Played Some Amps, any thoughts?

My amp experience was pretty limited last time I posted. Even after 10 years of playing, I still knew (and currently know) very little about amps. Here is where I've sort of narrowed it down. I tried them cranked and quiet and with my Fulltone GT500:

Dr Z: I played the MAZ Jr. 18 and it blew me away! Great cleans, nice and rich and then you crank it and it's just nice and thick and sweet. I love it at lower levels, but my concern is that at higher levels it might break up too soon. I could go for a higher wattage version but there are a couple of other thoughts...

Orange Dual Terror: tempting, but the cleans were lacking. The distortion was rip roaring awesome.

Bluesbreaker (JTM45 combo): These things are fantastic. The thickest of cleans with a rich bass. My concern here is that it might not work so well at apartment/duplex levels (even once I get into a house, might have a baby which will be just as limiting). And then once I need to really crank it, I feel like these things break up real fast, although many seems to think it has a lot of headroom, so there's a chance my memory isn't quite right.

Fender Blackfaces: new and old, they sound great, but do so little for me. The cleans are great, lots of headroom, and so jangly and perfect they're boring.

Vox: I really liked the Vox AC15, but it was far brighter than what I was looking for. If I could have like 5 amps, I might go for one, but honestly, they are just so bright and thin I can't see myself getting past one sound. I love them, but it's just not my thing. Don't get me wrong, Thrice and The Edge both use Vox AC30s and they have fantastic tone, but they simply lack the balls I want.

Fender Tweed: I can't explain it, but something about this was quite striking. It's sort of like a Vox in that it has these really appealing brights, like a Dr Z in that it has this sort of 3D clean to it, and like a Bluesbreaker in that it's these thick dark cleans. My concern is the breakup (didn't get to crank this one) and how well it works with pedals. Also, I'm not set on Fender because I'd be willing to bet a brand like Victoria or whatever could do the same thing but better for a comparable price (used). This video was particularly striking:
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Like, if i could do Tweed cleans with a great distortion (even using my GT500) I think I'd be set. Just a little scared to make the jump, so looking for any advice.

It's impossible (or at least highly improbable) that you'll find an amp you can crank into power tube distortion in a very pleasing manor in an apartment or house with a baby, yet have it be loud enough to gig without a microphone. I think if you read a bunch of threads here, you'll find folks trying to find that same magical amplifier ever since the TDPRI has been in existence (and really, ever since the electric guitar was invented).

I see two options: a very small amp that you can crank, and a good microphone for putting it into the PA system if you gig it (a 5 watt amp mic-ed into a 1000 watt PA sytem has more headroom than a 50 watt amp unmic-ed!), or a louder amp that you can gig without a mic, that you can turn down and use a pedal at home for those times when you need hair on your tone.

No amp is too small to gig with a mic, and no amp is too big to turn down!

Tim

My vote is get an amp that makes you happy in a live setting. It is after all the ultimate application for an amp. To be dissatisfied practicing at home, yet happy at a gig is far superior to the opposite alternative. To be happy with a small amp at home and hope that a sound man will make you happy with the mix at a club is to set yourself up disappointment most of the time. Not to offend you good sound men out there, but most are just hangin out goin through the motions. A quality sound man will make you happy on stage even with a small amp, but the rest will leave you wondering "where is my guitar?"

If you are in a venue that is big enough to need more wattage than those amps can put out, then there will probably be a PA. Actually, it is better for more of the volume to be through the PA than straight from the amp, anyways. The highs on a guitar speaker are very directional, meaning that only a few unlucky folks who are lined up with it will get 'em. PA speakers are much less directional, and can spread your sound more evenly.

Short of it: get the amp that you like best for sound, not for volume.

Also, if you want a nice cranked tone at baby-safe volumes, none of those amps will do it. If you want to try low wattage, there's a 1/2 watt blackheart amp, although some people complain it's not quiet enough. Most people end up using the master volume (if the amp has it), pedals, or an attenuator.

I wish I had that guys chair. Uh, what were we talking about?

