alpinebob22 Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Hello, This is my first time to post, so bare with me... I just bought my first LP- a Traditional Plus and am starting to look at amps to compliment it. I have some preferences which are more or less guidelines rather than absolute necessities. I'd like to find an amp which is 15 watts or less, all tube including rectifier, with onboard reverb. I currently have a Super Reverb RI, and am looking for a smaller bedroom/practice amp that will break up without the cops showing up at my door. My max is ~$2k, ideally I'd like to stay under $1500. I would consider used, but I live in Alaska so Ebay/Craigslist isn't a real possibility. As far as playing styles, I'm mainly into Blues/Rock. My other guitar is an Eric Johnson Strat, so anything that would compliment both guitars would be a plus. Thanks for any advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Moore Tribute Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Personally I would Surgest either a BlackStar* HT series or an Orange Tiny Terror they aren't too expensive and then you can use any cabinet & speaker you want (1x12 / 4x12) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryUK Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 For that money you'd get a second hand Mesa Boogie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjmwrx Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 For that money you'd get a second hand Mesa Boogie. +1 You can't go wrong with an LP plugged into a Mesa. EOS Plus, Mesa's are pretty bullet proof. Even second hand, they rock out forever. Sounds to me like a Mesa Express, or a used Dual Rectifier Blue Angel/Maverick/Mini Rectifier would be right up your alley. The Express uses a silicon rectifier with a SAG circuit, but the others - the Mini, use switchable Tube or Silicon as they are Dual Rectifiers. You can easily pick up a combo for less than 1K used. Lone Star Special has all of the specs you are looking for, and can be had new for less than 2K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Dr Z Carr Mercury (but no tube recto) Swart Matchless I'd say these are up there amongst the best. Another one that comes to mind with a tube recto is the handwired AC15. You may also need an attenuator. My 5w Swart can be heard outside of the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blakestyger Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 DR Z Maz 18 w/reverb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eracer_Team Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 The trick in you post was the tube rectifier.. but I haven't tried this out yet but Huges and Kettner TubeMeister 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 if you could live w/a SS rectifier, the Blues Jr is an exellent 15w tuber with a true Master circuit gives my Lesters a great "singing" vintage vibed tone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Go out and play as many different kinds of "Tube" amps, as you can find within or near you price range, and spec's. After all...Only You will know, what You like! ;>) CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Personal opinion herefollows <_< For bedroom use consider saving a shed-load of money And purchase a hybrid amp like Vox Valvetronics Great sounds with valve pre-amp Sound fab/groovy at low volumes Spend the saved money on more guitars, female company, leather straps, beer..... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich W Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Dr Z Carr Mercury (but no tube recto) Swart Matchless I'd say these are up there amongst the best. Another one that comes to mind with a tube recto is the handwired AC15. You may also need an attenuator. My 5w Swart can be heard outside of the house. +1 for the Carr Mercury if bedroom and night playing is an important to you Tone on the 1/2 watt setting, to my ears, is still nice ... and the 8 watt setting is pretty loud. Steve Carr gigs with his Mercury. The Mercury is also versatile enough, with it's 3 boost settings, to give you a nice blackface Fender clean tone for your Eric Johnson strat; and some dirt too. If volume isn't a big concern, then it might make sense to get something else. But for apartment dwellers and nighttime players, it's among the best boutique amps in this price range, I think, and used ones are occasionally available for about $1500. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexygibson Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 I tend to think that $1500- $2000 is alot of dough to spend on a amp just for practice and playing at home. There are alot of very affordable options out there these days. As another poster suggested, you could always look into hybrids. I owned a Fender Super Champ XD that was a great little amp for knocking around with. It has been the only amp I've ever found that could go from sparkling Fender cleans to Mesa type gain at the turn of a knob. What are your playing styles ? That is another consideration. Will you be recording ? If so, I would stick with all tube but if not I would explore all options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpinebob22 Posted October 17, 2011 Author Share Posted October 17, 2011 I tend to think that $1500- $2000 is alot of dough to spend on a amp just for practice and playing at home. There are alot of very affordable options out there these days. As another poster suggested, you could always look into hybrids. I owned a Fender Super Champ XD that was a great little amp for knocking around with. It has been the only amp I've ever found that could go from sparkling Fender