Members Verne Andru Posted March 2, 2009 Members Share Posted March 2, 2009 This hasn't been updated in a while, but you might find an idea or 2: Low Watt Tube Amps Then there's this if you're into modding: Supercharging a V8 The latest issue of Vintage Guitar has a blurb on the new ValveTrain Concord that looks really promising. A US made, 6 watt 1x10, PTP 6V6 combo for $499. Has vol/treble/bass and a 4 ohm and an 8 ohm speaker outputs. Looks very promising. Gain control would have been nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members slodge Posted March 2, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 2, 2009 I'm going to suggest you'll need at least 10 watts if you want to play with a drummer and have any kind of semi-clean sound. 5W just won't give you clean at that level. I'd quite seriously look at thw Tiny Terror that was suggested, likewise that night train. You might also have a look at Ceriatone to see if hey had a design you fancied. It's probably out of your range, but I'd look for an 18 watt clone - you might find one used for a decent price, and they can be utterly fabulous. In my head, I'm leaning towards a combo. Is there any benefit to going the head/cabinet route? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shenaniganizer Posted March 2, 2009 Members Share Posted March 2, 2009 The Vox Night Train seems like it'll be grwat, according to the specs on their site. The only thing I'm concerned about is price.. anyone have any idea whatsoever about that? And I don't know much about the difference between stacks and combos, but, I'd imagine a stack would be more.. uh.. customizable? You can run a head through a 1x12, 2x12, or 4x12, which I think gives a lot of different volume options. I'm sorry, I really have no clue. But I tried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SnowStorm Posted March 2, 2009 Members Share Posted March 2, 2009 Crate V18, USA model. Used - Rivera Clubster 25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BoredGuitarist7 Posted March 2, 2009 Members Share Posted March 2, 2009 In my head, I'm leaning towards a combo. Is there any benefit to going the head/cabinet route? Yes. You can add more cabinets to the head easily... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Johnny Z Posted March 2, 2009 Members Share Posted March 2, 2009 I didn't give much thought to a Fender Pro-Jr until I tried one. Now I have one and got rid of both my Blues Jr's. I think the tone is better than a Blues Jr, it's smaller and just about as loud. With all your FX pedals I doubt you will need much more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted March 2, 2009 Members Share Posted March 2, 2009 For Fendery tones on a relative budget, I probably wouldn't look past Fender. Used Hot Rod Deluxe or Blues Deluxe. Blues Jr will get you close, but I'd really try to find a HRD or Blues Deluxe first. Some of them come with upgraded Jensen speakers. If one you're looking at doesn't, assume it will sound 50% better with a $100 Jensen P12Q. I'm sure Weber makes something comparable for about half the cost, but I'm not familiar with many of them. The 15W Traynor is pretty darned impressive as well. The one that comes with the Celestion Greenback is chock full of good tones. Not as Fendery as a nice Jensen, but darn nice, esp if you are lucky enough to find one used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Fury Posted March 2, 2009 Members Share Posted March 2, 2009 I have a Peavey VK 112, great range of tones. Nice cleans and can do almost any range of overdriven tones save extreme metal. the onboard reverb is nice too. you can get a new one for $430 or find them used for as low as $300 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stormin1155 Posted March 2, 2009 Members Share Posted March 2, 2009 Super Champ XD seems like what you are looking for. Yes, try a Super Champ. I have a Blues Jr., which is a decent amp, but it's definately not a bedroom amp. By the time you get any tone out of it, it's pretty frickin' loud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members donsimon76 Posted March 2, 2009 Members Share Posted March 2, 2009 I have to give a +1 to the Blackstar HT-5. Granted, I have the head and haven't tried the combo but if it sounds anywhere like my setup, it could make you very happy. I have been thrilled with its drive channel and the INF knob (changes from a USA to Brittish type sound). Its clean channel isn't bad either. I think the combo is $399 at the moment but nobody has them in stock right now as far as I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DavidMgT Posted March 2, 2009 Members Share Posted March 2, 2009 + 1 for the Gibson GA-5. I run a 'Holy Grail' reverb in front of it and all I can say is 'WOW!'. That must be a great combo! I use a Fulltone Fat Boost with mine and it sounds unbelievable with both my single coil and humbucker guitars. Hell, even my Ibanez Prestige sounds soulful through it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members slodge Posted March 2, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 2, 2009 I have to give a +1 to the Blackstar HT-5. Granted, I have the head and haven't tried the combo but if it sounds anywhere like my setup, it could make you very happy. I have been thrilled with its drive channel and the INF knob (changes from a USA to Brittish type sound). Its clean channel isn't bad either. I think the combo is $399 at the moment but nobody has them in stock right now as far as I know. I'm really gonna have to try one of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members odo Posted March 2, 2009 Members Share Posted March 2, 2009 Blues