Lunchbox Amps - Legit or Toys?

Re: Lunchbox Amps - Legit or Toys?

Phantasmagoria said:
The right one's sound as ballsy, thick & mean as anything out there :D
And they're a hell of a lot more fun to lug around too :laugh2:
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Agreed on the big sound with the right small amp bro. The second part I quoted though is the big thing for me. 15 years ago carrying a halfstack round was not a big deal but now at almost 60 ---:no:
 
Re: Lunchbox Amps - Legit or Toys?

I won't comment whether lunchboxes are good or bad, but I would recommend OP to check out Engl Powerball if he wants one. I have an EVH lbx, which is fine, but Powerball seems to have more pro quality organic tone, so it is said and so it sounds like on utube, to me at any rate.
Edit: hey lets not call any gear toy or similar, that can hurt my relationship with my lunchbox now that suspicion creeps in, and I may tragically end up with a similar 100 watts JCM800 as yours in my living room.
 
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Re: Lunchbox Amps - Legit or Toys?

Ascension said:
Depends on the amp but for the most part your right. Once you get in to the 20-30 watt range though there are quite a few rigs that have pretty nice cleans. The new 20 watt PRS Sonzera is one that come to mind as well as the little mesa Subways i have my Zinky and the new Jet City JCA22H Custom also. The 1st jet City I owned had no real clean but this new one is actually pretty usable. The Sonzera in particular is nice as it runs a pair of 6V 's instead of the EL84's you normally will see in these small amps. Wish they would build that amp in a head as right now only the 50 watt is available in a head the 20 is combo only.
Played a Sonzera last week and it was a really nice rig!!
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Yes, I was only referring to EL84 amps, as those are only low watt amps I have experience with.

While amps in that range are quite similar, in 20-30 watt there seems to be huge variation in tone and capabilities in amps.

I have new amp coming in that range, and I'm quite stoked about it. Can't wait!
 
Re: Lunchbox Amps - Legit or Toys?

AlexR said:
The old forum bro WahWah.....the guy who has/had the most experience with gigging of anyone here.....used a small Fender princeton or similar mic'd up. He used to laugh at all the guys who would think his rig was insufficient.This is all the amp you need - take it from a guy who has actually been there.
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I’ve played a lot of gigs with my 22 watt Deluxe Reverbs. But I have a very efficient Celestion G12H30 speaker in them.

Played a lot gigs with my Princeton Reverbs too. But in those I have very efficient Celestion Alnico 12. I replaced the speaker baffle to take a 12” speaker.

So it really depends on the design of the amp. My Vox Night Train didn’t cut it. My Fenders do.

And my new amp, the handwired Vox AC30HWHD head, has a 15 watt/30 watt switch and it’s loud, robust and powerful set for 15 watts with two of the EL84’s turned off. I know I could gig with it set for 15 watts...no problem at all.

But the Night Train sounded too weak and grainy. Just not a deep enough, clean enough, robust enough sound. At least for me.

I need an amp I can play real chords with. Not just grinding power V chords.
 
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Re: Lunchbox Amps - Legit or Toys?

Just thought I'd leave this here. Not technically lunchbox amps, but still pretty cool:


As for lunchbox amps, my Hughes and Kettner Tubemeister 20w is pretty sick. I don't usually care too much for hi-fi amps, but this thing can do classic and modern styles of rock with no fuss. The built in DI box and 0w mode are pretty nice touches for a $700 amp as well. And as always, it has the eye catching Hughes and Kettner aesthetic.
 
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Re: Lunchbox Amps - Legit or Toys?

Ascension said:
Depends on the amp but for the most part your right. Once you get in to the 20-30 watt range though there are quite a few rigs that have pretty nice cleans. The new 20 watt PRS Sonzera is one that come to mind as well as the little mesa Subways i have my Zinky and the new Jet City JCA22H Custom also. The 1st jet City I owned had no real clean but this new one is actually pretty usable. The Sonzera in particular is nice as it runs a pair of 6V 's instead of the EL84's you normally will see in these small amps. Wish they would build that amp in a head as right now only the 50 watt is available in a head the 20 is combo only.
Played a Sonzera last week and it was a really nice rig!!
Click to expand...

What is a lunch box as opposed to a smaller watt amp, or a mid physical size amp? Some amps in the 20-30 watt range are not really lunch box amps in my opinion. I would not consider the Soldano Hotrod 25 to be a lunchbox amp. Nor the classic Fender Deluxe Reverb. Along that same line the Supersonic 22 would not be a lunch box head in my opinion. The Marshall 2525H is the same physical size as the 5153 50 watt heads. The 2525 and the Soldano HR25 run big bottle tubes.

