Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

[ZoSo0789]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

I live in a small dorm (even by dorm standards), where the desk, fridge, tv, etc etc take up all of the free space in the room. I barely have room for my acoustic (which in in the closet in it's case standing upright against the wall) as it is. And actually the AD15VT IS too loud; to put it on the level to where it'd be acceptable, the pot would be in the range where it goes from NO sound to quickly changes to alot of output. It's just not very practical, but yes probably usable. But physical wise it's simply too bulky; why the hell a 15 watt 8" speaker amp uses such a big ass chassis is a mystery to me, but whatever.

I need around the size of a more standard 8" speaker chassis along the lines of a Fender Frontman 25R type thing goin, or a Epip Valve Junior chassis

 

[ZoSo0789]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

What about a decent little floor effects unit, or something like a Tech21 Sansamp (or one of those new amp simulater pedals they got?)pedal straight into computer speakers?

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

VOX Tonelab?

My Line6 TonePort GX sounds really great plugged into computer speakers. Nice amp-y sound.

It's a cheap-cheap-cheap needs-a-laptop-to-work unit, so there's some latency, but with a POD Live or a Tonelab, you could be in bidness!

 

[baritone]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

I had an Epiphone Valve Jr. head, which I gave away not too long ago. That is a really nice little amp, especially with a nice overdrive or distortion pedal. If you need something quiet, go with a small one-speaker cab. I used it with either my 2x12 or my 4x10, so it got pretty loud.

 

[Rich_S]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

...vox AMPlug....just sayin

Big +1. I recently bought the "Classic Rock" (Marshall) version of the AmpPlug for practicing in hotel rooms when I travel for work. It sounds great and never bothers the neighbors. Try all three of them.

 

[J Moose]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

I tried a bunch of small combos a few years ago when I moved into an apartment & out of all the small amps from PV, Kustom, Line 6, Fender etc. at the local guitar marts, the best sounding amp was a hughes & kettner Edition Blue. It's a 15 watt 1x8 combo... was like $125 or so?

Sounded WAY better then anything else I tried... looks cool too.

It's got some tone and responds nicely to changes in playing/picking dynamics... unlike most of the other buzzbombs.

 

[ZoSo0789]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

I tried a bunch of small combos a few years ago when I moved into an apartment & out of all the small amps from PV, Kustom, Line 6, Fender etc. at the local guitar marts, the best sounding amp was a hughes & kettner Edition Blue. It's a 15 watt 1x8 combo... was like $125 or so?

Sounded WAY better then anything else I tried... looks cool too.

It's got some tone and responds nicely to changes in playing/picking dynamics... unlike most of the other buzzbombs.

can you give a short review of it? overall tone qualities at least? I though Hughes and Kettner was a more metal-based manufacturer?

 

[J Moose]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

can you give a short review of it? overall tone qualities at least? I though Hughes and Kettner was a more metal-based manufacturer?

Yeah, sure. Though I just went to the H&K website to find the amp and noticed they have sound clips... and listening to them over some cheap computer speakers just now, I'd say they're a fairly accurate portrayal of the amps tone

http://www.hughes-and-kettner.com/products.php?mode=sound&id=15#

I got the Blue 15R; 15 watt solid state, 2 channels w/ 3-band EQ that goes +/- 5dB, master volume and spring reverb. My original thought when I knew I was moving was to get a used PV rage or something cheap off Craigslist but then thought about finding the best amp I could for $150 or so.

Went to a couple of the guitar marts & always brought my own guitar to keep it consistent... and because I hate playing guitarmart guitars. They're never setup or stay in tune...

Anyway, the H&K had the fattest & most responsive tone of any of the small amps I played. Killed those $99 Marshalls, Fenders, Crates... all that stuff. The Lame 6 was a contender for bit... if it had been more programmable I might've ended up with one of those. The H&K sounded & felt better to play, more like a "real" amp then anything else.

The clean channel is nice & full, has somewhat of a Polytone vibe as opposed to a blackface nod or anything generic & uninspiring. The dirty channel has PLENTY of gain on tap, probably too much... I get the gain around 9 o'clock on the dial and there's plenty of saturation, yet... just like the big rig, it cleans up when I back off the volume. Lots of tight gain for metal shred if you're into that kind of thing... it just won't clean up at that point.

The tone is unique... the clips are accurate to the feel/texture of the amp. The EQ is good for changing the response of the amp, as opposed to the "voice" of the amp. Reverb sounds good... and unlike the AC30 I can play it at a volume that'll rattle the neighbours pictures, yet it also rages when played at what I call 2am "TV" volume...

 

[drpietrzak]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

Well, I would say a Killer Ant, but it is not in the price range I do no think. Mine should be here in a week and I can let you know ow it works then if you are interested.

 

[theodie]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

tech 21

 

[DazH]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

Agree with moose, if you go SS. go for a H&K. I own 2.

 

[Guest]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

If space is such an issue and you really don't need a lot of volume why not a POD? My pocket pod is inside the closet when I'm not using it, heck, it used to be inside the socks drawer.

Sure, mine had a small problem (fried jack, not not a dish lol) but it sounds good enough to play at low volumes while giving you a basic idea of what the amp it is emulating should be (an idea, not the exact, same tone).

For someone living with others, with very little room to put it away while not using... Those things were invented for such situations.

 

[Hoss]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

sounds like the vox amplug is gonna be your best bet!

 

[JeffB]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

:shameless plug:

LOOK HERE

3rd item down. Exactly what you are looking for



Alternately, the Vox DA5.

 

[Artie]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

Another vote for the H&K. The Edition Blue 60 is my main amp. Beautiful cleans. Takes pedals well. Cool blue lights.

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

Yeah, Edition Blue R-series gets my vote too. The 60 I have has great cleans and the drive is ok too.

 

[ZoSo0789]

Re: Cheap, Small, Bargain Amp Shootout

well then it looks like I'll look into the H&K Blue Edition a bit more, as it seems to be a popular solid state amp here. I'll also further look into the Tech21 type stuff, and I'm going to keep digging around at the Traynor and Kustom amps