Jerry and Dickey from one amp ???

[Boston_Patriot]

I know, this may be a futile quest, but I thought I'd pick everyone's brain...

I'm looking at BlackFace boutiques to get in the ballpark (ok, I want to be on the infield!) of Jerry's tone. My guitar is not a worry (split super II middle; Shep Blue Sky neck; Fralin Unbucker bridge). The thing is, I want to be able to dial in a smooth overdrive ala Dickey (I know, I know, he used Marshall) I have a couple questions:

1) To be able to play small to small/mid size gigs, how many watts do I need to get enough clean headroom for Jerry - is 50W enough or do I need 100W? I'm thinking of making sure the amp I get has a half-power switch. 100W for headroom for Jerry, 50W to push the amp at lower volumes. Is this just way to much for practicing in the garage??

2) Does anyone have experience with getting in the ballpark of Dickey's tone with a Blackface boutique? How do you do it? Clean boost pedals for lower volumes?

3) The contender list at this point...any thoughts are appreciated:

Red Plate Astro Dust (This amp seems to be VERY versatile, my only concern is that is lacks bass/middle/treb pots...they designed it with only one tone pot)
Bruno Cowtipper
Two Rock Custom Clean (anyone had experience with the Classic Reverb and Custom Reverb, too?)
Fuchs Clean Machine

Thanks and let me know if you think there's no chance of getting a ballpark of Dickey's tone with these

[dleonard]

50W is PLENTY. My Twin Reverb is 85W and it never goes over 4-5. If you play a "large" gig your amp will likely be mic'd anyway. I am not familiar with any of the amps you have mentioned, but you can get some drive out of a Deluxe Reverb, and obviously some great clean tones.

[TI4-1009]

Did you consider the Mesa Lonestar? Classic clean Blackface on channel 1, Boogie drive on channel 2.

[gr8fullfred]

Jerry split (single) coil
Dickey Humbucker

I have a blackface champ (yes its freaking killer, GE Smith played through it, and asked if he could have it) If I blast the champ with my Metal Zone Distortion box, it sounds like a screaming Marshall.

[sants]

http://humbleamps.com/

a guy I know and killer player builds these! He knows his stuff and does quality work. He plays his own amps live now and the rip! He used to play Two Rock and the likes. I played the Fillmore and it's intense! More the Duane thing but he could build you whatever you want for a good price.

[tigerstrat]

Everybody talks about "Jerry tone" as if he never used humbuckers.

[waldo041]

Everybody talks about "Jerry tone" as if he never used humbuckers.

after stating that comment you need to wash your mouth out with soap! jerry using a humbucker is blasphemy! those switches are just for show!



peace,
waldo

[tigerstrat]

Everybody talks about "Jerry tone" as if he never used humbuckers.

after stating that comment you need to wash your mouth out with soap! jerry using a humbucker is blasphemy! those switches are just for show!

I'm talking about his SG's, Guild S100, The Turner "Peanut" guitar, the Travis Bean TB-1000 Artist... I guess somebody needed to hip him to "Garcia tone"!

[Boston_Patriot]

Thanks everyone! After talking with Henry at Red Plate I'm really leaning towards a BlackVerbDuo88. 80 Watts from KT-88s and a Blackface with tons of clean headroom...hit the tweed and overdrive on the pedal and it's Dickey-land!

Jerry used KT-88s on the power side in the early 70s, right??

On the speaker side, I really, really want to go 1x12 combo for portablility and the ability to add a cab later if needed. The question is that I'm REALLY concerned about the ice-picks, especially with the 1x12. I don't want to get this new amp with a speaker I chose, then immediately start shopping for another speaker! I would love the D120 or K120 sound- does anyone think a reconed JBL will be to ice-pickey in a 1x12? Should I leave the D or Ks for the cab in the future (use when I'm gigging at higher volumes), and get a Weber neo in the combo (paper cap)? Weber Cali (paper)? Tone Tubby hemp? Bayma???

Suggestions?

[alcorelectric]

get a marshall bluesbreaker II pedal
T

[playingdead]

Since Garcia turned Betts onto the E-120s, and he used them, you should have both bases covered there. If you're gigging, get the E-120, it will cut right through the mix. If you're just playing for fun, consider a K-120, it will sound a little sweeter on its own.

[Boston_Patriot]

I'm looking to get a K-120 reconed with a factory E kit. Anyone with input about it then sounding pretty much identical to a D? Also, will it then be able to handle an 80 Watt KT-88 powered amp if I use it as a 1x12? Also, I want to avoid the ice-picks!! Anyone foresee a problem?