Best "next step" amp for a student

[jrbowen81]

I'm teaching basic electric guitar to a couple of kids (11 year old and 15 year old brothers), and the older one is progressing really well. He's more into rock/metal type of stuff and is starting to ask me a lot of questions about gear. A lot has changed in the realm of affordable equipment over the past 18+ years since I myself started playing, and I'm wondering what kind of amp he should consider investing in when he's ready to step up. Right now, he and his brother are having to share a cheap little Fender combo amp (Mustang V.2, I believe?) It's not a terrible amp, but he's going to need his own soon. As much as he's progressing and as serious as he is about playing, I'm wanting to give him a good recommendation for different amps he could keep in mind for the near future. Any ideas?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

will the 15yo be wanting to jam with friends soon?

 

[Powerstrokedr]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

Look at the orange micro terror. 99 dollars average used price through guitar center and the orange 8 inch cabinet can be bought for the same price. Tube solid state combo and amazing sound. Will keep up with a drummer no problem when run through a 410, 212, or 115 cab later down the road. Call whatever guitar center you choose to buy from, as they will typically ship much cheaper than online pricing for shipping.

 

[jrbowen81]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

will the 15yo be wanting to jam with friends soon?

Most likely.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

Fender Supersonic combo amp. Or a Marshall DSL40C.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

ah man
gotta say it

Bandit


no really the Vox Valvetronix amps are nice

teenagers are notoriously rough on equipment

Solid state amps hold up much better

 

[jrbowen81]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

ah man
gotta say it

Bandit


no really the Vox Valvetronix amps are nice

teenagers are notoriously rough on equipment

Solid state amps hold up much better

Good point. These kids seem pretty responsible, but you never know.

 

[loversmoon]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

If he likes metal is suggest a Randall solid state.

 

[jrbowen81]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

If he likes metal is suggest a Randall solid state.

Just found a Randall RG80 that seemed pretty cool. 80watt 1x12 combo with massive gain and an FX loop. Heck, even I'd use it. Lol

 

[Brandenburg]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

Just found a Randall RG80 that seemed pretty cool. 80watt 1x12 combo with massive gain and an FX loop. Heck, even I'd use it. Lol

yep.. randalls are a great choice..

 

[jrbowen81]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

yep.. randalls are a great choice..

Especially since it goes for $250 or less. Can't go wrong with that.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

+1 To this.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

I'll recommend the Orange Micro Dark or Micro Terror, but he will need a cab too.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

I like that Microdark Terror idea, but still, an 80 watt Randall through a 1x12 should keep up with a basement band no problem, especially if it can power a later to be added extension cab.

 

[jrbowen81]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

I like that Microdark Terror idea, but still, an 80 watt Randall through a 1x12 should keep up with a basement band no problem, especially if it can power a later to be added extension cab.

Yep, and it can.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

When I was a kid, I remember getting an 80 watt ss Ross 1x12. To my young ears that thing was ungodly loud. And I never even tried it through an extension cab.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

Just found a Randall RG80 that seemed pretty cool. 80watt 1x12 combo with massive gain and an FX loop. Heck, even I'd use it. Lol

I'll second that. I still use my RG80 (well, the cabinet anyway. The amp section died long ago). This was my first real amp. The reason I kept the cabinet all these years is it's the only 1x12 cab I've heard that sounds like a 4x12 Marshall cabinet.

 

[jrbowen81]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

I remember back in 9th grade, there was this kid I was hanging out with that played guitar. The entirety of his rig consisted of a Peavey (I think?) Strat style guitar with a crudely routed bridge humbucker, an old MXR Distortion +, and a. 1x12 Gorilla amp. Standing in his garage, listening to him play and sing old Misfits songs, that was the coolest sound I had ever heard. Who knows what it would sound like to me nowadays! Haha... But all that to say, this kid has a guitar that's at least as good or better than what my friend had, and any of these amps mentioned so far would probably slaughter that old Gorilla amp.

After all...

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

Another one for the Randall, I used an RG200 2x12 during my teen-early 20s metal years. Built like a tank, sounds great for metal but can do other styles well enough, and plenty loud enough to be heard in a full band at the kind of gigs I used to play where the instruments were very rarely miked.

 

[Brandenburg]

Re: Best "next step" amp for a student

my 1st real amp was a RG 100es that i still own. i bought 2 years after starting to play and a 4x12.. loved half stacks ever since .. nothing moves air like a 412..