I too have a baby at home . The way i rectify this is by having more than one amp. My fender deville (60 watt tube) is for gigs/rehearsals out of the house, and my roland microcube is for at home. The micro cube is still too loud, but it has headphone in jack which the fender doesnt.

I also use a small volume box i made in the "preamp out/ power amp in" effects loop. It allows me to dial in tube saturation at low levels.

Altho to be honest, if you dont already have a baby you dont really know what youre in for... I rarely get to play AT ALL while at home, its either helping out the missus while he is awake or being real quiet when he is asleep.
Either way no jammin' :(

get an acoustic ha ha ha no really you should be able to play in another room when the babes asleep and the muse strikes

Don't forget baby down time is mom down time too

That 57 champ is a sweet amp for the house thats very tone full never going to be clean. BF are fender clean and you said they were not your cup of tea.

The AC-15 is really not an AC 15 it missing the original tubing an EF 86 tube

without it it's another animal but if you like it cool

Some of the Boutique AC 15 clones have them, with these you can get what your talking about. A mix of Fendery, Marshally and Pure Vox tones.

Plenty Loud for when you can rock at home and thru a mic and Pa lots of versitility. It cleans up well at lower volumes if its tubed well with the right speaker. The English Celestion Blue is supior to the stock chinese one that come inside a new chinese Vox.

I really like the Top Hat Supreme 16

Thanks all.

After putting more thought into here' what I'm thinking. A class A combo or head with a couple of 6V6s. I think I'm going for more of a tweed sound. Any recommendations on the lower price ranges?

I have a Z Maz 18, wouldn't want anything else, thick, clean, grit, whatever I need, goes super sweet with my Tele and Esquire...it puts most amps out there to shame

Sara Richter makes a fine 5E3 and Otaypanky has a lot of Demo's of them, check out all his demo's BTW he also make great guitar straps


here is a Richter 5E3 Head

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I don't understand. You want an amp that you can crank at bedroom level but with enough headroom to fill madison square garden?
Easy. Get one small amp and one big for gigging or get a mid sized amp, an attentuator and a mic i case the venues get real big. well, actually if the get big, they will provide a mic.

:lol:

Hmm, maybe I worded some stuff wrong. Ok, mostly worried I'll buy an amp that's great at bedroom levels, get to a band practice (currently not in a band) and not be able to play with a drummer.

I'm looking at Lil Dawg amps. Anyone have thoughts on them? Like I said, 6V6s are increasingly appealing. I don't have much experience with 6V6s, but I get the impression they sort of meet between 6L6 and EL84.

I too have a baby at home . The way i rectify this is by having more than one amp. My fender deville (60 watt tube) is for gigs/rehearsals out of the house, and my roland microcube is for at home. The micro cube is still too loud, but it has headphone in jack which the fender doesnt.

I also use a small volume box i made in the "preamp out/ power amp in" effects loop. It allows me to dial in tube saturation at low levels.

Altho to be honest, if you dont already have a baby you dont really know what youre in for... I rarely get to play AT ALL while at home, its either helping out the missus while he is awake or being real quiet when he is asleep.
Either way no jammin' :(

Oh God no!!! Don't tell me this. I have a Maz 18 and it makes the missus the neighbors dog and everybody else run for cover when I crank it. That's even with the attenuator fully engaged. Baby not here yet but we aint getting any younger so I guess I better get my Jam on in the next year. :shock:

Have you looked at the Egnater Rebel 30? Crazy bunch of features including being able to choose between EL84 and 6V6 power tubes, built-in attenuaters (one per channel) and speaker-emulated XLR direct out so you don't have to mic it you can run it straight into the board. VERY happy at bedroom levels and plenty loud to gig (unless you play in a thrash band, then you'll need a crazy stack or something).

Disclaimer: No affiliation, just a raving fan (or lunatic, your choice).

