Author Topic: Minimat or Tiny Terror? (Read 5119 times)

marmoset · « **on:** December 26, 2006, 05:50:12 PM »

My birthday is just after Christmas, and so I will probably soon have some money to spend on a new guitar amp (I have some saved up already, so all in all my budget is <£300) :twisted:

I'm 16, and I'm looking for an amp for home practice, and jamming with friends. Occasionaly I do play with a drummer, and then I'm usually at a practice room where I can borrow an amp, but it would be a plus if it could be heard over a drummer.

So, I've looked around on the internet, and searched some forums, and it seems the main contenders are the minimat and the tiny terror. Tonewise, sounds I like are John Frusciante, Gary Moore, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest. I think Iron Maiden and some Metallica is the highest gain I would want, nothing uber metally.

I was thinking that the tiny terror or EL34 minimat would be good for me. Would the minimat be loud enough to play over a drummer (I think the EL34 one is 4W clean)? And which would suit me best?

Thanks,

Naren

LazyNinja · « **Reply #1 on:** December 26, 2006, 07:26:33 PM »

Another option is Laney LC15R, a 15 watt valve combo that can go maiden heavy easily and costs 180 new. Remember that for the orange or the matamp you'll need a cab to go with it which may be another 100 quid.

Adam.M · « **Reply #2 on:** December 26, 2006, 07:32:48 PM »

"Metallica is the highest gain I would want, nothing uber metally"

Exactly what i wanted out of an amp! :)

Go for the Laney LC 15R.

It's everything you could need for a practice amp, without spending silly money on a cornford 'quin.

Adam.M · « **Reply #3 on:** December 26, 2006, 07:37:27 PM »

...looks like that laney is popular in leeds...

marmoset · « **Reply #4 on:** December 27, 2006, 12:19:42 PM »

That Laney sounds great, I'll try to try one out. It's also cheaper than the other two, which is always good. I have a Line 6 Spider combo at the moment, which I could use as a makeshift cab until I built my own/bought one if I do go for a head.

Has anyone else got experience of the minimat, tiny terror or LC15R?

_tom_ · « **Reply #5 on:** December 27, 2006, 12:26:19 PM »

I have no experience with the LC15R but I have a GH50L which is really good value for money. Perfect for anything from blues up to hard rock/metal and I assume the lower wattage Laneys are just as good (although maybe the speaker in the combo may not be really high quality, cant remember what the LC15R have in em).

marmoset · « **Reply #6 on:** December 27, 2006, 05:46:13 PM »

Thanks, the LC15R is sounding really good at the moment, and as it's cheaper than the others I would have enough money left over to change the speaker later if I didn't like it. From reading around I think the matamp might not have the gain I'd like, I don't want crushing metal but it seems better suited to more tasteful music :P

So it will probably be between the Tiny Terror and the LC15R. I'll try and try them out to make up my own mind, but I'd still love to hear what you guys have to say.

dave_mc · « **Reply #7 on:** December 27, 2006, 06:10:02 PM »

make sure you try the laney up full, I haven't tried the lc15r, but the lc30 sounded like it was going to, er, fall apart when I had it up loud. I think it was a combo of dodgy speaker, dodgy cab construction, and not the best valves in the world...

marmoset · « **Reply #8 on:** December 27, 2006, 06:29:07 PM »

Yeah I'd read some harmony central reviews that said the cab construction and speaker was a bit dodgy, but I don't really trust those reviews (they seem pretty polarised, with some people saying they're perfect and others saying they're dreadful).

How many venues wouldn't I be able to mic up my amp at? At my local place you can, and that's pretty small. I've only played classical concerts at school so I don't really know. Is it usual to not mic up your amp?

dave_mc · « **Reply #9 on:** December 27, 2006, 09:17:36 PM »

yeah, you need to read between the lines when reading reviews to weed out the fanboys, and those whose piece of kit broke down 5 minutes after receiving it, so they're paying the manufacturer back with a bad review.

Reviews can be useful, but there is a kind of an art to getting the most out of them.

:drink:

JamesHealey · « **Reply #10 on:** December 27, 2006, 10:32:05 PM »

since im from leeds im also going to suggest the LC15 it's a great little amp!

marmoset · « **Reply #11 on:** December 27, 2006, 11:30:23 PM »

Thanks guys, it's definitely between the Laney and the Tiny Terror now. I'm swaying towards the Tiny Terror, just because they're both 15W valve amps and the Tiny Terror is more portable (in that oh so manly amp-bag they give you :) ). Of course at this point it probably comes down to sound, so I'll have to try and try them out. Has anyone had any issues with their LC15's construction? And is there anyone who owns/has played a Tiny Terror?

sambo · « **Reply #12 on:** December 28, 2006, 12:34:17 AM »

hmmm well the orange would be portable in a sense... but then you have to remember the cab/speaker or whatever your going to play it through.... ?

or has that already been discussed and ive missed something... ? :oops:

blue · « **Reply #13 on:** December 28, 2006, 06:27:56 AM »

like "the sam" says, the tiny terror is only a head, you will also require a speaker, and what i hear from this forum generally is that laney amps are, shall we say, okay? in fact the consensus seems to be "wa-hay!!!"

but, as always, use your ears! the amplifier is probably the most significant contributor to your overall sound, so you sould definatelely give it a listen before you splash the cash! don't automatically discount solid state amps, some of them are really quite good. of course they don't compare to a Mesa dual rectifier, or a Matchless Bad Cat, but they cost about two grand less!!!

and ultimately, tone comes from your heart, the shitetieast little amp can sound great if you feed your soul through the cable

which reminds me, may whatever god he had welcome james brown into his arms, the rest of us will just remember his music. and yes Ben, i agree, Bootsy is his finest legacy! the funk is strong with that one!

marmoset · « **Reply #14 on:** December 28, 2006, 02:47:59 PM »

I forgot about the cab for the Tiny Terror, in some places I could borrow one, but usually I'd need my own, so it's not that much more portable. I think I'll just try them out now (and some other amps in my price range).

Thanks everyone, you've been really helpful :)