Recommendation for a micro amp

Carl E · August 3rd, 2007, 07:40 AM

I am thinking about buying a micro amp to carry around with my guitar. I don't mean a Champ or Roland Micro cube, but one of those "toy" amps that run on a 9v or AA battery with a 2 or 3 inch speaker that I can keep in by gig bag or pedal case. It doesn't need to do anything other than sound "OK" just for warming up or tuning or whatever by myself. I am looking for something that sounds halfway decent both clean and dirty and has a headphone jack. I know Fender makes a couple of mini versions of their regular amps, as does Marshall, etc. but I was hoping to hear from someone who has tried them out. Thanks!

cRaZY Tom · August 3rd, 2007, 07:48 AM

Hi I own the Mini marshall half stack (MS-2) and it is to be honest....crap
even though it has both od and clean channels, the clean is only half as loud as the od on full volume and even with the treble all the way down it's still too trebley.

my mate has the fender mini-twin (the fake tweed one) and it sounds alot better and it has a gain control (something the marshall doesn't have) and going back i'd have bought that one :)

cRaZY Tom · August 3rd, 2007, 08:01 AM

you might want to check out the orange micro crush, they make it sound good, and it has a built in chromatic tuner! ( how cool is that for a micro amp)

http://www.orangeamps.com/crush/microcrush/newindex.htm

Fourth Feline · August 3rd, 2007, 08:52 AM

I was bought the mini Fender Twin ( black face / silver grille cloth version ) as a novelty present, and the tone is nicer than the Marshall MS2 previously mentioned.

The Orange Crush looks very tasty though, in a different league altogether by the look of it.

F.F.

Mojohand40 · August 3rd, 2007, 09:18 AM

I got a smokey Mini Amp (it was a gift)..
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...Amp?sku=483005
The only good feature is that it is very small and easy to carry. No headphone jack though...It sounds rather bad, IMHO...and so I don't use it much.
One of the BEST small amps (again in my opinion) is the Pignose. I love my lil Piggy. But not as small as you want.
The little marshal and fender microamps..sound...well..to me...not worth it at half the price.
Another lil toy I got is the Dean "Stack in the Box"
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...Amp?sku=240508
I've had it for a few years..used with earbuds it packs nice in a guitar case.
Headphone only, though, but has some good sounds and batteries last.

jazztele · August 3rd, 2007, 09:39 AM

IMO, the pignose is the only one you'll still think is cool a year from now

smokey's are cool just because they're so small and simple...and they do clean up if you turn down the guitar volume...as far as portability goes, that's the best-- you can put it in your pocket, let alone gig bag.

maestrovert · August 3rd, 2007, 10:04 AM

Rockman ?

Vol. Knob · August 3rd, 2007, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazztele

IMO, the pignose is the only one you'll still think is cool a year from now

+1

I have one, and I still think its cool eleven years after I bought it. In fact, I have my Strat & Pignose next to my desk right now, I'm slipping outside on my lunch break to do some practicing.

Decent clean tones, fun dirty tones, fun to look at. And it won't break as easy as a smokey.

tbp0701 · August 3rd, 2007, 11:08 PM

I'd pick the Pignose, too, even though I don't have one.

On a related note, what happened to them all? I remember back in my music major days (mid 80s), everybody who had a guitar had one in his dorm room. So I thought every pawn shop should have the old ones for cheap. I couldn't find any. Just the new ones for full retail.

Other than that, I tried a few of the others and have a Fernandes Skel-Zo (since I couldn't find a used Pignose, and the current ones didn't seem as nice). In short, I practice unplugged before using the thing.

jh45gun · August 4th, 2007, 12:24 AM

I have a Vox mini amp and it does not sound too bad since it has two speakers. If it was me I still would go with a Micro Cube. It has so much to offer compared to the others. I do not even have one but I played one to see how it sounded as a friend was looking for one. Nice little amp I would not mind having one.

RomanS · August 4th, 2007, 06:14 AM

http://www.zzounds.com/item--DANN10

- I've always found that these look very cool - I've got no idea how they sound, though...

EunosFD · August 4th, 2007, 09:57 AM

I don't think there is any other micro amp nearly as cool as the Z.Vex Nano Amp:

http://zvexamps.com/

However, it is substantially more expensive than any of the above mentioned units. So, it's def not the frugal, sensible choice, but it is freakin' super cool.

Carl E · August 4th, 2007, 10:21 AM

Thanks for all of the suggestions. After reading reviews and descriptions, I decided to go with the Orange Micro Crush. It is supposed to be a bit bigger and studier than the smallest of the micro amps (4 inch speaker), but not as big as the Roland Cube or the small Vox, which are really too big for what I had in mind. I already have a practice amp, so this is really to toss into my gear bag or sit out on the porch with. I will let you all know what I think after I get it.

jh45gun · August 4th, 2007, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl E

Thanks for all of the suggestions. After reading reviews and descriptions, I decided to go with the Orange Micro Crush. It is supposed to be a bit bigger and studier than the smallest of the micro amps (4 inch speaker), but not as big as the Roland Cube or the small Vox, which are really too big for what I had in mind. I already have a practice amp, so this is really to toss into my gear bag or sit out on the porch with. I will let you all know what I think after I get it.

Don't know what Vox your thinking about but, My Mini Vox is small it is about 2.5 inches thick and 6.5 inches wide and 5 inches high. It has a pair of 2 inch speakers.