Hm, for the appartment the vox ac 4 may suit you. with the built in attentuator you can tame it to give the neighbors and the babys some rest while still sounding big and crunchy (I have a champion 600 and my wife shouts at me when I crank it) and it might be loud enough for rehearsals if you allow some dirt in your sound. (maybe you should just get a sennheiser 606 for rehearsals and gigs if you use good pa and monitoring you might get away with that) If it has to be 6v6 (why?) depending on your taste either a princeton or tweed deluxe may be fine (or any clone from a decent maker), both amp have nice cleans and overdrive when loud, each with his own character. I would also suggest to try a blues junior, with the master volume and it's loud speaker it will work fine in a lot of applications. But if it's stricly for appartment use all of the later are maybe too much. I'd look for a 5-watter with some sort of master or attentuator.

I'm open to 6L6, but there's something not quite right about EL84s to me. I like them, but I think they are a bit rough around the edges.

I'm open to 6L6, but there's something not quite right about EL84s to me. I like them, but I think they are a bit rough around the edges.

Exactly why I like 'em - kinda like me!! :lol:

I too have a baby at home . The way i rectify this is by having more than one amp. My fender deville (60 watt tube) is for gigs/rehearsals out of the house, and my roland microcube is for at home. The micro cube is still too loud, but it has headphone in jack which the fender doesnt.

I also use a small volume box i made in the "preamp out/ power amp in" effects loop. It allows me to dial in tube saturation at low levels.

Altho to be honest, if you dont already have a baby you dont really know what youre in for... I rarely get to play AT ALL while at home, its either helping out the missus while he is awake or being real quiet when he is asleep.
Either way no jammin' :(

When my triplets were born in '93 I started a slow build on a building in the back yard. I do mean slow, late night, catch as catch can. Ran power, sub panel, pieced together an HVAC system, dad pitched in a used lil fridge, friends with foam and carpet. Three years later I started, writing, recording and makin' noise to my heart's content! (After the family went to bed). Sometimes you do what you got to do. The band thing was out of the question.

Get an amp with Power Scaling. You will be happy in just about every situation, from whisper quiet to roaring full volume. :)

No amp is too small to gig with a mic, and no amp is too big to turn down!
Thank you for that quote Mr. Armstrong.
Truer words were never spoken.
From the day my son came home from the hospital, I never interrupted my practice schedule.
He's now 3 and only cries when he can't run around in my studio.
Otherwise, he sleeps right through it.

Have you tried the Ampeg Jet J-20???

lsl76DzTecg

I've got an 11 month old. She can sleep through some low noodling if I'm already playing when she goes to sleep (but if I start once she's out, she wakes up).

But, we've got a routine, where she bounces in a chair to the rhythm while I play, so we have guitar time every day.

Usually, at some point while she's playing out and about, I'll bring in a small guitar and amp and noodle around during commercials and let her strum/play too.

So, baby isn't a dealbreaker for guitar-- but she does make it harder to get projects done, timing the use of loud tools to times when she's awake and if I can snag a break from watching her... everything I build/mod takes a lot longer.

I'm open to 6L6, but there's something not quite right about EL84s to me. I like them, but I think they are a bit rough around the edges.

I thought you liked the Dr. Z MAZ?

I think I need to look into the Egnater Rebel 30 combo. The cleans on the video sounded a little thin, but with an amp that tweakable who knows what the settings were on. Anyone played one? Can the they thicken up on the cleans?
WIF4_Sm-rgQ

Yup. And yup.

When I test drove it, I set the treble and bass to 12:00 on the clean channel and almost wet my pants. With the attenuator you can turn the channel outputs down to 1W. Almost as skanky as an AC-15, but you can probably coax it there if you try hard enough.

DANG, love my Rebel 30!!

I have two little ones at home - one 5 and one at 11 months not forgetting mum, none of whom really want to be woken by my playing.
My solution is to use my AD30VT for home use which has the output power control and a headphone output (tho' i don't really get on with that). The tone from the AD30VT is perfectly OK for home practice IMO (though I admit in this situation I'm not too hung up on the perfect tone), plus you have the option of various amp models to play with.
For jams /gigs where I do get more worried about good tone, I then use a mix of my pro-junior and/or my newly completed home build Princeton.

Believe me the Egnater Rebel 30 cleans are not thin - unless you want em to be. They can do any type of clean sound imaginable! But don't take my word for it, try one for yourself!!!!

J5