Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Ian Price on November 14, 2010, 12:01:01 PM
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For me at least anyway. Since selling my high(ish) end guitars I have got a lovely Baja (with BG flat 50s). It's a seriously good guitar for the money and is much better than some of the American standards I have played.
Since getting the Baja we have had the unexpected news of twins coming in May. This means that I'll need to be careful with money and will have to sell the Martamp on (there was a half assed attempt in seconds out a few weeks ago).
Once the Martamp (and maybe my pedals) goes and Christmas comes I've got a budget of about £400 to buy a small amp (so I can still play with my mates) and a silent practice unit (for obvious reasons).
The amps I have in mind are in this ball park - Laney Cub (Andy, cheers for the previous advice on this - this switchable output on these is a great addition), Vox (valvetronix) or Fender super/vibro champ. To save a bit I'll be looking for second hand. Does anyone on here have experience of the Fender or Vox models I've noted?
The silent practice units I have in mind are either a Vox tonelab (Andy - again, thanks for the advice) or a Line 6 Pod HD - the looper function sounds like a good idea to me. Only problem is that I'm not likely to find a second hand one for a while and that I've not really been that impressed with some Line 6 stuff in the past. I've heard good things about them though. Any experience of them on here?
The real budget silent practice kit is the Vox AC30 headphone amp thing. Some of the sound clips on youtube sound decent(ish).
Fairly long post (for me at least) so any comments on some of the kit above would be appreciated!
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I have experience with the old Toneports and the podxt live
they all sound the same pretty much and its all in the way the player tweaks the settings.
I recently played the podHD and x3live
and to be honest again they dont sound much different to the old models just have a few extra amp/cab sims or so it seemed.
The vox tonelab is great as is the line6 stuff.
I would say i probably prefer the line6 stuff for the quiet use as they have direct usb facilities which also make recording quietly far easier and higher quality
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Big congrats on the upcomming twins! :D
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Congrats on the twin too. Long term think of all that extra guitar geer you could buy for the twins and then use yourself!
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with the 15% off on Orange at soundslive, I'd be very tempted to get a thunder 30. Played one at Musikmesse and it's awesome!
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Cheers Hunter - I'm sure it's a great amp. A little beyond my price point though and also not great for playing in the house!
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with the discount it's 450, so almost there, and it sounds great at low levels. I would rather get a proper amp than spend half the budget on a tonelab ...
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I really like my Valvetronix. I know that the models don't sound exactly like the real thing, but for home playing I think it's great for the money. I did have the 30 Watt so I could use the attenuator, but my bro half inched it and left me with his 15 Watt model (which I'm selling due to lack of space). Opinions on them are mixed but the amp can easily out perform my playing ability, so it's good enough for me.
Funny you should mention the Amplug (AC 30 version), that's what I'm going to replace the Valvetronix with as well as the little speaker cab for it. Tiny house and baby means the amp has got to go..... sound familiar Ian?
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with the discount it's 450, so almost there, and it sounds great at low levels. I would rather get a proper amp than spend half the budget on a tonelab ...
Yeah - still above budget though. I know it's not much above but like I said earlier, I need to be really, really careful with the £'s. I need to think of practicality as well - my music room is going to be the bedoom for our new arrivals.
Funny you should mention the Amplug (AC 30 version), that's what I'm going to replace the Valvetronix with as well as the little speaker cab for it. Tiny house and baby means the amp has got to go..... sound familiar Ian?
Sounds very familiar to me! In 5 or so years I'll be just about able to get some nicer gear.
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i picked up a peavey classic 30 combo for £250 the other week, if you could find one of them it would be a good punt
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Maybe a used Tiny Terror or Blues Junior.
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I dont think, from what I recall of your playing style(s) at the meet you would be unhappy with a valvetronix or a tonelab. I've always been impressed with the clean, rock and breakup sounds out of them (and always been unimpressed with the metal sounds)
What you make of that in the context if the sort of style you know I play I dont know :lol:
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Got to say that I only really use the old Fender and Vox stuff on the Valvetronix. Don't really use the Heavy Metal models.
Ian - I used to have a music room and office until the nipper arrived. Only finished it a month before we found out she was pregnant, so my brand new custom made desk had to ripped out :( Bloody kids :lol:
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Congratulations on the Twins Ian!
Amp wise I really liked the Vibro Champ XD I had. They don't have a headphone out but are good at getting decent sounds at low levels. The effects are okay, the Reverb is nice and the others not bad.
