Backline Amps!

J

Jeffrey Knorr

Honorary PhD
Jan 11, 2011
172
6
18
Berwick, PA 18603
jrklabs.com
What are your most popular backline amps for rental?

Fender Deluxe Reverb, Hot Rod Deluxe or equivalent?
Roland JC-120, Fender Twin Reverb, or equivalent?

If you're considering adding some fairly standard backline to your offerings, where do you shop?

Jeff
 
Re: Backline Amps!

In order of popularity in my part of the world (West Texas):

Fender Twin Reverb reissue (more popular than all of the following combined)
Vox AC30C2
Fender Deluxe Reverb reissue
Marshall DSL100 (with 1960A 4x12 slant cabinet)
Roland JC120

More and more guitarists stuck with fly dates are just looking for a good clean (sometimes loud) amp. They are carrying whatever stomp boxes they need to get their personal tone.

The Vox has gotten popular with Christian artists, however all churches seem to be full of fancy backline that they are happy to loan out for free, so your mileage may vary.

My Fender and Marshall purchases have all been off eBay (Patience is required.) My Vox purchases have all been from northcoastmusic.com (Apparently I can't put a clickable link here without this board software grabbing the entire title from the web site and adding it to my post.)
 
Re: Backline Amps!

AC30 (If you get one of the new ones, CC2 or whatever it is, take the speakers out, put in greenbacks, also retube with decent tubes)
Deluxe Reissue
JC120
Marshall JCM800/900 w/1960A
SVT w/fridge
Eden w/4x10, 1x15
G-K w/4x10, 1x15

Mostly what I see and spec up here when I am out and about. Wouldn't get into boutique stuff unless you are a player and can use it yourself often. Stick with the usual suspects, invest in proper casing, etc etc, ymmv
 
Re: Backline Amps!

those warfdales arent as lousy as many people make them out to be. I find them usable but not as good as a greenback or weber blue dog. To the op question, the fender twin is almost always the one people are looking for or at least will accept. If I were buying 1, that would be it. If I were buying 2 the second would be either an ac30 or a blues deville. I used to get calls for the jc120 but less and less these days.

For bass, the ampeg stuff is first call. A 4x10 is usually enough but some want the 6x10 or the big boy svt 8x10
 
Re: Backline Amps!

Never hurts to having something smaller in your line. My guitar player prefers a Fender Princeton, he can turn it up to get a desired sound- yet the volume is lower. The AC15 is the equivalent. Also, pedal steel players like those solid state Peavey amps which you can probably pick up for way cheap. 65Amps & Ignater are pretty popular amongst the boutique guys- but they are expensive.

As for bass, if there's a way you can do two 4x10 stacked rather than one 8x10 you might be able to double your rentals. In my world the 410 cabs are more desirable for volume and the 810 is just one more trip to the chiropractor.
 
Re: Backline Amps!

The most common I see in Socal is

Fender Twin Reverb '65 Reissue
Vox AC30, NOT a CC, most guys I have worked with get bummed out using the new ones
Marshall JCM800,2000

SVT Head with 8x10 Cab


Those will be the money makers.
 
Re: Backline Amps!

Emil Gawaziuk said:
AC30 (If you get one of the new ones, CC2 or whatever it is, take the speakers out, put in greenbacks, also retube with decent tubes)
Deluxe Reissue
JC120
Marshall JCM800/900 w/1960A
SVT w/fridge
Eden w/4x10, 1x15
G-K w/4x10, 1x15

Mostly what I see and spec up here when I am out and about. Wouldn't get into boutique stuff unless you are a player and can use it yourself often. Stick with the usual suspects, invest in proper casing, etc etc, ymmv
Click to expand...

+1 to all of this.



Evan
 
Re: Backline Amps!

Kemper Watson said:
Not so sure about the Eden. I own one and would never buy one to rent out.
Click to expand...

I rent out the David Eden a good amount actually!

Here is my order from most rented to least:
Fender Twin Reverb
Fender Hot Rod Deville
Ampeg Bass Rig
Marshall 4x12 w/ JCM Head
David Eden rig
Vox AC30
Mesa Dual Rectifier Head
GK Bass Rig
JC120
Hartke Bass Rig

There you go!
 
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