Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

[MisterE]

I'm contemplating on getting a tube amp around April. I need bedroom levels and this seems ideal. The problem is obvious, a 4" speaker, so I'll probably need an extension cab as well as a reverb and delay pedal.

I've demoed the Vox AC4TV, too chimey. I've also demoed the Fender SCXD, I like but a bit complex. I'll have to try the Blackheart Little Giant at some point.

For the price the Fender SCXD or the newer X2 seems to win but these are hybrid, not true tube amps.

What do you think? Care to add your own selections?

 

[Kam]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

What about the other little Pawn Shop amp that Fender is releasing? The name escapes me but I believe it has a 15" speaker.

What kind of tones are you going for, anyway? Those little Blackstars seem to be more popular than Jesus and The Beatles put together...

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

The 6V6 1x15" with tremolo is called Excalibur. I want one.

The Greta is more of a novelty, not really a guitar amp. It's designed to be a gift your wife gets you.

Its primary function is iPod amp, and desktop conversation starter.

I say keep moving.

I had a Blackheart Little Giant - I didn't like it, but everyone else liked the way it sounded.

 

[MisterE]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

Well as far as tones go I like 60's and 70's rock, blues and swamp music.

The Excelsior is a 13 watt, too loud I'm afraid.

I'll have to give the Blackstars a listen.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Kam]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

Marshall Class 5?

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

Well as far as tones go I like 60's and 70's rock, blues and swamp music.

The Excelsior is a 13 watt, too loud I'm afraid.

I'll have to give the Blackstars a listen.

Thanks for the replies.

Man, Blues and Swamp music...my kinda stuff right there. I'm a particular fan of Delta Blues meets Louisiana swagger. I really need to find more artists in that vein. Sorry, I'll stop derailing your thread now.

I concur with the previous poster. The little Greta would be a fun just wanking around amp and ipod amp (tube amp for your ipod for that price, heck yeah!) but if you want any kind of actual volume, even for bedroom playing, you're gonna need a larger speaker and there are so many good low wattage combos out there for that same price, why not look at one of those? I've got a VHT Special 6 and now that the speaker is broken in and I'm using an Alesis Nanoverb for my reverb sounds, I never even turn my other amps on when I'm at home! That thing is the perfect volume and size for that kind of stuff. I've even recorded the amp for bass on recordings and it sits beautifully in the mix!

 

[MisterE]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

I'll have to give the VHT Special 6 a listen. And yes CapoFirstFret I like that Delta Blues, Louisiana bayou blues. I think Rockabilly was influenced by this. I know Hank Garland was.

Love Jerry Reed and CCR.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

Don't let the lack of a tube preamp in the Super Champ XD throw you...they're great sounding amps, and when you crank them, the tubes really add to the tones.

 

[MisterE]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

I haven't discounted the scxd yet, a lot of bang for the buck there and I like value added things.

I have Champagne tastes but a Budweiser budget.

 

[Hoss]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

I'll second the Special 6!

 

[bancika]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

what about blackstar ht5? people seem to love them

 

[DankStar]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

anyone ever really see an amp in a pawn shop with a 4-inch speaker? lol

most I ever see is a sea of car audio speakers and out-dated DVDs

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

That Greta is meant more for use as a pre amp (as far as actual musical uses go). It's for those times when it wouldn't be loud enough by itself, and your big 6L6 amp would be loud enough, but too clean. Run the little one into the big one and rock on.

 

[MisterE]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

I was only looking at the Greta for it's wattage. The Marshall Class 5 is only 5 watts but it's still too loud. I have to play the new one's though, I hear it has an attenuator.

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

It's funny that Fender called these "Pawn Shop" amps. The only amps I've ever seen in real pawn shops look like this:

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

I also had a BH5 little giant.

It was OK. A very "my first tube amp" kinda amp. Built solid, sounds OK. The overdrive was on the harsh side, but it was still punchy and dynamic as a tube amp should be.

Still you're not gonna get any tube overdrive from it at what most people call bedroom levels. It starts to overdrive at about halfway on the volume and that's pretty loud. My neighbors could hear me jamming on that thing. It's as loud as the Class 5.

I ended up getting a cheap attenuator when I got the blackheart. It helped, I could overdrive the sucker and keep it at "loud TV" levels with what I'd say is only a minor effect on tone (a little treble loss).

I'm in an apartment and I use a 22W tube amp with the same attenuator and am getting by OK. Weber sells the "load dump" attenuator for around $80 last time I checked, and you can find similar stuff on ebay. it's worth a shot if you're set on going all tube and keeping it in check.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

It's funny that Fender called these "Pawn Shop" amps. The only amps I've ever seen in real pawn shops look like this:

Yeah, I'd say about 95% of amps in pawn shops either look like that, or they're Peavey.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

Yeah, I'd say about 95% of amps in pawn shops either look like that, or they're Peavey.

or crate.

 

[BrianS.]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

most I ever see is a sea of car audio speakers and out-dated DVDs

My local pawn shop has a barely used Fender Vibrolux reissue that is tempting me right now. Good price, too.

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: Fender Pawn shop Greta amp

My local pawn shop has a barely used Fender Vibrolux reissue that is tempting me right now. Good price, too.

If it's anywhere more than $750 then it's too much. I paid $850 for mine new and they've come up on Hello Music recently for as low as $795 new.