7 Best Portable Guitar Amps - Page 2

Sonics · #16 06-11-2019, 12:25 PM

I don't know what qualifies as 'portable' but the Orange Micro Terror head and its matching 8' cabinet weighs in at 10.5 lbs. You can carry this rig around in a strong plastic shopping bag.

Oh yeah, it's loud!

Tahitijack · #17 06-11-2019, 03:11 PM

I always enjoy reading...best of or top picks for gear.

As usually I'm in the pack that says....oh yeah but you forgot.....

So my add for portable guitar amps, since Sweetwater opened the door by pushing the envelope to another Fender amp.... What about the Deluxe Reverb Reissue amps? No its not battery powered but it is small and relatively light weight.

Otherwise a nice list to start a discussion.

On the acoustic side I'd start with

Fender Acoustasonic (you pick the model, I like the 150)

FrankHudson · #18 06-11-2019, 04:36 PM

IMHO: any amp list that includes a version of the Princeton has at least one list-item right.

I have one of the Fly amps that are the cheapest on that list. I find it kind of like the old Pignose, better than you'd expect for the price and size, but not the best for Fenderish clean even at low volumes. Of course a Princeton can do that all day long, even if it's not desktop-sized and costs more.

Someone in the thread seeks to mention inexpensive portable bass amps. The current Fender Rumble bass combo series seems to fit the bill and very reasonable prices. Very very light. My son has been learning the bass and bought a used Rumble 100 for him to use. The cardboard box it came in weighs nearly as much as the amp! And sound and volume-wise it's solid, though I've never tried it with a loud drummer or electric guitar at pant-leg flapping levels which isn't what it's designed for really. Hat tip to Steve DeRosa for encouraging me to look at this model. I tell my son it's still my amp if I ever need to gig with a bass.

Steve DeRosa · #19 06-12-2019, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

...My son has been learning the bass and bought a used Rumble 100 for him to use. The cardboard box it came in weighs nearly as much as the amp! And sound and volume-wise it's solid, though I've never tried it with a loud drummer or electric guitar at pant-leg flapping levels which isn't what it's designed for really. Hat tip to Steve DeRosa for encouraging me to look at this model. I tell my son it's still my amp if I ever need to gig with a bass.

Don't worry, Frank - the new breed of Class-D amps produce tone and volume out of all proportion to their weight/power rating, right up to their limits, and the Fender Rumble Series is no exception; I've played a few Rumble 100's, and IME if you use a passive bass, dime the master, and use the preamp gain to set the overall level, you'll get enough volume to put cracks in the family jewels

. Personally. I'd like to see them build a full-featured guitar amp around the same architecture, possibly as a hybrid with a two-/three-tube preamp stage - at my age a 30-pound Twin with switchable channels and a $500 price tag sounds mighty appealing...

roylor4 · #20 06-13-2019, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

IMHO: any amp list that includes a version of the Princeton has at least one list-item right.

I have one of the Fly amps that are the cheapest on that list. I find it kind of like the old Pignose, better than you'd expect for the price and size, but not the best for Fenderish clean even at low volumes. Of course a Princeton can do that all day long, even if it's not desktop-sized and costs more.

Someone in the thread seeks to mention inexpensive portable bass amps. The current Fender Rumble bass combo series seems to fit the bill and very reasonable prices. Very very light. My son has been learning the bass and bought a used Rumble 100 for him to use. The cardboard box it came in weighs nearly as much as the amp! And sound and volume-wise it's solid, though I've never tried it with a loud drummer or electric guitar at pant-leg flapping levels which isn't what it's designed for really. Hat tip to Steve DeRosa for encouraging me to look at this model. I tell my son it's still my amp if I ever need to gig with a bass.

I agree, my wife actually gigs with a Rumble 40 and my best friend has a 100. Remarkably light with lots of punch an character. A SS standout IMO.

robj144 · #21 07-09-2019, 12:14 AM

The Yamaha's are amazing for their size and the fact they can run on batteries and sound great with pedals.

Arthur Slowhand · #22 07-09-2019, 03:45 AM

Edit: can't believe I'm wasting my time on this one....... so I won't waste yours.
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pagedr · #23 07-09-2019, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aknow

The Yamaha THR 10 is a great little amp.

Agreed, I find myself using it more than any other amp when I’m playing at home. Just a really solid and versatile practice amp.

Willie_D · #24 07-09-2019, 11:59 PM

Small amps are cool. I make a lot of noise around my house with a Blackstar Fly 3.

MikeBmusic · #25 07-10-2019, 07:26 AM

"portable" is relative, I guess. Including both battery-operated and 110v in the same list is rather pointless.
What's the low frequency capability of a 3" speaker? I bet you're only hearing harmonics of the low E string.

Rudy4 · #26 07-11-2019, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeBmusic

"portable" is relative, I guess. Including both battery-operated and 110v in the same list is rather pointless.
What's the low frequency capability of a 3" speaker? I bet you're only hearing harmonics of the low E string.

Agreed, but the Roland Cube Street EX is battery powered, very portable, lightweight, and has dual 8" drivers. Battery powered amps aren't ALL wimpy!

I don't have a Fender Rumble 40, but I'd bet it would make a very good guitar rig. I gig the Rumble 100 and it can hold its own in a small club situation. For larger gigs it's great as a stage monitor and the built in D.I. output can feed the main PA. Grabbing the 23 pound Rumble 100 and my short scale bass in a gig bag makes gigging a lot more enjoyable.

rmp · #27 07-11-2019, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harpspitfire

i take merchant articles with a grain of salt, i guess all are on stock ready to ship

you betcha!

redir · #28 07-11-2019, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aknow

The Yamaha THR 10 is a great little amp.

I was gonna chime in to say the same thing. They sold those at the music store I used to work for and I was quite impressed with that line.

I would still rather just have a Champ though.

maxtheaxe · #29 07-11-2019, 02:49 PM

I've posted about this before, but the old 90's era BK Butler Tube Driver amps are very surprising both in terms of tone and raw power. These are early hybrid amps with a 100 watt mosfet (called "Mosvalve") power amp and a 12ax7 preamp. They weigh all of about 25 lbs. I use mine as my main gigging amps, with a compressor and a POD in front, with Celestion V30 installed.

There are a couple on Reverb right now offered below $300...
https://reverb.com/item/18695955-tub...-charcoal-grey

MikeBmusic · #30 07-12-2019, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Agreed, but the Roland Cube Street EX is battery powered, very portable, lightweight, and has dual 8" drivers. Battery powered amps aren't ALL wimpy!

I don't have a Fender Rumble 40, but I'd bet it would make a very good guitar rig. I gig the Rumble 100 and it can hold its own in a small club situation. For larger gigs it's great as a stage monitor and the built in D.I. output can feed the main PA. Grabbing the 23 pound Rumble 100 and my short scale bass in a gig bag makes gigging a lot more enjoyable.

You've used the Rumble for guitar? (not sure why it would come up otherwise in this thread).

I have a Rumble 75 (now discontinued) I got 2years ago when I was playing bass in a band, and its got a ton of volume, but I never tried plugging in an acoustic to it. It weighs close to 50 lbs, though.

As to the Roland, everyone knows about them - mixing battery, powered, and acoustic and electric amps into one list is pointless.