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I know that some hybrid amps out there right now may be decent with the pre-amp tubes and ss power amp. But I was wondering if there were any amps out there that are the reverse where it power amp tubes and ss pre-amp. This would let you crank the volume to get power tube distortion. I bet these amps would sound pretty good compared to tube amps, at least better than current hybrids I know of from marshall and vox.

I think that Carvin makes something like this, true, the power tubes have an effect on tone, but in reality, the pre amp tubes have much more effect on tone.

Music Man amps hgave a SS preamp and a tube power section...I happen to like the old MM amps but lots of guys will tellyou that they don't sound good at all or that they don't sound as good as Fender amps...either way I dig them and they are half SS...and for the record, as a rule I am not a fan of SS gutar amps

Marshall 3203-4203 Artist

IIRC, the old (I mean 70's old) Peavey tweed amps had that configuration. I had one for a while (a 4x10 beast that was about 300% more amp than I will ever need) and it sounded really good.


Originally Posted by the guy who invented fireMusic Man amps hgave a SS preamp and a tube power section...I happen to like the old MM amps but lots of guys will tellyou that they don't sound good at all or that they don't sound as good as Fender amps...either way I dig them and they are half SS...and for the record, as a rule I am not a fan of SS gutar amps

My brother had one of these years and years ago..it was a 70's model. That was one of the best amps I ever heard. It had a great Fender-type sound. Not zakkly, but it would do killer blues/jazz/rockabilly stuff. He never let me fool around with his gear when I was a teen (yes, he's an older brother) so when he'd be out for the evening or at work, I'd sneak in to his room and plug my Explorer into that MM and play all the Chuck Berry amp; Buddy Holly stuff I copped from listening to him practice

And yes the Marshall Artists were good SS pre/tube power amps. Very nice sounds out of those considering.And they were only like 30 watts and they SCREAMED. Real loud. I see 'em going on Ebay for a few hundred bucks from time to time.

How do you guys think about tone you get from them is compared to the standard hybrid of pre-amp tube and ss power amp? Do you think it's worth of using as a replace for a tube amp more so than the normal hybrids?


Originally Posted by greendy123How do you guys think about tone you get from them is compared to the standard hybrid of pre-amp tube and ss power amp? Do you think it's worth of using as a replace for a tube amp more so than the normal hybrids?

Def better, IME and IMO. The power tubes provide the real warmth AFAIC. For example...look at a POD. Sounds OK as is, but when ya warm it up/fatten it up with a tube power section it's VERY convincing.

the AVT's/Valvestates and such have never sounded like a quot;realquot; tube amp to me. I try em all the time, and I've never pulled the trigger on one just cos I don't care for that sound. They are thin and don't have all that much warmth. Back in the late 80's *THE* Shredder tone of the day was an ADA MP1 preamp...and people would just run it into any old power amp..usually SS...Sounded HORRIBLE to me (and to alot folks I've talked with over the years) I had one...as well as a Marshall tube pre-amp..but I ran them into the power section of my MArshall's and Laneys.... much nicer.

I'd much rather have a digital modeller, or a *good* all SS amp (which are basically the original quot;modellersquot;) such as the Bluetone, or even an old Marhsall MOSFET or old Randall, than a tube preamp only design.


Originally Posted by the guy who invented fireMusic Man amps hgave a SS preamp and a tube power section...I happen to like the old MM amps but lots of guys will tellyou that they don't sound good at all or that they don't sound as good as Fender amps...either way I dig them and they are half SS...and for the record, as a rule I am not a fan of SS gutar amps

I'm one of those guys...I've owned two old Music Mans and thought they were both pretty sterile. Don't know why I bothered getting the second one! I bought the 130 watt head when they first came out and used it for a few years. Then went back to blackface Fenders and Marshalls and Fender Tweeds. My buddy AJ traded me his 65 watt 2 x 10 Musicman a few years ago. I tried to like it but it just didn't sound as good as my other amps so I sold it. Clapton used Musicman's for a while. But you knew that! Leo Fender was supposed to have something to do with thier creation but I think it was mostly a Tom Walker design. Lew

The old MM amps are not my first choice but I don't think that they sound as bad as most people would have you think. I went about 2 weeks ago and was gonna buy a 135 watt 2x10...tried it and I did get some cool tones out of it but I left it there...I tried out several other 2x10 combos that I did like better...now if I could just pick one of them!

I still have the MusicMan 210 65 combo I bought new around 1976. I run a multi-effects unit in front of it. It's been a very reliable amp over the years and has only given me trouble during a short span of time - when the tubes were over 20 years old. I used it a lot for church until we did away with on-stage amps and went to headset monitors.