Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: JamesHealey on February 06, 2008, 07:24:21 PM

Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: JamesHealey on February 06, 2008, 07:24:21 PM: Hey guys im looking for an amp to play with in the bedroom.. Digital modeling is fine and it's gotta be versitile, im not too fussed about super high gain tones more how it feels and responds when it's got mid-gain rock tones going on.

Any ideas? I've got a non-master volume head thats great for gigs and practices but it's a bit of a bugger using it at home, and I dont want to use an attenuator etc.. it just defeats the purpose of buying a big amp.
Title: Re: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: PoshCollins on February 06, 2008, 07:25:47 PM: Quote from: JamesHealey
Hey guys im looking for an amp to play with in the bedroom.. Digital modeling is fine and it's gotta be versitile, im not too fussed about super high gain tones more how it feels and responds when it's got mid-gain rock tones going on.

Any ideas? I've got a non-master volume head thats great for gigs and practices but it's a bit of a bugger using it at home, and I dont want to use an attenuator etc.. it just defeats the purpose of buying a big amp.

Roland cube perhaps?
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: jpmaxxy on February 06, 2008, 08:02:43 PM: How about a Bad Monkey and Harley Benton GA5 from thomann? Inexpensive tube amp and analog OD

I have a MCube and find its GnR AC/DC classic rock tones to be very lack lustre. Clean and high gain are very nice and so is the delay if your into digital delay, imo anyway.
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on February 06, 2008, 08:09:37 PM: VOX VALVETRONIX - NO DOUBT ABOUT IT
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: Transcend on February 06, 2008, 08:14:27 PM: I always liked the peavey bandit.

It can get a great range of great tones for practice.
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: HTH AMPS on February 06, 2008, 08:17:06 PM: my Epi VJ head with a MI Audio Crunchbox sounds great for home use.
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: PoshCollins on February 06, 2008, 08:17:17 PM: Hm... ...

Maybe a Line 6 POD going into a small Cab possibly? Or maybe those Atomic Amp?
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: Elliot on February 06, 2008, 08:48:48 PM: New Fender modelling/valve Superchamp?
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: Gizmo on February 06, 2008, 09:20:15 PM: valvetronix or fender xd series are both very good.

i think if your going down the low watt tube amp + pedal route i wouldnt get the mi audio crunchbox. they are very good and if you only want to spend £70 then definitely get one but if you can, id go for the dual blackstar pedal.

i ordered both at the same time and the dual although 2x as expensive is so versatile and very organic and prob best pedal i've owned.
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: Fourth Feline on February 06, 2008, 09:39:39 PM: Quote from: jpmaxxy
How about a Bad Monkey and Harley Benton GA5 from thomann? Inexpensive tube amp and analog OD

I have a MCube and find its GnR AC/DC classic rock tones to be very lack lustre. Clean and high gain are very nice and so is the delay if your into digital delay, imo anyway.

Forgive me if you already know this ( I tend to catch on late these days ) - but I see that they also have the 'Blackheart' 5 Watt valve heads or combos too. A 1 watt " killer Ant" should also be available soon. ( Sound Control are supposed to be getting them in the U.K. eventually ).

I watched a demo of the 5W by Brian Wampler of Indyguitarist.com on You Tube, and it sounded sweet. I am not sure if he had first thrown away the stock Chinese valves !

I can imagine that the more comprehensive modelling solutions that have been suggested such as the Vox Valvetronix and Fender Champ would be more flexible though.
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: sambo on February 06, 2008, 10:20:07 PM: Valvetronix most definitely.
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: HTH AMPS on February 06, 2008, 10:31:37 PM: The clips on the Laney website of of the L5T-112 are great - that would fit the bill AND it's all valve too (I know you said it doesn't have to be valve, but this amp sounds so cool)...

http://www.laney.co.uk/show_prod.php?prod=l5t-112
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: Twinfan on February 06, 2008, 10:33:01 PM: I've tried to get the best 'DC sound at reasonable volume for practice via:

Epi Valve Junior combo with Box of Rock/Crunch Box/Guv'nor etc
Orange Tiny Terror
Matamp Little Rock
etc

I now use:

JTM45 at low volume with a Blackstar HT-Dual

Absolutely no contest. The Blackstar into a big amp (set clean) is far, far, far and away the best for tone. Feel and response is "proper" too - like a cranked amp.

