp with some ceramic speakers., fine as well. 

or a mix of both. 


those are different worlds IMO. 

same instrument though.

[matlamenace]

Thanks for your answer Filmosound

[Filmosound 621]

it is not just about the sound, but about the dynamics as well.

do you have friends, that play guitar ?    see what amps they use and if you can test them with your Piano.

a Tweed deluxe ( Fender 5E3 ) with a 12" Alnico Speaker and a 12AY7 in pos. 1 for less disortion could be a good solution for home playing.

I just learned, that it is a small step from killer sound to it is too loud for the ears to enjoy.


live and learn.   

if you are in Europe, you can buy one of my Ampeg M-15, killer sound guarantee.

I just learned that two 15" Speakers are too much for the living room.

[mvanmanen]

There are so many nice amplifier choices. And really it comes down to your planned use, sound you like, budget, and availability. My main rhodes amplifier these days is a blackface Fender showman with a 1x15" cabinet. And, sometimes, I use it with a second amp after dividing the output with a Strymon bigsky pedal with the second amplifier being an old blonde tremolux with 2x10" cabinet. It's honestly heavenly.

I would strongly encourage you to not rush into buying an amplifier but rather borrow or try out some amplifiers to get a sense of what you like. And then, keep an open mind. Rather than chasing a particular amplifier, if you come across a well-priced used amplifier then consider it as an option. I have gotten great tone from vintage Ampegs, MusicMan, and other Fenders. I even once used a little Yamaha THR amplifier just for noodling at home which was quite nice for recording and playing with different effects.

[Alan Lenhoff]

Here's a kind of unconventional viewpoint on this:

I'm using my Rhodes with a Silverface Fender Twin Reverb, for at-home use only.  Why would I want such a powerful amp? When I was amp shopping, it appeared that prices have been bid up to crazy levels for the smaller, less powerful vintage Fender tube amps that are all the rage for guitarists who want to get an overdriven sound at reasonable volumes.  In their world, a Twin Reverb gets no "tone" until it's at deafening levels. And if you gig, the Twin is very heavy.

I found a beautiful vintage Twin Reverb at a lower price than I would have paid for a comparable, lower-powered vintage Fender amp.  My Twin volume never goes beyond 3 in my home music room. But who cares?  I get the beautiful, clean sound I want, and excellent reverb and tremolo.  The 2-12s handle the bass of the Rhodes nicely. The Twin sounds great with my Wurli, too. So, I am quite happy being grossly "over-amped."

I can't say this is a solution for others, but I thought I'd share...

Alan

[spave]

If you want a cheaper option then I would recommend getting a preamp and running it through a keyboard amp or a good pair of monitors.

I am assuming you are looking at a Mk1 Stage Rhodes which would mean you could buy a Vintage Vibe or Avion Studios preamp to put in your name rail to give you that iconic stereo tremolo which isn't available on the tube amps.


I do agree with mvanmanen about trying different options first though. In fact you should probably "voice" and fix up whatever Rhodes you buy before you spend a lot on an amp because that will have a bigger effect on your tone.

[mvanmanen]

re: Alan's twin

Absolutely love the sound of a Fender Twin. I used to have one but also have a Dual Showman which is essentially the same amp in a head form. Following Alan, many guitar players are not interested in such powerful amps so the prices are much more affordable. I actually like an "overpowered" amplifier for at home levels because you get a completely uncompressed sound. That said, it is nice to push the tubes a little bit without getting phone calls from the neighbours.

[The Real MC]

Another option is a tube preamp.  I used to put my Rhodes through a Tubeworks Blue Tube.  It is a 1U rack mount bass preamp, no speakers.  Cheaper than most tube guitar amps.  Bass preamps are designed not to overdrive as heavy as guitar amps.

[Alan Lenhoff]

re: Alan's twin

Absolutely love the sound of a Fender Twin. I used to have one but also have a Dual Showman which is essentially the same amp in a head form. Following Alan, many guitar players are not interested in such powerful amps so the prices are much more affordable. I actually like an "overpowered" amplifier for at home levels because you get a completely uncompressed sound. That said, it is nice to push the tubes a little bit without getting phone calls from the neighbours.

My Twin has a master volume circuit, so I guess that presents some opportunity to get a little tube distortion without blowing my house off its foundation.  But I just love a clean Rhodes sound.

Alan