Best tube amp for under $500

[McLaughysSN]

Re: Best tube amp for under $500

i like the Sovteks and the HRD's

the only thing about the sovtek is you need a cab with it which is going to be pricey

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: Best tube amp for under $500

Laney
Sovtek

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Best tube amp for under $500

Ampeg Jet J12T reissue

cheap on ebay. EL84 tone, kinda a cross betweena Marshall and a Vox.

 

[Dills]

Re: Best tube amp for under $500

Laney tube amps are really great

 

[Spankadelphia]

Re: Best tube amp for under $500

Traynor's sound great. You can get a brand new 40 class A watt combo for around $450. Or, an 80 watt for closer to $800, if you wanna cause serious bowel movements. Very good amps.

 

[B2D]

Re: Best tube amp for under $500

Also... if you can find a Marshall jcm600 combo on ebay those are rad little amps.

No, thats not a typo. JCM600 They're small el34 powered combo amps that have a unique flavor albeit still real Marshally. The one I tried was in a small shop in Petaluma, CA. Could've used some new tubes but if my folks hadn't been with me I'd have bought it on the spot!

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Best tube amp for under $500

I got my Fender Silverface Bassman for around $300, the cab for like $180, and it's workin out pretty well for me...

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: Best tube amp for under $500

i agree, a hotrod deluxe or a fender bassman

if you go for the bassman, i'd reccomend getting some good tubes & an attenuator, tube OD on a bassman is just...wonderful. You can get them on ebay for about $500, i'd reccomend one with a rectifier tube, like the reissue

hrdx, well, it takes pedals really, really well. I'd reccomend getting a new pedal, and an avatar 1x12 cab with an eminence red white & blues. The reason i don't reccomend just installing it is its rated at about 120 watts, and at bedroom volumes it'll be too muddy, but, with the volume at around 4 or 5 (gigging volume) it sounds much like the stock hrdx does at bedroom volumes. Of course if you wanna go louder than that you can retube with some slower breakup tubes

no matter what you get, in this price range, its prolly gonna be a project amp. Not to say that they're not good amps on their own, they're just kinda...MEANT to be modded