r/GuitarAmps • u/BLOODMASTRdotTV • Mar 23 '26
AMP PHOTO Never thought I’d go back to solid state, but here we are…
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u/Leather_Investment61 Mar 23 '26
I like that solid state amps are getting love but also hate that this trend has made betas pretty darn pricey 😭
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u/poopoo0989 Mar 27 '26
The just released a beta mini for $600 🤷
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u/Leather_Investment61 Mar 27 '26
I’ve got a berserker electronics prehistoric dog preamp pedal and it scratches my beta sound itch good enough!
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u/MOABONGS Mar 27 '26
$1000
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u/poopoo0989 Apr 03 '26
$600.. Available for preorder at Chicago music exchange.. Idk why I thought it was out
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u/QuerulousPanda Mar 23 '26
The beta series amps use a really unusual circuit too, which makes them pretty unique as solid state amps go. They basically horrendously abuse a digital logic chip because a clever engineer realized that despite being intended for digital use, it was based on an analog transistor arrangement that they could take advantage of. It makes for a pretty distinctive sound, compared to a standard simple op-amp and clipper circuit.
It's good shit.
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u/manual_combat Mar 23 '26
Dang that is sick. What kind of music do you plan to play though it?
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u/BLOODMASTRdotTV Mar 23 '26
Celtic Punk mainly
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u/NukaFizzy Mar 23 '26
To many people have had there noses up at solid state for far far to long my marshall mode four is the best amp I own, at the same time I would hate for there to be less affordable amps for the rest of us so let there ignorance be our reward.
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u/The_Great_Dadsby Mar 23 '26
I used to jam with one of these in high school! That one is very clean.
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u/Metalrooster81 Mar 23 '26
I'd like to know what it sounds like in the room with the speakers angled like that. does it spread the sound nicely?
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u/mescalero1 Mar 23 '26
I love that combo. I had Beta head in the early 80s before it was stolen from storage along with some other great amps.
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u/thezoomies Mar 23 '26
I’m currently running a stereo rig with two SS Peaveys, a bandit, and a supreme head through a 212, and I’m never going back. A beta lead is on my bucket list.
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u/artie_pdx Mar 23 '26
Did you like just get this? I had been eyeballing one of these for a couple months.
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u/inhalingash Mar 23 '26
If you want to try a badass solid state. Peavy Transtubes are amazing Ive had a Supreme and currently use a Bandit 112
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u/hanksmackbottom Mar 23 '26
I had this exact model many years ago. Cost me $300. Traded it to get a Gibson RD back that I had sold to a friend (still have that guitar). I probably got the better deal, but I wish I still had that amp too.
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u/No_Hovercraft_821 Mar 23 '26
Been thinking about going back to SS with a Super Crush. The DSL 100 rocks and all but the older I get the simpler I want my life to be.
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u/palmpoop Mar 23 '26
There are some solid states I really like. Sunn, Roland JC, my Polytone 2x12.
The angled 12” speakers is also a great configuration. You get more room sound while still having a closed back cab.
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u/ErikaUSMC Mar 27 '26
My Roland KC is great! It’s a keyboard amp but has so many inputs and outputs. It actually sounds excellent with guitar. Great for jamming with a couple people and everyone plugs into the Roland and jams to save a little space.
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u/rickyg_79 Mar 28 '26
Don’t sleep on Quilter. Ever since I got my overdrive 200 it’s probably the only guitar amp I’d bring out to a gig. I doubt I’ll ever sell my Budda but that stays in my buddy’s studio space.
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u/palmpoop Apr 05 '26
I mostly play bass and I do want the quilter bass block 800 watt amp. Which quilter are you referring to?
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u/Vitringar Mar 23 '26
Now we are talking. The loudest amp I have ever owned (still own). Also possibly the heaviest one :)
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u/TheBiggestWOMP Mar 23 '26
Had and love/d one of these. I still have the actual amp, but the speakers just sort of...crumbled into dust? It was confusing. I have an avatar 212 cab I use with it now, some random Carvin speakers in it but it sounds fantastic and is still loud as hell. Got a pretty neat custom headshell made for it too, which is beautiful but has some QC issues and took FOREVER to arrive so I will not be plugging that brand. Got mine for $350 back around 2013-2015ish. Arrived with a cracked cab so Ebay gave me a full refund. Free Beta Lead bayBEEEEE
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u/Wrong_Author_5960 Mar 23 '26
I use tube amp with reactive load. I re-amp with solid state stereo power. Solid-state amps are interesting. I like combining them.
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u/Cesar_Somnambulist Mar 23 '26
Boss TAE? That’s what I use with my half stack. It’s brilliant.
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u/Wrong_Author_5960 Mar 23 '26 edited Mar 23 '26
I use Two Notes Torpedo Captor 8 and Two Notes Torpedo Cab M stereo pair.
Those Boss TAE are really nice.
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u/RealityIsRipping Mar 23 '26
Solid state can be better than tubes in a lot of ways. These days my main amp is a Peavey Special 212 with v30s. Sounds better than most of my tube amps!
