TUBE AMPLIFIERS- a big purchase... my 2 choices to get it right.

TUBE AMPLIFIERS

To keep things simple I am going to ignore exceptions.
To those that are new to the game it only causes confusion.
It seldom changes anyone's choice.

It is important for the amp to handle pedals well but it is equally important they just damn well sound great with nothing but your guitar plugged into them.

There are not so many choices as you think.
Because we are so picky about detail in our tone we are targets for every new amp that comes along.
BUT... compared to thousands of electronic gadgets out there a tube amp is damn simple design!!!

The two biggest differences are power amp tubes.

.... the Brits use EL34 and EL 84   .....Marshall    Fat Mids
.... the Yanks use 6L6 and 6V6      .....Fender       Scooped Mids

Yes a few others tubes are used... but those amps are irrelevant to all but a very few amps and players.
The EL84 and 6V6 is primarily for lower powered or practice amps

The preamp tubes are primarily 12ax7 in all amps. 
Tubes like 12au7's etc. are just lower powered 12ax7's etc.
Everyone uses these.

Bottom line is ...are you a Fender guy or a Marshall guy ???

Every hot new amp no mater what logo is put on the amp starts life on the drawing board as a Fender or a Marshall. LOL
For pedals we need a great clean sound. We all have one or more OD's so picking the amp for it's dirt is counter intuitive.
Even so how an amp sounds pushed to the edge of breakup but not over is critical.
For a lot of styles this is what is used for a clean sound.

For a live gig or a band since a drummer can put out about 100dB of sound.
A 40 to 50 watt amp is ideal and a 30 watt would be minimum.
For anyone there is a budget to consider.
BUT... my 2 choices are about $800.00 USD ...they can be the last amp you ever have to buy. The sound would not embarrass the worlds biggest stars no matter what the gig.
The only reason to get another amp is ...because you can! In short they are all about what you NEED.


FENDER HOT ROD DELUXE

First they have a very long track record of doing a serious Pro sounding job of both volume and tone for the gigging musician. They have a classic Fender clean sound. A bit scooped and with the famous Fender reverb. It is voiced somewhere in between a Deluxe black face and a Silver so with a bit of tweaking the sound will suggest either.
They have a dirt channel too but it is generally considered crap. One nice thing is there are always lots of used ones to buy.
You get a basic 40 watt combo with a single 12" speaker

MARSHALL ORIGIN 50

 This amp is a new comer but a much needed choice. Nothing is more Brit or more Marshall then a Plexi. It is a single channel amp without reverb. But like all Marshalls it distorts beautifully when cranked.
It puts out 50 watts into a 12" speaker.

I took the liberty of using a video of the head because it sounds the same as the combo and this is the very best demo out there. If you buy the head and a used cabinet you can keep the budget the same.
I did just that. I love keeping my gear 'pretty' LOL. It is a lot easier to lug around a head and not smack it into door jambs. lol
NOTE: It comes with the foot-switch included.

CONCLUSION

Which is the best???
Both!!!!
I prefer the Marshall but I could live with either. I have been tempted every time I see a bargain price on the Fender to buy it, Yes I would love to have both.
Both amps are a bit heavy but not stupid heavy.   :-)

Both amps have the 2 classic sounds of all time, Both are reasonable priced, Both are well made.
Both sound equally great !!!
Both are neither over doing it ...or under perform. They simply do a totally pro job right!!!

In other words ...bullet proof choices!!!

The advantage to both these amps is they are first a foremost designed to give you a classic sound .....if I recommended a third it would be a Vox AC 30 ...but they are considerable more money. They do not sound better ...neither do they sound worse ...they too are classic.

The best thing about all three of these amps is they never really disappeared.

There are amps made right now by these companies that may even sell more. Why! Because they are focused on the flavour of the moment. Within a few years at most they will likely disappear in favour of a different amp.

If you see your music as being in a tight defined style especially something like modern Metal where you prefer to get 90% of your tone from the amp you may make an argument for an amp with literally ONE sound.

The trouble is unless you are very successful with the music you love in a very short time ...then the probability that you will not out grow the hot new amps is a given. With the classics you need merely to change your choice in dirt pedals.