Amp recommendation

[bigben55]

My next amp will be a head for the nice 1x12 cabinet I'm not currently using for anything. It has a 16ohm Tone Tubby 4040 speaker, well broken in. Here's what I'm looking for:

●tube powered
●15-20 ish watts
●overall length of the head is LESS THAN 20" in length
●has a 16 ohm speaker jack
●has either a gteat post phase inverter master volume or power scaling

Other info: I play strats and teles, classic/rootsy rock and blues, and generally like Fender amps much more than Marshall/Vox amps.

Given that and only that information, recommend me an amp head. Thx

 

[Milspec]

Get yourself a Brownface Princeton clone. It will check every box that you need and can often be found in a lunchbox cage to save space and weight. I had Carl's Custom Amps build me one years ago and it remains one of my favorites. He still features it on his website in the information section about Princeton amps...makes me feel almost famous.

 

[dogmeat]

I had a Vox Night Train that checked all the boxes. I replaced it with a Hoffman 6V6 Plexi. just because

 

[black_doug]

The Z-28 from Dr.Z (not the new Mk.II) has a pair of 6V6s and has the Fender brown-face sound putting out around 20 watts. A Deluxe on steroids.

Z-28

 

[Milspec]

The Z-28 from Dr.Z (not the new Mk.II) has a pair of 6V6s and has the Fender brown-face sound putting out around 20 watts. A Deluxe on steroids.

Z-28

Also a good choice.

 

[black_doug]

The Z-28 from Dr.Z (not the new Mk.II) has a pair of 6V6s and has the Fender brown-face sound putting out around 20 watts. A Deluxe on steroids.

Z-28

No master volume, however, there is an attenuator available from Dr. Z.

 

[bigben55]

I've owned two z28 combos over the years, a 2x10 with Z speakers and a 1x12 with a Greenback and a Brake Lite attenuator. Great amps, but too powerful for my needs, and not great volume control. And I don't think they have 16 ohm jacks.

The Z-28 from Dr.Z (not the new Mk.II) has a pair of 6V6s and has the Fender brown-face sound putting out around 20 watts. A Deluxe on steroids.

Z-28

Also a good choice.

 

[darkwaters]

 

[Refugee]

Pricey, but I bet it sounds killer. Mesa cleans can do a pretty nice Fender.

Mesa/Boogie Rectifier Badlander 25-watt Tube Head

25-watt, 2-channel Tube Amplifier Head with 3 Selectable Channel Modes, Power Reduction Switch, Built-in CabClone IR, Effects Loop, Headphone Output, and 1-button Footswitch - Black

www.sweetwater.com

 

[black_doug]

Pricey, but I bet it sounds killer. Mesa cleans can do a pretty nice Fender.

Mesa/Boogie Rectifier Badlander 25-watt Tube Head

25-watt, 2-channel Tube Amplifier Head with 3 Selectable Channel Modes, Power Reduction Switch, Built-in CabClone IR, Effects Loop, Headphone Output, and 1-button Footswitch - Black

www.sweetwater.com

The OP has a 16 ohm cab.

 

[Refugee]

Rats. I for

The OP has a 16 ohm cab.

I forgot that about most mesas.

 

[Tim S]

This can solve tbe problem of an 8 ohm Mesa into a 16 ohm cabinet (and is a handy thing to have around)

Z-Matcher 100w Impedance Matcher – Weber Speakers

www.tedweber.com

 

[bigben55]

Yeah, I could buy a new speaker, but like the one that's in there now.

And thoughts on the PRS MT15? Seems pretty cool and checks all my boxes, but 1) it's a PCB/Made in China amp and those scare me, and 2) has way more gain than I'd ever need

 

[Musekatcher]

I'd look for something 6L6 or 6V6 based, the MT15 is much heralded for its high gain ability, and has lots of headroom to generate some clean volume too (6L6 based).

 

[black_doug]

Yeah, I could buy a new speaker, but like the one that's in there now.

And thoughts on the PRS MT15? Seems pretty cool and checks all my boxes, but 1) it's a PCB/Made in China amp and those scare me, and 2) has way more gain than I'd ever need

I tried out that amp at a store. Probably would’ve bought it but my cab is 8 ohms.

@Ascension has one.

 

[Marc Morfei]

Marshall Origin 20 head.
Yeah I know you like Fenders and not Marshalls. But this one is different. Not a blackface tone, but decently tweed-like. And it hits your other criteria perfectly.

That said, the Fender Bassbreaker head might work too, but I do t know if it supports 16o.

 

[Marc Morfei]

Actually I thought of a better one. Peavey Classic 20 head. Small, light, tubes, supports 8 or 16ohm, power scaling, direct line out, 2 channel, master volume, etc. And sounds great. Check it out.

Peavey Classic 20 Mini 20-watt Tube Head

20W/5W/1W Tube Guitar Amplifier Head with 2 Channels, 3-band EQ, Direct Out, Effects Loop, Reverb, USB, and Headphone Out

www.sweetwater.com

 

[fatz treeboy]

I tried out that amp at a store. Probably would’ve bought it but my cab is 8 ohms.

@Ascension has one.

i guess u already know a 4ohm amp has no problem at all w/ an 8 ohm speaker..... i have used two 16 ohm, as an 8ohm load, for my fender 100 watt 1972 twin reverb...... with great sound .

 

[black_doug]

i guess u already know a 4ohm amp has no problem at all w/ an 8 ohm speaker..... i have used two 16 ohm, as an 8ohm load, for my fender 100 watt 1972 twin reverb...... with great sound .

Not sure what your point is. The PRS Mark Tremonti MT 15 head is a 16 ohm amp. The OP has a 16ohm cab.

​

 

[bigben55]

I wound up buying a PRS HDRX 20. It's the "Hendrix inspired" mini plexi head. It checks all my boxes. It's a great sounding little amp that's plenty loud for gigging. The master volume works well enough for my needs(which is, being able to tailor the volume from a small bar to a large bar). Like any plexi with a MV ive tried, cranking the MV way low to don't wake tge baby volumes thins out the tone too much, but my kids are pretty much grown and I don't need to worry about that! It's definitely not high gain, which is good, but plenty crunchy when it needs to be. Very dynamic!