Need a practice amp

ericmeyer4

New member
Well am in need of some type of practice amp/main amp. (Yes I want an amp that can do it all! lol)

My girlfriend's cousin wanted to start playing guitar, but his parents didn't really want to put the money up for a guitar, lessons, etc if he wasn't going to stick with it. I can see where they are coming from. He is 11 and he has school, baseball, basketball, soccer, and they didn't want to spend the money on a guitar and lessons and have him back out. Understandable.

So I am letting him use my old acoustic for the mean time. My only other guitar is my electric and I need to get a small amp. When I am at home I just plug into my computer, but I won't be giving the lessons at home so I will need an amp.

This amp will be staying at my girlfriend's house because the lessons are going to be when ever we have time during the week and I don't want to haul it 20 miles back and forth and not be using it.

What I need....
*Something small because I don't want to be taking up a lot of room at her condo-duplex-thing (what ever you call it).

*Something low powered. The neighbors are on the other side of the wall so a Marshall stack is out. I know it sucks.

*Something relatively inexpensive. She has a black lab/pit-bull mix that is soooooo cute (I love her), but likes to destroy her stuffed toys. So Scarlett (aka scar-face) accidentally mistakes it for a stuffed animal and rips its squeaker out I won't be too upset. (She is really good and has only destroyed stuffed animals so I am not too worried about this, but better safe than sorry.)

*Something relatively inexpensive pt2. It is for guitar lessons I don't need to sound like EVH when showing an Em chord. (Or do I?)

*It can't totally suck. I would like it to have a nice clean sound. (Setzerish and Surfish) If I hate the sound I am going to be totally uninspired and less excited and that will translate into my teaching.

*For distortion sounds 80's distortion is cool with me ala Boston, Heart, White Snake. I know I will not nail any of those tones, nor do I want to, I guess what I am trying to say is an over produced distortion tone is what I'm after. Weird Huh?

*Tube or solid state I don't really care.

*FX a plus but not required. (Well maybe some reverb)

*Headphone jack a major plus. I don't want to disturb my girlfriend when I'm trying to workout stuff for the next lesson.

*New or used whatever. Don't care.

I was thinking about a Roland Cube amp, but I am open to all suggestions.

I will be using a Warmoth guitar with a SD vintage P90 in the neck and a SD JB in the bridge. Gernerally I use the neck for the clean sounds and the JB for the distortion.

Thanks,
Eric
 
Re: Need a practice amp

This is the most kick ass practice amp in the world.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Vox-DA5-Portable-Amplifier-?sku=482065

Great tones, all of them are really useful, some noise on the compression effect but all the others are silent.

Battery or ac adapter, 5 - 1.5 - .5 switchable.

I would strongly recommend you at least try this amp. I have no need for this amp caus i have my pro junior and can crank it, but I still have major gas for it.
 
Re: Need a practice amp

This is the most kick ass practice amp in the world.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Vox-DA5-Portable-Amplifier-?sku=482065

Great tones, all of them are really useful, some noise on the compression effect but all the others are silent.

Battery or ac adapter, 5 - 1.5 - .5 switchable.

I would strongly recommend you at least try this amp. I have no need for this amp caus i have my pro junior and can crank it, but I still have major gas for it.

I gotta agree. I love playing with this little thing. Sounds good, and some useful effects.
 
Re: Need a practice amp

Thanks for the input! I think I am going to go with the Vox. It seems to do what I want it too. Now just to decide on the color. Hmmmmm....
 
Re: Need a practice amp

that's one hell of a post for such a simple solicitation. get a vox valvetronix 5 watt amp. it's probably the best sounding value you can get.
 
Re: Need a practice amp

get a kustom tube 12, sick little thing, it can drive a 2x12 marshall cab to the moon and back.
 
Re: Need a practice amp

Thanks for the all of the sugestions. I decided to go with the Vox DA5. It looks like it will fit the bill well.

-Eric
 
Re: Need a practice amp

solid choice.. I was gonna spam you to buy my 30watt marshall, then I watched the video clip on the MF site, VoX is the way to go
 
Re: Need a practice amp

Another vote for the Vox. I'd go for the AD15VT if it were me, it sounds better than the 30 watter. Second choice would be one of the Roland Cube Models. They do a little bit of everything, and sound much better than a tube amp will, if you are playing AT VERY LOW VOLUMES.
 
Re: Need a practice amp

JSX Combo. Best amp I have ever owned. Sounds better than most full stage rigs... do a search for JSX on Google... listen to Paulscape or others to hear the tone... awesome, and only 1K.
 
Re: Need a practice amp

JSX Combo. Best amp I have ever owned. Sounds better than most full stage rigs... do a search for JSX on Google... listen to Paulscape or others to hear the tone... awesome, and only 1K.

Thanks for that suggestion, but it is way outside anything I need.

I already purchased a small Vox amp.
 
Re: Need a practice amp

I would go for a 4X12 100W Marshall. Nothing else gets the job done. LOL!

Nah, that little Vox seems like a cool idea!
 
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Re: Need a practice amp

How about the small Peavey Collosal? Its suppose to sound pretty good, though I have never heard it.
 
Re: Need a practice amp

I'd say for SS Roland Cube amp, its versital, small, sounds ok.

For valve: I'd go with Champ 600, it might be a bit more expensive ($200) but it sounds great, its tube, low wattage, small compact and can drive a 4x12 if needed.

The one thing I like about the Champs are the single vol knob and thats it, just you your guitar and your tone, nothing else to mask the way you sound.

PS: Love your avatar...the Air Band Episode is CLASSIC!
 
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