Help me pick a relatively cheap amp...

[milkandmeat]

Alright I'm sick of me flextone being so muffled and dull ("wet-towl" syndrome is what people say). Well people keep telling me there is no real way to fix it without getting a new amp, so I'm going to try and find a better amp for cheap. I am 21 and have to pay for school full time, so I obviously don't have much money to spend at all. The most I can swing is $500. That's pretty much the max. I pretty much only am looking for so0mething with good distortion. Lots of metal (the typical metal bands).If I had the money I'd get a dual recitfier because it's the exact tone I want. Onviously I'm not going to find something for 500 that is as good as that. I'd like to find something loud enough to play with a band, but i realize that probably won't happen with anything less than a 2x12 combo. What would you guys recommend? I looked for a few minutes and saw these, just for starters......

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/search/detail/base_pid/481442/

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/search/detail/base_pid/481394/

are those both tube, or are they "tube tone"? could those possibly be loud enough to play with drums/bass/2nd guitar?

also, this one looks like garbage but i thought i'd ask anyways

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/search/detail/base_pid/481269/

[milkandmeat]

Re: Help me pick a relatively cheap amp...

i guess the xxx i posted is only on sale for a short time and is regularly about $950, so forget that because i wont have the money for atleast a few weeks.

is the peavey transtube series worth looking at?

[Bob Zombie]

Re: Help me pick a relatively cheap amp...

Yeah both of those Peaveys are tube. If you had to choose one of those I'd go with the Triple X. Those things are sweet. I'm getting an Vox valvetronix which has some cool metal sounds. They arent really tube but through some miracle they get some very tube-ish tone.( I think they sold their soul to the devil lol ) I bought the 100 watt 2x12 version which I had a little test drive with. Plently loud for a band IMO. If you feel like shelling out the extra $50 then I'd say you should get that. If you really can only spend $500 then I'd go with the Triple X. couldnt go wrong with that I think. Good luck finding your amp

[Gr8Scott]

Re: Help me pick a relatively cheap amp...

My suggestion is to get a good Sovtek Mig-50 for roughly $300 - $350 off fleabay and then get a cab for $200 or so. The Sovtek is an awesome amp, but you gotta have a dirt pedal in front for metal. If you already have a semi-decent dirt pedal, you'll have killer tone that will keep up with any boutique amp out there for metal.

Oh yeah, sell the flextone to help finance the better gear...

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Help me pick a relatively cheap amp...

My suggestion is to get a good Sovtek Mig-50 for roughly $300 - $350 off fleabay and then get a cab for $200 or so. The Sovtek is an awesome amp, but you gotta have a dirt pedal in front for metal. If you already have a semi-decent dirt pedal, you'll have killer tone that will keep up with any boutique amp out there for metal.

Oh yeah, sell the flextone to help finance the better gear...

Is the Sovtek a 6L6 amp with 12ax7's?

[Bob Zombie]

Re: Help me pick a relatively cheap amp...

Is the Sovtek a 6L6 amp with 12ax7's?

They are marshally so I think they a el-34

[Gr8Scott]

Re: Help me pick a relatively cheap amp...

It's like a cross between a bassman and an old marshall. They are very good amps with excellent tube tone. I own one. With a decent cab and one good dirt pedal, you'll lay waste to amps costing several times as much. It's NOT a good sounding amp at lower volumes and it doesn't like strat pickups much, so expect to play loud.

edited to add - 6L6 power tubes on the Sovtek mig-50 and it's a non-master volume amp. EL-34 on the Mig 60 and I think it's a master volume amp.

[jammertom]

Re: Help me pick a relatively cheap amp...

You might keep an eye on eBay for a Marshall JCM600--2 x EL34, dual reverb, plenty of beans....usually see them going for $4-500. Also, Laney has some good tube offerings which in my opinion are both under-appreciated and under-valued. I bought the LH50R (2 x 6L6) on eBay a couple of years ago for $175....I run it through a home-grown 2 x 12" cab w/ Emminence...plenty of bottom, plenty of scorch....rock on...

[Jeff Seal]

Re: Help me pick a relatively cheap amp...

You might keep an eye on eBay for a Marshall JCM600--2 x EL34, dual reverb, plenty of beans....usually see them going for $4-500. Also, Laney has some good tube offerings which in my opinion are both under-appreciated and under-valued. I bought the LH50R (2 x 6L6) on eBay a couple of years ago for $175....I run it through a home-grown 2 x 12" cab w/ Emminence...plenty of bottom, plenty of scorch....rock on...

Great first post! Welcome to the forum!...... Laney's have always been rather underestimated.... I would add to your list to include the older Laney AOR's, Red Bear's and some of the BV Crate's...(everyone may disagree, but they are not that bad!)

Jeff Seal

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Help me pick a relatively cheap amp...

Great first post! Welcome to the forum!...... Laney's have always been rather underestimated.... I would add to your list to include the older Laney AOR's, Red Bear's and some of the BV Crate's...(everyone may disagree, but they are not that bad!)

Jeff Seal

Red Bear? that's new one for me. BV Crate, would that be the V30?

[Jeff Seal]

Re: Help me pick a relatively cheap amp...

Red Bear? that's new one for me. BV Crate, would that be the V30?

Red Bear MK120....show up every now and again...
or the MK60..

http://cgi.ebay.com/Red-Bear-MK-60-all-tube-amplifier-made-in-Russia_W0QQitemZ7375697629QQcategoryZ10171QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Crate BV = Blue Voodoo

http://cgi.ebay.com/Crate-BV120-Head-Tube-Amplifier-Like-New_W0QQitemZ7375749292QQcategoryZ38073QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

another one would be the original Peavey Ultra 120.....relatively unknown

Jeff Seal

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Help me pick a relatively cheap amp...

sweet suggestion. Thanks Jeff!

[milkandmeat]

Re: Help me pick a relatively cheap amp...

bump

[Bob Zombie]

Re: Help me pick a relatively cheap amp...

I second the peavey ultra if you can find one. Those are really neat amps.

[suislidE03]

Re: Help me pick a relatively cheap amp...

Our other guitarist just got his valveking 2x12 and he loves it so far, 100 watts is plenty loud, but i assume you will get the 1x12. Only bad thing ive heard from them is the short delay in channel switching. I say its your best bet.. dont go solid state unless its one of those vox amps. I was in GC over the weekend and played the 2x12 and it did sound VERY nice, especially against other modeling amps like it. The XXX would do every thing you need by itself.