Favorite Tube Amp....On A Budget? - Page 3

gracecovenant · #31 06-28-2015, 07:49 PM

Thanks to everyone....lots of great suggestions.

I plan to spend less than $500 (new or used). Onboard reverb and delay are a plus, and I would like it to be around 25-50 watts. I will slowly acquire a few essential pedals when I find good used values.

I currently have an Orange 35ldx, and it is a preety good amp, but I can really tell the difference in warmth when I plug into a tube amp.

Sombras · #32 06-28-2015, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gracecovenant

I plan to spend less than $500 (new or used). Onboard reverb and delay are a plus, and I would like it to be around 25-50 watts. I will slowly acquire a few essential pedals when I find good used values.

Reverb is easy, but the delay will be more difficult to find in a tube combo amp. You will have no problem, however, finding a great delay pedal. There are almost too many to choose from.

wrathfuldeity · #33 06-29-2015, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gracecovenant

Thanks to everyone....lots of great suggestions.

I plan to spend less than $500 (new or used). I would like it to be around 25-50 watts.

25-30 watts is pretty loud for home. play lots, imo simple amps with 1 or 2 knobs are the best...hard to beat a princeton or deluxe type

pieterh · #34 06-29-2015, 05:54 AM

I think the Blues Jr is a great option for the money and as others have said you can always add delay pedal etc separately.

Bingoccc · #35 06-29-2015, 08:09 AM

I too, have a Fender Blues Jr. and love it. I also have a Marshall Class 5, similar in size, and love that too. Both are worth looking at.

moon · #36 06-29-2015, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gracecovenant

I would like it to be around 25-50 watts.

As mentioned, that's way too loud for playing at home. I've got a 4W Tweed Champ which is loud enough to entertain everyone in the street when cranked up full. Through an efficient 12" speaker, you can feel the bass end not just hear it. The whole room shakes.

Hurricane Bob · #37 06-29-2015, 09:13 AM

Anyone tried Carvin amps? The VT16 might just be the ticket and the price is right.

http://carvinamplifiers.com/products...micro-amp-head

bnjp · #38 06-29-2015, 09:41 AM

I have a Peavey Classic 30 and a Bugera V5 (with upgraded vintage Jenson speaker). Both are great amps. The Peavey sounds better.

Gypsyblue · #39 06-29-2015, 09:45 AM

If the OP really just dabbles at home, 50 watts is overkill and will make it hard to get a good, full sound at bedroom volumes. I gig with 20 watt amps.

moon · #40 06-29-2015, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hurricane Bob

Anyone tried Carvin amps? The VT16 might just be the ticket and the price is right.

http://carvinamplifiers.com/products...micro-amp-head

That looks interesting. The head would probably be the one to go for. A quick google turns up some complaints about a 100W speaker fitted as standard (too stiff for a little amp) and a badly designed box which is way too small for a 12" speaker.

Hurricane Bob · #41 06-29-2015, 09:58 AM

I agree, 50 watts will blow the roof off. Even my little 16 watt Ampeg Jet is too loud for home use to get nice over driven tones. The Blues Jr. sounds like a good deal and I like the idea of the Kustom 4 watt head.

aknow · #42 06-29-2015, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gracecovenant

Thanks to everyone....lots of great suggestions.

I plan to spend less than $500 (new or used). Onboard reverb and delay are a plus, and I would like it to be around 25-50 watts. I will slowly acquire a few essential pedals when I find good used values.

I currently have an Orange 35ldx, and it is a preety good amp, but I can really tell the difference in warmth when I plug into a tube amp.

25-50 watts is total overkill unless you're gigging in medium sized rooms.

Aaron Smith · #43 06-29-2015, 03:36 PM

I think anyone new to guitar amps should familiarize themselves with the four seminal amp designs/sounds: Fender tweed, Fender blackface, Marshall, and Vox AC-15/30. They each have their own thing going on. Once you decide which sound your ear favors, then figure out your budget and report back. Lots of good options out there.

Most of those amps will be too loud for home playing. The difference in volume between a 20 watt amp and a 50 watt amp is negligible, and they will both be waaaaaay too loud for most bedroom players if you turn the amp up to the sweet spot. However, there are a lot of options for modern amps with master volumes, that get pretty close to the originals from a tone standpoint.

My ear favors the Blackface sound; as a home amp or even a small club gigger, I think it's hard to do better than a Princeton Reverb- vintage blackface, silverface, or new reissue, they're all great.

Steve DeRosa · #44 06-29-2015, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrathfuldeity

25-30 watts is pretty loud for home...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gypsyblue

...50 watts is overkill and will make it hard to get a good, full sound at bedroom volumes....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hurricane Bob

...50 watts will blow the roof off. Even my little 16 watt Ampeg Jet is too loud for home use to get nice overdriven tones...

Quote:

Originally Posted by aknow

25-50 watts is total overkill...

Depends what your definition of "tone" is - FYI "tube amp" does not automatically equate with "overdrive." The big Fenders and Ampegs of the early/mid-60's were intended by their makers to put out full, fat, clean sound at any reasonable (and occasionally unreasonable) volume; if you're into less overdrive-dependent styles (jazz, country, surf, etc.) it's real easy to get classic electric guitar tones from a high-power amp at practice levels. There's also a certain "muscularity" (for lack of a better term) to the tone of a big amp versus a lower-wattage one being played at comparable volume, an ease of response and abundance of dynamic headroom lacking in your typical, unmodified bedroom box; FWIW Les Paul used to use a silverface Twin turned up to 2-3 for club gigs - and I doubt there's anyone here in a position to question his tone credentials, thank you. While my Bugera V22 is my "Swiss Army" amp - small, powerful (hangs with my big boxes with no problem), versatile - as often as not I'll practice with a '65 Super RI or Frontman 212R for the added girth alone...

Bottom line: if what I described sounds like what you're hearing in your head when you think "electric guitar," don't think twice about stepping up to an amp in the 30W+ range - you'll probably be happier in the long run...

Gypsyblue · #45 06-29-2015, 05:00 PM

What I've seen is that over the last 20 years, many players have gone from the 50 watt, 100 watt and even 200 watt amps of yesteryear to smaller, lighter, 20 watt combo amps like the Fender Deluxe Reverb or tweed Deluxe...even though these amps are not new and were created 50 years ago!

There was a time when I played through a mid 60's Fender Twin Reverb. 80 watts. Stupid heavy! And stupid loud and clean. To clean.

Owning to much amp is a big mistake a lot of beginning and intermediate players make. They want the amp their heroes use when they play stadiums and most of those amps are impossibly loud for most gigs...let alone for playing at home.

These days, my big Fenders are gone. I sold off my Marshalls too.

Instead, I have a small, but nice, assortment of vintage Fender and Gibson combo amps - all from the 50's and 60's.

And I still get asked to turn down!

But I also know I'm getting the best sound of my whole career and it's because my amps and gear are finally appropriate for the volume levels I usually play at.