cleans to Mesa type gain at the turn of a knob. What are your playing styles ? That is another consideration. Will you be recording ? If so, I would stick with all tube but if not I would explore all options. Thanks for the reply, There are a few reasons why I am willing to splurge on a practice amp: I am married with kids, so my chances of becoming a rockstar are pretty much gone. Therefore I don't really need a 30+ watt amp that will make my ears bleed. I plan on playing guitar until my hands fall off, and I've found much more satisfaction with carefully selecting equipment and spending the money rather than constantly cycling through gear. Charlie B, I appreciate your post and agree with you; I have a local music store that stocks the main manufacturers: Fender, Mesa, Vox, Peavey, etc. What I had hoped to get out of this post (and I think it's been quite successful so far) is a good working list of what other amps people really love, so that when I find myself in Seattle with a few hours to kill I can walk into a store and have a list of rarer, less known amps to try. As for Mesas, I've played through a Mark I RI, Mark V, and Stilletto Ace and I really liked them. My local store carries them, and I will definitely check out the Lonestar Special. Sorry for the ramble, keep up with the suggestions, and thanks for all the input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Thanks for the reply, There are a few reasons why I am willing to splurge on a practice amp: I am married with kids, so my chances of becoming a rockstar are pretty much gone. Therefore I don't really need a 30+ watt amp that will make my ears bleed. I plan on playing guitar until my hands fall off, and I've found much more satisfaction with carefully selecting equipment and spending the money rather than constantly cycling through gear. Charlie B, I appreciate your post and agree with you; I have a local music store that stocks the main manufacturers: Fender, Mesa, Vox, Peavey, etc. What I had hoped to get out of this post (and I think it's been quite successful so far) is a good working list of what other amps people really love, so that when I find myself in Seattle with a few hours to kill I can walk into a store and have a list of rarer, less known amps to try. As for Mesas, I've played through a Mark I RI, Mark V, and Stilletto Ace and I really liked them. My local store carries them, and I will definitely check out the Lonestar Special. Sorry for the ramble, keep up with the suggestions, and thanks for all the input! Yeah, I wasn't trying to be a smart-a$$, but we're all different, in our tone prefernces and required spec's, on amps, much like we are, on guitars/pickups, etc. There are just SO many, great amps, now...that's it's nearly impossible, to pick "One!" Maybe I'm just "cheap?"...but, I (too) can't see paying 1,500 bucks, for a low-watt bedroom amp! There are some great "modeling" amps, Vox especially, but the newer Fender Mustang series, also. Orange "Tiny Terror" is a great (all tube) little amp, as well. Save the extra bucks...with a family, and kids, you'll need every cent! (Smile) But, it's (rightfully) up to you... CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff-7 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 If you're looking to keep the volume down a Mesa Transatlantic 15 is a good amp, as well as the AC15. Try to check those out if it's at all possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbrodie Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Egnater Tweaker or the VHT Special 6 would work well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CapM Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I'm in the same boat as you. Too old to start a music career, and a family who doesn't like loud music as much as me! When I use headphones, I really prefer just going through my MacBook or iPad that through my amp. If I were you, I would consider this. I'd look for a nice small to mid-size tube amp with good tone; I got a killer Fender tube amp used on Craigslist for $450 in pristine condition, and it has WAY more power than I'll ever need. Then I would use the rest of your budget to build out a killer pedal board. I think this setup would be more enjoyable for home use. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich W Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 This has turned into an interesting thread. And it looks like I’m in the minority here. Spending two or three thousand dollars each for a collection of nice guitars like Les Pauls, and then playing them with a sub $1000 amp seems backwards to me. Dave Hunter, frequent contributor of articles to Gibson.com and author of several great gear books, has a good take on this, I think. He says in his tube amp book that most people spend quite a bit more on their guitars than on their amps. But that a budget guitar played through a more expensive amp almost always sounds much better than an expensive guitar played through a budget amp. Spending a couple of thousand or more on an amp might seem excessive. But if you have the money to buy a collection of nice guitars worth several times that amount, does it make sense to cut corners on the amp purchase, given that the amp's greater role in the signal chain? I think if you can scrape up the dough to get a good amp with tone that you love, it’s well worth it, and you’ll probably keep it forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanH Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I'm in the same boat as you. Too old to start a music career, and a family who doesn't like loud music as much as me! When I use headphones, I really prefer just going