Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

[Mattallica]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

I'm not calling you out or anything, I was just curious. I've tried a fair few EL-84 amps, and most of them do much more than the hot blues lead tone. I was using the Orange for doom metal today, and it was killer. Here's an example of a great Vox AC-30 tone that's anything but blues:



So you see, when I hear stuff like "I think EL84 amps aren't good for much but blues" it kind of makes me think that whoever's saying that doesn't know what the hell they're talking about.

Fair enough. Dig the vid! I'm still curious about how just one el34 or 6l6 would sound as compared to a pair or quad of el84's or 6v6's.

I heard that Neil young replaced the 6v6 in his fender amp with a 6L6, and it barely made any difference. Not to deviate from the thread, I think some great suggestions have been made here.

Also, wasn't it the guitarist of thrice that found a way to use the P-rails with a warmoth Jaguar and jaguar switching?

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

When it comes to the power section of an amplifier, there's a lot more to it than "I can get x amount of watts out of y model power tube." A single-ended amplifier (i.e. one that only has a single output tube) is going to feel and respond a lot differently than a push-pull pair or quad. Then you have to add in the type of tube in question.

 

[DTrane]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

I dont think Mattalica had a chance to really try out an EL84 amp. You gotta crank it loud with medium gain to get the hard rock tones. Similar to the EL34 amps. I guess when its loud, you get the distortion from the powertubes.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

This was the YouTube video I saw the other day - Buying guide for Laney VC30

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

This was the YouTube video I saw the other day - Buying guide for Laney VC30

:eek2:

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

I'm gonna throw out another vote for the Classic 30. Those are freakin great little amps. I do recommend you get the older styled one and not the one that has the curved dip in the front. There's no change to the circuit but the ones that look like old Fenders just look much cooler.

I am going to have to guide you away from the Delta Blues series though. I've told this story before on the forum but I'm going to tell it one more time. The blues club I used to work at had one of those Delta Blues (with a 1x15) as one of the house amps. That thing fried within a month of them having it (and most people bring their own amps so it didn't get used too often) and got sent back to Peavey. Peavey sent it back with a clean bill of health and it only took the next time it was used for it to break down again. Well sent back to Peavey and it took them months to fix it and send it back. When they did send it back..yep, you guessed it...broke down again. Finally it was scrapped.

Fast forward to this blues club getting a brand new Peavey (Quest) sound system installed, new house drums, new bass amp (Trace Elliot), and also new guitar amps. They sent 2 Delta Blues (2x10) and a Classic 50. Both of the Delta Blues have had to be sent back to Peavey to be replaced (didn't even bother with a repair) and as I type this only one of those amps is still working.

When the Delta Blues amps are working, they're great sounding amps. The problem is keeping them working. They weren't even heavily used in this club. I would definitely steer clear.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

I'm gonna throw out another vote for the Classic 30. Those are freakin great little amps. I do recommend you get the older styled one and not the one that has the curved dip in the front. There's no change to the circuit but the ones that look like old Fenders just look much cooler.

I am going to have to guide you away from the Delta Blues series though. I've told this story before on the forum but I'm going to tell it one more time. The blues club I used to work at had one of those Delta Blues (with a 1x15) as one of the house amps. That thing fried within a month of them having it (and most people bring their own amps so it didn't get used too often) and got sent back to Peavey. Peavey sent it back with a clean bill of health and it only took the next time it was used for it to break down again. Well sent back to Peavey and it took them months to fix it and send it back. When they did send it back..yep, you guessed it...broke down again. Finally it was scrapped.

Fast forward to this blues club getting a brand new Peavey (Quest) sound system installed, new house drums, new bass amp (Trace Elliot), and also new guitar amps. They sent 2 Delta Blues (2x10) and a Classic 50. Both of the Delta Blues have had to be sent back to Peavey to be replaced (didn't even bother with a repair) and as I type this only one of those amps is still working.

When the Delta Blues amps are working, they're great sounding amps. The problem is keeping them working. They weren't even heavily used in this club. I would definitely steer clear.

Funny, there was a Peavey Delta Blues in the VT recording studio, and it was the only amp in there that didn't work.

And it was in some pretty weird / finnicky company.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

Egnater Rebel 30 = very good sounding, versatile, EL-84 and/or 6V6, two channels, reliable, very loud for 30 watts, comes with really good carry bag, only $589 brand new (free shipping) on the bay.

