CGCINC Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 I just bought an Epi 335 Dot and I plan on playing mostly Blues with it.... Any suggestions on a decent amp that's under $300? I was looking at the Peavey VYPYR 30... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mud guy Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Used fender blues jr. or a new vox ac4 combo (or any other low wattage tube amp) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 A buddy of mine uses an old Lab Series 100W combo that is just deadly with his '61 335.In the past he has also used an old Roland Jazz Chorus that sounds just as great,I believe that these were the set ups that B.B. King used through the years and my buddy being a big B.B. fan used these amps too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGCINC Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 Is the Blues Jr. 15 watts? I like to play things loud...tv, stereo, guitar.... I was thinking 30-40 watts is more what I need but I could be wrong!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Love my Vox VT40+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGCINC Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 Found a few amps on craigslist here locally... VOX VT50 like new asking $275 VOX AD100VT 212 asking $300 Vox AD50VT asking $220 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Is the Blues Jr. 15 watts? I like to play things loud...tv, stereo, guitar.... I was thinking 30-40 watts is more what I need but I could be wrong!? If you crank a Blues Jr, you'll find it's a pretty powerful 15 watts. You'll be rattling windows if you dime everything (not to mention pi$$ing off more than a neighbor or two!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Thing about the Vox vt40+ is that it's got a power knob, not a volume knob, it'll crank the output power between 0 and 60W, and all your sounds will remain the same just louder if you want. That was the main thing for me, playing time mainly when the neighbours were sleeping. Cranked it to 40W setting one day and it took books off shelves, still sounded the same. Also it's got loads of effects, amp sims, even a tuner, too many to get my head around atm. I really reccomend this amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 As mentioned, Vox Valvetronics are very capable Roland Cubes too in various sizes Laney make excellent 30watt valve combos with great OD sounds There is a theory that valve/tube watts are about twice as loud as transistor watts I've used all above mentioned successfully with an ES 335..... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Summerisle Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Is the Blues Jr. 15 watts? I like to play things loud...tv, stereo, guitar.... I was thinking 30-40 watts is more what I need but I could be wrong!? Depends what you are using it for. Is this going to be a gigging amp? A 30 watt tube amp, in my experience, will handle a bar gig without a mic in front of it. By the time you get to 50 watts, you're into some serious decibels. The Laney VC-30 I used to have was really pretty damn loud. For studio work/playing at home, these larger tube amps are largely wasted - you have to throttle back the volume so far that the tone of the amp never gets a chance to really be heard. Again, as I said - horses for courses. If you are playing bars, then a big tube amp might be a good call. For smaller gigs and home use, a 15 watt tube amp (e.g. Fender Blues Jr) will be plenty loud enough, I assure you. These days I'm using a little Line 6 Spider IV 30 as my sole amp along with my Hagstrom Viking (another ES-335 wannabee). I use the Line 6 for everything - practice/jamming/rehearsals/coffee-shop-type-gigs. And I haven't felt myself wanting for volume (or tone) yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGCINC Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 OK.. I appreciate all the help here. I am going from acoustic to electric so I really have no idea what wattage I need. I will only be playing in my basement but I Do like things loud and I want something I can create many sounds with, thats why I was looking at the Peavey VYPRY30 Modeling amp.?!? I just don't want to be stuck with one sound and a few effects. Sounds like VOX is pretty popular Also, I was looking at the Line6 spider IV 30 but the Peavey had more settings....I might be getting hung up on "more is better"? *EDIT* Just searched Line6 amps and really liked the idea of having jam tracks and drum loops to play with, this was in the description of the Spider Jam. http://www.samash.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product__-1_10052_10002_-49999935?cm_mmc=BIN-_-Line6-_-LSPIJAMXX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 If you crank a Blues Jr, you'll find it's a pretty powerful 15 watts. You'll be rattling windows if you dime everything (not to mention pi$$ing off more than a neighbor or two!). +1 I used to have one and I don't think I ever did crank it all the way up. Never needed too. It's amazing how loud 15 all tube watts seem compared to solid state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaSTuS Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 *EDIT* Just searched Line6 amps and really liked the idea of having jam tracks and drum loops to play with, this was in the description of the Spider Jam. http://www.samash.co...ne6-_-LSPIJAMXX The Line 6 Spider Jam is a great amp, especially for practice and training, in a similar vein also look at the Fender G-DEC series, pretty similar sort of feature set. I'd prefer the Line 6 myself, but if that's what you're after then it's worth checking out the Fenders too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barcham Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 I have a Vypyr 30 and I think it's a great amp. Much better sound than the Line 6 Spider amps, to my ears anyways. I tried a lot of amps in that price range and the one I liked the most was the Vypyr. The 30 is plenty loud to play a bar gig, I haven't myself but I have loaned my amp to a friend and he had no problems with it and picked up one of his own afterwards. If you add one of the optional Sanpera pedals, you'll have a setup that's hard to beat for the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Fender Mustang III. I love mine. To gig live you really need the 4 button foot switch which is an extra $40 at Sweetwater. I have a Vox AD30VT and it doesn't come close to the MIII. I also have a Vox VT50 that died 4 months after that warranty went out. My tech said it would cost more to fix than it was worth. One major selling point to me about the MIII was the 5 year warranty. I have an MIV also which I also love. I wouldn't put it into the camps of a nice tube have, which I have a few, but for 3 bills you can get some great tone oiut of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGCINC Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 Wow man, I guess I just need to take my guitar to the local music store and just listen to different amps. My thought was that with the Modeling amp's, you can make it sound like any amp you like. I really like the idea of having some drum and jam tracks to play along with built into the amp. Line6 Spider Jams is on the top of my list to look at! