To Tube or not to Tube...

[funkyjazzjunky]

in the 70's & 80's, my cousin used to play Strats through Dean Markley combo amps.  
 
I do not know about their modern products.

[edwin]

I really like the Sarno CTP. Very Alembic like, but having the reverb is an excellent touch. I have the first demo version, as he let me take it on the road for a couple of weeks and then I refused to send it back.  
 
Nowadays, I use my F2B most of the time, because I'm hooked on the stereo thing, but the CTP makes for a great lightweight guitar rig with one of the class D power amps, if you like clean tone.
 
We have so many awesome options these days!

[5a_quilt_top]

Re: small, lightweight, portable solid-state amps that sound and respond like tube amps:
 
Check out Henriksen JazzAmps. I know the word jazz is in the name, but they have a few variations on the theme.
 
I have a 112 ER combo - 160 watts, reverb, 1x12 speaker and a special design tweeter that can be turned off via switch on the back panel.
 
IMO, this amp is pretty versatile and delivers clear and warm clean tones and can also take selected OD pedals (I like the Zendrive and a Keely modded TubeScreamer in front of it). Each guitar that I've used with it retains it's unique tonality - Strats sound like Strats, semi-hollow bodies sound like semi-hollow-bodies, etc. and large hollow-body jazz boxes sound amazing.
 
I've even used this amp for acoustic guitars (tweeter helps these), electric bass (Ric, Stu Hamm Urge and the treble PU on my Alembic Series II) and also for my Rob Allen acoustic bass.
 
Re: small tube-powered amps - over the weekend, I scored a used Dr. Z Carmen Gia head and over-sized closed-back cab with 12 alnico cream-back speaker. Haven't tried it with a band, but it sounded great in my practice room with a variety of guitars.
 
And - as far as a clean platform for pedals, IMO, it's hard to beat the new PRS Archon 25 and 50 watt 1x12 combos. They have 1/2 power switches and FX loops. The gain channel is a bit over the top for my taste, but the clean channel has an amazing amount of headroom, which is perfect for pedals.
 
 
BTW: those tie-dye speaker cabs are awesome, Bill.

[hydrargyrum]

I use a ZT lunchbox for bar gigs.  It's 200 watts, and it has a 6.5 speaker.  In total it weighs about 9 pounds.  I can't recall how many compliments I've received for the sound.  If it isn't loud enough for a show I just run the headphone out into a PA channel.  Like yourself, I get most of my overdrive and dirt from pedals.  Nels Cline, Billy Gibbons, Andy Summers, and many other artists have been spotted using them.

[hydrargyrum]

Duplicate post - please delete.
 
(Message edited by hydrargyrum on April 18, 2016)

[JuancarlinBass]

Bill: Are your cabs Open back or semi-open or closed back? I am currently trying to do something within the lines of what you did with a couple old Fender Twin Reverb cabs (Without the amplifiers) I got just for the price of relieving the guy from having them around I thought of something just like you did (I have the 4 original speakers, which I could swap later for some sweeter sounding ones!) since these don't have their grill clothes (One of them has even been stripped from its Tolex, and the wood is beautiful! Am still thinking whether to strip the other one as well or not), BUT... I am still giving it a lot of thought on whether I should go open back on them, or try to make a cover to close them (Which, I guess, I could always open if I need to...)...

[lbpesq]

Mine are semi-open, probably about 45% open.  
 
Bill, tgo