Which vintage amps if you could only have 3

[bluesroom]

A lot of us have had many amps over the years. Many classic. Are they all what they’re cracked up to be? And even though they’re classic are they practical in 2025 for the average player? Which vintage amps would you pick in the small to medium category.
To make it more interesting let’s exclude the obvious tweed champs and deluxes and deluxe and Princeton reverbs. Curious to see everyone’s choices. Thanks

 

[LeonC]

Supro 1688TN



Fender 6G3 Deluxe


Fender AA964 Vibrolux Reverb

 

[LeonC]

If you want me to pick something that's not a Deluxe (even a brown one which is WAY different from a DR), then I'd pick the Supro '57 1624T

 

[ourmaninthenorth]

1961 Vox AC15.

1966 Marshall 18 Watter ( model 1958 )

1964 Matamp Series 2000 full rig.

 

[JASIII]

Fender Black Panel Pro Reverb

Vox AC10 SRT

Fender Black Panel Vibroverb

 

[clapciadrix]

Fender Princeton Reverb is the perfect amplifier for me

 

[charliechitlins]

I do this for anybody who is interested...
Line up some great amps...50 Deluxe, 56 Deluxe, 53 Super (2x10), 72 Deluxe, '73 Princeton, 72 Pro Reverb, 68 Super Reverb and/or 58 Bassman.
Every one of these amps sounds incredible. Pull the cord out of one, stick it in the next and get tone to die for.
When you plug into one of the 4x10 amps at the end of the row, everything else suddenly sounds dinky.

 

[LeonC]

Yeah lots of love for 4x10s here! My first amp was an Ampeg VT-40.

 

[Midnight Blues]

Marshall 1974
Vox AC30
Fender Vibrolux

 

[corpse]

silver jubilee combo
60 fender pro
60 fender super

 

[57gold]

Have four that cover the bases:

59 Deluxe
64 AC-30
1966 BFSR and JTM45

No photo of the Ac-30, the one I use the least. Sounds great, but it just does really loud...

 

[garagemonkey]

5E3 Tweed Deluxe
Deluxe Reverb (I actually prefer the silverface)
'68/'69 100W Marshall Super Bass plexi

 

[bluesky636]

You can't exclude Tweed Champs and Deluxes.

5F6A Bassman
5E8A Low Power Twin
5F1 Champ

Oh. Wait. I built my own clones of each of those (also a Trainwreck Express clone), so I have no need for vintage amps.

 

[Patrick Ginnaty]

 

[latestarter]

Excluding Fender mid power amps does remove the obvious.

Magnatone Custom HF
Gibson Maestro GA 40 or 45
Vox AC10 in fawn (say, ‘61)

For modern application in a covers band, modern amps are my go to for rich break up at lower volumes. 65Amps, ÷13, and the odd well made clone with upgrades work for me. Nothing over 1x12”, mic’d up…simple.

 

[gmann]

‘59 Bassman
‘61 Super
‘65-‘66 Super Reverb

 

[goldtop0]

Deluxe Reverb
SV20H
JTM45, either head or 1962 combo

ooh err.........just read the OP again, oh well the 45 fits the bill and I'll add a SR and 1974

 

[Burst_in2_flames]

D - ODS (Skyliner circuit)
Friedman DS40
Bad Cat Cub IIR

If DRs are off-limits, those three would give me all I need.

 

[MattD1960]

white tolex blackface Tremolux
JTM 45 Combo(1962)
blackface Vibrolux

 

[jrgtr42]

3, that;s tough.
Guessing a Fender Tweed Princeton with a 10" speaker. (you said no tweed dlx or champ, and no princeton or dlx reverb - didn't say anything about Tweed Princeton)
If that technicality doesn't get the case dismissed, then I'd go for something else in that era - Vibrolux or Pro, most likely
Marshall (probably my '75 JMP) with greenback-loaded cab.
Vox AC30.