Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

[Sune]

Yeah, I know I'm getting an electric uke for christmas..Not an "acoustic" uke with a piezo pickup, but an electric uke like an electric guitar. So, of course I want an amp with very good cleans, but I don't really need it to be more than say 5-10-15-20 watts (if it's tube watts, if it's a solid state or digital amp it doesn't matter) lol.. I know that's a pretty big leap but I don't really need anything big at all if it's tube, since I've learned the lesson; you need to crank them! It needs to be reasonably priced too, of course. I don't really care if it's tube, solid state or digital or whatever, if it has good cleans. Originally I thought about something like..say Roland Jazz Chorus cleans, maybe you can use that as a guideline.

So, give me your reccommendations! :dance:

EDIT: since both my tube amps don't have clean channels, I don't know much about "tube cleans". Would I need amps bigger than the suggested wattage in order for the cleans not to break up? The lipstick Kent Armstrong pickup on my electric uke is only like 4,9k though, so it's not "hot" by any means.

In case you want to check the pickup out yourself, here it is: http://www.wdmusic.com/mini_split_tube_trade_pickup_30821_prd1.htm

 

[Sune]

Re: Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

What about the Epiphone Valve Junior head? It's obviously very cheap, but is it going to overdrive, even though the pickup isn't very hot at all?

 

[baritone]

Re: Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

I just bought that amp, but I haven't messed with it yet. I'll post a little later today.

 

[Sune]

Re: Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

That's cool, thanks. I'm also VERY interested in that Orange Tiny Terror after seeing B bent's thread, I didn't even know it existed.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

A c30 or a C50 from Peavey are great load and powerful clean amps... plus they can be had for cheap on the used market... The Fender HR series offer some nice clean tones as well... A Roland Jazz series amps are nice as wel...

Some of the older Peavey, Fender and Marshall higher wattage SS amps from the early 90's can also offer great clean sounds... one of the best clean sounds i have ever heard was some Peavey 2x12 stereo combo from the late 80's early 90's... freakin huge clean tone!!!

 

[Sune]

Re: Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

A c30 or a C50 from Peavey are great load and powerful clean amps... plus they can be had for cheap on the used market... The Fender HR series offer some nice clean tones as well... A Roland Jazz series amps are nice as wel...

Some of the older Peavey, Fender and Marshall higher wattage SS amps from the early 90's can also offer great clean sounds... one of the best clean sounds i have ever heard was some Peavey 2x12 stereo combo from the late 80's early 90's... freakin huge clean tone!!!

That's cool, I'll try checking the used market to see what they go for.

 

[baritone]

Re: Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

So far, this Valve Jr. Head is amazing. It's only 5 watts, but it still got really loud through my 4x10 cab. The single volume knob on that amp has a big impact on the volume and tonal characteristics. Today, I just used my guitar with alnico 5 humbuckers, my 4x10 cab and a few pedals. The amp is really versatile, especially if you are willing to try different settings of your guitar's knobs. It responds really well to picking dynamics also. I spend a good few hours with the thing, and I am totally satisfied with it. I have more to say, but I have a lot more experimenting to do with it. It is in fact a big thrill for many guitarists to have a low-power tube amp to plug into a slammin cab and get crazy with. In the category of the Tiny Terror, the Z. Vex, and many other boutique amps with similar features, this Epiphone which I got for $100 fills that need.

 

[Sune]

Re: Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

Cool, thanks for the update on it.

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

Clean is a Fender twin or other tweed or twin amp, normally. I like how clean the Fender Twin Reverb is, but it's probably overkill for your needs. Maybe a Fender acoustic amp.

 

[Sune]

Re: Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

Well, I think an electric guitar amp would be coolest, since it's actually an electric ukulele, not just an acoustic with a piezo mic. Actually I wouldn't mind if the amp had some good overdrive also, I've heard some great ukulele blues etc... It's a semi-hollow electric soprano ukulele, this is it:

 

[Axl H]

Re: Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

Hey Sune.

Well, I'd say go for some solidstate stuff, like a older Marshall or something like it.

I tried a Valve Jr head the other day, and onething that could be a problem is how early it breaks up. I used a Les Paul Std. with BB Pro's in it, and it was about half way up, when it began to distort just a little bit.

I pick quiet hard and that adds to it, but just take it into consideration, that it has very limited head room.

And in my opinion, I tried those 5watts through a 4x12" 1960A cab, and it wasnt that loud in my ears, but they sound decent, deffenately better than the Marshall MG series.

 

[Sune]

Re: Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

Hey Sune.

Well, I'd say go for some solidstate stuff, like a older Marshall or something like it.

I tried a Valve Jr head the other day, and onething that could be a problem is how early it breaks up. I used a Les Paul Std. with BB Pro's in it, and it was about half way up, when it began to distort just a little bit.

I pick quiet hard and that adds to it, but just take it into consideration, that it has very limited head room.

And in my opinion, I tried those 5watts through a 4x12" 1960A cab, and it wasnt that loud in my ears, but they sound decent, deffenately better than the Marshall MG series.

Thanks for your input, I appreciate it. As you know, there aren't really many music shops here in Denmark except in the really big cities, and that's my problem. I can't really try stuff out before I buy, so I have to buy something based on other peoples opinions and my own assumptions about the product. That's why I'm so stuck...It would be a 1000 times easier if I could just try stuff out, you know? That's one of the things that suck about not living in or near a really big city.

I'm really interested in the Orange Tiny Terror, but It'll take months before I can afford one if I wanted to buy one, so right now I'm just looking at options without rushing out to buy anything since I need to save up first.

 

[Axl H]

Re: Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

Dont you live in Århus Sune?

I thought you did

They have various Marshalls, Fenders and such at AAGE, but I dont shop at them anymore.

Eskildsen also have alot of Fenders,Randalls, Marshall and some other stuff.

Orkester graven has a used Super Reverb I think it is, and some other Fenders, Voxes etc.

So there are plenty of amps to check out if you took a day in Århus.

I would be happy to check them out with ya if it gets boring in the long run

 

[Sune]

Re: Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

I'm not from Århus, no..That's about 150km away :laugh2:

I live in Sønderjylland, a town right outside Åbenrå if you know where that is. If I had a drivers license I could have driven to Århus and checked them out, but I'm no rich man :laugh2:

 

[Axl H]

Re: Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

Ahh okay, then I can see the problem

Åbenrå, that is far away yeah.

Oh well, the bicycly ride wouldnt hurt anyone... It would only take you... what 10 hours?

 

[Sune]

Re: Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

At least 10 hours, the only exercise I get is walking to and from the schoolbus :laugh2: (almost true )

 

[Sune]

Re: Recommend a good clean amp for electric uke

What about the Crate Powerblock? It's also a cheap alternative with lots of power available if needed..What's the clean tones like?