Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: peps1 on July 12, 2010, 11:18:54 PM

Title: Cheap practice amp advice needed
Post by: peps1 on July 12, 2010, 11:18:54 PM: Want to upgrade from my DIY Ruby amp in the workshop....but dont want to spend a whole lot, so was thinking of something like Orange Crush PiX 12L, or a FENDER FRONTMAN 15G? (so in the £40-80 range).

I know nothing about amps, so any advice or suggestion very much welcome!
Title: Re: Cheap practice amp advice needed
Post by: Denim n Leather on July 13, 2010, 02:13:44 AM: The little Vox 4 watter looks really good!
Title: Re: Cheap practice amp advice needed
Post by: peps1 on July 13, 2010, 03:07:45 AM: It certainly does, but is twice my budget :(
Title: Re: Cheap practice amp advice needed
Post by: Denim n Leather on July 13, 2010, 03:54:49 AM: Sorry, I thought you wrote 400 quid lol.

How's about a used Roland Cube?
Title: Re: Cheap practice amp advice needed
Post by: peps1 on July 13, 2010, 04:35:00 AM: Thanks for the tip, watching some on evilbay now!
Title: Re: Cheap practice amp advice needed
Post by: fr33man1 on July 13, 2010, 06:20:38 AM: a Vox da5 ;). I still own mine even in front of tubes amps. It has good on board effects that can be useful (compressor, delay, reverb that are nices) and the sounds are good for the price.

Only shame is the speaker, since youre good in DIY, you could once build a box to welcome a 12' speaker, i think it would really serve this nice little amp ;). I'd pick this one over the cube, its more natural sounding thus its digital.
Title: Re: Cheap practice amp advice needed
Post by: ailean on July 13, 2010, 03:19:41 PM: +1 on the roland cube, great amp for the money.
Title: Re: Cheap practice amp advice needed
Post by: Fourth Feline on July 13, 2010, 04:01:01 PM: Another 'cube' lover here ; :)

I use mine for Jazz / Chord Melody, but my Microcube is tasty sounding enough to use for performing in a small room, and my 'Spare' Cube 60, has long had a cult following in the Jazz community, for being a very respectable ( and great value for money ) gigster - or back up for the much higher priced amps. :)
Title: Re: Cheap practice amp advice needed
Post by: dave_mc on July 13, 2010, 04:38:27 PM: microcube

da5 is probably worth a look too (haven't tried it)
Title: Re: Cheap practice amp advice needed
Post by: peps1 on July 13, 2010, 04:43:41 PM: looks like the micro cube is the one to go for! :D
Title: Re: Cheap practice amp advice needed
Post by: ailean on July 13, 2010, 05:05:33 PM: One little tip with the microcube, we had two at one stage, and one was a lot better sounding than the other, so if you get the option, try a couple in the shop.
Title: Re: Cheap practice amp advice needed
Post by: Matt77 on July 13, 2010, 10:14:34 PM: Quote from: Denim n Leather on July 13, 2010, 02:13:44 AM
The little Vox 4 watter looks really good!
They are a good but totally a one trick pony.
You could try and grab a second hand hand Vox Ad15vt for £80
Title: Re: Cheap practice amp advice needed
Post by: ToneMonkey on July 21, 2010, 11:19:31 AM: Quote from: Matt77 on July 13, 2010, 10:14:34 PM
Quote from: Denim n Leather on July 13, 2010, 02:13:44 AM
The little Vox 4 watter looks really good!
They are a good but totally a one trick pony.
You could try and grab a second hand hand Vox Ad15vt for £80

Funnily enough, I have one for sale sitting just next to me. I swapped it for my AD30VT with my bro as he needed more power. £80 sounds like a fair deal, drop me a PM if you're interested.
Title: Re: Cheap practice amp advice needed
Post by: octavio_amzer on July 26, 2010, 09:29:48 PM: The Roland Micro-Cube has always been my practice amp of choice.
Title: Re: Cheap practice amp advice needed
Post by: choucas09 on July 27, 2010, 10:02:20 AM: I've got masses of guitars pedals and amps, a fair bit of it high end, and my Microcube sits very well in the family. I love the little bugger, it's expressive, spunky, small and joy of joys it runs for 20hrs on 6 AA's. I got it when they first came out and several of my strumming friends have bought them after experiencing mine. One guy bought one immediately after playing mine, took it to his local music shop to show the owner who instantly ordered twelve. Nuff said really.
Title: Re: Cheap practice amp advice needed
Post by: Doadman on July 30, 2010, 05:48:13 PM: There are three modelling amps that I'd use as a practice amp. One is the Peavey Vypyr 30w, next is the Vox VT30 and finally, the Roland Cube 30X. The Vypyr just isn't cheap enough yet and between the Vox and the Roland, I'd rather have the Cube. £80-100 on Ebay seems to get you a good one, though you may get one for less.