Portable S/S Amps with TONE

[FenderGuy53]

Guys, I'm looking for a small footprint s/s amp, with TONE, that can handle band rehearsals and small gigs, unmic'd.

Some of the names that keep popping up are:

Roland Cube 40XL
Roland Cube 60
Trademark 30
Vox Pathfinder 15R

I'd like to keep my expenditures under $250.

Whaddayathink?

[middy]

There is no digital modelling involved in the Bandit or the Pathfinder. The Tech 21 amps have a form of analog modelling...

I'm not sure what you're after here.

[Teleglide]

I have a Roland Cube 60 and I love it!

[FenderGuy53]

Originally Posted by middy

There is no digital modelling involved in the Bandit or the Pathfinder. The Tech 21 amps have a form of analog modelling...

I'm not sure what you're after here.

Original post revised for clarification. Thanks.

[middy]

Under $250 is tough. The Trademark 30 is over $300. They don't make the Cube 60 anymore.

I'd go for the Cube 40XL or a Peavey Envoy 110.

[tele_pathic]

I LOVE my Fender G-Dec 3 30, 30 watts, tons of modelling options, $299 at musiciansfriend. I keep pimping and recommending this amp because it gets little love on its own.

[middy]

Well heck, if we're going up to $299 just get a ZT Lunchbox!

[Lostinthe50s]

Pathfinder all the way. And you've got $150 left over for beer.

[Dan C]

I vote Pathfinder, got mine a week ago and keep having the urge to check if there are any tubes back there! Sounds very good!
Go getcha some!

[Jbnaxx]

You might give the Peavey Envoy 110 a listen. It has great clean tones.... not so sure about the dirt.. It's not really my thing.

[FMA]

Lunchbox. Perfect for rehearsals and small gigs. Plenty of volume and sounds a lot bigger than it is.

[Controller]

I use my Pathfinder for rehearsals and small gigs with drummer unmic'd, mic'd and line-out into the PA. Great cleans, louder than you might think. For dirt I use a pedal.

[robzero]

Hard to go wrong with a Pathfinder. Great tones, lots of volume, nice spring reverb and trem to boot.

[LGOberean]

My first thought was the Pathfinder, but I'm not so sure that it meets all of your criteria.

Tone? Oh, yeah, definitely.

Portability? Again, yeah, definitely.

Small footprint? Yup, absolutely.

Under $250? And to spare. You can even get the footswitch for it and still come in a C note under budget.

Handles rehearsals and small gigs? Well, maybe. That would depend on the levels at band rehearsal, and just how small the room of the small gig is. As a rule, I don't get large sized gigs, but of the three steady venues I play w/ my PF15R, it varies. At two of the venues, the Pathfinder is sufficient for the room. At another, it needs to be mic-ed. I have done the line out thing to a PA.

[Flaneur]

Not sure my Cube 15 would cope with a lively drummer but the guys in the pub keep complimenting me about it's distorted blues tones...........

[jklotz]

I've got a pathfinder & a cube 40xl. They are both nice. The cleans on the 40xl are a little more sterile sounding than the vox, but it has modeling. They both put out a lot of volume for what they are. Line out on the 40xl sounds better, but the vox has more character. Both are a good choice IMHO.

[FenderGuy53]

Geez. I knew there was love for the Pathfinder 15R, but this is crazy!

Ok, aside from volume, can the Roland Cube 40XL stand up against the Pathfinder 15R?

[FenderGuy53]

Originally Posted by FenderGuy53

Geez. I knew there was love for the Pathfinder 15R, but this is crazy!

Ok, aside from volume, can the Roland Cube 40XL stand up against the Pathfinder 15R?

Originally Posted by jklotz

I've got a pathfinder & a cube 40xl. They are both nice. The cleans on the 40xl are a little more sterile sounding than the vox, but it has modeling. They both put out a lot of volume for what they are. Line out on the 40xl sounds better, but the vox has more character. Both are a good choice IMHO.

I rarely play clean - usually, my mix is a bit-o-grit, along with some reverb and delay. The modeling is a nice tool to have in your box, and the looper, too. Line out is a plus.

Can you elaborate on the "character" aspect - and if the 40XL is worth the extra C-note?

[beexter]

A Cube 60 ticks all the boxes. Loud as a very loud thing, with a line out AND an extension speaker out if you need more. I've never had to use either. Great tone and about as portable as you can get for a 1x12 combo. OK so you cant get 'em new anymore but I picked mine up used for £70. Ridiculous value.

Not sure of their availability over there but an Award Session Sessionette 75 would meet all your criteria too.

[jazztele]

What's "TONE?" You mean, "sounds like a tube amp?"