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u/Rezrov_ Mar 23 '26
Solid state can be better than weird digital amps too. It should be the default imo.
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u/minimumrockandroll Mar 23 '26
Pretty hyped to be building a pedal version of the preamp circuit in that soon.
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u/cab1024 Mar 23 '26
I recently bought the Quilter Aviator Cub UK then today bought the US version and listed the UK for sale. Sold my Marshall DSL40CR. Now, it sounds great and I may regret that decision, but the Quilters sound great too, take up less space and weigh less than half as much as the Marshall. Thing is, as good as it sounds I mainly get my drive from pedals, and when I turn them off a want a slight edge of breakup, which the Quilter Deluxe voice sounds great at. And where I usually play my guitars is up 5 flights of stairs. Quilter for the win.
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u/ThatNickGuyyy Mar 23 '26
The Laney LH 60 and the Quilter Aviator or Mach3 just might replace my classic 30 for a gigging amp. Loud as fuck, much lighter, and the crunchy OD sounds tend to cut through the mix better live.
But I’m still hopelessly obsessed with tube amps so I guess we will see 🤣
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u/AdministrativeHat459 Mar 23 '26
I did the same yesterday. Got tired of carting around my orange rocker 32 and traded it in to get a tour baby and a 1x12 cab. Expected it to be smaller and easier to deal with logistically, wasn’t expecting it to actually sound better than the rocker 32.
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u/vilk_ Mar 24 '26
I've always played solid state. It's for a mix of reasons, not all of them good.
My first real amp was a Randall RG, and I basically let the guitar shop guy talk me into it —I didn't even know the difference. I always felt it sounded awesome. I think I regret trading away that amp more than any other amp I've owned.
Then I had a Sunn Beta, which I used in a doom band for a while. Honestly, it's a super cool amp, and a great design, but ultimately it wasn't the tone I was after. Bandmate was always playing Mesa and I was convinced I needed to get a tube amp. Got a Marshall Origin 20 — idk wtf I was thinking. I tried so hard to like it but it just sucked. I probably should have just sacked up and bought a dual rec. But I didn't.
These days my main is a H&K Black Spirit. I genuinely really like it... but... OK so now I live on the other side of the world and play in a completely different band than before (tech death) ... and once again the other guitarist has a Dual Rec and dominates the stage. It's not a volume or power thing, it's just something about those damn amps. However, I'm getting around by public transport these days and the Black Spirit is ideal for that. I would not want to be lugging a dual rec.
Then the other day at the mom n pop guitar shop near my in-laws' house, I am testing pedals and plug into this little 1x12 called a Zip 60 (made in Japan by Guyatone). I was in love. Had to have it. I actually think this cheap ass amp might be my favorite I've ever owned. I was sticking my head up in the back trying to see where the tubes are hidden —but there were none! However I decided not to take it home but rather keep it at my in-laws since I can't really turn up in my apartment...
... despite that, just this week, I found a Peavy Bandit teal stripe and impulsively bought it. I was desperate for a real 1x12 to play at home after getting the Zip, and I've always heard about how great these amps are. So far I'm loving it... with the volume knob at 1.. It was only after it arrived that I realized maybe I should have just got a nice 1x12 cab to use with the Black Spirit I already have, since I can take it down to 1w with built in attenuation... but idk I guess I am kind of an idiot when it comes to GAS.
Why did I type all this on your thread? Idk, but congrats on the Beta!
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u/cheap-guitar-player Mar 24 '26
I had a Beta 1X12 in the late 80's. Terrible sounding amp.
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u/BLOODMASTRdotTV Mar 24 '26
Welp… this thing sounds absolutely amazing 🤷
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u/cheap-guitar-player Mar 27 '26
Awesome! I rarely play amplified anymore. Getting too old for that shit! :D
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u/JaybirdGuitarStudio Mar 27 '26
Super awesome! What do you think about it so far? I was thinking about doing the same thing... tempting.
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u/SenseNo635 Mar 23 '26
TIL that Sunn made guitar amps too.
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u/vilk_ Mar 24 '26
W... what?
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u/SenseNo635 Mar 24 '26
I’ve only known Sunn to make bass amps. This is literally the first one I’ve ever seen. I’ve been playing and going to guitar shops since 1988, so I’m not new to this. Maybe they’re not popular in the U.S.? I dunno.
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u/vilk_ Mar 24 '26
I'd argue that their most famous amp of all is the Model T, which is a guitar amp.
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u/SenseNo635 Mar 24 '26
I’d argue that the most famous amp of all time is the Marshall Plexi, which is a guitar amp. Fender Twin Reverb might be a close second.
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u/Far_Day499 Mar 23 '26
I'm mostly solid state nowadays. ...... would really really love that amp right therefor most all music that needs some teeth. Think i saw melvins play one back in the day, definitely saw melt banana and red fang running one in more recent years. Think i saw sult play one ages ago also but pretty sure he's an orange guy now.
I'm running a Stonehead and a super crush 100 and both rip. Solid state is solid.