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Wow man, I guess I just need to take my guitar to the local music store and just listen to different amps. This is the possible thing you can do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 I can fully vouch for the Vox Valvetronix amps-they are just deadly anf can be picked up used for pretty cheap. UInlike most Hybrid amps that have the 12AX7 etc. in the preamp section the Valvetronix has the tube in the power amp section therefor giving a more realistic tube sound to the tube amps it emulates.I have an AD120VTX that I only paid $400 for when it was less than 2 years old-not bad for a $1,200 amp.The effects of the VT series are second to none and are just incredible especially the Leslie and UniVibe and other modulating effects.The amp models are also spot on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave J Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 If you crank a Blues Jr, you'll find it's a pretty powerful 15 watts. You'll be rattling windows if you dime everything (not to mention pi$$ing off more than a neighbor or two!). I would second this, I live on a small acreage , my " Man Cave" is separate from my home. I not only use my Blues Jr for playing guitar but as my go too out door party sound system ( computer, boss gt-10, Blues jr). That 15 watts rms through tubes can rock it...... Davej Ps I play it with a Epi Dot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave J Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 "For studio work/playing at home, these larger tube amps are largely wasted - you have to throttle back the volume so far that the tone of the amp never gets a chance to really be heard." Quoted from Lord Summerisle . No matter what amp you buy this a really good point. You should be looking for the amps sweet spot at the volume that you play the most at. Davej Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicmaker99 Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Wow man, I guess I just need to take my guitar to the local music store and just listen to different amps. My thought was that with the Modeling amp's, you can make it sound like any amp you like. I really like the idea of having some drum and jam tracks to play along with built into the amp. Line6 Spider Jams is on the top of my list to look at! The Spider Jam is a really great amp for learning, recording and entertaining one's self. Purists will knock it for being a sub par SS affair but I was hot 'n heavy for one a few months ago and I own mostly all tube-high wattage-heads as well as a 1969/1970 Fender Twin Reverb. I've owned a Spider III and IV and I think they do what they were intended to do quite well. I also own a VOX Valvetronix 100 watt modeling head and it really does a nice job of emulating several different cabs, etc and the fx's are quite good. Still, the Spider Jams looper, backing tracks and recording capabilities provide an infinite array of possibilities. They're not cheap---$399 I believe at GC but you can find them used at GC online. I mostly run through a Carvin MTS 3200 head into a Marshall 1960a cab. I have a Digitech Jamman looper from which I can store backing tracks on its sd card (up to 16 hours) and do my recording and "play alongs" off the looper. So, you could replicate some of the Spider Jams basic features this way and enjoy running everything through a system that is tubed and more versatile in terms of playing at home to being gig worthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGCINC Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 Thanks for all the help guys! I really think the Spider Jams is something I would use and would help me learn. I wanted to keep the price around $300 but for $400 you get a lot of bang. As far as sound, I'm not really sure of the difference in something with tubes and without since I've only played acoustic. I'm not sure if it will make that much difference since I'm really only in my basement for my pleasure and to piss the wife off... :) I did just recently go to BB's in St. Louis and there was one guy on stage with a guitar and an amp and Wow, he rocked the house with a mix of old school blues and some funky jazz/blues stuff. That made me want to get an electric and now I will recieve my 335 Monday!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaSTuS Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 I did just recently go to BB's in St. Louis and there was one guy on stage with a guitar and an amp and Wow, he rocked the house with a mix of old school blues and some funky jazz/blues stuff. That made me want to get an electric and now I will recieve my 335 Monday!! What amp was that guy using ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGCINC Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 What amp was that guy using ??? I was too far away to see and really, after the first two beers I wasn't worried about the amp! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicmaker99 Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 I was too far away to see and really, after the first two beers I wasn't worried about the amp! :) Personally, I agree. Most amps in the $200-$400 range these days sound decent enough for the bedroom/basement player and if you're buying used that's a good chunk of change to get into something quite nice and respectable for gigging. Heck, I just scored an old Fender M-80 Pro -300watt- head for $40 at GC...it sounds awesome (yeppers...300 wonderful solid state watts...creamy reverb and crunchy gain...I can't get the volume past 1-1/2)!!!! Today, a Marshall AVT150HX for $199--I'm a sucker for FX's. FENDER M80 Get the Spider Jam--I saw one used at GC today for $299. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.