good sounding, small, affordable giggable tube amp?

[mulerules01]

so after i finish up my last month of high school (finally!) im going to be moving down to nashville to attend Belmont University. I'm going in as a songwriting major but while I'm down there i'd really like to be able to pick up some gigs as a guitarist with bands and musicians down there.
Right now my amp rig has been a 20 watt Jet City Head through a 4x12, which is just a little too much to be driving down to TN with and keeping it in a dorm. I was considering just buying a Jet City 1x12 for the head, but thought i'd ask around TDPRI about some low wattage tube amps that are relatively affordable. kind of blues juniorish but maybe a little less expensive. Definitely a 1x12 combo. any ideas???

[Big_Bend]

Used Fender Blues Jr.
Used Peavey Classic 30

After that I'm out of suggestions sorry.

[pondcaster]

Originally Posted by Big_Bend

Used Fender Blues Jr.
Used Peavey Classic 30

After that I'm out of suggestions sorry.

+1 on the BJr. Really sweet amp and at around 30lbs, pretty tough to beat.

[gtrguru]

Love my Blues Jr. and it takes pedals really well so it can take on lots of different flavors. Grab a Tele and your ready to rock.

[musicmatty]

Whatever 112 combo you go with..I would suggest it be at least 40watts to play gigs with in a beerjoint..unless you are playing with a very quiet drummer and a stand up Dog house Bass and no keys either

[Togman]

About 3 months ago I picked up a S/H Peavey Valveking 1x12. It's become my main gigging amp.

50W Tube
Weighs 41 lbs
Master Vol.
Effects Loop.
Reverb

[popthree]

+1 on the classic 30... head an shoulders above a bj in my opinion

[LGOberean]

Out of the suggestions so far, personally I'd lean towards a Peavey Classic 30, or maybe a Delta Blues 2x10, but they are more expensive new than a new Blues Jr. III. You'd have to find a good deal on a used one for significantly less than a Blues Jr. Still, I like the C30 a lot better than the BJr, and I see that my opinion/experience tracks with popthree's on this.

Togman's suggestion of the Peavey VK112 could be a good choice. I've never played a Tele through one, but it sounded okay with a friend's LP going through it. (Sounded even better when my friend was playing it instead of me! )

Now, having addressed current suggestions within your parameters, I want to ask: Is the tube criterion non-negotiable? If it is, so be it. But if it's not, then I have another suggestion: a Vox Pathfinder 15R.

Yeah, it's a SS amp, but except for the tube thing, it meets all your other criteria: good sounding, small, affordable, giggable. Seriously.

It sounds surprisingly good. Vox chime, plenty warm, pretty versatile. The tremolo is nice. The reverb on it is kind of weak, but crank it to around 1 or 2 o'clock (or more, depending on your tastes), and it's usable.

It a small footprint, so it won't take up much floor space in a dorm room (or a small stage, for that matter), and it's nice and light. The cabinet has an 8" Bulldog speaker, but don't let that fool you. This amp does not sound boxy, and it can get surprisingly loud.

Affordable? Great bang for the buck here. Brand new they are $119 (I'd recommend springing for the footswitch as well, just about $26 more, +/-).

Gig worthy? Absolutely. Well, I suppose that will depend to some extent on the venue, and the band situation. I've played venues that weren't exactly quiet, but then I don't play bars, I guess they can get pretty noisy. I've gigged mine with a very considerate drummer and another guitarist besides myself, and mic-ed up, the Pathfinder did fine. I've gigged this in a number of different small to reasonably small venues without running it into a PA, and it does just fine. At larger venues, I've put a Shure SM57 in front of it and run it through the PA. (There is also a Line Out jack on the back control panel if you want to go out to a PA that way. Or you could use an external speaker, there's an out for that too.)

This amp has become my go-to gigging amp. I use it even with my acoustic/electrics and it sounds good. But plug a Tele into it, and oh, man! The Pathfinder 15R likes my single coils (Wilkinson vintage, P-90s, DiMarzio Twang Kings). Sweet tones, versatile. It is sufficient for small rooms and stays clean with Volume set to about 1 o'clock or so, with the Gain set around 9 o'clock.

[jh45gun]

Even Miking it a 15 watt SS amp would be damn hard to hear on stage by itself. Fine out front but most times your not out front. If you have the capability to run a separate monitor for the amp that might work but not every one has that capability. Yea Larry I tried that route in fact I had TWO SS 15 watt amps on stage and I could not hear them with a 4 piece band.

