Low watt at home amp

[tony333]

I tried searching but don't see how so I will apologize in advance for a topic I am sure has been covered.

 

I am looking for a small, at home amp to practice and possible record with. Not stuck on tubes, just want to be able to dial in the "right" tone. Just for rhythm guitar, no leads. Think Black Crowes, The Faces, Lucero, etc..... kind of tone. A little gritty but not over the top distorted.

 

At one time I had a Vox Ac4tv and kick myself now for giving it to my nephew. Now can't find another one. Anyway, suggestions?

 

BTW I have been looking at the Orange 20rt but the 8 inch speaker worries me .the Orange 35rt may be to loud to get to the tone I'm looking for. And the VIX AC4 1-12 that I am sure sounds great but probably the same problem.

[Mikeo]

I tried searching but don't see how so I will apologize in advance for a topic I am sure has been covered.

 

I am looking for a small, at home amp to practice and possible record with. Not stuck on tubes, just want to be able to dial in the "right" tone. Just for rhythm guitar, no leads. Think Black Crowes, The Faces, Lucero, etc..... kind of tone. A little gritty but not over the top distorted.

 

At one time I had a Vox Ac4tv and kick myself now for giving it to my nephew. Now can't find another one. Anyway, suggestions?

 

BTW I have been looking at the Orange 20rt but the 8 inch speaker worries me .the Orange 35rt may be to loud to get to the tone I'm looking for. And the VIX AC4 1-12 that I am sure sounds great but probably the same problem.

 

https://reverb.com/p/vox-ac4tv

 

 

Those Orange amps sound pretty nice for not having tubes.

 

Anything without a master volume that has tubes is gonna have a sweet spot on it.

There's also amp attenuators you could think about.

 

I have a couple of 5 watters. One Gibson GS Les Paul Jr Goldtone amp, and a Marshall Class 5 sec gen combo. The second generation has 1 watt-5 watts Low Power mode switch. It's kind of a dark sounding amp.

 

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If you need a bunch of sounds, you could do a Vox Modeler.

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This is the one I have. I liked it enough to by the big foot switch. Close enough for rock and roll.

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.

 

This is their analog non-modeler.

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What I have been using lately for home practice is a Yamaha THR Classic. You can talk over it.

All I use is the Reverb and tremolo effects.

 

 

Did a gig in Boston with the thing too. Glad I grabbed this, cause it was a long walk to the club. I get there and the electrical outlet is like 25 feet away, so I ran it on batteries for 45 minutes.

It might something to consider. 6 pounds. Hell, my pedal board case weighs more than 6 lbs and probably closer to 12.

 

 

 

 

[video=youtube;rdz7oaOCJXU]

 

It's not a high gain amp, but I, not a hi-gain player. They make 2 others. You can put on your coffee table or desk.

It's nothing I thought I ever own, let alone use as much as I do. It like a green room amp.

 

Let's not forget this one is miced up with a 1200 dollar Royer.

I got mine through MF with the travel bag. That way if I thought it was junk I could send it back, no questions asked.

 

Nothings gonna be a touch sensitive as a really good old fashion tube amp

 

[video=youtube;6K12Mi0TmPY]

 

Not any of my reviews, but see what they say about the thing.

 

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/THR10C--yamaha-thr10c-10-watt-2x3-classic-modeling-combo/reviews

 

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/yamaha-thr10c-battery-powered-amp-head-with-amp-bag?rNtt=yamaha%20thr&index=10

 

Tell the sales guy at either of this places, you'll take it today if they knock off 20% or toss in the travel bag. It's Christmas, the time for giving. Like, say 20% off . Otherwise, you have to think about it.

 

Just some ideas.

 

Otherwise, the Tone King Falcon with built-in attenuator or a Carr Mercury are very nice.

 

 

 

[t_e_l_e]

i have one off these

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i tried several stuff, have a line6 spider15, tried some vox ac4's, used a vox ampplug and the mini battery marshall...

 

while the 5w tube amps are great the are too loud for home use, especially if you want some grit..

the mini marshall sounds like a chain saw

the line6 is from the second generation and i do not much care maybe newer stuff is better...

 

the pignose is just one knob simple battery powered with surpsingly great sound and volume wise it is almost bedroom friendly, while still keeping its character...

 

[Mikeo]

i have one off these

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i tried several stuff, have a line6 spider15, tried some vox ac4's, used a vox ampplug and the mini battery marshall...

 

while the 5w tube amps are great the are too loud for home use, especially if you want some grit..

the minimarshall sounds like a chain saw

the line6 is from the second generation and i do not much care maybe newer stuff is better...

 

the pignose is just one knob simple battery powered with surpsingly great sound and volume wise it is almost bedroom friendly, while still keeping its character...

 

True. I have turned my 5 watters down and used an OD pedal at a lower setting, but with just enough gain to add some grit.

 

 

 

I dig these old school Vintage 47's, new they are like 700, but I ave seen em used on REVERB for about 500 bucks.

 

Might be a bit too old skool

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A few years ago Marshall had a bunch of 1 watt head, but they were pricey.

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JET CITY PicoValve

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Fender Bassbreaker 007 1x10 7W, about 400-450 USD

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[t_e_l_e]

i tried the 1w marshall combos also in a store when they came out, i think it was a jcm1 and a jmp1, to me a big disapointment for the price. biggest issue was the 8" speaker, the more you cranked the amp to get the jcm800 or plexi sound, the more it farted.... if played through at least a 1x12 cab i guess they sound fabulous but then again with only 1w they will not be bedroom friendly any more

[daddymack]

For the needs expressed by the OP, may I suggest :http://www.mahaffayamps.com/little-lanilei-quarter-watt.htm

[Danocoustic]

Can you solder, follow simple diagrams and schematics? Check out Guytronix.com.

