I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

[Mr 9finger]

She took her first lesson tonight and it quickly became apparent that she's going to need her own amp. Doesn't have to be super jam packed with features, knobs, amp models, or all that stuff. I want it to be nice sounding and solid. Don't know if I want to go the tube route, but I'm not opposed to the idea. She is a 12 yr. old kid after all. This a little out of my realm of knowledge and there's so much out there I don't know what's good and what's not or even where to start. I don't have a set price in mind. I'm not going to buy her a box of junk, but I'm not going to spend a ton of cash either.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

You might want to look at the Blackstar ID Series of amps or Marshall MG line or Line 6.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

roland micro cube...but you better get two cos she will get pissed off with you if you keep stealing hers.

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

roland micro cube...but you better get two cos she will get pissed off with you if you keep stealing hers.

Are they pretty easy to use? I mean as far as dialing in a good tone. Not overly complicated w/ tons of knobs and presets....all that jazz?

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

Thanks for the input guys, but I think I found something suitable. A Yamaha THR5 or THR10. They look easy to use. Have a built in tuner. Plus she can plug her tablet into it and use it to make the sound for her tablet.

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

Those Yamaha amps look nice. I've been itching to try one out.

I was going to suggest one of the small Fender XD hybrid amps. Tube sound with built-in fx, very straightforward and lightweight, and can be found used for about $200. I have a Super Champ XD and it's a fantastic practice amp.

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/guitar_amplifiers/fender/super_champ_xd/index.html?no_takeover

 

[CTN]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

you will likely end up borrowing her THR because they sound really good and are amazing for recording.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

yes roland very easy but i guess you cant plug stuff into it. you just play.

 

[RealtyViking]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

My 8 year old daughter has a Fender Super Champ XD. She doesn't use the built in effects or extra channels yet, but it is fun for me!

Honestly, my daughter was just happy to have an amp that looked simular to my Fender.

Like others have said you can find the SCXD for about $200 used and you should always be able to resell without loosing any money if it does not work out. If my daughter decides that she would want something else I will keep it for myself.

 

[DeathALT.]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

Go for the THR. Those are great amps. I'm going to trade in my Vypyr in to get one for practice and recording.

 

[skyydogg01]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

If you don't want to spend a bunch, go for the fender Frontman series. Good clean, usable dirt. Takes pedals well

 

[zzmoore]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

There has NEVER been a better time to buy used gear.
You can get some real decent, used, tube amps on Craigs List for a small fraction of their retail price. Depends how soon she needs the amp.
Of course, the same applies for used SS amps as well, but I was thinking like a used Jet City or VHT (after the Steve Fryette fiasco), or maybe one of the thousands of Fender Blues Juniors that have been sold (many of them modded to a better amp)
Anyway...might be worth your time to peruse the local CL and tell us what you see.
Wish you and the daughter were closer. We have all kinds of quality, used tube amps laying around.
good luck

 

[glassman]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

She'll be playing dad's amps before long.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

She took her first lesson tonight and it quickly became apparent that she's going to need her own amp. Doesn't have to be super jam packed with features, knobs, amp models, or all that stuff. I want it to be nice sounding and solid. Don't know if I want to go the tube route, but I'm not opposed to the idea. She is a 12 yr. old kid after all. This a little out of my realm of knowledge and there's so much out there I don't know what's good and what's not or even where to start. I don't have a set price in mind. I'm not going to buy her a box of junk, but I'm not going to spend a ton of cash either.

My train of thought :


She is 12yo. Get her an amp with GOOD tone, and somethign with as few knobs as possible, so that she does not get side-tracked with all the 'cool extra' features like amp modellings and special fx and all of that stuff.
Keep it very simple. Let her concentrate on the tone/sound, and her actual playing.
That is just my opinion.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/LANEY-CUB-8...751?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item415855710f - $199.00

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jet-City-Pi...549?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item460d755ef5 - $139.00

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sundown-ST-...219?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4606b4647b - $250.00

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

Thanks for the input guys, but I think I found something suitable. A Yamaha THR5 or THR10. They look easy to use. Have a built in tuner. Plus she can plug her tablet into it and use it to make the sound for her tablet.

That seems a good way to start. Good tone, not too complicated, but still enough versatility to invite experimentation and let her dial in a sound that's in the ballpark as she tries different things.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

Might I suggest a Peavey Rage 258? It's got 2 channels, so she can get her own sounds right away. My first amp was a Vox Valetronix and I loved the different distortions built into the amp.

 

[Aceman]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

Might I suggest a Peavey Rage 258? It's got 2 channels, so she can get her own sounds right away. My first amp was a Vox Valetronix and I loved the different distortions built into the amp.

The cheapest but functional Peavey, Crate, Fender solid state you can find. She's 12. You have no idea if this activity in a chic is going to make 13. She might go boy crazy, horse crazy, go acoustic....

They all work fine. She needs to learn where to put her fingers for 6 months before she starts worrying about tone.

Why EXACTLY did she start playing?

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

The cheapest but functional Peavey, Crate, Fender solid state you can find. She's 12. You have no idea if this activity in a chic is going to make 13. She might go boy crazy, horse crazy, go acoustic....

They all work fine. She needs to learn where to put her fingers for 6 months before she starts worrying about tone.

Why EXACTLY did she start playing?

This is why I went for the Yamaha THR, if awhile down the road she decides she wants to go another route, I don't mind having the idea of having a THR for me to use. It's not overly expensive. They're only $200 new. They're compact, versatile, and they sound good. I'd rather spend the money on something like that than waste $100/$150 on a SS practice amp that will sit in the corner and gather dust.

Why she got into it? Why do any of us get into it? She had been asking for a couple years and I didn't think she was old enough at the time. She's been messing with my guitars for years, but I play left handed and she's not. After a year of pretty solid interest, I bought her a proper guitar and started lessons with a real teacher.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

That Yamaha really is the best option right now.

I remember the first time I heard it, I asked "What cab is that plugged into?"

It wasn't.

 

[jcthejester13]

Re: I need some help on a small practice amp for my daughter.

The Danelectro Nifty Fifty is a really cool little amp if you can find one. It's tiny, compact, and light. The tone is pretty cool for such a little solid state amp. It's got your very basic knob settings with a really retro amp vibe.

I kind of miss mine.