Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

Closed Eye

Closed Eye

New member
So I recently did a massive rig downsize due to a little bundle of joy entering my wife and I's lives.

I went from a Fender Bassman to a Epiphone Valve Special.

The Valve Special is a 1x10, 5 watt tube amp with a single 12AX7. I guess it's technically a hybrid tube/solid-state amp but I couldn't really figure out the specifics of that...

ANYWAY, I'm in love with the amp, and it can get toasty when cranked but I can play with it at low volumes and not lose any tone. I may be gigging with it in the future, and I figure I can mic it to the PA or what have you...but...

I was wondering these two things, however...

1. Are there any pros that use low-wattage tube amps LIVE?
2. Are there any of you HERE in the SD Forums that use/love/abuse low wattage tube amps?

Thanks for the look!
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

Right now I am using my Jet City 20wt head for everything and I love the hell out of it.
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

Jeff Beck plays/has played mic'd pro jrs live
Jim Campilongo mics princeton reverbs live, I think?

I've used the blackheart, the superchamp XD, the Night Train, and now the Tweaker. I have to say, I really like the warmth I can get from amps like these. I don't play out, I'm just a basement jammer.
I had a 50W DSL for a while but I could never get the sound to smooth out at reasonable volumes. At ear punishing levels, the sound was the shizzle, but any less and it was not my bag. Too stiff and a lil fizzy.

The thing I don't like about small amps is... most of em are in the budget amp range, so while they have good tones in them, a lot of the time, not everything is so useable, and sometimes you run into reliability issues. Not always, but it seems more probable.
The other thing is that big 30+ watt amps generally have the transformers capable of that really tight, clear, percussive bass. The kind that f'ing hits you in the chest. Everything I've tried from the 5-15 watt things can get a lil flubby when really pushed. Most of em use el84s anyways, which are known for their bass compression.
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

Lots of pros use small tube amps, far too many to mention anyone specifically.

I own a THD Univalve and its wattage ranges from 6 to 26 or so depending on the tube used. It also doesn't have a master volume but it does have a built in attenuator.

I've grown to like the amp very very much. I sometimes feel that it doesn't have enough power and it naturally doesn't have that much clean headroom either. It has performed well on the few gigs I've had and I haven't ever felt it lacking anything special but I am on a lookout for a bigger amp some time in the future.
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

FuseG4 said:
The thing I don't like about small amps is... most of em are in the budget amp range, so while they have good tones in them, a lot of the time, not everything is so useable, and sometimes you run into reliability issues. Not always, but it seems more probable.
Click to expand...

Good observation. I had a Blues Jr at one time. A friend now has one and we compared it to my Dr. Z Carmen Ghia (15watt-vs-18watt). Night and day. I think it has to do with components (tranny is a big one). I love the 18 watts; to mix with everyone else, I find I turn up just enough to get the amp to start barking if I hit it hard, but can lighten up to get clean. A good O.D. in front and beautiful things happen!
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

I used a Marshall Studio 15w (2 x 6V6 output stage) for years. Great crunch but anything above half volume was STILL too loud for most of the small clubs and pubs I was playing. The small transformer didn't do the low end any favours. Wish I still had it though.
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

I absolutely love running my little Supro Super. The best part is crank them all the way up and use your volume knob religiously. Even now things like Pro Jrs are even too much for me in my situation. I rarely use my Vibrolux any more.
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

I just had my 50 watt 1x12" turned up to five.

I almost died, man.
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

I have two, a Bugera V22 (22watts diode/11 watts triode) and Vox AC15H1TV (15 watts diode/7 watts triode)

I doubt I'll ever buy another 100 watt amp. You can get everything you need from 20 watts or less without sacrificing anything you want.
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

I've got a love/hate relationship with the little 1960's tube amp that I have . . . with just an el84 being driven in class A through a 10" speaker it sounds nice (maybe 4 - 7 watts), but really doesn't give enough volume to compete with drums even for jamming. Unfortunately, it's also a bit too loud to get heavily distorted tones late at night in the house.

My 40 watt Traynor is the perfect volume for loud jams / gigs and almost always has enough clean headroom for me. . . but can be tough to get to sound perfect for very quiet practice.
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

Thanks for the info guys!

