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Best low wattage tube head?


butterguitar

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It depends what you meant by "medium" volume in your original post. I use my 50 watt Mesa in my house at "gig" or what I'd consider "medium" volumes because that's what I got it for and that's what I'm tweaking it for... It's also in a room that is 400 square feet in size. My wife doesn't mind, says she likes it, but my parents would have killed me if I did that when I was living at home. My neighbors don't complain, but I don't play late at night, so they have no reason to do so. It comes down to what your situation is.

 

 

Well I would like the amp to have a good overdriven sustain sound without a boost. I need a good realiable amp that I can use at home for practice, jam sessions, band practice and gigs. The 20 watt head I am afraid might not have enough gain for my taste. I just want a good overdriven sound that will sustain, feedback when needed to, but to also be clear and articulate.

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Well I would like the amp to have a good overdriven sustain sound without a boost. I need a good realiable amp that I can use at home for practice, jam sessions, band practice and gigs. The 20 watt head I am afraid might not have enough gain for my taste. I just want a good overdriven sound that will sustain, feedback when needed to, but to also be clear and articulate.

 

 

I'd look for a used Mesa Single Rectifier head. I got my Rect-O-Verb combo for $850. I traded in some stuff at Guitar Center and actually only had to put $400 cash towards it. From guitarcenter.com you can search their used inventory and find what you're looking for for much less...

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I'd look for a used Mesa Single Rectifier head. I got my Rect-O-Verb combo for $850. I traded in some stuff at Guitar Center and actually only had to put $400 cash towards it. From guitarcenter.com you can search their used inventory and find what you're looking for for much less...

 

 

I have a Rectoverb combo...an absolute beast when turned up (and sounds good low). I also have the Blackstar HT-5...Since I haven't gigged in a large venue in years, the HT-5 is my amp of choice when stage volume isn't important.

Honestly most of the suggestions have been good, I think you're on the right track...just decide these things.

1. Do I need great cleans AND distortion

2. Effects loop

3. Separate channels

4. Volume (as in playing with a drummer and no monitors)

5. Ease of transportation

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Well I would like the amp to have a good overdriven sustain sound without a boost. I need a good realiable amp that I can use at home for practice, jam sessions, band practice and gigs. The 20 watt head I am afraid might not have enough gain for my taste. I just want a good overdriven sound that will sustain, feedback when needed to, but to also be clear and articulate.

ht-20.... nothing else fits.

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This thread has my interest. I'm looking for the same type of low wattage head to pair with my Peavey Classic 50 in a stereo setup. So far, I've been reading about the following choices.

 

Jet City JCA20h

Egnater Tweaker

Blackstar HT-20

Peavey Bravo

 

I'm trying to get other's opinions.

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I'm going to look at a Laney Lionheart L5T-112 next weekend, and I'll probably buy it too.
5 Watt will be plenty for my tiny living room. Out with that Fender amp, I don't recommend a 130W amp for a living room.

What I like about the Laney, besides it sounding great, is that it's a complete amp with 2 channels, fx-loop and everything. Most low wattage amps out there are single channel or are missing something else I'd want in an amp.

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Other than two foot switchable channels, the Tweaker has everything I could want in an amp. If they can scale that up and still retain the sounds with those higher wattage versions...I might have to sell a few amps...

 

 

What style of music do you play?

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I'm going to look at a Laney Lionheart L5T-112 next weekend, and I'll probably buy it too.

5 Watt will be plenty for my tiny living room. Out with that Fender amp, I don't recommend a 130W amp for a living room.


What I like about the Laney, besides it sounding great, is that it's a complete amp with 2 channels, fx-loop and everything. Most low wattage amps out there are single channel or are missing something else I'd want in an amp.

 

 

I love my Lionhearts; this amp is the real deal. Mine love Mullards in the power section and Tung-Sols in their preamps. The stock TAD tubes sound pretty good too... Better than mine did with EHs or JJs.

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I love my Lionhearts; this amp is the real deal. Mine love Mullards in the power section and Tung-Sols in their preamps. The stock TAD tubes sound pretty good too... Better than mine did with EHs or JJs.

 

 

I've been intrigued by those for awhile, the demos at their home page sound good for the styles they espouse to cover.

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I've been intrigued by those for awhile, the demos at their home page sound good for the styles they espouse to cover.

 

 

Yeah, it's a great "pop" rock amp. The overdrive sounds great on it's own, but the amp responds better than any other I've played to a clean boost or overdrive pedal. Coupled with my Full-Drive 2 I get a really Orange-esque high gain sound out of it.

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peavey classic 30 head trough a good speaker?

never failed with any generic TS style pedal.

very nice EL84 sounding amp.

ive never personally played ceriatone amps but its worth the look at if all you want is a head.

you really cant beat the build quality of these amps....take a look.

http://ceriatone.com/productSubPages/tWRockIt/tWRockItKits.htm

this is the vox AC30 with higher gain. no PCB boards here point to point.

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The Blackstar just sounds very fizzy to me...or is it just me? The jet city sounds more clear

 

 

the blackstar is darker with more gain and its very far from fizzy, i added the fizzy top end coz i like it.

 

I found the JCA slightly cold a shrill but i hear from in here that they are under biasing there power tubes?

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the blackstar is darker with more gain and its very far from fizzy, i added the fizzy top end coz i like it.


I found the JCA slightly cold a shrill but i hear from in here that they are under biasing there power tubes?

 

 

Well what I will probably end of doing since neither of these amps are at a guitar center near me, I will probably have to purchase the Jet City from musicansfriend, and if I am not 100% sastified I will ship it back and exchange it for the Blackstar.

 

I just fear the Blackstar would be too over the top for me, as I am looking for a nice furry roar Marshall JCM 800 sound, not a full out scooped metal type tone.

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Anybody on this board have any experience with the Friedmen mod? This sounds like it would be the answer to my dilemma with the overdrive factor, but then again the mod is up their with the price, that I could just get the 50 watt version and be set.

Grr decisions, decisions...

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Well what I will probably end of doing since neither of these amps are at a guitar center near me, I will probably have to purchase the Jet City from musicansfriend, and if I am not 100% sastified I will ship it back and exchange it for the Blackstar.


I just fear the Blackstar would be too over the top for me, as
I am looking for a nice furry roar Marshall JCM 800 sound, not a full out scooped metal type tone
.

 

 

From what I've played that sounds a lot like the JCA20, though it has just a little bit of a different feel, kind of thicker/smoother.

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