Conference napalm::guitar

	No experience playing one. They haven't been out for long and
	they're already popping up used in the WantAd.

    Is this the one that resembles a marshall and other such copies? I saw
    one the other day at Mr. C's and I didn't know they existed. it was
    sort of an off-grey carpet (ozite?) type covering.
    
    

    re: -1  No, I guess it isn't. I just looked in the Music Emporium
    catalog and they show a Deluxe 85 as a combo amp like the Twin. But
    does anybody out there know anyting about the amp I saw? Like I said,
    it looked like a Marshall, a rectangular box with a control
    panel recessed into the bottom front. It's an 85 watter, that's about
    all I know about it. Being a major Fender dude these days, it looks
    like something I could daydream about owning were it not for the $$$
    (or should I say lack of?). 
    
    Lord the things I'd buy if I hit the Megabucks. I'd buy so much
    equipment and toys I'd have to buy a new house just to fit it all in.
    I should probably even take lessons to learn how to play too!
    Yeah... fishin' in the am, golf in the pm, and playin tunes at nite. 
    Now that's  my idea of a daydream.  
    
    
    "sakman"

    
    
    	Nah.... Sak, dude.. you put the new gear in the new studio that you
    built after winning megabucks   [;^)

    
    Then put the studio in your new house.

    
    The Marshall look-alike is the M80 (I'm sure the name is no accident),
    which is available as a combo (1-12) or head and 4-12 cab.  It comes in a
    light grey carpet...ugly!!!
    
    The head looks like a Marshall, but is mostly air, since the chassis is
    exactly the same as the one in the combo.
    
    It's 90 watts into 4 ohms and is probably "tuned" more for metal than
    the Deluxe.  It sounds like a lot of other solid-state boxes, good sound
    but not really tubey.  A local dealer tells me he is moving a
    reasonable number of them to younger players, as the price is well
    under what a M-stack would go for.  It's basically competing against
    the Peavey Bandit and similar amps; the head/cab option is just a way
    to get a competitive edge since Peavey has no solid-state guitar heads
    anymore.
    
    The M80 is a little cheaper than the Deluxe 85.  The Deluxe is also
    available as a Deluxe 185, that has 2-12" and has separate EQ for clean
    and dirty channels.  
    
    							Brian

    I own a Studio-85, which is a bit cheaper than the deluxe.  The main
    difference is that the deluxe allows you to run the clean and
    distortion channels in parallel, while on the studio, it's one or the
    other.
    
    Both amps are solid state 85 watt combos with one 12" Fender speaker.  
    Treble, mid-range, and bass controls for EQ.  The distortion channel 
    includes a compressor/limiter and presence control.  Also included 
    is a spring reverb unit.
    
    The studio-85 includes a footswitch jack (allows you to turn on/off
    reverb and channel select), and pre-amp out, power-amp in, and
    headphone jacks.
    
    I bought mine mainly to use as a practice amp (I was living in an
    apartment at the time and the tube amp I was using needed to be
    cranked to get a decent sound).  I was actually looking at a Champ,
    but also tried out the 85, and decided to go with it since it is alot 
    more versatile.
    
    I am satisfied with the amp, but not overly enamored with it.  It is
    more than loud enough to keep up with the jazz band I play with, and
    nice and compact (it also doesn't weigh a ton like some amps).  Sound
    quality is OK.  The clean channel is pretty decent, but sometimes just 
    a little harsh for my tastes.   The distortion channel is OK, but
    nothing to get too excited about.  I find I get the sounds I like best
    if I keep the mid-range control in the 2 to 4 range.
    
    A great amp?  No, but it costs considerably less than a Boogie, or
    even a Super 60.   I think it is a decent value and that my $280 was
    well spent.
    
    						
    							Jim

    Well bust my bubble...that Fender (M80) is all air and transistors eh?
    From a marketeing standpoint, probably a good idea and were I the
    major marketeer for Fender, I'd probably do the same. But damn sure is
    a shame eh?
    
    Re: -1   Jim, what is it that keeps you from calling your studio amp a
    "great" amp. Is it just personal taste like maybe the overdrive is a
    little different that what you prefer? Does it sound like a thin
    transistor amp? My feeling about single speaker amps is that because
    they can't push as much air as multi-speaker systems, they don't have
    "body" (for lack of a better word). True they can be heard, they get
    plenty loud enough, but they seem to me to be lacking in character if
    you know what I mean. For that matter, I think it's even less
    noticeable when they're cranked as opposed to a two or less volume
    setting. So for me, I'd probably want an extension speaker cab. Another
    thing, transistor amps have come along way since the sixties, say
    Kustom's. But for six strings, I gotta have a tube amp to get the "body"
    that I like.
    
    "sakman"

    If anyone is interested, they have a used 85 at Daddy's in Salem
    for $250, it looks to be excellent condition ( I didn't play thru
    it).
    
    
    
    Don

    Re: .8
    
>   Re: -1   Jim, what is it that keeps you from calling your studio amp a
>   "great" amp. Is it just personal taste like maybe the overdrive is a
>   little different that what you prefer? Does it sound like a thin
>   transistor amp? 
    
    Pretty much personal tastes...    The amp doesn't have quite the
    "warmth" that I like to have.   The open-back single speaker also
    contributes.   As far as having a "thin" sound,  I would say that it 
    isn't bad at all.   Transistor amps have come a long way since the
    sixties.
    
    In general, I am pleased with the amp.  It has some nice sounds.  It
    just doesn't stack (no pun intended) up to what I think a great amp
    should be.  I miss the smoothness of tube overdrive. Your point on one
    verses multiple speakers is a factor as well.  On the other hand, the
    light, compact package has some real benefits.   And I do think the
    amp is a good value.  I didn't expect a "great" amp for $300.
    
    If your looking for a relatively inexpensive amp with a good deal of
    flexability, I think the 85 line is worth looking at.
    
    BTW-- I don't believe the studio 85 has jack for an extension speaker.
    Don't know about the other 85 models...
    
    							Jim
    

    
    
    Aha, someone else owns one...I have just recently (1 week) purchased
    the Deluxe 85 mainly because I bought a guitar (Charvel 'Predator'??)
    the week before and I *****WANTED***** something to play it through
    ****NOW****.
    
    I tried a few out in the shop (Laneys etc.) and  although it was
    a little more expensive than any of the others (this is a commercial
    type music shop not a specialist place) I thought it didn't sound
    too bad.
    
    Now questions.  What are all the knobs/buttons for???? More importantly
    what are the miscallaneous inputs/outputs for?? Why do I have an
    output labeled pre-amp out and one next to it power-amp in?? To
    put effects boxes in between??? Why would you want to do this as
    opposed to putting them in the line between your guitar and main
    input??? What is this 'parralell channel' type thing?? I have a
    footswitch unit that comes with the amp that I have discovered lets
    me switch between a clean, dirty and super dirty but what is this
    input for the 'other channel' used for.
    
    Thanks for any help,
    
    J

    
    
    
    	J, (Jay comma???  Heh, heh) I think it's a cool amp... I ABed my
    super 60 with one in Lewiston the other day and I was surprised at how
    close I could EQ the tone to a Fender tube amp (admittedly one I'm not
    crazy about, but I'm playing a concert through a laney 2x12) AND hwo
    much more volume it had than a 185!!!   Why the hell was that do you
    suppose...  ????   I called the owner over and had him listen to the 85
    vs the 185 and he was pretty shocked too at how much more volume and
    punch the delux 85 had..   Amps... who can figure em'?
    
    
    Gree Vee