advice on small tube combo amp

[James Rock]

Re: advice on small tube combo amp

But there are plenty of cheap and good tube amps out there! So you shouldnt have trouble finding something.

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: advice on small tube combo amp

Really, stay with something close to 15 watts and save that extra cash for later. Fifteen watts is enough for practicing at home, rehearsing with a band, and playing small to medium-sized clubs. With a PA system, you could play Madison Square Garden. The Blues Jr. is a nice amp with good mojo.

- Keith

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: advice on small tube combo amp

Check Hughes & Kettner Edition Tube also - it's got a good clean and od channel with LOTSA distortion available, but sounds great whit less distortion, too.

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: advice on small tube combo amp

A little off topic but it reminded me of these.

Has anyone ever heard of the Jazz Cat amps? They are 100 watts solid state and they are a small combo (1x12 I think). They sound awesome too! Well they are clean amps only. If I was in a band I would definaltly check one out.

Back on topic.
Don't get hung up on tubes or ss.

I've wasted a lot of money searching for the right tube amp and landed on a ss one that fits MY needs the best. Keep your mind open and you may find something that works great that you never thought of. Do I still want a tube yes, but it just isn't practical at this moment.

 

[millsart]

Re: advice on small tube combo amp

I think a tube amp is still important because it really does all come down to the tone.

Granted you can get by just fine with a SS amp and sound pretty good too, but then by that logic, why spend hundreds or even thousands on top quality pedals, spend a few hundred upgrading pickups etc in your guitar and so forth ?

You could pick up a $100 digitech MFX unit and be pretty happy jamming with that and stock pickups on a made in China guitar really.

Nothing wrong with those things either, but the point being if your serious enough to really care about your tone and spend the money on the best effects, pups, guitars etc, you really "owe" it to yourself to make sure you've got a nice dynamic amp that really will inspire you.

 

[mi_canuck]

Re: advice on small tube combo amp

i appreciate all the advice - this is great stuff!

it does like i'll probably end up with a Fender Blues Junior or maybe a Laney LC15. there's some really good used shops in my area so i will look that route, and craigslist too.


cheers

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: advice on small tube combo amp

I think a tube amp is still important because it really does all come down to the tone.

Granted you can get by just fine with a SS amp and sound pretty good too, but then by that logic, why spend hundreds or even thousands on top quality pedals, spend a few hundred upgrading pickups etc in your guitar and so forth ?

You could pick up a $100 digitech MFX unit and be pretty happy jamming with that and stock pickups on a made in China guitar really.

Nothing wrong with those things either, but the point being if your serious enough to really care about your tone and spend the money on the best effects, pups, guitars etc, you really "owe" it to yourself to make sure you've got a nice dynamic amp that really will inspire you.

Agreed, but tubes need some power to really bring out their full potential so why spend the money on something that is always going to be a little blah because you can't give it what it needs?

For me my tone was suffering because I couldn't give my amp enough power even my little BF Champ. It sounded fantastic about on 6 but it was simply to loud. More often than not I would plug into a direct box and go straight in with better results.

I'm not trying to say a little SS amp is going to be the best thing for the bedroom or that small tube amps shouldn't be used, but too look at everything, tube, ss, preamps, modelers, etc.

Really keep in mind how much power you actually need and where you will use it most.

 

[mi_canuck]

Re: advice on small tube combo amp

well - i ended up finding a mint used fender hot rod deluxe. made in usa. eminence speaker.

overkill - absolutely. will see how it goes. love the tone and versatility. definitely loud. too loud even. but at least i can grow with it. and if not, i can sell it down the road quite easily.


peace

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: advice on small tube combo amp

awesome! we need some pics and some clips!

 

[mi_canuck]

Re: advice on small tube combo amp

ok.... after just a day - having second thoughts... call it buyer's remorse, whatever .... this almost too much amp for me ... i know people warned me, but it's so unbelievably loud - anything past 2 (even 1, on distortion) is killing me... maybe i'm just thinking that i'm not using the amp to it's full potential... maybe that will come in time... dunno... arrrggghhh

might craigslist it.... i'll mull it over during the weekend...



peace

 

[mi_canuck]

Re: advice on small tube combo amp

awesome! we need some pics and some clips!

pics... no clips - you seriously don't want to hear me...

peace

 

[mi_canuck]

Re: advice on small tube combo amp

EDIT: a good friend of mine came over when i told him i was thinking of getting rid of it right away.... he said WHY??? this guy is a REALLY good guitarist and played it for me with my axe... he covered all the possible ranges - clean, dirty, jazz, blues, grunge, metal, you name it... wow this thing really is versatile sounding - amazing AMAZING cleans especially when pushed, decent distortion (although maybe add a pedal in the future for a bit extra crunch) - and he assured me it's really not a big deal to play it lower... just crank the master vol way down, and then either can crank up the clean or drive/"more drive" channels to get the tubes going... basically he showed me how to play with the settings to get the sound i need and that it doesn't necessarily need to be cranked all the way to sound good... this amp is a great match for my Epi with Jazz/JB in it... if i want to darken things up a bit down the road, wondering if the Jensen Alnico speaker would help in that respect, or swapping the tubes... just a thought.... i'll enjoy it well enough as-in for the time being


peace

 

[Mephis]

Re: advice on small tube combo amp

Agreed, but tubes need some power to really bring out their full potential so why spend the money on something that is always going to be a little blah because you can't give it what it needs?

1/10th of tubes potential is enough to slaughter any solid state amp.

ok.... after just a day - having second thoughts... call it buyer's remorse, whatever .... this almost too much amp for me ... i know people warned me, but it's so unbelievably loud - anything past 2 (even 1, on distortion) is killing me... maybe i'm just thinking that i'm not using the amp to it's full potential... maybe that will come in time... dunno... arrrggghhh

might craigslist it.... i'll mull it over during the weekend...



peace

You don't know what loud is yet! lol

Learn to like volume, it's your friend.

 

[mi_canuck]

Re: advice on small tube combo amp

You don't know what loud is yet! lol

Learn to like volume, it's your friend.

lol! i'm starting to inch it up slowly... let's just say it's a bit of an adjustment compared to a small solid state 10watter


peace

 

[millsart]

Re: advice on small tube combo amp

Little combo's with an anneuator sound pretty amazing. A little Valve Junior for example at 5 watts with a 15 or 25 watt Mini MASS (which is under $100) give you some major power tube saturation at bedroom levels.

Trying to bring a cranked 100watter down to such a level just doesn't cut it because you've got to squash so much of the signal that your getting too much tone sucked.

 

[stevie ray]

Re: advice on small tube combo amp

Really, stay with something close to 15 watts and save that extra cash for later. Fifteen watts is enough for practicing at home, rehearsing with a band, and playing small to medium-sized clubs. With a PA system, you could play Madison Square Garden. The Blues Jr. is a nice amp with good mojo.

- Keith

+1 don't be fooled by wattages, especially going from solid state to tube. ive played the blues jr a number of times and i loved it, great tone, quiet enough for bedroom playing definitely. I have a 40watt fender blues deluxe and that thing can get LOUD. the blues jr is a great choice, if u ever perform you could mic it ( a lot people do anyways, even with higher wattage amps). you could always get a second amp in the future for live playin if the jr doesn't cut it, theres harm in that :cool2: