Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

[hellatone]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

:smokin: +1 for the peavey classic 30 - find one used on ebay -- but replace the stock peavey speaker! actually there's a good chance if you buy it used that the speaker's already been replaced -- JJ tubes also make a big difference (on the net, avatar for speakers, eurotubes for JJs...)

 

[Lee_L]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

I've got a Crate V-Series 50w 2x12" combo I'm trying to sell, too loud for my apartment. PM if you're interested.

 

[Mr Wolf]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

I like my laney, and they do smaller amps. Id give them a try.

 

[sonoflickapuss]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

I dont think this poor college kid has 2 nickles to rub together.Im sure there is someone out ther that has a small amp (thats collecting dust he could give the poor kid)Just pay for shipping, that would be a nice gesture!

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

What about a used Traynor?

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

At the moment, sonofa, you're correct. I have $122, and a girlfriend. So I'm not in the market for a new amp anytime soon. I appreciate the gesture Lee_L, but I don't have the money at the moment. That's not to say I'm always broke, I do get money at times. It just manages to get spent.

But thanks guys. I really REALLY want to just play some of the ones mentioned here and see what I think. I also wanna try a Hot Rod Deluxe (although I probably can't afford one).

 

[Hoss]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

get a used blues jr and slap a set of JJtubes from Eurotubes in it and be done with it! you might wanna find a od/dist pedal to go with it (i'm happy with my tri-od), but i like it quite a bit and i know it can be even better with some of the "webfamous" BillM mods and maybe eventuallly a speaker upgrade...

it's a good little amp with a very usable master volume to get the tone you want at the volume you want! i dig it! they also go used for $300 or less.

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

Yeah everyone had some good ideas

I would throw in The Fender Deluxe Reverb (used), the Fender Hot Rot/Blues Deluxe, & Fender Blues Junior

 

[drpietrzak]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

At the moment, sonofa, you're correct. I have $122, and a girlfriend. So I'm not in the market for a new amp anytime soon. I appreciate the gesture Lee_L, but I don't have the money at the moment. That's not to say I'm always broke, I do get money at times. It just manages to get spent.

But thanks guys. I really REALLY want to just play some of the ones mentioned here and see what I think. I also wanna try a Hot Rod Deluxe (although I probably can't afford one).

OK. Here are some options ...

4 Hours:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Masco-C...00326209QQcategoryZ121161QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

or

Cab (use the speaker-cab in what you have or) :
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-1x12-Guitar...itemZ7413509710QQcategoryZ10171QQcmdZViewItem

Cab2:
http://cgi.ebay.com/MINT-1X12-112-T...416080998QQcategoryZ38076QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Speaker (Ceramic Signature 12S):
https://weberspeakerscom.secure.powweb.com/weber/

Amp:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/EpiphoneValveJuniorTubeAmplifierHead?sku=482069

OR COMBO ...

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/EpiphoneValveJuniorComboAmp?sku=480260

 

[ES350]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

Ever make it to AZ? Contact me if you do...I have a few small 60's tube amps laying around.

 

[jdm61]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

Or if your girlfriend is really hot, maybe we can arrange a swap for my 50w Plexi reissue and 4x12 cabinet:chairfall j/k:fingersx: I started off many moons ago with one of the Peavey Classic 20's. It doesn't have all the features of the 30, but if you could find one on Ebay, you could probably get one pretty cheap and it is a nice little amp. Otherwise, +1 on the Classic 30 and the Blues Jr.

 

[Mephis]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

Get an old used fender champ, you can buy them all day long for $300 and they're not too loud at all.

 

[jdm61]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

Mephis.....you can get a BLACKFACE non-vibro champ for $500. Rockin little amp.

 

[SoCalSteve]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

What about a used Traynor?

That is a great idea! (See the trading post)

 

[Mephis]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

Mephis.....you can get a BLACKFACE non-vibro champ for $500. Rockin little amp.

I saw about 10 at a guitar trade show. All $200-300 in working condition.

All were silver face though, not sure what difference it makes.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

So what kind of Traynor? It seems like a good company, although I don't know anything about them.

About the Fender Deluxe Reverb, GOOD LORD I'd love one of those!!! I was at a show the other night, and a guy was playing what looked like a Gibson Firebird (although I posit it was a knock-off) and it just SCREAMED! He didn't even have a mic set up on the thing! It was impressive. But they are slightly expensive. $500 is really the upper end of what I want to afford. I mean, I might be able to swing more than that, we'll see. I just wanted to get the thought gear going with this topic before I start really shopping seriously.

