Valve Amp for Practise - Where to Start ???

[Gav2000]

Hi Guys,

I have a Line 6 Flextone III amp which works well but has lots of knobs/controls which I just don't use. I'm coming to the conclusion it possibly wasn't the best purchase and a simple valve amp may be better for home practise. However, I know nothing about valve amps and so don't know what to look at. Are there a few well regarded simple valve amps I can consider?

In terms of playing I have a Tele (obviously) and despite having a large collection of heavy metal and hard rock CD's I find myself (as a learner) playing lighter stuff including The Eagles, Chili Peppers, Oasis, The Police and (over the last few days) Natalie Imbruglia!

After being swamped by buttons on my current amp it'd be good to have a really simple amp with a nice clean tone that I could add a disortion pedal to when required. In terms of available funds I would be buying in the UK and would have £300, possibly £400 to spend.

If you can suggest a short list to help focus me I'd be greateful?

Thanks,

Gav.

[musicalmartin]

I use Blackstar BT5 head but they also make a Combo at 299 UKP .its a fine amp with many tones but easy to use .Clean its good at fairly loud practice levels .If you want louder cleans then I use Dano A CT0-1 to boost it up .at 35 UKP a bargain .On overdrive the Blackstar is just incredible ,it really pins down some great tones and using the outputs to larger cabs makes it all even better.I doubt you will need an Overdrive pedal .It also has very good headphone speaker emulation .Made in Korea to a very high standard .I recomend like no other .I run Keystone equipped Teles and Strats and also a Tonerider equipped Dot .It sounds perfect on all these but the Tele loves it .

[Jeff_K]

Get ready for lots of love on the Fender Blues Jr., which seems to be the stock answer here, not unexpectedly. I picked up a Crave V18 212 for $125 off Craigslist and it's crazy good for the money. But that's a small fraction of your budget. I was looking at the BJr and the Peavey C30 for the money you're talking about, both of which are beloved here. Your budget is just right for a great small tube amp. Much discussion on this subject in other recent threads if you do a search, too.

[yonie]

How about the Vox AC4TV? I played around with it a little bit recently and it couldn't get much easier than that, i believe.

http://www.voxamps.com/us/modernclassic/ac4tv/

[castpolymer]

I have a Epiphone Valve Junior, Peavey Classic 20, Fender Blues Junior, Epiphone Galaxy and a vintage Champ that would all fit the bill. Cost wise, the Epi Jr. or the Galaxy ( if you can find one ) are the least expensive.

[twangstick]

Definitely the Blackstar HT-5. They're not too expensive for what they are!

[Gav2000]

Originally Posted by twangstick

Definitely the Blackstar HT-5. They're not too expensive for what they are!

Is the "Patent-Applied-For Infinite Shape Feature (ISF)" some sort of digital gadgetry?

Gav.

[waterboy452]

You might also want to check out the new Marshall Class 5. It is a 5 watt, all tube combo, with bass, mid, treble, and volume controls. 12" speaker. From the youtube clips I have watched, they sound awesome. It should be within your price range. $399 here in the US.

[musicalmartin]

Originally Posted by Gav2000

Is the "Patent-Applied-For Infinite Shape Feature (ISF)" some sort of digital gadgetry?

Gav.

No idea but it certainly works ,from Fender -Ampeg through Vox Marshall,probably others .Nothing specific .You find your own favorite tone ..The sound is all tube and usable .If you stick a pedal in fron t of a tube amp youve already gone digital anyway .

[eugenedunn]

You'd better define your budget first. Many to choose from. Sounds like you need a primarily clean amp..... some of those smaller tube amps like the Epiphone Valve Jr and small Blackheart and other various 5 watt amps get dirty fast and don't have that much range in the volume knob before they start getting fuzzy.

[nvilletele]

If you were in the US, I'd suggest checking out the Gibson Goldtone GA-5 in the classifieds here . . . some good looking guy has been trying to sell it for a while now . . . .

[68 Shovelhead]

Originally Posted by yonie

How about the Vox AC4TV? I played around with it a little bit recently and it couldn't get much easier than that, i believe.

http://www.voxamps.com/us/modernclassic/ac4tv/

I'm impressed with these as well, the attenuator is really nice for bedroom level playing. I have a Blues Junior that I love, but for bedroom levels I think I might prefer the AC4.
I haven't tried one yet, but some of the small heads like the Egnater Rebel 20 look pretty exciting, some of them have attenuators like the AC4 that should scrunch the wattage down to a nice crunchy bedroom level.
Of coarse you could also get an attenuator from Weber (or others) for a 5-15 watt amp, which I have considered for my BJ.

[Tim Armstrong]

It's not a tube/valve amp, but the Vox Pathfinder 15r is a ridiculously fine little amp, perfect for practicing, and if you mic it, even quite gigable!

Tim

[Fogboundturtle]

+1 vote to AC4TV.

[johnreardon]

Originally Posted by twangstick

Definitely the Blackstar HT-5. They're not too expensive for what they are!

Agree. Support your Northants company and check out the Blackstar HT-5.

If you can make the Boot in Earls Barton, this Thursday evening, I'll let you check out mine. I should be playing at the weekly jam

[allen st. john]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

It's not a tube/valve amp, but the Vox Pathfinder 15r is a ridiculously fine little amp, perfect for practicing, and if you mic it, even quite gigable!

Tim

I would agree with Tim. I got a Pathfinder 15r for my son and it's a killer amp for pedal money, and I'm generally a tube amp snob, with a Blackface Princeton and a vintage Fender outboard Reverb.

[Jack]

Originally Posted by Fogboundturtle

+1 vote to AC4TV.

+2 This is a killer little amp.

