Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

[loadedguitar]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for the best budget amp for gigging. I play rock/blues (Slash, Joe Bonamassa, Guns n Roses, Led Zeppelin etc.). I found two amps that I think could suit my purposes.
-Marshall Code 100C
-Vox VT100X Valvetronix
The Marshall has two 12 inch speakers, the Vox has one, but one 12 inch speaker should be enough for gigging I think and the Vox has a tube, so I wouldn't mind the compromise. What do you think? Do you know any amps in this price range, that would be good for me? Thank you!

 

[Drano Max]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

Peavey Classic should do everything you need. Used ones go for pretty cheap these days.

 

[muttznmongrelz]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

The Peavey Classics and 5150s you can snag for $350.00-500.00 - USA Made and Tube Amps to boot!!!

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

Out of those two I would choose the Vox. Another amp to consider is a Roland Cube–can cover so much ground and can be found cheap used.

 

[loadedguitar]

Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

Thank you! My budget is tight, so I think I'll try out some vox, marshall and some roland cubes.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

The amp is the most important part of your sound.
Save up a little longer and get something that sounds professional.
If you sound professional, you'll get more gigs.

cheap, versatile nice amps good for gigging (and blues rock):
Fender hot rod deluxe (or even blues junior with a nice speaker)
Peavey classic 30
Vox ac30 (or 15)
Laney VC30 (or 15)
Marshall DSL40c

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

The amp is the most important part of your sound.
Save up a little longer and get something that sounds professional.
If you sound professional, you'll get more gigs.

cheap, versatile nice amps good for gigging (and blues rock):
Fender hot rod deluxe (or even blues junior with a nice speaker)
Peavey classic 30
Vox ac30 (or 15)
Laney VC30 (or 15)
Marshall DSL40

With all due respect, the Vox Valvetronix and Roland Cube are not a cheap sounding amps.

I currently play with a Modded Fender Hot Rod Deluxe but I used a Vox Valvetronix for very small venues where the Hot Rod was way too powerful.

Just a thought, if he is making money off of gigging then using a budget jack-of-all-trades amp can earn more money now to save up for a more expensive amp.

 

[Drano Max]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

I'll throw out the Marshal 15W DSL as well. I've seen them go for $200 used on CL. Damn good little amp for the money, and would definitely cover all of your bases.

Tubes!!!!! It's the only way to go, bro.

 

[Calsip]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for the best budget amp for gigging. I play rock/blues (Slash, Joe Bonamassa, Guns n Roses, Led Zeppelin etc.). I found two amps that I think could suit my purposes.
-Marshall Code 100C
-Vox VT100X Valvetronix
The Marshall has two 12 inch speakers, the Vox has one, but one 12 inch speaker should be enough for gigging I think and the Vox has a tube, so I wouldn't mind the compromise. What do you think? Do you know any amps in this price range, that would be good for me? Thank you!

I can say from experience that the Vox is a good amp. It's not a 2000 amp but it's good and reliable and I've never heard any problems. If you are looking for a head/cab sort of thing, I think maybe an Orange Crush Pro head and a used stack would run about 500/600 or they even have Randall head and cabinet sets that are 4x12 and 120 watt heads for 300-500 range. (I know it's usually just a metal amp but they can go mild too). Maybe try a Line 6 out too. Not super fancy but I have heard some good sounds out of one and heard other people talk positively about them. One last recommendation is the black star IC 120 head and cabinet for 500 I think.

 

[IM4Tone]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

The Peavey Classics and 5150s you can snag for $350.00-500.00 - USA Made and Tube Amps to boot!!!

Sorry...the classics are not made in the USA any longer, but still a very good amp and a lot of "bang for your buck". I prefer the Delta Blues which is the same circuitry as the clsc 30 but with tremolo and a 15" speaker.

