Ideal apartment practice amp/effects setup

PFDarkside

PFDarkside

of the Forum
I may be embarking on a long term business trip, one long enough that it will require me to bring a guitar along with... If you were forced to choose one practice rig to play with one versatile guitar for the next year, what would you choose and why?

I already have a POD X3 which I've used pretty successfully to record some stuff and to jam through the computer speakers. Is there a cool little 5W combo that behaves well with a POD or plugged straight in, and won't totally annoy all the neighbors?

I've been lucky to live in a house all my life so I completely ignore volume limits... If this business trip happens and I'm living in an apartment overseas for a year, I'll definitely need a practice/jam setup...

What would you do? (I play a wide variety, from blues/country and classic rock to heavy rock and metal to post-rock/ambient type stuff) Also, the ability to play along with tracks is important.
 
Re: Ideal apartment practice amp/effects setup

The blackheart 5W is still dead clean at apartment levels,
and the fender super champ XD, while 15 W, has a digital clean channel that sounds nice and doesn't break up, and the power section is the fender ultra-linear style.

Thats two cheap amps you could run a pod thru the front end. But if that's all you're doing, maybe something purely solid state would be easier to buy and maintain.

As for a guitar? I'd probably take a telecaster, but you'd probably want something like an HSS strat. That'll cover as much ground as I can think of, depending on how hot you want the bridge bucker
 
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Re: Ideal apartment practice amp/effects setup

PFDarkside said:
I may be embarking on a long term business trip, one long enough that it will require me to bring a guitar along with... If you were forced to choose one practice rig to play with one versatile guitar for the next year, what would you choose and why?

I already have a POD X3 which I've used pretty successfully to record some stuff and to jam through the computer speakers.
Click to expand...
Stereo practice amp setup.
Run the Pod into omething like the Crate Powerblock out to a couple of 112 cabs.

MM
 
Re: Ideal apartment practice amp/effects setup

There are quite a few...

The HT-5, The Vox AC4TV, Fender Champ...

or you can always go part digital with a Fender XD. They actually sound pretty good for what they are.
 
Re: Ideal apartment practice amp/effects setup

mwalluk said:
Randall RM20 - enough said or go acoustic
Click to expand...

This sounds like a TERRIBLE idea to me. A 20-Watt amp is very loud, especially for apartment use. I have to keep my master pretty low on my 20-Watt head, and I live in a townhouse with thick firewalls.
 
Re: Ideal apartment practice amp/effects setup

I have never played the ZVex amp, but it is 1/2 Watt. I think it is more of a marshall type of tone though. It is a bit pricey but it might be good for bedroom amp.
Jon
 
Re: Ideal apartment practice amp/effects setup

I've done the low (5-7) wattage amps in apartments and they were still too loud for the folks below and across. A small good solid state amp would be the better option.

As far as guitars go, I can get all the tones I need with my H-S-H setup. I can approximate LP/Strat/Tele tones with mine and I'm really happy with it. I think a similar setup on an alder body, rosewood board strat would be a good option.
 
Re: Ideal apartment practice amp/effects setup

5W will be way too loud for most appartment applications unless the building's recent (good soundproofing) or if you have really tolerant neighbors.

Even a blackheart killer ant was too loud at times in my last apt building.

I'd say keep your pod and use a small SS amp (headphone jack's a very good option).
 
Re: Ideal apartment practice amp/effects setup

Surgeon said:
5W will be way too loud for most appartment applications unless the building's recent (good soundproofing) or if you have really tolerant neighbors.

Even a blackheart killer ant was too loud at times in my last apt building.

I'd say keep your pod and use a small SS amp (headphone jack's a very good option).
Click to expand...

he doesn't need to crank it he can just run a POD into it and it'll smooth the POD out a lil. The blackheart 5W will do it fine i did it with a digitech RP80 before, in an apartment. Sure the amp's loud at 2 or 3 but it's better than solid state to me, cuz the blackheart will still be a good amp once you move out of the apartment.
Just flip the triode switch. I used a blackheart 5W in an apartment for a year before I moved and got to crank it.
 
Re: Ideal apartment practice amp/effects setup

Marshall Lead 12

BFG put it on a ZZ Top record...must be ok.:cool2:
 
Re: Ideal apartment practice amp/effects setup

I got a question about the HT-5 cause I've been reading up on them. What's the power tube in them? All I see listed in the manual is two preamp tubes.
 
Re: Ideal apartment practice amp/effects setup

I'd get something like a micro-Cube, or a little larger Cube, sounds great at low volumes, has some effects and amp models, headphone out- low bucks, big sound. Very portable.
 
Re: Ideal apartment practice amp/effects setup

Spider 112. Volume is manageable. You can always turn down, right?
 
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