[mattio]

The low wattage part of the BlackHeart line like the Little Giant is good for practise. Not really quiet but it will take pedals well. Also the Champion 600 comes to mind. Both descent amps and both woukld give you quality amp for little money.

[superhand]

+1 more for the Vox AC4TV. Best sounding amp I ever owned. And I've owned more than I can remember off the top of my head.

[boomboomba]

Another +1 for the Vox AC4TV. Also have a serious listen to Fender Super & Vibro Champ XD's. They have digital effects but tube power circuits, and are excellent clean (and the amp models are top class.) Not too many knobs either, but more than the Vox. The Vox is tough to beat honestly.

[imsilly]

Princeton Reverb, silverface on a budget or blackface if you are feeling decadent. I know it might be more wattage then you are looking for, but you can't really go wrong with one. I kind of like reverb and tremolo so I can't imagine a practice amp without both.

[Rigby]

There's no way you'll pick up a Princeton Reverb in the UK for that kind of money, unless you get very lucky. But a Champ or Vibrochamp would be an option.

[studio1087]

Originally Posted by yonie

How about the Vox AC4TV? I played around with it a little bit recently and it couldn't get much easier than that, i believe.

http://www.voxamps.com/us/modernclassic/ac4tv/

That would be a great idea.....you would have budget left over for a pedal or two.

The Pathfinder 15R would be a great solid state idea.

I'm assuming that anything VOX can be found in your neighborhood.

[studio1087]

A Blues Junior is way too loud for a practice amp. Don't go over 5 watts.

[nogin007]

There have been a couple of posts about the Peavey Valveking Royal 8(5 watt) amp being on closeout for $99. A post on here was for Woodwind & Brasswind, and a post at Strat Talk was for Music 123. I haven't played that particular Peavey, but the price is right for a practise amp.

[jjkrause84]

The Vox AC4TV seems like the best bet. Remember that even 4-5 watts can get LOUD....way too loud for normal practice. At least the Vox has an attenuator to get you down to 1w or 1/4w....Champs don't have that

[Tim Armstrong]

I laugh whenever I see someone write that an amp is "too loud" for practice or home use!

Every amp I've ever owned has had a volume knob!

Tim

[manbearpig]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

I laugh whenever I see someone write that an amp is "too loud" for practice or home use!

Every amp I've ever owned has had a volume knob!

Tim

True. And if you need breakup, even 5 watts is too loud for home practice. My philosophy is get a weber mass and then you never have to worry about any of it again on any amp you get. You can crank the amp volume for breakup, but keep the actual volume level low. You can use the 30 watt amp that you use for band situation at home at conversation level. Yes, you lose some magic and all the speaker breakup, but it is going to sound closer to your sound than an entirely different amp.
My 2 cents.

EDIT: I realize that my post above is an aside. To actually answer the OP's question, I vote AC4tv as well. Vol, Tone. Simple. Sounds wonderfully sparkly and jangly too.

[studio1087]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

I laugh whenever I see someone write that an amp is "too loud" for practice or home use!

Every amp I've ever owned has had a volume knob!

Tim

Some amps are still not practice friendly despite the volume knob. I used to have a Hot Rod Deluxe with the linear (2-4-8-16-32-64) master volume and I would place my pinky against the master volume and try ti just nudge the chicken head knob microns to get a living room volume. The amp would ge from nothing to SCREAMING. Some amps stink for low volume practice.

Hot Rods prefer.... loud - Louder - and MY EARS ARE BLEEDING!



John

[Tim Armstrong]

Originally Posted by studio1087

Some amps are still not practice friendly despite the volume knob. I used to have a Hot Rod Deluxe with the linear (2-4-8-16-32-64) master volume and I would place my pinky against the master volume and try ti just nudge the chicken head knob microns to get a living room volume. The amp would ge from nothing to SCREAMING. Some amps stink for low volume practice.

Hot Rods prefer.... loud - Louder - and MY EARS ARE BLEEDING!



John

Fair enough, I stand corrected!

I haven't played those Hot Rod amps, though. My experience was with a Music Man HD130, a 50-watt Marshall JMP head and an SF Bassman head, all very loud 50+ watt amps when cranked, but all quite toneful at low volume.

I suppose it would be helpful to define what kind of performance one wants in a "practice" situation. I want pleasing tone, perhaps with a little reverb to sweeten it a bit. I've never had an amp that distorted in a pleasing manner at a coversational volume (even my Champ got kinda loud), but that's what pedals are for...

Tim

[marshman]

Yeah, the deeper we get into this discussion, it occurs to me that what we need now is a definition of 'practice'. Are we talking about apartment living solo practice? If you want 'real valve distortion' at late-night-don't-annoy-the-upstaris-neighbors volumes, your options aren't as bad as they were just 3 years ago--I'd stay below 5 watts and a 10 inch speaker. If that's the case, I really like my Epiphone Valve Junior, which is available in Europe as a Harley-Benton something or other, I believe, though there are plenty of similar options.

If you're looking for a 'small' tube amp that can keep up with a moderate drummer, then 15-25 watts with a single 12" speaker might be a better choice, though very unlikely neighbor friendly. Blues Jr, Deluxe Reverb, Vox AC15 and a few others seem popular.

[Gav2000]

Thanks for all the responses, there seems to be several people recommending the Vox so I will look into that as the price seems to be reasonable as well.

In terms of my volume it's not the neighbours I need to consider as the house is detached but my wife and kids. My wife isn't a rock music fan, especially when it's played badly, so I need to consider that and the fact that my kids are in bed in the evening when I generally get time to play. This forces me towards a low volume unfortunately.

Gav.

[Hiker]

Gav,

The family is always there when you are? volume, Volume, VOLUME!