Lightweight mid-gain combo

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I'm looking for a combo that I can carry to jam with friends or at a local bar that does open jam nights. Ideally 30 lbs or less, since I'll need to walk 10 minutes with it, although I can switch hands as I go because my guitar will be in a gigbag on my back.

In terms of tone, I'd like a nice mid-gain crunch. Think AC/DC, ZZ Top, etc. Reverb would be nice, but not essential. A built-in boost would be great. Cleans and high gain are not necessary, but I'd rank high gain above cleans as far as versatility is concerned. It needs to keep up with a drummer, but not in a very large space.

I'm considering a Boss Katana 50 but I haven't seen one in stores yet. The versatility and effects seem like overkill for what I want though.

Anyone have any other suggestions?

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Re: Lightweight mid-gain combo

Fender mustang series is really light weight now I think the 40w is 14lbs.

The first mustang series were pretty good. I haven't played the updated ones but I'm sure they're as good or better. I like the high gain settings on them, lower the volume on guitar and then you get a nice crunch and then raise it for lead tone.
Might be worth checking out
 
Re: Lightweight mid-gain combo

Boogie Subway Rocket. Owned 3 over the years have one now been gigging for over 10 years regularly and never had a failure with one.
1/10 combo super light weight tiny little amp that packs a real wallop!! I have a WGS ET 10 in mine and it drops jaws regularly with the miced tone in the FOH. GREAT loop solid cleans and the crunch side will go from a lighter breakup to full on scream and has a foot switchable Contour on the crunch side for a solo boost. Best small grab and go versatile amp I have ever owned and trust me I have owned a BUNCH over the years. Can be found in the $400 to 600 if you look and know of nothing better.
Live on the crunch side here using touch and volume on the guitar to clean up with only a delay and Verb running in the loop for effects at super low stage volume and have a Beta 57 just off the grill cloth.
 
Re: Lightweight mid-gain combo

The Katana seems to be all the rage right now. You can also look at something like the new Tone Master Deluxe with a pedal. It is 100 watts, and weighs like 20 lbs.
 
Re: Lightweight mid-gain combo

Ascension said:
Boogie Subway Rocket. Owned 3 over the years have one now been gigging for over 10 years regularly and never had a failure with one.
1/10 combo super light weight tiny little amp that packs a real wallop!! I have a WGS ET 10 in mine and it drops jaws regularly with the miced tone in the FOH. GREAT loop solid cleans and the crunch side will go from a lighter breakup to full on scream and has a foot switchable Contour on the crunch side for a solo boost. Best small grab and go versatile amp I have ever owned and trust me I have owned a BUNCH over the years. Can be found in the $400 to 600 if you look and know of nothing better.
Live on the crunch side here using touch and volume on the guitar to clean up with only a delay and Verb running in the loop for effects at super low stage volume and have a Beta 57 just off the grill cloth.
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I actually used to have a Subway Rocket. It was my first tube amp. Great amp, but I remember it being pretty heavy. Probably closer to 40 lbs.

I don't think I could carry >30 lbs for a 10 minute walk. Not comfortably at least. I had shoulder surgery not too long ago. I also worry my hands would be somewhat shot for playing after that.

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Re: Lightweight mid-gain combo

I have a Boss Katana 50w, it's very light (25lbs) and small. I setup 4 presets (clean, crunch, lead, acoustic guitar sim.) and got a simple 2-switch footpedal for selecting the preset I want. Nice at 0.5w for home and 25w for jamming with friends. Good sound for $229, but I don't really understand the big rave. The crunch channel cleans up nicely with guitar volume knob and the clean channel is good with pedalboard in the front. It reacts like a tube amp but don't expect it to sound like a Mesa MK5 or a Bogner or an SLO100, it's just a good $229 amp.
 
Re: Lightweight mid-gain combo

bigcupholder said:
I actually used to have a Subway Rocket. It was my first tube amp. Great amp, but I remember it being pretty heavy. Probably closer to 40 lbs.

I don't think I could carry >30 lbs for a 10 minute walk. Not comfortably at least. I had shoulder surgery not too long ago. I also worry my hands would be somewhat shot for playing after that.

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Weight on mine is well under 40 LBS doubt it is even 30. There is a 40 watt version wounder if that is what you had as this one is 20 watts and is a little lighter than something like a Fender Blues Jr.
 
Re: Lightweight mid-gain combo

Maybe a lunchbox head with a carrying bag and a cab you can carry
Might open up your options
 
Re: Lightweight mid-gain combo

FuseG4 said:
Maybe a lunchbox head with a carrying bag and a cab you can carry
Might open up your options
Click to expand...
Maybe, but I haven't had much luck searching for lightweight cabs online. Most weigh as much as a full combo for some reason. I currently have a Marshall 1912 cab that's over 30 lbs by itself.

I'd also prefer a simple grab-and-go setup rather than dealing with more cables. I'm aiming for no pedals or extra things to hook up, just guitar straight into amp.

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Re: Lightweight mid-gain combo

The katana price to weight ratio is looking hard to beat then
 
Re: Lightweight mid-gain combo

FuseG4 said:
The katana price to weight ratio is looking hard to beat then
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Yeah, it's looking that way. I wouldn't mind paying more for something nicer but everything nicer is heavier until you get to the really boutique stuff.

What do you think of a Pro Junior? It's only 22 lbs.

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Re: Lightweight mid-gain combo

the pro jr is a nice amp but kinda a one trick pony depending on volume needs. its a good trick though
 
Re: Lightweight mid-gain combo

Apparently the H&K Tubemeister 18/10 combo is only 20 lbs. Anyone have experience with that? I read a review for the head that says it really thins out if the gain isn't maxed, and a bunch of reviews say it sounds hi-fi, so I'm worried a 1x10 combo wouldn't have much girth to the tone. I found a used one for sale locally but it's an hour away...

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Re: Lightweight mid-gain combo

I would not mind a pro Jr as it's not horribly far off from my 68 custom Princeton which breaks up pretty early but really has a great clean that I much prefer and killer reverb
But the PR is 35 lbs and I wouldn't wanna walk that far with it, I would call a ProJr doable

The HK line, I played that one yes
To me a very HiFi sound, man sounds great for some stuff... More modern pop rock sounds and metal. Really clear tones you can layer effects on and still have Uber clarity.

The bigger HKs have more of a bass punch to round it out and I think the big HKs sound mean AF when turned up. For metal and hard rock...
I was not able to get a lot of vintagey rock tones when I tried it on a store.
 
Re: Lightweight mid-gain combo

The super champ x2 is not far off from pro Jr but more versatile
They both sound boxy when you crank them
 
Re: Lightweight mid-gain combo

that boxy sound isnt bad in a mix though, it cuts through without stepping all over other instruments and sounds good doin it
 
Re: Lightweight mid-gain combo

Folding hand cart?

Wonder how much a Classic 30 weighs


Wheels make everything doable
 
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