That is kinda of a new category of amp that is quite different from a TT or a NT. It is really a 50 watt type of amp that can get into the power amp at little bit at modern practical volume levels. They still have ample clean headroom for most indoor venues. This doesn't mean that the tube type is what should distinguish a lunch box or mid size. I would not consider the Jet City 22s as lunch box either.

What about the OR15 or DSL15? The Peavy MHs? The Boogie mini wrecks? Don't know?
 
Re: Lunchbox Amps - Legit or Toys?

Lake Placid Blues said:
What is a lunch box as opposed to a smaller watt amp, or a mid physical size amp? Some amps in the 20-30 watt range are not really lunch box amps in my opinion. I would not consider the Soldano Hotrod 25 to be a lunchbox amp. Nor the classic Fender Deluxe Reverb. Along that same line the Supersonic 22 would not be a lunch box head in my opinion. The Marshall 2525H is the same physical size as the 5153 50 watt heads. The 2525 and the Soldano HR25 run big bottle tubes.

That is kinda of a new category of amp that is quite different from a TT or a NT. It is really a 50 watt type of amp that can get into the power amp at little bit at modern practical volume levels. They still have ample clean headroom for most indoor venues. This doesn't mean that the tube type is what should distinguish a lunch box or mid size. I would not consider the Jet City 22s as lunch box either.

What about the OR15 or DSL15? The Peavy MHs? The Boogie mini wrecks? Don't know?
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I don't see it as that technical term. Essentially, lunchbox amp is an amp you can carry around in a shoulder bag, or just snatch it with you to carry around (like a lunchbox).

That means it has to cheap enough, and be built sturdy enough, so you don't need to be that careful with it.
 
Re: Lunchbox Amps - Legit or Toys?

I think it also depends on what cab they're being run through. Take a Micro Terror for instance. Yeah, run it through a high-quality cab loaded with fancy efficient speakers like an Orange PPC412, and you'll go WOAH. Run it through the little PPC108, and it sounds every bit as weak as your average Marshall MG15. JMO.

I assure you, most people would be impressed too if they ran a humble little Marshall MG mini stack head through a nice cab.
 
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Re: Lunchbox Amps - Legit or Toys?

Rex_Rocker said:
I think it also depends on what cab they're being run through. Take a Micro Terror for instance. Yeah, run it through a high-quality cab loaded with fancy efficient speakers like an Orange PPC412, and you'll go WOAH. Run it through the little PPC108, and it sounds every bit as weak as your average Marshall MG15. JMO.

I assure you, most people would be impressed too if they ran a humble little Marshall MG mini stack head through a nice cab.
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+1

My Marshall Lead 12 head is surprisingly loud when run through a "real" cabinet.
 
Re: Lunchbox Amps - Legit or Toys?

I have a Dual Terror and it is most certainly a real amp. I liked the Tiny Terror and was going to buy one when I found the Dual, so glad I got it. Picked it up a few years ago, lightly used with a full compliment of JJ's front and rear. It's been bulletproof and a joy to own. Slew of gigs and rehearsals, no issues still on the same tubes though I think it's going to get some new PT's soon.

I've messed with a bunch of different lunchbox and lunchbox+ amps, they run the gamut from worthless to wonderful. My 007 Bassbreaker is fantastic but I doubt it'll suffice for the heavy stuff and it isn't particularly loud at 7 watts but it's got some glory in there. The JCA22 head is a little bigger than a lunchbox, it was pretty good though it lost some oomph at the loud end of it's range IMO, it became all grind which was fun but not all I needed it to be.

The Mesa boxes are pretty cool, I like the Night Train but maybe not for heavy stuff, the Peavey mini heads I've played all seem pretty damn good too. I'm probably going to grab a DSL15H soon, kind of digging on that at the moment and it would fit in well with what I have, I like the 2-6v6's.

Go shopping you'll find one that works for you I am sure.
 
Re: Lunchbox Amps - Legit or Toys?

I saw a guy do an entire gig with a miked Fly 3, so yeah they are real amps.

I used to run my Marshall C5 into a 4x12, and it was glorious.
 
Re: Lunchbox Amps - Legit or Toys?

Marshall DSL15H with low gain preamp tubes. If Marshall releases the DSL20H with EL34’s then you’ll have what you want even more.
 
Re: Lunchbox Amps - Legit or Toys?

PierceOkken said:
Nothing is as fun as cranking an EVH 15w lbx to the max. It is such fun
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I hear that,I had one and loved it ! Very loud and nice tone and excellent bass control with the resonance knob around the back..weighed what maybe 16-18 lbs tops.The high gain red channel was very good too..
 
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