New Amp...?

[tonyv77]

So I've been trying to decide if I need an amp or not. I've been playing my Korg PX4 through my stereo for a while I just feel like I could use something that...hmm.."responds" more. I've been watching for deals but wonder if I should wait for Black Friday or post-Christmas sales (Boxing Day here in Canada).
So far I;ve been considering something small such as:

Vox Pathfinder 15R - simple SS, good with pedals / not tube
Peavey Valve king 5W - cheap tube amp with more knobs than an epi junior / really cheap speaker
Fender Champion 600 - Cool looks / Never heard much on these
Gretsch Electromatic - Cool looks / Never heard much on these
Vox modeling amp (15 watts) - Lots of options / too many options?

I'd like to use it for practice and mic it for performance with a pedal or 2 run in front of it. I'm into Tom Petty, Counting Crows, Blue Rodeo, pretty much alt country.

Any help would be great, I know there are some great opinions here that I must say are far more reasonable and knowledgeable than some other forums.

[randysmojo]

For a practice able amp that you could gig out with, you might look a little bit bigger, even when miced like a Blues Junior. Those are very gig able! Other guys might have experience gigging with something a little smaller like the Champ.

[Fogboundturtle]

Please add VoxAc4TV to your list. 4w all tube amp. you can mic it for gig.

[BigDaddyLH]

Just curious about "you can mike the amp..." Is there an amp you can't mike?

[Fogboundturtle]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLH

Just curious about "you can mike the amp..." Is there an amp you can't mike?

It seems that people get hang up on wattage. It good to remind them that smaller amp can be mic up.

[BigDaddyLH]

Originally Posted by Fogboundturtle

It seems that people get hang up on wattage. It good to remind them that smaller amp can be mic up.

That's what I thought. Although some folks count on using their amp (especially open-backed amps) as a "monitor". Then this leads to a discussion about how good their sound guy is and we're back to where we started

[mattio]

...and to get back to topic; there are lots of good amps to be had out there The amps you list are all cool cheapish amps. Based on personal experience I´d say you might want to stretch a little further and get settled with an amp that will keep you happy for a while. Maybe a Fender Pro Jr. or even a Blues Jr. if reverb is important to you. And if you don´t mind SS the Peavey Bandit always delivers and is well respected, has loads of power (it´s doubtful you´ll ever need to mic it unless maybe you play stadiums) and takes pedals very well. These are easily available amps second hand and are also reasonable priced new.

[ADK Teleman]

Originally Posted by mattio

...and to get back to topic; there are lots of good amps to be had out there The amps you list are all cool cheapish amps. Based on personal experience I´d say you might want to stretch a little further and get settled with an amp that will keep you happy for a while. Maybe a Fender Pro Jr. or even a Blues Jr. if reverb is important to you. And if you don´t mind SS the Peavey Bandit always delivers and is well respected, has loads of power (it´s doubtful you´ll ever need to mic it unless maybe you play stadiums) and takes pedals very well. These are easily available amps second hand and are also reasonable priced new.

I have a 25 year old SS Bandit...that thing is loud as hell and built like a tank...it is also heavy...as I have aged and mellowed, I now play through a beautiful Fender Super Champ XD...yes only 15 watts but very loud and the added effects and voicings are really nice...all in a little 24lb package. If I don't feel like lugging pedals around...well this amp does it all. Plus that fantastic Fender tone!!!

[Jakedog]

Originally Posted by tonyv77

So I've been trying to decide if I need an amp or not. I've been playing my Korg PX4 through my stereo for a while I just feel like I could use something that...hmm.."responds" more. I've been watching for deals but wonder if I should wait for Black Friday or post-Christmas sales (Boxing Day here in Canada).
So far I;ve been considering something small such as:

Vox Pathfinder 15R - simple SS, good with pedals / not tube
Peavey Valve king 5W - cheap tube amp with more knobs than an epi junior / really cheap speaker
Fender Champion 600 - Cool looks / Never heard much on these
Gretsch Electromatic - Cool looks / Never heard much on these
Vox modeling amp (15 watts) - Lots of options / too many options?

I'd like to use it for practice and mic it for performance with a pedal or 2 run in front of it. I'm into Tom Petty, Counting Crows, Blue Rodeo, pretty much alt country.

Any help would be great, I know there are some great opinions here that I must say are far more reasonable and knowledgeable than some other forums.

I'm into the same kinds of sounds you are. I gig lots of different amps live (with Marshalls and my big solid staters being my faves), but out of what you've got listed, the Pathfinder is my pick. That is one serious little sleeper. And I don't even really like Vox amps. It's just a sweetie.

[Parma_TeleMon]

Originally Posted by Jakedog

I'm into the same kinds of sounds you are. I gig lots of different amps live (with Marshalls and my big solid staters being my faves), but out of what you've got listed, the Pathfinder is my pick. That is one serious little sleeper. And I don't even really like Vox amps. It's just a sweetie.

+1

Pathfinder is a fun little amp. The downside of most modeling amps is that they don't take pedals well.

[68 Shovelhead]

Originally Posted by Parma_TeleMon

+1

Pathfinder is a fun little amp. The downside of most modeling amps is that they don't take pedals well.

The Pathfinder 15R isn't a modeling amp. I have one of these, they do just fine with pedals too. The only thing the 15R lacks that most practice type amps have is a CD input, which may or may not be of interest. The 15R sounds surprisingly good for such a cheap amp. The 15R should have no trouble covering the music you listed, and of the amps you mantioned I'd pick it.
Like mentioned above, a Blues Junior or an AC4 might also be worth looking at, but the 15R blows away everything in its price range IMO.

[tonyv77]

So I'm thinking towards the Pathfinder. Love the looks, love vox, the reviews are great. Probably get a DS-1 (for some low gain crunch) and run it in front. Might mod it later AFTER I figure out what it needs. Too many people mod pedals without knowing what the pedal lacks and what they want. The DS-1 I believe has fairly decent low gain crunch tones.

[tonyv77]

If I do get the Pathfinder, I thought I might make a 1X12 cab for it. I saw a 10" speaker put in one of these but I thought I would just make a nice cab for it. Would this do anything for volume (increase/decrease) ?