Again, I really appreciate all the help guys. I'm reading and taking note of every single post in here, and I will archive this topic for myself whenever it purges as a reference. So thanks!!!

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

Save your dough. Go buy a Peavey Bandit. If you are really lucky, you can find one of the black and silver Transtube 112 models with the footswitch and the amp cover in great condition for less than $150. Trust me, if your majoring in Soc, Psych, English or History...you're gonna NEED to save as much money as you can!

There's not much you can't do with a Transtube Bandit 112--it is a perfectly usable amp--and face it--the guy in the back of the club playing pool doesn't give a rip if you are playing a tube amp. So if you're a Business Major, you KNOW you should be investing your discretionary income in GOLD right now, or the Market, or T-Bills. Consider your ROI. With your diminished level of available capital--you need something used, depreciated, with high reliability and low maintenance costs. If your a Marketing Major and you're buying the HYPE that you NEED a tube amp to make music, tsk, tsk--shame on you for buying into that!

If your a Pre-Law major, well, you don't deserve any advice at all! And if I did give you any advice, you'd have to sign a 36-page damage waiver. In any case, my liability is limited what you paid for the advice!

And if you are Pre-Med, well, good luck and God Bless, and remember me fondly--you could be doing my next annual check-up, so I suppose I should be nice! Remember, once you get into Med School, you won't have time to remember to tie your own shoes, much less play your guitar. In which case, it's all moot (a fancy word that lawyer's use instead of the word "meaningless").

All kidding aside, with your limited resources, take a look at a used Peavey amp like a Bandit--or if you REALLY need tubes--look at one of the hybrid Peavey VTX Series amps. Lots of bang for the buck, and they are professional quality and very reliable. You can move on to something better when you have a real need.

You'll have time later on in life to hang a riduculously expensive guitar in your big corner office, right next to your Diplomas and the pictures of your kids and your Trophy Wife! It's great to have nice guitars and nice gear, but your focus should be on your education. Don't miss this opportunity. Gear comes and goes, but your education is going to have the biggest impact on your life.

Good luck.

Bill

 

[YJM_Rocks]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

I have a classic 30, I'm sure it would play at appartment levels, but it wouldnt sound great at those levels. I got mine under 500 new.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

Bill, I looked up the Peavey Bandit and that's just really not what I'm looking for. I could spend my money on a decent/good amp, just the same as I could spend my money on a decent/good knockoff Brownsville or Turser guitar. Or Squire or something. But I am a man who enjoys spending moderate amounts of money on things worth LOTS of money. For instance, I bought my HDTV for $350. It retails for $900. I buy things used, and save TONS of money.

So my goal here is to get an amp that I LOVE, not one that I can tolerate. I have one that I can tolerate, but I have some guitars which I love. They deserve better! So I'm not going to buy a solid state unless I love it, but I've really liked every tube amp so far. I don't care if some random guy in the back doesn't care what kind of amp I use as long as it sounds good, I care!

Lastly, I really don't like school. I get my C's, and spend my time doing other things. And I'm a Physics major, btw.

 

[firebirdVII]

Re: Good tube amp under $500? Suggestions?

Bill, I looked up the Peavey Bandit and that's just really not what I'm looking for. I could spend my money on a decent/good amp, just the same as I could spend my money on a decent/good knockoff Brownsville or Turser guitar. Or Squire or something. But I am a man who enjoys spending moderate amounts of money on things worth LOTS of money. For instance, I bought my HDTV for $350. It retails for $900. I buy things used, and save TONS of money.

So my goal here is to get an amp that I LOVE, not one that I can tolerate. I have one that I can tolerate, but I have some guitars which I love. They deserve better! So I'm not going to buy a solid state unless I love it, but I've really liked every tube amp so far. I don't care if some random guy in the back doesn't care what kind of amp I use as long as it sounds good, I care!

Lastly, I really don't like school. I get my C's, and spend my time doing other things. And I'm a Physics major, btw.

Ah, physics, the dominatrix of the sciences...

But any way, try the Crate Palomino V-16 or Crate 1512 (same thing, I believe) I think I mentioned them before, you should try those if you haven't already.