50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

NecroPolo

NecroPolo

New member
After half a decade of happy using AMT Electronics preamps + tiny poweramps like EHX44magnum and the like, I ended up in a new band situation where class-D solid state watts are just not enough to provide enough playing comfort to me. It compresses the sound too much that is sort of nice in a single guitarist band but there is an another guy and onstage my guitar tends to sink in the controls despite the quality and power of the actual control system. It makes my playing insecure in some parts. That never happened with a tube amp.

I don't need a gigawatt of power but as I played tube heads for 2 decades (until polyarthritis ate my spine up to the point that I could not lift them anymore and I sold all of them), after some years it's tube power that I'll need again onstage. I need that dynamics in that band, the otherwise nice and functional class-D amps just lack that and that's it.

Due to tube guru wannabees and improper care, getting used amps around my place can easily end up as a crap-trap (the old trusty amp guru whom I bought my mint Laney AOR and JCM800 heads ages ago is gone, may he rest in peace). This time the best bet would be to get a new one with a couple of years of factory guarantee.

I've always used 50W / 60W amps and I plan to do that again. Lifting is not an issue anymore, partly because my conditions have improved much and partly because someone else will move the gear anyway. I found 4 amps in my country that fit the budget and sound (and service background) I'm after. On the paper any of them would do it nicely:

- Blackstar HT Club50 (no practical info)
- Engl Thunder (I know this one well)
- Laney IRT 60H (no practical info)
- Peavey 6505+ 112 60W combo, head conversion (I know the old 120W one well)



Despite that the actual deals on them will affect my decision the most, I'd like to have your opinions / advices as I don't have experience with the newer amps. There are Youtube demos all around that I'm not interested as they are not about practical experience. I'm not out of the woods by listening nicely processed showcase videos recorded at home as the amp will be pushed to its mechanical / electronical limits with me on the road. It should really take a beating as my old Laney AOR did. Buying it back from the guy whom I sold would be a solution. Damn he just doesn't want to sell it (that I can understand).
 
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Re: 50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

I love the Blackstar Club. The EQ is super adjustable. I know several players with it, and it'll do anything from clean funk to hard alt rock with ease.

We did have one come into my shop for repair once. It looked like it had been gigged very, very hard. It was a pain for our tech to work on. We had to get the schematic from Blackstar, which took much more effort than it should have.

So repair beware, but they sound great and seem to take a lot of abuse before they need anything.
 
Re: 50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

I know it isn't in your list, but the Laney GH50L should fit the bill. If you can't find one, the Ironheart would be my choice.

Cole
 
Re: 50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

No Jet City dealerships near you?
I recently tried the JCA50H and goddamn it's a tasty sounding amp. Not too expensive and IMO way better than the Laney IRT 60.
 
Re: 50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

I place my bets on
Blackstar HT-50
Laney GHL50 or Ironheart

I definitely DO NOT recommend the 60watt peavey option, not a versatile amp at all, and sounds worse then the 120 watt version.
 
Re: 50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

Gentlemen, thanks for the info! That's what I needed :)

I'd go for the Laney GH50L with no hesitation but for some reason I don't know these are hyper overpriced in my country, out of the budget.

Unfortunately Jet City has no support in my country at all. Super nice stuff, for sure. So is Egnater. I could see these only in personal imports that can be quite expensive due to taxes here.

Some said that the little Peavey heads are okay, some said not. If there is a tiny chance that they don't sound like their big brothers that I had a couple of years ago, they aren't worth the extra effort of a head conversion and are out of the bunch.
 
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Re: 50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

My vote.....Blackstar.....I have played it and it does several things well enough to use it for clubs.
 
Re: 50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

Laney or the Blackstar. Always been a half stack user and almost all shows are cab sharing. So to roll up with a combo just messes everything up haha. But I do see the point of a smaller wattage amp so you can properly turn it up. I have a 6505+ 120 watt and I can never turn it up above 2.5 without annoying the sound guy. With these amps (JCM800's etc) you really have to turn it up to hear the full character of the amp. Its not possible all the time to play it at 3+ at gigs. And if you're only playing medium size venues its way too loud.
 
Re: 50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

If I was looking for something like that, The EVH 5150 III 50 watt lunchbox head. But it doesn't look like you can get one easily.
 
Re: 50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

Yep, for some reason unknown to me new Marshalls and EVHs that should normally fit my budget are unreasonably overpriced around here. Same as Jet City and Egnater, import would be a cheaper solution - but with taxes it's far out of the budget that I have.

Thanks for the input everyone! I could narrow it down to 3 amps. I'm leaning towards the Blackstar and the Laney after it re-tubed with EL34. The Engl is a tank but is also the most expensive in the trio and sports 5881 tubes - I've always been an EL34 guy. So the final game most probably will be played between the Blackstar and the Laney.
 
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Re: 50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

Well, seeing as how I love everything about Blackstar...........
 
Re: 50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

You have the tone, man. Then, 70/30 Blackstar HT50, so far. I'll see how deals are going.
 
Re: 50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

I've heard too many stories of blackstars blowing up, which would rule the HT off my list.
I would probably go for the Engl myself, but they do tend towards a more metal tone, but I've not heard any problems with reliability.
 
Re: 50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

Nice stuff and superb tone, man. It fits my direction absolutely. Sounds like a seriously beefed up old P-5150.

Unfortunately 15 watts won't be enough for this band. Both the bass and other guitarist guys are old-school so they use cranked up big amps onstage. During the autumn tour in 2015 it became clear that despite having a sound that I like, my present small amp is losing the battle. Only 2 out of 20 gigs had adequate monitors to keep the rig up with the other guys' amps effectively. Ages ago I used 50W tube heads in similar band environments and the dynamics always gave me great onstage definition all the time. That's why I decided going that way again.
 
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Re: 50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

Man! Life can produce some strange twists for sure.

I was just about ordering a Laney IRT60 from the online store that offered me some killer deal when I had a call from an old friend who happens to have bought my SL-X five years ago. We were talking about our band things, music, health, girls, life and of course guitar gear. Then I told him I'm about ordering a 50W tube amp and he told me that he's absolutely willing to sell me back one of my fav Marshalls I've ever had called 'snail if I want it back. Hells bells!!!

I know he was really happy when I sold him this amp. He loved it and wanted to keep it but as he said he moved towards a heavier direction during the past few years, from 900 to 5150 / 6505. He delayed the decision of a change for a long time as he still loves this Marshall but now he has a sign to part ways. Best thing is, the price he asked is much less than half of my killer deal on the Laney. I know the guy, he was a caring owner of the amp and preserved (no butcher mods) the way it was and it's freshly re-tubed and checked. 100% tour-ready.

Good old 'snail will be back home. That's a good day, man. A good day.
 
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Re: 50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

So true,I have a LBX,and it does get loud and doesn't lose it when turned up..
 
Re: 50W tube amp for touring - which one would you choose?

I had a Blackstar HT club 40 combo 5 months ago,I was playing it at just maybe 1 on the volume,, and all of a sudden I heard a boom and the sound of glass breaking,the amp made a weird noise so I shut it off quickly.it blew one of the el-34's out of the tube socket,I have never seen or heard this before,and I have never heard it happening..but before the incident it sounded really good..as said above hard to get the info on them.
 
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