 

[DTrane]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

I want something with just el84, no 6v6

 

[Mattallica]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

I dont think Mattalica had a chance to really try out an EL84 amp. You gotta crank it loud with medium gain to get the hard rock tones. Similar to the EL34 amps. I guess when its loud, you get the distortion from the powertubes.

I cranked them up plenty loud enough to get power tube distortion!! Again, tried VHT Special 6 ultra, Vox AC30, and homemade kit amp all with el84 and didn't care for 'em!

I think the "television" power tubes 6GT5's kick the **** out of EL84's as far as power tube saturation goes.

But that's just MY unpopular opinion. Tough crowd around here, when you disagree everyone says you're full of ****.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

You can take out the 2 6V6's and run it with just 2 EL84's or put in two more EL84's to make 4 EL84's.

(I told you it was a versatile amp).

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

You can take out the 2 6V6's and run it with just 2 EL84's or put in two more EL84's to make 4 EL84's.

(I told you it was a versatile amp).

Really? Does it require YellowJackets or anything? I thought they had a different number of pins...

 

[Khriss Bliss]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

I got the Bugera v22 to play metal, - i plug into the clean channel w my ib tubeking dist pedal (w Jj 12ax7 swapped in) and really dug the 2 powertubes ( master volume) cranked to about 6. Above that, it compresses w mids more than i wanted. It has a bright & normal jack, and a pentode/triode switch. Id love to have a Vox or Peavey Classic or Fender. But since i was replacing my Fender hotrod($400 used), which died a prologed painful death of common ailments of curcuitry , the $349 price tag of the Bugera had alot of appeal,& the cab is wonderful- very boutique type of woody acoustic tone quality. The dist channel dont rock, and the bass and treble dont glisten, but it is very warm. I scoop alot of mids cuz the pwr tubes add alot. Sounds great w my gretsch too. I dont miss my fender since i got it. I thought i was gonna swap in new tubes but im still rockin w the stock ones. I was looking for the cheapest amp w two power tubes

 

[DTrane]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

I cranked them up plenty loud enough to get power tube distortion!! Again, tried VHT Special 6 ultra, Vox AC30, and homemade kit amp all with el84 and didn't care for 'em!

I think the "television" power tubes 6GT5's kick the **** out of EL84's as far as power tube saturation goes.

But that's just MY unpopular opinion. Tough crowd around here, when you disagree everyone says you're full of ****.

its cool. I wasnt crazy about el84 amps until I cranked one. thats why I thought you didnt have a chance to play with one.

 

[Reload in 5]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

Jet City.
I also used to wrongly think EL84s couldn't do hark rock
I know better now,and i own the older combo

 

[DTrane]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

I saw a crate Vintage Club 30 on Ebay for $150. They have 4ax7 and 4el84 with one 12" speaker. What do you guys think of them?

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

I saw a crate Vintage Club 30 on Ebay for $150. They have 4ax7 and 4el84 with one 12" speaker. What do you guys think of them?

I have a personal distaste for Crate amps, but that's beside the point. I've never played one of those. But my point was going to be that quoting the number of preamp tubes is not all that helpful. I don't know this amp, but it could be that two tubes are used as gain stages, one for a PI, and one for an effects loop driver. Or it could be one as gain stages, one for PI, one for effects loop, and one for reverb. Or it could have no reverb and no effects loop. I don't think the number of preamp tubes is that helpful without describing their uses.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

AC30 is the only EL84 amp I've ever really dug. I wish there was someone making a hot preamp 6V6 amp.

 

[RealtyViking]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

I saw a crate Vintage Club 30 on Ebay for $150. They have 4ax7 and 4el84 with one 12" speaker. What do you guys think of them?

Great amp for the money. Many Crate amps are garbage, but the Vintage Club line is fantastic. The "V" series is also good although it does not have the same tone, soul or vibe of the Vintage Club.

There are some problems with the line. A bottle of Deoxit would be helpful as the inexpensive jacks can corrode and the channel switch is garbage. The foot switch overrides the channel switch so I always use the foot switch.

The speaker is very similar to the Eminence Legend 1258.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Looking For a Cheep EL84 Amp 20-50watts

Going against the grain (not cheap) with this one . . . but it is my fav EL84 amp out there today :


Marshall 2061X


FANTASTIC TONE (...even for an EL84 amp)