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Thought about an HT-5? You can pick them up for under £200 on Evil Bay...
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I'd go with any of the cheaper items from the Vox or Fender range.
They are good at the stuff you like.
Having played both the Orange and your Deluxe, I also think you would probably like the Thunder 30 but you would be running it very cold all the time and the Martamp will be as good at low volumes.
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Thought about an HT-5? You can pick them up for under £200 on Evil Bay...
Or the HT-1.
The HT-5 is better at dirty tones rather than clean
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Cheers for the responses guys - some helpful stuff in there. My head and heart is saying Fender at the moment. WIll take a look at the HT1 though - I'd not seen that before.
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Just reading up on some old threads. I'm now thinking HT1 or something from the cheaper side of the Fender stable. I think I hate being indecisive.
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I think I hate being indecisive.
:lol:
Methinks you've come up with a new signature line... mebbe for you, mebbe for someone else... perhaps you could even come to a royalty arrangement of some sort with someone who wants to use it (to help fund the new amp and/or nappies?)
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Good shout - done!
My brain is now in overload with all this what amp and what silent practice stuff going on. Jane has just suggested that I should maybe hold on to the Deluxe for a while rather than sell it for a silly cheap price.
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That sounds like a good call. They do that sometimes - my wife's just made a good call this morning "yeah, go ahead and buy it... I'll get you something else for Christmas..." what a doll! (Mind you, in return, I have just understood what an eternity/trilogy ring is and why it might be a necessary item... I'd never heard of the concept! I thought eternity rings were something that grannies wore because they'd, er, been around for an eternity...)
I seem to recall that the Deluxe hasn't been too bad for "reasonable" volumes - have I got that right? If that's the case, I'd suggest that, if "silent" practice really becomes a necessity, look at a Vox amplug thingy.
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I seem to recall that the Deluxe hasn't been too bad for "reasonable" volumes - have I got that right? If that's the case, I'd suggest that, if "silent" practice really becomes a necessity, look at a Vox amplug thingy.
Yeah - it's very good at getting a cranked sound at lowish volume. Jane obviously speaks a lot of sense and I guess I don't really want the amp to go - after selling it and buying a replacement I would only be about £350 up on the deal (and that's if it ever sold). It's probably not worth losing such a good amp for that amount of money (now talking myself out of it).
I thought eternity rings were something that grannies wore because they'd, er, been around for an eternity...)
:D
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I wouldn't sell it if I were you.
You'll end up buying something similar back as soon as you can afford it.
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I wouldn't sell it if I were you.
You'll end up buying something similar back as soon as you can afford it.
Yeah - and at a much higher cost! Really glad now that nobody has put an offer in!
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Keep it you dildo.
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Sound advice there. Cheers.
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I have a Vox Valvetronix 50 watt version, with a 12-inch speaker. My friend has a (IIRC) 30 watt version with a 10-inch speaker.
The 50 watt version is pretty dark tonally; with a dark guitar, it's a bit too dark for my tastes at home at least. The 30 watt version is brighter. Nonetheless, they have a pleasing tone! Much bang for buck.
-Zaned
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Yes, keep the Deluxe. Fine amp. If you sell it, you'll regret it soon en you end up buying the same amp again.
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i have a egnater tweaker head with a 1-12 cab that has the new eminance maverick speaker.the fdm technology works really well to get your'e sound levels quieter.http://www.300guitars.com/2010/09/eminence-fdm-speakers-first-impressions/ :)
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Keep it you dildo.
I read this in Murderface's voice.
(http://bloginternetz.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/motivator7248988.jpg)
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Shobet is far uglier than that
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i bought the LANEY VC15 recently and it is one hellava combo,one of the best bits o' kit i have ever bought
when the new mark 2 class 5 comes out i am gonna have some fun with the pair in stereo
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Yes, keep the Deluxe. Fine amp. If you sell it, you'll regret it soon en you end up buying the same amp again.
I heartily concur. Have just had twins arrive myself and went through this whole dilemma. My amp's a Carr Rambler I acquired used for about half the cost of a new one, and it's the sound I've been hearing in my head for 20 years. Very nearly flogged it in a mad five minutes when obsessively worrying about the cost of twins...but fortunately I didn't. (Would never, ever be able to get another.)If nothing else, it's an heirloom for the kids.
Going off-track momentarily: these guys are worth signing up to for twin advice/discounts: http://www.tamba.org.uk/
Also, join local twin groups - it's amazing how many generous souls will donate clothes, etc.
Good luck! First children?