what is your favorite low wattage tube amp for below $700

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PRSfan nym 1985

New member
My amp has developed some issues and I need to replace it ASAP so I'm looking for opinions on a new amp.

I have a fulltone 69 mk II, sd twin tube classic, sd tweak fuzz, sd double back comp, bbe wah, ehx ravish sitar, tc electronic flashback delay. so really my priority is getting a decent amount of clean headroom as I can/prefer using my pedals for dirt.

So far my list has these on it:
Carvin Vintage 16 head with 2x12" cab (in green)
Egnater Tweaker Stack (this one has really peaked my interest, seems like if it's as good as it looks on paper it'd be the clear winner)
Carvin V3M Combo (in green)
Blackstar HT Studio 20 or Club 40
Orange Tiny Terror 10 combo (might not have enough clean headroom for me though)
Fender Humboldt Blues Jr (not sure if this is really an option as it's out of stock at the moment)

not sure if the Carvins will be do-able as I need the amp in time to play a gig on the 11th.

So yeah just lookin for ideas my vintage 33 is acting up and I'm gonna try to return it I got it at GC so yeah.
 
Re: what is your favorite low wattage tube amp for below $700

For bellow 700$? I'm a big fan of fender amps for bang-for-buck, so something like a Blues JR would be my pick. In the same general vibe (12inch, 15 watt), I also like the Vox AC15.

In my opinion, you can't go wrong with those. They take pedals very well. I like the fender a bit more, because the cleans are so good. Just make sure you have a good dirt pedal.
 
Re: what is your favorite low wattage tube amp for below $700

You could get a used marshall DSL 50 half stack for around 700. its not exactly low wattage, but they sound awesome at low volumes, and for the price they are amazing
 
Re: what is your favorite low wattage tube amp for below $700

I'm really liking both the Blackstar 20 and the 40 combo for the money! Messed with em today at Sam Ash....Awesome amps!
 
Re: what is your favorite low wattage tube amp for below $700

an ac15 would be fine with me I'd prefer a BJ to a PJ at this point.

Basically I'm just wondering if there are any unsung heroes or anything that stands above the rest.

Again I've got some good dirt pedals I'm just looking for something decent and affordable that can live in my apartment or in a small venue (I have mics Heil PR-30 and Shure SM-57).

The Tweaker seems cool since it in theory can give me Fender, Vox, and Marshall styled tones and supposedly has great cleans. The idea that it uses 6V6/octal tubes that I could swap out for various types is also appealing since most amps in my range are EL84 based.
 
Re: what is your favorite low wattage tube amp for below $700

PRSfan nym 1985 said:
an ac15 would be fine with me I'd prefer a BJ to a PJ at this point.
Click to expand...

The Pro Junior is an amazing sounding amp, I am in the process of getting rid of mine just because I found that almost any style I play (other than metal) I prefer a much cleaner tone than most people. The PJ just doesn't have any headroom.

I like the tweaker a lot and I think it's what I'd be looking at right now if I were you. Lots of options and they all sound pretty good.
 
Re: what is your favorite low wattage tube amp for below $700

Don't forget about the Hughes and Kettner Statesman. They make 40w with EL84's that sounds incredible. You are going to have a really tough time finding an amp that sounds better in that price range.
 
Re: what is your favorite low wattage tube amp for below $700

Ten posts in and no one has asked musical style yet. What kind of music do you play, dude?
 
Re: what is your favorite low wattage tube amp for below $700

I play all styles of music but gravitate toward blues, blues-rock, psychedelic, indie, brit rock, classic rock, but I do throw in some surf, rockabilly, country, etc.

But basically I'm after as much headroom as possible that's why I don't want another Pro Jr I do agree they are great amps but for me they are kind of one trick ponies and while I do like em I don't have a spot for that now. I should add I also have a Fender Mustang I that I tinker with in my apt (it's nice cuz it has so many models/fx and a headphone jack).

I should mention my electrics are a nashville tele (strat p'ups in neck/mid, broadcaster in the bridge pos), prs santana se (p-rails hot set), and an xaviere lp style semi hollow (fralin pure pafs). I have my eye on the Italia Rimini 12 string also but that'll probably be a future acquisition.
 
