What's a nice, small tube combo?

PFDarkside

PFDarkside

of the Forum
What type of tube combo is good for bedrom and very small scale jamming, takes pedals well (from Fuzz Face, Muff and Tonebender style fuzzes to TS and DS-1s to Metal pedals for heavy and punk stuff), still a full, round sound (is an 8'' speaker too small to get a tone with decent bass?) and can still stand on it's own without pedals?

I joke about having two 100W amps as my bedroom amps, but let's be honest, it's peobably not the best for my ears, let alone for my neighbor's opinion of my playing. ;)

I've never played a 6V6 amp, so I don't know if I prefer 6V6 or EL84, I know I need to try a Deluxe Reverb reissue, but even that isn't a 'quiet' amp, right?

What do you guys use for this type of stuff?
 
Re: What's a nice, small tube combo?

If you can hear it, your neighbors or family can hear it.

Still, I'd look for a nice '74 or so silverface Fender Princeton Reverb. Put a Weber C10NQ speaker in it. Maybe send it to Bruce (http://www.missionamps.com) and have him tweak it like he did my two Princetons and you'll have just about the most fabulous sounding amp on the planet. No kidding. Lew


PFDarkside said:
What type of tube combo is good for bedrom and very small scale jamming, takes pedals well (from Fuzz Face, Muff and Tonebender style fuzzes to TS and DS-1s to Metal pedals for heavy and punk stuff), still a full, round sound (is an 8'' speaker too small to get a tone with decent bass?) and can still stand on it's own without pedals?

I joke about having two 100W amps as my bedroom amps, but let's be honest, it's peobably not the best for my ears, let alone for my neighbor's opinion of my playing. ;)

I've never played a 6V6 amp, so I don't know if I prefer 6V6 or EL84, I know I need to try a Deluxe Reverb reissue, but even that isn't a 'quiet' amp, right?

What do you guys use for this type of stuff?
Click to expand...
 
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Re: What's a nice, small tube combo?

I have a lonestar 30w and it's really sweet. It's like you describe, but there's something special about it. It's just really nice to play for some reason. I tried this 30w Black Pearl combo and it was real nice too. The cleans on that are just as good as the Lonestar I think.
 
Re: What's a nice, small tube combo?

I've been looking at those crate palomino amps, mostly the V16 which is 15 watts class A. I know thats perfect for the bedroom, I just don't know if it would be ok for gigs or playing with a loud drummer. Ive heard nothing but mixed reviews.
 
Re: What's a nice, small tube combo?

thespricket said:
I've been looking at those crate palomino amps, mostly the V16 which is 15 watts class A. I know thats perfect for the bedroom, I just don't know if it would be ok for gigs or playing with a loud drummer. Ive heard nothing but mixed reviews.
Click to expand...

I can cut through a loud drummer with my V32 (in fact, with the first serious band I was in I got to play it live quite alot), but I think you'd struggle with the V16. If you did manage to use it with a band, you'd have to throw any sort of headroom out the window and tell your drummer to stop playing quite so hard.
 
Re: What's a nice, small tube combo?

personally I think 15 watts is WAY too much for a bedroom. I've been borrowing a friends blues junior and even on 1.5 its too loud.

I use to own a 6 watt champ and that was a little loud too.
 
Re: What's a nice, small tube combo?

I've used a little Laney L15 (I think) at a practise once. It wa loud enough but a bit lacking in bottom end, until you plug it into a 2x12. For 15w it's loud enough :)
 
Re: What's a nice, small tube combo?

ericmeyer4 said:
personally I think 15 watts is WAY too much for a bedroom. I've been borrowing a friends blues junior and even on 1.5 its too loud.

I use to own a 6 watt champ and that was a little loud too.
Click to expand...

That's been my experience as well.

It's why I consider digital amps to be the perfect bedroom amp.
 
Re: What's a nice, small tube combo?

I am somewhat fortunate in that I have an understanding family and super cool neighbors so I can let the Marshalls rip here at the house until 10 pm and after that I cut it out just to be considerate. In the last 8 years I have not been asked to turn it down or had the law at my door.

The Crates Palaminos are cool and I love my V32 but it still needs to be opened up a bit if I want juicy. The V16s are cool if you don't need a dedicated clean channel or a lot of headroom. If you have people that are prone to complain then both are probably too much amp for a bedroom.

A digital amp or modeler and a 4 channel mixer are a better way to contain level, get some kind of satisfying tone and not get reamed by the folks living in proximity to your playing.

Run a Pod into 2 channels, an ext source so you can play over something (mp3s, ect) and get a pair of headphones. No more complaints and you can play at 3 in the morning without waking the dead.
 
Re: What's a nice, small tube combo?

Skarekrough said:
That's been my experience as well.

It's why I consider digital amps to be the perfect bedroom amp.
Click to expand...

I agree.

At really low volumes, digital just seems to sound way better than anything tube and it usually ends up being a lot cheaper as well. I didn't really "get" that until I got my MicroCube. Sure enough, that thing rocks at talking volumes more than any other amp I own.
 
Re: What's a nice, small tube combo?

I just got done jamming with a friend of mine last night. He had one of those Pignose brand amps, little 15 watter I think. That thing is actually very nice sounding. I recommend that one.

I have also played the Fender Blues Junior, the Epiphone valve little tube amp, and the Peavey Delta Blues. The Delta Blues definitely takes pedals well and has its own channel, tremolo, and reverb. I prefer the 2x10" speaker model. As for the Valve amp, I don't know how well it takes pedals, but if you're one of those "clean means back off the volume on the guitar" people, you'd probably like it. I did. Then there's the Blues Junior. I didn't honestly get to test it with pedals. Sounds good though.
 
Re: What's a nice, small tube combo?

I'd go for something with 6V6 and 1x12", like a 5C3/5E3 tweed Deluxe clone---sounds great clean, simple circuit, small package, can stand on it's own at low volumes, and there are plenty of clones for sale out there at reasonable prices. Unlike, some of the newer amps, this is one you might want to keep for awhile.
 
Re: What's a nice, small tube combo?

thespricket said:
I've been looking at those crate palomino amps, mostly the V16 which is 15 watts class A. I know thats perfect for the bedroom, I just don't know if it would be ok for gigs or playing with a loud drummer. Ive heard nothing but mixed reviews.
Click to expand...

I've got the Crate V30 "3112TT" 30 watts class A into a single 12" Tone Tubby speaker, it can sound awesome at bedroom levels...and is more than loud enough for gigs!....one thing to consider tho it IS a dark sounding amp, so if you're into the "Fender" sparkle...this puppy ain't for you

~Mitch~
 
Re: What's a nice, small tube combo?

I run a POD thru a small solid state Fender.

Perfect for bedroom volumes...
 
Re: What's a nice, small tube combo?

SonofaMitch said:
I've got the Crate V30 "3112TT" 30 watts class A into a single 12" Tone Tubby speaker, it can sound awesome at bedroom levels...and is more than loud enough for gigs!....one thing to consider tho it IS a dark sounding amp, so if you're into the "Fender" sparkle...this puppy ain't for you

~Mitch~
Click to expand...

That's weird. Maybe it's that dark because of the Tone Tubby? Mine chimes like nothing else and is actually pretty bright.
 
Re: What's a nice, small tube combo?

Hayden Essex Blonde - my 15w version has a switch so you can run it at 8w; or there is an 8w version.

Beautiful clean sound, takes pedals very well. Not cheap though.
 
Re: What's a nice, small tube combo?

Boogie 22 or its heirs, maybe? Nice EL84 action and IMHO it does what you describe.
 
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