August 3rd, 2007, 07:40 AM	#1 (permalink)
Carl E NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern Virginia Age: 44 Posts: 6	Recommendation for a micro amp I am thinking about buying a micro amp to carry around with my guitar. I don't mean a Champ or Roland Micro cube, but one of those "toy" amps that run on a 9v or AA battery with a 2 or 3 inch speaker that I can keep in by gig bag or pedal case. It doesn't need to do anything other than sound "OK" just for warming up or tuning or whatever by myself. I am looking for something that sounds halfway decent both clean and dirty and has a headphone jack. I know Fender makes a couple of mini versions of their regular amps, as does Marshall, etc. but I was hoping to hear from someone who has tried them out. Thanks!

August 3rd, 2007, 08:52 AM	#4 (permalink)
Fourth Feline Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Yorkshire, England. Age: 50 Posts: 669	I was bought the mini Fender Twin ( black face / silver grille cloth version ) as a novelty present, and the tone is nicer than the Marshall MS2 previously mentioned. The Orange Crush looks very tasty though, in a different league altogether by the look of it. F.F. __________________ " The blues is the truth : happy or sad - just the truth "

August 3rd, 2007, 09:39 AM	#6 (permalink)
jazztele Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: chicago Age: 29 Posts: 1,699	IMO, the pignose is the only one you'll still think is cool a year from now smokey's are cool just because they're so small and simple...and they do clean up if you turn down the guitar volume...as far as portability goes, that's the best-- you can put it in your pocket, let alone gig bag. __________________ “For the guitar is the most unpredictable and least reliable musical instrument in existence...and also the sweetest, the warmest, the most delicate, whose melancholic voice awakes in our soul exquisite reveries.” Andres Segovia

August 3rd, 2007, 10:04 AM	#7 (permalink)
maestrovert Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: West Branch Mi. Posts: 5,996	Rockman ? __________________ Sing the Song Bro' Play on Drummer www.godonthe.net

August 4th, 2007, 06:14 AM	#11 (permalink)
RomanS Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Vienna, Austria Age: 36 Posts: 2,671 14 Photos	http://www.zzounds.com/item--DANN10 - I've always found that these look very cool - I've got no idea how they sound, though... __________________ http://www.pbase.com/romans http://www.myspace.com/romans212

August 3rd, 2007, 07:48 AM	#2 (permalink)
cRaZY Tom Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: UK Age: 20 Posts: 472	Hi I own the Mini marshall half stack (MS-2) and it is to be honest....crap even though it has both od and clean channels, the clean is only half as loud as the od on full volume and even with the treble all the way down it's still too trebley. my mate has the fender mini-twin (the fake tweed one) and it sounds alot better and it has a gain control (something the marshall doesn't have) and going back i'd have bought that one :)

August 3rd, 2007, 08:01 AM	#3 (permalink)
cRaZY Tom Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: UK Age: 20 Posts: 472	you might want to check out the orange micro crush, they make it sound good, and it has a built in chromatic tuner! ( how cool is that for a micro amp) http://www.orangeamps.com/crush/microcrush/newindex.htm

August 3rd, 2007, 09:18 AM	#5 (permalink)
Mojohand40 Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 463	I got a smokey Mini Amp (it was a gift).. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...Amp?sku=483005 The only good feature is that it is very small and easy to carry. No headphone jack though...It sounds rather bad, IMHO...and so I don't use it much. One of the BEST small amps (again in my opinion) is the Pignose. I love my lil Piggy. But not as small as you want. The little marshal and fender microamps..sound...well..to me...not worth it at half the price. Another lil toy I got is the Dean "Stack in the Box" http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...Amp?sku=240508 I've had it for a few years..used with earbuds it packs nice in a guitar case. Headphone only, though, but has some good sounds and batteries last.

August 3rd, 2007, 11:08 PM	#9 (permalink)
tbp0701 Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 416	I'd pick the Pignose, too, even though I don't have one. On a related note, what happened to them all? I remember back in my music major days (mid 80s), everybody who had a guitar had one in his dorm room. So I thought every pawn shop should have the old ones for cheap. I couldn't find any. Just the new ones for full retail. Other than that, I tried a few of the others and have a Fernandes Skel-Zo (since I couldn't find a used Pignose, and the current ones didn't seem as nice). In short, I practice unplugged before using the thing.

August 4th, 2007, 12:24 AM	#10 (permalink)
jh45gun Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 960	I have a Vox mini amp and it does not sound too bad since it has two speakers. If it was me I still would go with a Micro Cube. It has so much to offer compared to the others. I do not even have one but I played one to see how it sounded as a friend was looking for one. Nice little amp I would not mind having one.

August 4th, 2007, 09:57 AM	#12 (permalink)
EunosFD Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: MD Posts: 337	I don't think there is any other micro amp nearly as cool as the Z.Vex Nano Amp: http://zvexamps.com/ However, it is substantially more expensive than any of the above mentioned units. So, it's def not the frugal, sensible choice, but it is freakin' super cool.

August 4th, 2007, 10:21 AM	#13 (permalink)
Carl E NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern Virginia Age: 44 Posts: 6	Thanks for all of the suggestions. After reading reviews and descriptions, I decided to go with the Orange Micro Crush. It is supposed to be a bit bigger and studier than the smallest of the micro amps (4 inch speaker), but not as big as the Roland Cube or the small Vox, which are really too big for what I had in mind. I already have a practice amp, so this is really to toss into my gear bag or sit out on the porch with. I will let you all know what I think after I get it.