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Cheap amp for shoegaze less than $500


mjcurtis

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Looking to buy a cheap (less than $500) amp for shoegaze / slowcore type stuff. I had a Roland JC-120 that I got off Craigslist before and got a really good deal, but am looking to buy something immediately and do not have the time to wait until a Roland JC-120 or Twin Reverb lowers in price.

 

Ideally, I'm looking for something with great cleans, and possibly something that has tubes for natural overdrive too. If it had reverb, chorus, or vibrato that's also a plus. I want something loud enough to play shows with (4-piece, 2 guitar, bass and drums) and record with as well.

 

I run a Frankenstein Squier Jazzmaster into pedals for the majority of my tone.

 

I was looking into these amps, but what do you suggest and why? Thanks!

 

Hot rod deluxe

Deville

Blues deluxe

Peavey classic 50

Fenders Princeton

Fender vibrolux

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Checking your local CraigsList, there are a couple of Traynor amps near you going for $300 or so. One is the YCV40 (40 Watts), the other is the YCV50 50 Watt version. Probably about as cheap as you're going to find for a decent tube amp.

YCV40: https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/msg/d/bad-ass-tube-amp-cheap/6357845496.html

YCV50: https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/msg/d/traynor-ycv-50-blue-tube-amp/6351595956.html.

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Looking to buy a cheap (less than $500) amp for shoegaze / slowcore type stuff. I had a Roland JC-120 that I got off Craigslist before and got a really good deal, but am looking to buy something immediately and do not have the time to wait until a Roland JC-120 or Twin Reverb lowers in price.

 

Ideally, I'm looking for something with great cleans, and possibly something that has tubes for natural overdrive too. If it had reverb, chorus, or vibrato that's also a plus. I want something loud enough to play shows with (4-piece, 2 guitar, bass and drums) and record with as well.

 

I run a Frankenstein Squier Jazzmaster into pedals for the majority of my tone.

 

I was looking into these amps, but what do you suggest and why? Thanks!

 

Hot rod deluxe

Deville

Blues deluxe

Peavey classic 50

Fenders Princeton

Fender vibrolux

 

 

The classic Fender amps will not have a built in chorus effect, just reverb ad tremolo.

 

I have owned many of the amps on that list. The DeVille's are loud and clean if you want it ( 60watts). They also have a dirty channel.

I had and original Blues Deluxe and loved it , the HRD Deluxe is similar with more gain.

 

Good luck on finding a Princeton in your price range. The are not loud, but sound very nice. The new ones will fart out of you push them. I did my last 1/2 dozen show withe off the rack PRRI

 

The Vibrolux Reverb Reissue is cool, but it dirty's up quickly. I think Fender puts a diode on the front end so it get gritty quickly.

 

 

You left of the Fender Deluxe Reverb, which a very charming classic amp. Good luck on finding one in that $500 price range too. It could happen The DRRI would be my # 1 choice, followed by the Tweed Blue Deluxe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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AFAIK, these are both ''recent'' amps in the sense that they were built within the last 15 years or so. The YCV50 may be older. I haven't played through either amp but I've seen positive reviews for both. In the end it's up to the OP and his ears and tastes, isn't it?

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Not knowing what your band mates are using as far as amplification goes, under $500 could be a bit problematic, You need to remember the lower the wattage the sooner it breaks up at volume and any headroom for cleans leave the room, Meaning you wont cut through the mix if your other guitarist is slamming a 100w Soldano, and your using a 50w Peavey, Sure it will be loud but it sounds like mud compared to your band mates rig, Which is why I try and look at what my second guitarist is using, figure in how loud we need to be then decide from there, So if he's using a 30w Line-6 for instance then you using a 50w Peavey wont really work well for him, Everything you have listed will work just fine under the right conditions. Trick is getting it all to play together nice, I can think of plenty of great all rounders, Just not for $500 bucks at the moment, Especially not knowing what your other guitarist is using

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