through my MacBook or iPad that through my amp. If I were you, I would consider this. I'd look for a nice small to mid-size tube amp with good tone; I got a killer Fender tube amp used on Craigslist for $450 in pristine condition, and it has WAY more power than I'll ever need. Then I would use the rest of your budget to build out a killer pedal board. I think this setup would be more enjoyable for home use. Good luck! +1 If having a blast at home without upsetting the neighbours is your aim, you can't go wrong with a tube amp that takes pedals well and, naturally, some fun pedals. If you've got a good clean tube sound with all the associated harmonic overtones, distortion and overdrive pedals can sound superb at very low volumes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enmitygauged Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I like my rig. The TA-15 from MESA with an orange 1x12 cab the vintage 30 has that amazing growl. But try that amp on different cabs. and dont be scared to play with the settings it has some amazing characteristics once you start adjusting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enmitygauged Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 This has turned into an interesting thread. And it looks like I'm in the minority here. Spending two or three thousand dollars each for a collection of nice guitars like Les Pauls, and then playing them with a sub $1000 amp seems backwards to me. Dave Hunter, frequent contributor of articles to Gibson.com and author of several great gear books, has a good take on this, I think. He says in his tube amp book that most people spend quite a bit more on their guitars than on their amps. But that a budget guitar played through a more expensive amp almost always sounds much better than an expensive guitar played through a budget amp. Spending a couple of thousand or more on an amp might seem excessive. But if you have the money to buy a collection of nice guitars worth several times that amount, does it make sense to cut corners on the amp purchase, given that the amp's greater role in the signal chain? I think if you can scrape up the dough to get a good amp with tone that you love, it's well worth it, and you'll probably keep it forever. probably the best post I have seen on here in a year. :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Well, I don't think any knowledgeable player, has a problem with spending more, on a great amp, than a guitar, knowing the results will bear that out. However... in a small, practice, "bedroom" amp, I'm just not convinced, that's at all needed. Unless you're going to only play when the family (or parents) are gone, the neighbors are on vacation, and want to peel the paint off the walls, shatter windows, and send animals scurrying off, to the neighboring county, there are plenty of small, solid state, modeling, and tube amps, well below that price range, that sound amazing, at those lower, more realistic volumes. Just because they don't cost 1.5 to 3 grand, doesn't mean they aren't good, or even great amps, for what they're designed to be. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUSHian Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I have a Hughes and Kettner Switblade 50 and I couldn't be happier!! 50 watts of all tube goodness! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc3c46 Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 +1 You can't go wrong with an LP plugged into a Mesa. EOS Plus, Mesa's are pretty bullet proof. Even second hand, they rock out forever. Sounds to me like a Mesa Express, or a used Dual Rectifier Blue Angel/Maverick/Mini Rectifier would be right up your alley. The Express uses a silicon rectifier with a SAG circuit, but the others - the Mini, use switchable Tube or Silicon as they are Dual Rectifiers. You can easily pick up a combo for less than 1K used. Lone Star Special has all of the specs you are looking for, and can be had new for less than 2K. +1 Get the Lonestar Special. I have one and it can ce switched from 30 to 15 to 5 watts. 5 watts can be mighty loud. Use a good pedal as in a TS808 ad your rocking at almost any volume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff-7 Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 This has turned into an interesting thread. And it looks like I’m in the minority here. Spending two or three thousand dollars each for a collection of nice guitars like Les Pauls, and then playing them with a sub $1000 amp seems backwards to me. Dave Hunter, frequent contributor of articles to Gibson.com and author of several great gear books, has a good take on this, I think. He says in his tube amp book that most people spend quite a bit more on their guitars than on their amps. But that a budget guitar played through a more expensive amp almost always sounds much better than an expensive guitar played through a budget amp. Spending a couple of thousand or more on an amp might seem excessive. But if you have the money to buy a collection of nice guitars worth several times that amount, does it make sense to cut corners on the amp purchase, given that the amp's greater role in the signal chain? I think if you can scrape up the dough to get a good amp with tone that you love, it’s well worth it, and you’ll probably keep it forever. Great post, my amp cost about double what I've paid for any guitar and the expense is well worth it. He doesn't need to spend multi-thousands for a low watt bedroom amp but if he was so inclined many boutique makers like Swart offer very nice low wattage amps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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