How many watts is enough?

Corbic

Corbic

New member
Hey all, as some of you know I've been looking for a tube amp, and after some great advice from everyone here (thanks!), I'm stuck between a Peavey Classic 30 and a Traynor YCV20 combo. Both are a 1X12 combo, with a master volume and reverb. Now the Peavey is 30 watts, and comes with a Blue Marvel speaker. Unless the speaker was incredibly great I'd plan on changing it to a Greenback speaker or G12H30. The Traynor is 15 watts, Class A, with a Greenback speaker standard. They are both around the same price, the Traynor being only a little bit more. Now I'd be using whichever one I get for practice at home, with my fledgeling band, and eventually (and hopefully) some small shows. So here's my question : how many watts is enough for that? 15 or 30? Thanks!
 
Re: How many watts is enough?

For home 15 watts is plenty. For playing in a band I'd say a minimum of 30 - 40 watts is needed. I've been using two 22 watt Deluxe Reverbs lately with my band. I'm trying to decide whether to go with a multi amp set-up consisting of two Fender Deluxe Reverbs and two tweed Fender 5E3 Deluxes or just go with my two Matchless amps. Lew
 
Last edited:
Re: How many watts is enough?

Lewguitar said:
For home 15 watts is plenty. For playing in a band I'd say a minimum of 30 - 40 watts is needed. I've been using two Deluxe Reverbs lately with my band. I'm trying to decide whether to go with a multi amp set-up consisting of two Fender Deluxe Reverbs and two tweed Fender 5E3 Deluxes or just go with my two Matchless amps. Lew
Click to expand...

Wow Lew--that's like trying to decide if you wanna go out with the two Penthouse Pets or the two Playboy Playmates. I think you win either way. Woo Hoo!!!
 
Re: How many watts is enough?

75lespaul said:
Wow Lew--that's like trying to decide if you wanna go out with the two Penthouse Pets or the two Playboy Playmates. I think you win either way. Woo Hoo!!!
Click to expand...

:laugh2: The thing is, I like to play in stereo, when I want it, when I'm using my smaller amps.

So I can set up one pair of DR's for cleanish blackface style tones and one pair of 5E3's for more rootsy sounding "tweed" tones. I play alot of styles and go for a few differant tones depending on the tune. I've been splitting the signal to my two blackface DR's with a stereo Chorus alothough the chorus is rarely on...but when it IS on, the sound is huge. And since my 5E3's don't have reverb, I've been splitting the signal to them using a Boss Stereo Reverb or Stereo Digital Delay that's set to barely being audible. It's cool! I use a Kendrick A/B/C box to select either pair, and I have my Fulltone '69 and Clyde Deluxe Wah Wah feeding only the tweed Deluxes though the '69 and Clyde Deluxe are rarely actually in use...but they're there when I want them. So far, I don't have any effects on the blackface DR's except stereo chorus...and that also is usually turned to off and is just being used to split the signal. Lew
 
Re: How many watts is enough?

i think you guys missed something. The traynor is class A, which, in terms of volume, puts it somewhere around a hot rod deville

i still say traynor though, good amps
 
Re: How many watts is enough?

Actually, the Peavey Classic 30 is 22 watts. Anyway, I've put my 60-100 amps in the closet. I used my 15 watt Gibson GA 15RV at band practice this weekend and didn't even have to turn it up past 10:00. That's with a loud drummer and bass player.
 
Re: How many watts is enough?

On the back of my peavey classic 30 where it has all that crap it says 30 watts, 22 volts, are you sure? Mine is an older one though, back when they were made in america
 
Re: How many watts is enough?

I used to play in a rock band with a loud drummer. My old 19w Gibson combo was nowhere near loud enough.

I guess it depends on your application. In the band I'm in now- if I were playing guitar- I wouldn't be able to function without 30w and a sealed 2x12, I'm not a big fan of combo amps.

If I were playing at home 15w is too much. If I were playing with a quieter band 15w would work.
 
Re: How many watts is enough?

I can get by at rehearsal with a single 18 - 22 watt amp. Even with a loud drummer. But that's in a small space. On the gig that's not enough...30 or 40 watts is better. Sometime you need more than that to get a loud enough and clear enough tone.
 
Last edited:
Re: How many watts is enough?

drew_half_empty said:
i think you guys missed something. The traynor is class A, which, in terms of volume, puts it somewhere around a hot rod deville

i still say traynor though, good amps
Click to expand...

I don't b uy that for a second!. A Deville will rip your head off!. I used to own one. Class A has a ton of cool tone features. But, not 60 watt A/B volume from a 15 watt amp! That's voodoo man!



:bsflag: :chairfall
 
Re: How many watts is enough?

Lew, 2 Celtic Franlins are in your stereo future, considering your love of stereo smal;l wattage rigs! bwahahaha!
 
Re: How many watts is enough?

Scott_F said:
Lew, 2 Celtic Franlins are in your stereo future, considering your love of stereo smal;l wattage rigs! bwahahaha!
Click to expand...

:laugh2: Man...I have SIX great 18 -22 watt amps already! Two tweed Deluxes, two Blackface DR's, one '62 Deluxe and one '51 Super...but you think I need two more, huh??? :laugh2: Actually, I'd love to try one of your "Franlins". :laugh2:
 
Re: How many watts is enough?

There you go Lew^^^^

BTW I love the way you described your setup. Made my mouth water. We've talked about this before too so you know how much I love stereo amp setups. :laugh2:
 
Re: How many watts is enough?

Nah...I like to have two of everything. Well...:laugh2: almost everything.
 
Impossible to say

Impossible to say

It depends on a lot of things but particularly the amp's voicing and how loud your band plays. I've played in a two guitar band with a 10W amp and I've struggled to be heard with a 100W amp.

Other factors include
  • what kind of clean tones you prefer
  • genre of music
  • speakers
  • ability to mic the amp and run through the PA
  • . . .
In the end it boils down to the amp and the band.
 
Re: How many watts is enough?

I don't use primarily clean tones, however they are used sometimes, so those few times when they are used, I'd like them to be at least decent clean tone. I've heard Class A amps are better with clean tone, is this true? If so it's pointing toward the Traynor, as it already has a great overdrive/distortion to it.

I primarily play blues-rock music, but faster and a lot more political. Think Derek and the Dominos meets The Clash.

And I wouldn't be able to mic the amp at any of the gigs I would play. The owner doesn't have the best sound system ever, and only one mic, which goes to whoever is singing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
15" Speaker Needed
Replies
15
Views
179
Sam SG
S
mariosyjp
NAD | Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 & patches
2
Replies
24
Views
1K
Mincer
Mincer
AniML
Origin 20 Head or Combo
Replies
3
Views
292
AniML
AniML
Butch Snyder
PRS DGT-15 vs Peavey Classic 20 MH Guitar Mini Amp Head
2
Replies
20
Views
1K
Ascension
Ascension
devastone
FS Blackstar Artist 15 Tube Combo
Replies
3
Views
329
devastone
devastone
Back
Top