Ever since I sold my crappy guitar amp, I’ve been using a friend’s amp. It’s not a bad amp, just a temporary solution. I’ve been wanting a better amp for a long time and by selling my old one, I was hoping it would get me closer to my goal. Now, it’s over a year later and I am still without a replacement amp. The tough part is finding something that fits my style while not breaking my bank. I’d really like a small tube combo amp, because in general, tube amps have great tone and can really crank even at smaller sizes. I like the Oranges and the Mesa Boogies, but we’re talking mostly over $1000. Not bloody likely. So I’ve set my sights on some more reasonably priced items without sacrificing quality. Namely Fender. Their Hot Rod Deluxe is a very nice amp and could be had for a good used price. I’ve been eyeballing the Hot Rod Deluxe for over a year now, but I’m still not sure it’s right for me.
What I’ve been looking at now (pictured to the right) is an Orange Crush 30R. It’s solid state, but it sounds quite fantastic and is under $200 on eBay. I think I’m going to get it for the time being until I can afford the really pricey tube amps I like. I don’t want to just buy a tube amp for the sake of buying one and only get something I can afford but isn’t quite right. It would be a waste.
I think I need to check out some local music shops first and make sure there aren’t any screaming used deals right under my nose.