 

[muttznmongrelz]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

I'm talking the Early 90s Peavey Tweed Versions.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

Maybe a Peavey Bandit
Built like a tank
Dirt cheap used
Budget a new speaker

 

[philthis]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

The amp is the most important part of your sound.
Save up a little longer and get something that sounds professional.
If you sound professional, you'll get more gigs.

cheap, versatile nice amps good for gigging (and blues rock):
Fender hot rod deluxe (or even blues junior with a nice speaker)
Peavey classic 30
Vox ac30 (or 15)
Laney VC30 (or 15)
Marshall DSL40c

this is good advice, you dont need a big 4x12 cabinet with a massive 100 watt head for most gigs. they are gunna mike the speaker anyway or try to run it direct into the P.A. -All these amps are good choices, I would say to figure out your "set list" or the bands style, then try these amps and see which one works well for you. remember too that you can buy a cheap A/B box and run two amps and switch between them if you want to. I think the Fender Hot Rod deluxe is a great amp that can be purchased used for cheap and takes pedals well. The Vox is the same way. if your going more of a rock edge the Marshall DSL 40c is an excellent gigging amp that usually just needs to be rebiased and the speaker replaced to sound good. The Fender or the Vox will need a distortion pedal to rock but there are a ton of good pedals out there now including my new favorite EVH distortion pedal which has a noise gate built right into the pedal for quiet operation and an on board compression switch to really drive the signal well.-good luck

 

[philthis]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

I can say from experience that the Vox is a good amp. It's not a 2000 amp but it's good and reliable and I've never heard any problems. If you are looking for a head/cab sort of thing, I think maybe an Orange Crush Pro head and a used stack would run about 500/600 or they even have Randall head and cabinet sets that are 4x12 and 120 watt heads for 300-500 range. (I know it's usually just a metal amp but they can go mild too). Maybe try a Line 6 out too. Not super fancy but I have heard some good sounds out of one and heard other people talk positively about them. One last recommendation is the black star IC 120 head and cabinet for 500 I think.

I like the Black Star idea too. For a good sounding cheap gig amp they have several options that are good choices depending on what size of gig you might be playing. also think about getting your combo off the ground. if you put it up alittle bit higher next to you then you and the band can hear it better. maybe look into an amp stand. you dont need anything expensive just a stand and i would pick an amp that has an additional speaker outlet for adding an additional cabinet to go underneath your combo so you can expand your tone incase you get a little bit bigger gig and want more speakers to widen your tone-like playing an outside gig. good luck

 

[james.small.104]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

I have a Line6 Pod XT Live with a Tech21 Power Engine 60. Old equipment, but sounds great and tough as nails. Plus Line6 has thousands of downloadable tones that you can tweak. I have seen used Pod XT's for under $150, and Power Engines for $200. Another plus for these items; add a 2nd Power Engine and you can have a stereo rig, OR slave to the 1st Power Engine in mono.

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

 

[loadedguitar]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

I don't know, my budget is tight (max. $400) and here in Hungary there's almost zero chance that someone will sell those peaveys. One of my friends scored a 100w Marshall Mg head with 4x12 cab for about $300. Since I'm a student, until I finish school and get a job, I think these cheap solid state amps, modelling amps or hybrid amps could do it.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

I gigged with a Vox AD50VT combo for a long time but needed to go lighter on the rig so I sold it and snagged a new Vox AV30 combo. It may be 30 watts but this little thing gets loud and hangs without a problem. Granted, our drummer uses an electronic kit so we can control the volume of everything but I've actually had to turn down some when I first started using it. The master isn't even close to half way. So, small, light, great tones, and powerful enough. If you need more, it has a speaker out. It's a great budget amp, IME/IMO.

 

[Firebrand]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

As crazy it may sound, check out the new Spider V amps. You can buy a wireless transmitter for it later (receiver built in!).
Since they are now backed and funded by Yamaha things are getting back on track with this company.

Valvetronix are great too. If you can find one of the older (original) 60 or 120s you will be very happy.

The new Blackstar ID:Core 100 is also a tremendous amp for the money.

...and finally, I do concur that a Peavey Bandit 112 (the mode of Bandit) is shockingly good. In the states they go $150 or less, giving the ability to upgrade the speaker.

 

[loadedguitar]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

Thank you everyone! I'll try out these amps if I can.

 

[Calsip]

Re: Looking for the best budget amp for gigs

I don't know, my budget is tight (max. $400) and here in Hungary there's almost zero chance that someone will sell those peaveys. One of my friends scored a 100w Marshall Mg head with 4x12 cab for about $300. Since I'm a student, until I finish school and get a job, I think these cheap solid state amps, modelling amps or hybrid amps could do it.

What kind of wattage are you looking for?