[Dave_O]

Originally Posted by mulerules01

so after i finish up my last month of high school (finally!) im going to be moving down to nashville to attend Belmont University. I'm going in as a songwriting major but while I'm down there i'd really like to be able to pick up some gigs as a guitarist with bands and musicians down there.
Right now my amp rig has been a 20 watt Jet City Head through a 4x12, which is just a little too much to be driving down to TN with and keeping it in a dorm. I was considering just buying a Jet City 1x12 for the head, but thought i'd ask around TDPRI about some low wattage tube amps that are relatively affordable. kind of blues juniorish but maybe a little less expensive. Definitely a 1x12 combo. any ideas???

Except for the Blues Jr reference, you're describing an Ibanez TSA15 combo. Which also has a built in 6db boost, Tube Screamer and 5watt setting.
I got the head-and-cab jobbie. Diggin' it. And giggin' it where appropriate.

[backalleyblues]

Carvin Vintage 16, it's my go-to small gig and recording amp, very flexible tone controls...

Didn't care for the Classic 30, though I know a lot of people do like them. You might also want to look up a Carvin Nomad (30 watts switcher).

One other thing I'd do-wait till you get to Nashville, and have cash at the ready- a LOT of people come to Nashville with big dreams and no money, and wind up selling their gear fairly cheap to go back home... maybe it sounds cold, but it might pay to look around on Nashville CL and see what deals can be had there...

Franc Robert

[icemansanjo]

I use various Deluxe Reverbs - 22 watts is almost always enough volume for me - and it's tough to beat the DR tones for blues IMHO. I upgraded my '65 Reissue with a Tone Tubby San Rafael for a warmer sound with earlier breakup, and I could not be happier. My silver face DR is untouched.

+1 on the Blues Junior, though. My son plays in my band, and his 15 watts keep up just fine, believe me.

[dconeill]

Can't make any relevant comment on tube amps, but if solid state is an option, then Peavey TransTube (e.g., Bandit) and Roland Cube come to mind.

Suggestion: someone else suggested looking on CL when you get to Nashville. I'd add to that, if you visit some clubs around town you'll be able to get a look on what others are using, so you'd be able to get an idea of what would be usable.

[backporchmusic]

I've found Nashville to NOT be a good place to buy gear, price-wise. Maybe others have had different experiences, but I was surprised at what stuff sold for there, in stores and on CL.

[LGOberean]

Originally Posted by jh45gun

Even Miking it a 15 watt SS amp would be damn hard to hear on stage by itself. Fine out front but most times your not out front. If you have the capability to run a separate monitor for the amp that might work but not every one has that capability. Yea Larry I tried that route in fact I had TWO SS 15 watt amps on stage and I could not hear them with a 4 piece band.

Yeah, I hear ya, that's why I gave my caveats about venue and band situation. I tried to indicate clearly the size and kind of venues I was talking about, in which my PF15R has worked. I've used it in solo, duo and a few times in a trio situation, the trio consisting of myself and another guitarist, our vocals, and a drummer that was, as I said, "very considerate." I doubt that compares to a four piece band in a bar cranking it, trying to be heard above the din.

Depending upon where the OP winds up playing and with how many musicians in the band, the PF15R might just work for him. But then again, it might not. Just putting it out there as one possibility that might work for him under the right circumstances.

Originally Posted by dconeill

Can't make any relevant comment on tube amps, but if solid state is an option, then Peavey TransTube (e.g., Bandit) and Roland Cube come to mind. ....

Yeah, that's another possibility, if the OP is willing to look at SS options. Most any Peavey Bandit can make itself heard in most any situation. You mentioned the TransTube series, but even the older Bandits (65, 75, 112 teal stripe) can have a nice, full tone with plenty of clean headroom on tap.

[jh45gun]

You bring up a good point Larry about the DIN in bars some folks (especially house players who do not gig out) do not realize how much noise a bar full of people generates. You have to over come that and then have enough head room to compete with the room and still hear yourself and the rest of the band. What might sound loud and great at home just might not cut it at a gigging bar setting especially if the amp is a small one.

[SamClemons]

I like the idea of getting an efficient 1x12" cab to go with the head you have if you are happy with it.

Other than, like the Peavey Classics. Crate Palamino/V series, especially the USA made models are great amps.

[caferacer]

1 big plus on the just get a 1X12" cab for your head idea

[SamClemons]

If you like the Jet City, I have heard good things about them. You might just want to pick up a 1-12 combo.

[swellsmd]

I have a Champ XD, Blues JR NOS, and a Blues Deluxe. Pretty much covers the spread. If I had my druthers I would use the Champ full time.