Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?
Ok so I was at my local music store for a few hours today while my guitar got serviced. I got the HUGE privilege of trying out the Crate V1512T.
WOW!
This amp is incredible (for the price). List is $700, and at the store it was $520. I can get one used for much less than that (if I can find one). This amp was just amazing. It lacks on features, but the tone is just amazing. I think this was easily the best tube amp I've played (in my price range) and I've played a lot so far. One second I was getting Foo Fighters acoustic perfectly, and the next I was getting Iron Maiden! The gain on this thing, for being an inexpensive tube, was REALLY good.
The owner of the store talked to me about all the amps, without knowing what I was interested in. He showed me the $3000 models and the $150 models, just running over them. And then he came to this one, and stopped at it. He explained that for the money, I won't find a better tone. Sure, the $3000 amps are gonna sound better. Obviously! But for $520, he said that no amp in his store could come close to the value that this provides. Obviously he was trying to get a sale going, but even so.
So that's all. I believe my mind is made up unless someone can convince me otherwise! I just need to find one used/cheap. Thanks for the help guys!