I'm starting to think that I was crazy for even having a Fender Bassman when I wasn't even able to crank it and push those tubes to their full potential.


B Bent said:
I absolutely love running my little Supro Super. The best part is crank them all the way up and use your volume knob religiously. Even now things like Pro Jrs are even too much for me in my situation. I rarely use my Vibrolux any more.
Click to expand...

PICS!!!!

(and hello again my friend!)
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

BILLY GIBBONS OF ZZ TOP.
1999 Tour. Only amp. Mic'd 5w Champ. Rock n Roll.

JEFF BECK OF JEFF BECK.
Past few years been using a Pro Junior Live. 15 w. Once again Rock n Roll.
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

Andrew Lamprecht said:
BILLY GIBBONS OF ZZ TOP.
1999 Tour. Only amp. Mic'd 5w Champ. Rock n Roll.
Click to expand...

Gibbon's has a good sense of humour.

On stage - Giant Crates, daisy chain of Expandoras and a 5w Champ.
Off stage - A rack the size of a refrigerator running into an iso cab that's DI'd to the FOH.


Note the combo on left... and the coily cable (he's wireless).


Gibbons_rack_Rhythmeen_1996_GP.jpg
 
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Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

On topic... there's no reason you can't use a 5w amp live, however it makes you extremely dependant upon both the soundman, monitor mix and house PA system. Not a big deal if the soundman is competent, monitors adequate and PA system robust.

What kind of clubs/bars will you be playing in?
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

^ some dude, that post is epic.

Also read once gibbons puts his racks off stage because they look too 80's for him. TGWIF can probably comment on that as I think I heard it from him. In either event, awesome post. What you see live is not always what you are getting!

Interesting he's running two 9200's in his rack. I ran the 9100 and thought it was a pretty solid poweramp. But I wouldn't trade it for my Fryette 2/50/2 I have now. The 9100 and 9200 gets some good tones in there.
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

Andrew Lamprecht said:
BILLY GIBBONS OF ZZ TOP.
1999 Tour. Only amp. Mic'd 5w Champ. Rock n Roll.

JEFF BECK OF JEFF BECK.
Past few years been using a Pro Junior Live. 15 w. Once again Rock n Roll.
Click to expand...

Neither of these guys goes straight into the amp.

Besides, Jeff has only used the Pros on this tour, and he uses three of them at one time with whatever pedals he has on his board. Last tour with Tal he was using two Marshall SLP half stacks.

The tour before that, he used two Fender Twins for cleans and had two SLPs with four cabs running for dirty tones. Rock and Roll.

Jeff uses all kinds of stuff, and next year, those PJs probably won't be on his stage.
 
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Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

I've been playing through a 15w Blues Junior for about ten years now. Also, a 12w L'il Dawg Champster for almost 2 years.
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

To Closed_Eye: I run a loud 50 watt poweramp gigging out but would be just fine at 30 watts and could get by at a strong 20 or 25 more than likely. Any less than that just won't push the air I'm looking for in a rock cover band.
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

I'm currently running a Vox AC4tv. It goes from 1/4 watt, 1 watt, 5 watts. At 1 and 5 watts it can get loud for an appartment. I upgraded the speaker to a ceramic Weber Silverbell and it sings. I add a little reverb to sweeten up the clean sound and usually push it with a pedal for distortion. It makes a great pedal amp that won't break the bank and it doesn't have to be ran super loud.
 
Re: Low Wattage Tube Amps: Usage + Opinions

guitfiddle said:
Neither of these guys goes straight into the amp.

Besides, Jeff has only used the Pros on this tour, and he uses three of them at one time with whatever pedals he has on his board. Last tour with Tal he was using two Marshall SLP half stacks.

The tour before that, he used two Fender Twins for cleans and had two SLPs with four cabs running for dirty tones. Rock and Roll.

Jeff uses all kinds of stuff, and next year, those PJs probably won't be on his stage.
Click to expand...

Wrong.

1. I thought we were just talking about amps. And either way, my guitar teacher talked to Jeff Beck and Jeff said there are some nights he doesn't use any pedals. Just strat to the PJ.

2. I have never seen 3 PJs on his stage. I'd like to see where you found that. I've seen him use 2 and even 1. He has even said in interviews he uses 2. Lately he has only been micing one too. ie Crossroads 2010 was 1 PJ.
 
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