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Re: what is your favorite low wattage tube amp for below $700

I liked the tweaker but it gave me too much "GAS for the real thing" and that kind of feeling. It was too compressed and wooly to be a deluxe reverb, but it didn't have the mids enough to be like a tweed amp. It didn't have the chime of an AC15, and it didn't have enough punch to sound like a marshall to me. It has some headroom and can work OK as a pedal platform, but the FX loop can be a little muffled sounding. Not too bad though.

It's cool, but you'll have to see for yourself if you like it.
 
Re: what is your favorite low wattage tube amp for below $700

PRSfan nym 1985 said:
I play all styles of music but gravitate toward blues, blues-rock, psychedelic, indie, brit rock, classic rock, but I do throw in some surf, rockabilly, country, etc.

I should mention my electrics are a nashville tele (strat p'ups in neck/mid, broadcaster in the bridge pos), prs santana se (p-rails hot set), and an xaviere lp style semi hollow (fralin pure pafs). I have my eye on the Italia Rimini 12 string also but that'll probably be a future acquisition.
Click to expand...


Sounds like you deff need to look into the AC15 ;)
 
Re: what is your favorite low wattage tube amp for below $700

PRSfan nym 1985 said:
But basically I'm after as much headroom as possible that's why I don't want another Pro Jr I do agree they are great amps but for me they are kind of one trick ponies and while I do like em I don't have a spot for that now. I should add I also have a Fender Mustang I that I tinker with in my apt (it's nice cuz it has so many models/fx and a headphone jack).
Click to expand...

This puzzles me . . . you want a low wattage amp, but at the same time, as much head room as possible ?

Used Fender Hot Rod then.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-Hot-...090?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35b5c33daa - BIN @ $599.00
 
Re: what is your favorite low wattage tube amp for below $700

by low wattage I just don't want to go beyond 30-50 watts tube terms. It really doesn't need to be a macho amp I play small venues and tinker in my apt or at friends places to jam.

But I do like having headroom because I typically revolve around a clean sound or clean w/ a touch of grit.

I'll look into the AC15 route today I think Vox had a limited edition red one which might be a tasty addition.

I figured the Egnater wouldn't be exactly Fender, Marshall, or Vox but it might be fun being able to ballpark all those tones and if it's like other Egnaters I've used in the past I'd be willing to say it's own voice is pretty solid. But you never know more tweaking, more options could just be more bad tones.

A Pro Jr set to about 4 is beginning to break up, that won't be heard over a drummer so it doesnt work well for playing clean, rollin back gtr vol w amp cranked u lose volume. So that's why it doesn't have enough headroom for me. It works fine playing at home alone but I'd like something either with a bigger more efficient speaker or something just a little stronger.

I guess my question is are any of these 15-22 watters going to give me clean headroom or do I need to spend money on something more like the Blackstar HT 40?
 
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Re: what is your favorite low wattage tube amp for below $700

Find a used Fender Supersonic 22. They come up for around $700 used now that they've been out for a while. Frankly, it's sound quality and headroom will out-do the Tweaker and the little Blues and Pro Juniors. Not to even go into the Burn channel, which is very special, indeed.
 
Re: what is your favorite low wattage tube amp for below $700

I love the SS22 only problem is right now they are sitting around $800 shipped on fleabay and no one nearby is selling any.

Since I need it by the 11th it puts me in a time crunch.

I'm gonna head over to GC now and explore the various options to me the selling points of the Tweaker is a variety of tones, it can come in a head format, it will allow me to experiment with more tubes (because there won't be rattle and as harsh of conditions as say inside a combo, and because it's not EL84 based), etc.

The Blackstar might be my runner up as it can get similar variety of tonal textures and it can come in a head/cab form and again it doesn't run EL84's. I don't have anything against EL84's it's just been in every tube amp I've ever had and I kinda like the fact that there are options in my price range that will let me experiment.

Honestly it's a tough call I'm a huge Vox fan and a vintage red ac15 would be pretty badass and I'd get spring reverb and tremolo.

I'm gonna also look into Orange Tiny Terror, AC15, Classic 30, Blues Jr, Blackstar HT Studio/Club, etc.

But I really do see a lot of positives right now with the Tweaker. Because I would eventually like to get an extension cab for whatever I buy. I'd love to pair an Eminence Private Jack and Texas Heat/Swamp Thang together on whatever amp I buy.
 
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