Jr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hemroidius Posted March 2, 2009 Members Share Posted March 2, 2009 I got a Peavey NanoValve used from MusicGoRound couple months back. As opposed to various recent tweedy reissues from Fender, Gretsch etc, the Nanovalve is more along the lines of an old Vox - and the Nano's 5 watts and extra small cab keep it from being quite as loud as the others. When kranked it can sound exceedingly bright with a Strat or similar guitar. I recently discovered the original installation preamp tube to be bad (EH 12ax7) generating some nasty, brittle "mixing board" type distortion when kranked. I've been experimenting with tamer versions of preamp tubes in the 12ax7 family - to help tame the volume and less desirable distortion characteristics of the amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members akapuli Posted March 2, 2009 Members Share Posted March 2, 2009 I put this up in "Amps," but I thought I'd see what folks over here have to say:I hope to be in the market for a small, relatively inexpensive tube amp in the not too distant future, and am looking to educate myself.Currently, I'm playing through a mid 80's Yorkville Bloc50GS, using a digitech RP300 as an amp modeler. I also use a Microcube sometimes, and I have a Fender Gdec that's essentially a fun toy.The Yorkville gives me a decent clean tone, and the OD channel isn't horrible if used sparingly. I also have several OD pedals, including the Bad Monkey and the Blues Driver.On the modelers, I spend most of my time on "Tweed-like" settings, "Brit/Vox" settings and "Crunch," and these are the types of tones I'm looking for in an amp.What I'm looking for is a tube amp that'll give me good tone in the bedroom without shaking the house apart, and that can also be taken to a buddy's garage/basement on occasion.I'm looking to put together a list of amps to start trying - Right now the list consists of the Peavey Valve King and Windsor, The Fender Blues Jr. and the less expensive Epiphones. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I would suggest the Fender Pro Jr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Rossness Posted March 2, 2009 Members Share Posted March 2, 2009 Orange AD5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tedmich Posted March 5, 2009 Members Share Posted March 5, 2009 Peavey BravoJust picked one up. 2 channels. Gain channel preamp is more of a high gain channel with a push/pull knob for even more gain. 2 EL84 power section so 15-20 watts? A great find, check the reviews! EL84s make max ~8watts each so a Bravo is ~16watts, plenty loud especially when the POS PV speaker is replaced (quickly!). A guy on the Utube posted one through a Mesa Thiele and it was AMAZING...also JJ EL84s sound much better too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Firegoat Posted March 5, 2009 Members Share Posted March 5, 2009 Blackstar HT-5 2 switchable channels, proper EQ controls, an effects loop, and a sweet ISF control. It simply blows away everything else in its price range +10000000!!! I can't say enough (or pretty much anybody here) for this amp....it's simply UNBELIEVABLE. The $300 price tag is laughable that it's simply that awesome. This amp I honestly will keep forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted March 5, 2009 Members Share Posted March 5, 2009 What I'm looking for is a tube amp that'll give me good tone in the bedroom without shaking the house apart, and that can also be taken to a buddy's garage/basement on occasion. Fender Pro Junior. Just add yourself a decent reverb pedal to it and they sound very good. My Pro Junior is fairly old now (at least a decade or more). I don't know if the specs have changed, but the one I have sounds great. The natural power section overdrive sounds very warm and is quite easy on the ears. I don't know why, but my Blues Junior is indeed a bit more harsh, so I prefer to get my overdrive tone off of it with pedals. I also own a Super Champ XD and I like it well enough. I like it better now that I replaced its stock speaker with the very affordable Ragin Cajun. But it sounds more like a bedroom amp to me whereas the Pro Junior can just make it into that garage/basement level you're talking about. I've done that on occasion and it can just keep up with the drums (without mic'ing) if you're crunching the chords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlackCustom Posted March 5, 2009 Members Share Posted March 5, 2009 I tried a bunch of low power tube combos (Pro Jr., GA-5, etc.), and ended up with a Carr Mercury, but that's a bit beyond your budget. I agree with the folks who like the Blackstar. It's a real bargain, and has a lot of "big amp" features, which is rare in small amps (including my Mercury). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scolfax Posted March 5, 2009 Members Share Posted March 5, 2009 Fender pro jr. +1. I miss mine a lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members STROOTH Posted March 5, 2009 Members Share Posted March 5, 2009 Laney Lionheart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TheSkyIsCrying Posted March 5, 2009 Members Share Posted March 5, 2009 70's Fender Champ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members IBDBB Posted March 5, 2009 Members Share Posted March 5, 2009 Get one of the Crate v series heads MF is blowing out for around 150. and put it on a small Cab.Best bang for the buck and a small good speaker will keep it quiet and nice. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members myway Posted March 5, 2009 Members Share Posted March 5, 2009 Interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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