Members GavWhyte Posted May 21, 2017 Members Share Posted May 21, 2017 Looking to get an Epiphone Les Paul Std plus top pro and wondering what practice Amp to pair with it. I've been playing acoustic for many years but just for personal enjoyment. I play a range of music but mostly looking to play rock/grunge. Also, will I need pedals or any other equipment to get good sounds. I'm kinda clueless when it comes to electrics. Appreciate your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thatsbunk Posted May 21, 2017 Members Share Posted May 21, 2017 Kinda hard to answer without knowing your budget, but if you're just looking for bedroom noodling, I would look into one of the many small modeling amps made by Yamaha, Fender, Roland, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluesmann Posted May 21, 2017 Members Share Posted May 21, 2017 To keep the price down and keep it analog, check out the Epiphone Valve Jr's. I've seen them used on ebay and reverb from a 100 / 200.00 Their actually built pretty well add to that a all plywood cabinet. 1 12ax7 preamp tube and a EL84 power tube. Anything digital will become a throw away sooner or later. The Valve Jr will more likely last 20 yrs + Add some pedals for what ever you're looking for which is the road most traveled. or crank up its 5 watt for some tube overdrive. Want something more? the Fender blues Jr. 15 watt that can be had brand new for around 466.00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted May 21, 2017 Members Share Posted May 21, 2017 For a practice amp with good tones and some good versatility, I tend to circle back around to my Tech 21 Trademark 30. It's fairly basic, but has 3 amp models, 3 speaker models, 3 gain stages, plus a gain control, 3-band EQ good Reverb and master volume. I tend to prefer the Tweed model on either the clean or Hi-Gain setting and the US Speaker model for added warmth. The British/U.K models can handle more crunch without sounding flabby, so it can also cover Vox to some Marshall tones. The California model I believe is supposed to be more like a Mesa Boogie tone, and it's not my style, but I'm sure it would fit others styles. I like tube amps very much, but I do a lot of my playing just kind of noodling around in the living room while I'm watching a bit of the boob tube. (I call that "multi-tasking" ) So I like having an amp on where I don't have to worry about burning up tube life. So I recommend this amp since you mentioned wanting a "practice" amp. P.S. Possibly with an Epi LP, the British or California models might compliment best, since an Epi LP produces a fairly thick tone. You can get 15% off on this pricing http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ampli...bo-di-amplifer Or look around for used. http://www.musicgoroundlouisvilleky....FQ9EfgodoVsFdw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bucksstudent Posted May 21, 2017 Members Share Posted May 21, 2017 Any amp is a practice amp if you can turn the volume down to a suitable level. Do you mean an amp that sounds good at lower volume settings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jtr654 Posted May 21, 2017 Members Share Posted May 21, 2017 Fender Pro Jr. can be had used for $250 holds value, 20 lb. and 15 watts like pedals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted May 21, 2017 Members Share Posted May 21, 2017 Roland Cubes. From 5 watts up to 60 watts with built in effects. Great sounding amps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted May 21, 2017 Members Share Posted May 21, 2017 Depends on your price range but I'd recommend used. There are three Vox modelling amps on the local (St. Louis) CraigsList ranging from $70 for a 15 Watter to $125 for a 50 Watter. If you want something like a tube amp and you can spend a bit more, a Fender Vibro Champ XD or Super Champ XD will get you there for $200-250. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stormin1155 Posted May 21, 2017 Members Share Posted May 21, 2017 Hard to give advice without knowing your budget. I use a Fender Mustang III for my practice amp because I can get the sounds I want at low volumes. They run $330 new. Now if you are on a real budget, that probably isn't real valuable advice. I picked up a bench amp for my shop a couple days ago for $35... a used Peavey Rage 158, and I think it sounds surprisingly good for what it is. Nice clean tones, and with some fiddling around I can even get some passable crunchy tones. Not very loud, but that's not what it's for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted May 22, 2017 Members Share Posted May 22, 2017 I agree on modeling amps. There are a lot of good ones to choose from and having the built in effects can help you find your sound without speeding all of your money on pedals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 For pedals, I'd recommend starting with something like a Line 6 M9. It can do three effects at once, and has about a hundred different modeled versions of famous pedals in it... they sound very good overall, and using the M9 would be a great introduction to what various pedals do and sound like, without having to buy and sell dozens to get that experience. The Line 6 M5 can only do one effect at a time, but otherwise has the same basic library of effects in it, so if you're on a really tight budget that's an option too, but a lot of guitar "sounds" are made using more than one pedal in combination (distortion plus phaser plus delay, etc. etc.), so the M9 is the better unit if you can afford it since it can simulate three individual pedals simultaneously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted May 22, 2017 Members Share Posted May 22, 2017 A Mustang connected to a computer can combine several pedals and even choose the order of the pedals, If you go online with Fender Fuse there are so many downloads available you will never run out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted May 22, 2017 Members Share Posted May 22, 2017 . . . Anything digital will become a throw away sooner or later. . . . Which is why a used amp makes sense; the previous owner has already absorbed a good chunk of the original cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluesmann Posted May 25, 2017 Members Share Posted May 25, 2017 Nah! its just that much closer to the landfill. Cry once and be done with it. analog is King. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluesmann Posted May 25, 2017 Members Share Posted May 25, 2017 Tones can get addictive. http://i65.tinypic.com/2ufyh5j.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted May 25, 2017 Members Share Posted May 25, 2017 Tones can get addictive. http://i65.tinypic.com/2ufyh5j.jpg But it sure is nice to plug right into a computer and start recording. Then make a loop and go with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted May 26, 2017 Members Share Posted May 26, 2017 Depends on what you mean by ''closer to the landfill.'' Barring GAS, which I rarely have, at least for amps, or catastrophic failure, my Roland Cube 80XL should last me the rest of my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluesmann Posted May 26, 2017 Members Share Posted May 26, 2017 To complicated for me which is why I got the BR864 8 track. Stil never mastered it or its drum machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluesmann Posted May 27, 2017 Members Share Posted May 27, 2017 Deep end, are you kidding me? I bought the smaller one 20 or 30 watts for my daughter. I thought it might be as good as the GT3 floor processor. I was wrong. I sold it for a 100 bucks and got her a blues jr III. Night and day difference. Turn off all the digital stuff and see what you got . Even the fx i.m.o. were not that good. It didn't have that feel I look for. But hey! that my ear and we sure do hear thing differently sometimes. The 80 must be made a lot better than the smaller stuff. I got spoiled from the early dayz of my journey as a guitarist want a be. Playing some of the early Marshall and fender stuff, some of them modded. NOS tubes came stock in most stuff. I had a mesa mark II B through a E120 jbl. it just had THAT sound that was magical. I also had a old ampeg reverberrocket modded with REAL EL34's it didn't put out much power but that amp pushed was amazing. Those old designs with the old tubes have never been matched imo and the opinion of many other pro players. I can still get some great tones using comps and other pedals, fuzz pedals. but going direct in I've found NOS tubes are a must. lol! I'm on a rant now (: Its been a difficult journey playing and being broke all the time. With mouths to feed and bills to pay and no real skills but a desire to work hard. We made it. And now I'm real spoiled with gear and tubes for dayz. But I remember a time. jam on my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted May 28, 2017 Members Share Posted May 28, 2017 No, I'm not kidding. I'm mainly an acoustic guy so my needs regarding electric guitars are modest. I don't use any of the amp's effects except reverb, which is another factor. I get where you're coming from with the JBL E120 but there are too many guys who think NOS is short for Nasty Old Stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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