Pay £139 for one and stick it into your Super Lead :)
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: PoshCollins on February 06, 2008, 10:41:54 PM: What about the College amps?

You like IndySmith' Zvex?
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: gwEm on February 07, 2008, 12:10:03 AM: well, as other have said, valvetronix indeed if you want to buy new.

i'm having a bit of a fling with a Marshall Lead 12 from the mid eighties at the moment... so obviously i'll recommend that or a Marshall Reverb 12 ;) they sound like marshalls - because they are Marshalls :)
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: opprobrium_9 on February 07, 2008, 12:15:29 AM: Roland Cube, cheap, different modeling options and damn nice to look at
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: jules666 on February 07, 2008, 09:32:07 AM: gotta go with the Roland cube as well, very nice little amp for the price.
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: Scotty477 on February 07, 2008, 02:12:22 PM: I just happen to have a Roland Cube 30 for sale .... excellent nick and with it's original box to.

The cube 30's are built like tanks and the COSM effects are pretty good. Highlights are the clean (JC120) channel and for a humbucker guitar the Classic Stack (70's Marshall) sounds very nice. If you play a single coil guitar the Mesa Boogie and Fender twin models are brilliant.

I was going to put it on ebay shortly. If interested drop me a PM?
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: JamesHealey on February 08, 2008, 08:10:22 AM: we use roland cubes at university so im pretty used to using that amp, and im quite fond of them interms of versitility. so i grabbed a mini cube the little one, it's ideal for practicing in the bedroom and saves my budgies from the fright of their lives when i turn up a non-mv marshall to get distortion.
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: _tom_ on February 08, 2008, 08:32:25 AM: Quote from: Fourth Feline
( Sound Control are supposed to be getting them in the U.K. eventually ).

Sound Control Leicester allready have Blackheart amps in :)
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: gwEm on February 08, 2008, 12:06:25 PM: surely this is a bargain for someone:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Marshall-Reverb-12-Model-5205_W0QQitemZ280199088216QQihZ018QQcategoryZ10171QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: ToneMonkey on February 08, 2008, 12:27:18 PM: Definately Valvetronix.

If you get the 30Watt or abouve, it comes with an attenuator on the back. Well worth the extra £15 or so over the 15Watt (especially when the neighbours are out :wink: )
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: Scotty477 on February 08, 2008, 12:30:23 PM: Quote from: JamesHealey
we use roland cubes at university so im pretty used to using that amp, and im quite fond of them interms of versitility. so i grabbed a mini cube the little one, it's ideal for practicing in the bedroom and saves my budgies from the fright of their lives when i turn up a non-mv marshall to get distortion.

He's sorted.

The Cubes are ideal to have lying about. Durability seems to have been high on the design teams agenda :D

It seemsa lot of people are advising on Valvetronix amps though. Interesting .... Think I'll take a look.
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: robbo on February 08, 2008, 12:39:56 PM: If you're not too fussed about super hi-gain, then the laney lionheart definitely!!!

clips are on the laney site, holy cr@p this is a great amp!
its not really cheap though like some of the others :? but if you have the money, do it!
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: MDV on February 08, 2008, 12:42:09 PM: I use a cube 30, and its OK. It can get pretty harsh in the highs, but does some suprisingly good metal rhythm sounds.

However, my mates 15W valvetronix sounds better, all told.

Its really annoying.

I say valvetronix. Best small amps I've heard.
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: ToneMonkey on February 08, 2008, 02:50:06 PM: Only prolem with the valvetronix is that the footswitch is £20. I ended up buying the marshall one for a tenner instead.
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on February 08, 2008, 04:05:01 PM: Quote from: gwEm
surely this is a bargain for someone:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Marshall-Reverb-12-Model-5205_W0QQitemZ280199088216QQihZ018QQcategoryZ10171QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem[/quote

No -it sold ! :evil:
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: gwEm on February 08, 2008, 04:55:59 PM: interesting, the guy who brought it has some custom axes, earvana nuts and OFRs for sale... :twisted:
Title: Small practice amp, doesn't have to be valve.
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on February 08, 2008, 05:16:40 PM: Yep - needed a temporary cheap replacement for the one I have - which I will let you loose on. they are great in the workshop as they rarely go wrong and sound so good for the money.

Once I get the other fixed I may flog one of them.....

You could turn one into a head version and it would be more than enough to use at the London guitar show - even though people would laugh a bit.
Much easier to cart around than a 50 W head though...