Can't go wrong with a classic Fender amp for blues IMO.

Is a fender going to get me Healeys sound in that video?

Well, the Tweed Champ was good enough for ZZ Top. Marshall's clone (JTM45) of Fender's Bassman was good enough for Clapton. You can still snag a black-face reissue head version of the Fender pretty reasonable these days. The Fender Super-Sonic would do it on it's "vintage" channel. I'd say check out Fender's offerings. I'm positive you'll find something that will do what you're asking for.

Forgot to ask, but what kind of axe(s) are you going to be using?

good question , if I can score a model 1A , one of those , my Ibanez rg560 sounds pretty good for this type
of stuff the singles in it are surprisingly good and so does my San Dimas dinky but I'm not gigging that guitar.
I may end up looking for a Strat plus, but I want to make sure this thing is going to be for real before I start buying a whole new rig.
My Axe Fx II nails this type of stuff but I don't think I'll be comfortable playing that in a scenario where I'll be playing a lot of lead all night.
It sounds great , but still feels a little fake to me (even with a CLR)

I am playing in a country/rock band these days, using a strat into an MXR custom badass OD into a fender vaporizer. PLENTY loud enough (last night I played a 750 person theater with it - pic below) and with the OD I am getting VERY close to that Healy sound you are after.

I'd skip the laney idea - too 80s metal.

The vaporizer is surprising good in this application. It is 12 watts, 2x10 with EL84 tubes. It has 2 inputs (normal & bright), volume (which stays reasonably clean until about 2 o'clock), a tone control and a reverb control.




here's a video of the amp in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8GwrQTPhvc

Fender Blues Deville or Hot Rod Deville and a Fender Strat. Done.
You are NOT getting that tone with a JCM800 and ANY guitar with a humbucker in it. Thats single coil through a Fender amp all day long.

Hmmm ??? Healey used JCM800's???
I get it about the single coils but I've heard some great bluesy sounds with a JCM 800
I'll have to check out some of these Fenders, the only tube amps I've used over the last 20 years are mesa's
and 5150's LOL!!!
this first 2 minutes of this video kind of gets what I am looking for with the laney (he's using a strat)

Was Healy using 2203/4 or the JCM800 4 hole (1959 style)?

Fender is going to be the key. Trust John and I - Cowboy knows too. A high gain amp won't get it right. The gain you need is more power amp and less preamp (but if you DO use preamp gain it needs to be fender style - grainer and less smooth).

As far as guitars, you can't get the authentic tone without a strat or a tele. It was one of the HARDEST gear transitions I have EVER made because I was used to playing shredders. A real single coil into that Fender amp tone will be VERY pleasing once you know how to work it.

I just watched that Laney video - yeah, the playing is there, but the sound is WAY too fizzy and gained out. It's "not right" in the traditional sense, but if you dig the Laney then you gotta get what'll make you happy.

well I've never played one that's why I'm asking . the first 1/2 of that video sounds close, but then again to my ears single coils
sound close no matter what I'm going through. I'm very used to my Mark IV with Humbuckers.
this is completely foreign territory for me (sound wise, I'm very comfortable playing this type of stuff, I grew up playing lots of ZZ top/trower etc)
I just used to play it with my Les Paul into a Marshall mark II lead 1/2 stack (which I wish I still had )

I get you. It is a weird transition going from higher gain amp and humbuckers. I am not the most accurate player in the style (I pretty much just rip pentatonic box leads) but I get ENDLESS compliments from other players on my tone. The key is a fender amp. Personally, I REALLY LOVED the sound of the Vaporizer. My wife has a great ear for tone and she thought it was killer. It may not speak to you. The Princeton Reverb might be a good option. A lot of guys use the Deluxe Reverb - 22 watts, 1x12, reverb and tremolo. The Hot Rod Deluxe and Deville are popular in this application - 40 watts, channel switching, reverb. Personally, I think they are too loud to get the right sound and the preamp gain is funky - but, A LOT of guys swear by them. The Supper Sonic 22 is cool - 22 watts, channel switching, loop - a much more modern amp.

I have a Marshall 3203/1936 rig that I will use for outdoor gigs if the PA is a vocal only system. The sound is great, but (believe it or not) the Vaporizer just sounds better for that type of music. It is gutsier and more organic.

The other thing is that (contrary to our metal, half stack roots) the lower the wattage the better. This was a hard one for me to swallow. I had NEVER played a gig with less than 50 watts. Now I am playing 750 person venues with a 12 watt amp?!?! Really?!?! Yeah I am. Even in rehearsals the little vaporizer hangs with the band un-mic'd (the volume is around 11 o'clock). So it can be done, and it will get you a cooler tone in the long run.

Axe FX 2 - Supertweed or 65 Bassguy models. I use them with the TAF_FEN_MIX ir's. Killer blues amps. The Subway is a nice one to. Lots of range to fine tune the 'grit' on the gain dial on that one.