Help me choose my first tube amp.

[Steelrz13]

Well I'm looking to purchase my first tube amp and I was hoping you guys could help me out. I'm willing to spend around 700$ but not much more.

What I would really like to do is buy a used Marshall dsl but I know it will be way too loud for me.

Because of that I'm thinking I would need a low wattage amp or just one with an adjustable power level. I've been looking for a while now and I've come up with a few I think would work. Right now it's between a carvin v3m, egnater tweaker or rebel a bugera magician (If it's ever released) and a blackstar.

Those are really the only amps Ive found to fit my needs. I want decent cleans and really good distortion.

Well let me know what you guys think about those amps and if there are any others I should consider.

 

[Steelrz13]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

I know the best thing for me to do would be try them all out but my local guitar center doesn't have any of these amps.

 

[guitarkid]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

I've never played a DSL so I'm not sure about that. I've heard a lot of good things about the Tweaker but when I actually played one I wasn't impressed. My vote would be for a Blackstar. I have a Blackstar HT-40 combo and a HT-5 head and I love them!

 

[Hellion]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

If all you're looking to spend is about $700, I'd check out the used categories. Marshalls are good, but they're not the be all and end all of amplification. Check out used Mesas, used Hughes & Kettner, etc. Pawn shops are a good place to start, though you might have more luck on Ebay.

 

[gilaltom3]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

I've been gassing for for either an Egnater Rebel 30 or an Egnater Renegade. Played them both today and they are fantastic. I recommend one of those. I have heard great things about the Blackstar amps, though. I just like the Tube Blend knob those Egnater's have. That's versatility at it's finest.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

I just like the Tube Blend knob those Egnater's have. That's versatility at it's finest.

The ISF control does much more to control the sound, in my opinion. I only had a brief go with the Rebel 20, but I still think the ISF is an American-to-British knob done right.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

^ agreed

Without knowing anything about your other gear or the music you want to play, I'd recommend the Blackstar HT series. They come in a lot of different wattage ratings and are probably the best example of "decent cleans, great distortion" in your price range.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

I love my Egnater Rebel 30. It's pretty loud though. I've not tried, but heard alot of great things about the Jet City amps. And you can get a JCA20 half stack (1x12) for less than $350.

For tone and great features I also love the Bogner Alchemist.

The V3M is a very versatile amp for reasonable price as well.

I've also heard great reviews about the Blackstar amps but not had a chance to play any.

If you like the Marshall tone, the Vintage Modern 50 watt or 100 watt (2266 or 2466) have the best tone ever and can be had used on ebay for $600-700.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

meh...get the marshall you want! A dsl40 is a killer combo if you are going to play in a band.
....
and get a cheapo fender 15R practice amp too for when you cant play loud.

 

[cakire82]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

Are you looking for a combo or head? or both are fine?

Options you have listed are all very good. Blackstars are awesome. Carvin V3s are pretty good as well but they sound way different than DSLs to my ears.

Bugera is supposed to release the Magician by november and it seems very promissig with the infinium technology but but I would wait until they address the issues that might come up with these new products.

 

[Steelrz13]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

Well it seams like a lot of you like the blackstars but I'm not sure about getting one because some people have said it lacks in tone for some reason. I can't remember exactly but I think they said that because it's not all tube.

Buy yeah a head or combo would be fine.

The tone I really like is mesas but those are way out of my price range. That's why I'm interested in the bugera magician because it's supposed to be a mark IV clone.

 

[cakire82]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

Well it seams like a lot of you like the blackstars but I'm not sure about getting one because some people have said it lacks in tone for some reason. I can't remember exactly but I think they said that because it's not all tube.

Buy yeah a head or combo would be fine.

The tone I really like is mesas but those are way out of my price range. That's why I'm interested in the bugera magician because it's supposed to be a mark IV clone.

I might depend on the model but H series blackstars are in your budget and they are all tube.
If you like the mesa sound why are you thinking about a DSL?
Carvin V3m combo is also a good option for you in this case.

http://www.carvinguitars.com/guitaramps/v3microseries.php

Or as I have said before you can wait for the magician to come out an stabilized.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

I might depend on the model but H series blackstars are in your budget and they are all tube.

Not quite. The HT-5 replaces V1 with an IC, keeping it clean, then warms it up with the preamp tube. Next, it goes through clipping diodes in the overdrive channel, through a solid-state phase inverter, and into a power tube.

So, no, it's not entirely tube. Doesn't matter, though. It sounds great.

 

[Steelrz13]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

I might depend on the model but H series blackstars are in your budget and they are all tube.
If you like the mesa sound why are you thinking about a DSL?
Carvin V3m combo is also a good option for you in this case.

http://www.carvinguitars.com/guitaramps/v3microseries.php

Or as I have said before you can wait for the magician to come out an stabilized.

I was thinking about the dsl because it's in my range and hey you can't go wrong with a Marshall. All of the mesas I like are have been way out of my range. Also would u say the carvin is close to a Mesa in terms of sound.

 

[Steelrz13]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

After listening to some YouTube videos the blackstars really sound great. The problem I'm having now is which one to get. It looks like the only difference between the 20 and 40 is the voice options. However it doesn't seem like it changes much on the overdrive channel besides more gain. Is this true? And if so is the 20 still able to get some heavier distortion without that voice switch? One last question I have is would the 20 be loud enough for small gigs?

 

[sosomething]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

While a lot of guys gig with 15 - 20 watt amps, they're not usually playing any form of metal.

Those amps can get surprisingly loud through a 4x12, but don't have the headroom needed to keep things tight or produce enough low-end to be heard playing with a drummer. On stages where everything is mic'd and you have a decent monitor mix, it's not a big deal. It becomes a big deal about every other time, including practice.

It just depends on where you'll be using the amp. Mostly at home? HT-5. Need a little more power? HT-20. Intending to use it with a band of some sort? Get the 40.

 

[Steelrz13]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

Well that's the problem I need it for at home and with my band. That's why I want something where you can change the output like the carvin v3m or the bugera magician. Has anyone tried the carvin? If so what are your thoughts?

 

[guitarkid]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

Blackstars still sound pretty good at low volumes.

 

[Reload in 5]

Re: Help me choose my first tube amp.

While a lot of guys gig with 15 - 20 watt amps, they're not usually playing any form of metal.

Those amps can get surprisingly loud through a 4x12, but don't have the headroom needed to keep things tight or produce enough low-end to be heard playing with a drummer. On stages where everything is mic'd and you have a decent monitor mix, it's not a big deal. It becomes a big deal about every other time, including practice.

It just depends on where you'll be using the amp. Mostly at home? HT-5. Need a little more power? HT-20. Intending to use it with a band of some sort? Get the 40.

My 5 watt modded valve jr through a 4x12 was plenty loud. More than enough bass. Could drown out the drummer. Shook the walls.
My 20w Jet city combo is more than enough. Not playing with a monster drummer, but i never go above about 1/2 on the master (its a 1x12)
A 40w amp is only 3db louder than a 20w amp.
A 20w through a 4x12 will be 3db louder than a 40w 1x12 if they have the same speakers, and the 4x12 will have much better bass.
I guarantee the new JCA22H through a good 4x12 will do metal just fine.