[tony333]

Can you solder' date=' follow simple diagrams and schematics? Check out Guytronix.com.[/quote']

 

I am about the least handiest person you could imagine, times 2.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. That Lanalei is cool but a little "boxy" with the speaker size.

[Emory]

Here's an idea: if you really liked that Vox, give nephew a call and tell him you'll go shopping with him for new amp of his choice (within your budget comfort zone) if he gives back the Vox. Could be a win win....

[Mikeo]

Here's an idea: if you really liked that Vox' date=' give nephew a call and tell him you'll go shopping with him for new amp of his choice (within your budget comfort zone) if he gives back the Vox. Could be a win win....[/quote']

 

Worth a shot, imo.

 

 

 

 

[onelife]

Last summer I bought a Boss Katana 50 (new for under $300). While it's a 50 Watt amp with a 12" speaker, it has a .5 Watt setting and is very lightweight and portable.

 

The bottom line is that it sounds very good - so good, in fact, that it has replaced my early '70s SF Princton Reverb as my "smal amp" for practice around the house etc. It also has an aux in and a speaker emulated headphone/line out for private practice or recording.

 

There are quite a few YouTube demos of the Katana series. I recommend at least checking them out.

[daddymack]

wait...'boxy'? Seriously, what are you expecting from a low wattage amp? You're not going to get a firebreathing riproaring ballz2dawallz amp, you are going to get a small amp for practicing and recording...and if you mic that little speaker correctly, you won't notice it being 'boxy'. There are always inherent tradeoffs, but they can be mitigated by quality.

[tony333]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I just couldn't ask for it back.

 

So I ended up with. Vox Mini Beatle. Guy made me a good dral at GC on a floor model.

 

Time to start playing

[DeepEnd]

Last summer I bought a Boss Katana 50 (new for under $300). While it's a 50 Watt amp with a 12" speaker, it has a .5 Watt setting and is very lightweight and portable.

 

The bottom line is that it sounds very good - so good, in fact, that it has replaced my early '70s SF Princton Reverb as my "smal amp" for practice around the house etc. It also has an aux in and a speaker emulated headphone/line out for private practice or recording.

 

There are quite a few YouTube demos of the Katana series. I recommend at least checking them out.

I use a Roland Cube, the forerunner of the Katana series, as my main amp. I agree that they sound pretty good (to me, anyway). I generally use the Deluxe Reverb emulation. As a rhythm guitarist in a praise band it's not like I need a Marshall stack anyway. One nice thing about SS amps is that they sound pretty much the same at any volume level.

[onelife]

I use a Roland Cube, the forerunner of the Katana series, as my main amp. I agree that they sound pretty good (to me, anyway). I generally use the Deluxe Reverb emulation. As a rhythm guitarist in a praise band it's not like I need a Marshall stack anyway. One nice thing about SS amps is that they sound pretty much the same at any volume level.

 

Speaking of Marshall stacks, I played a gig a couple of weeks ago with an eight-piece group. There were two other guitarists both with Marshall half-stacks that took up a lot of room in the van and were somewhat awkward to move. Because they had to "turn them up to get the sound" the speaker cabinets ended up facing the back wall.

 

I raised my Katana 50 up to about waist level and hung an e609 in front of the speaker. We put a bit of it in the foldback just to distribute the sound around the stage. I plugged my Telecaster straight into the amp.

 

The two other players each ran their EMG equipped pointy guitars through a seies of pedals into their big tube amps. I don't know if they were getting the sounds they were looking for but I did not find the sound very pleasing at all.

 

Perhaps it is because I am older now but I could not see the point behind the cost of their equipment or the effort it takes to move it around when, in 2018, there are so many good sounding alternatives.

 

I am completely finished with tubes now - the Princeton Reverb was the last of my tube amps - and what pleases me the most is the consistancy of the sounds that come out of my modern amplifiers. No more unbalaced push-pull circuits caused by deteriorating power tubes or micrphonic preamp tubes that used to inspire me to fist bump or kick my old Twin. Being able to carry my guitar and amp at the same time is also a feature worthy of mention.

[DeepEnd]

Speaking of Marshall stacks, I played a gig a couple of weeks ago with an eight-piece group. There were two other guitarists both with Marshall half-stacks that took up a lot of room in the van and were somewhat awkward to move. Because they had to "turn them up to get the sound" the speaker cabinets ended up facing the back wall. . . .

 

. . . The two other players each ran their EMG equipped pointy guitars through a seies of pedals into their big tube amps. I don't know if they were getting the sounds they were looking for but I did not find the sound very pleasing at all.

 

Perhaps it is because I am older now but I could not see the point behind the cost of their equipment or the effort it takes to move it around when, in 2018, there are so many good sounding alternatives. . . .

My Cube 80XL weighs less than 40 lbs. but it stays at church since I don't play anywhere else. I wouldn't want to own anything much bigger or heavier. I have it on a stand a bit less than a foot off the floor, angled upward and pointed at the side wall to avoid beaming and help disperse the sound. Plus, it minimizes complaints from our lead singer that "The guitars are too loud!" whenever I turn up to the point that I can hear my amp when I'm standing right next to it.