Test Amp - Recommendation Please

[mydementia]

Hi Guys.
I never figured out what happened to my little Ibanez practice amp (effect test amp, really) - I shipped it back to Hoshino to get repaired (yay warranty).  I've recently completed a BMP, Tonemender, Multi-Face, and SSS (keep getting waves of parts in) and have been testing them using my Ruby (w/bassman mods) through either the headphone jack or the 2.5" speaker... when I take the effects to my rig, they sound totally different (not surprised).

I'd really like to build a small amp that I'm comfortable jamming a new effect into and wailing away.  My main rig consists of a Peavey XXX and a Carvin Vintage 16 (tube amps) so it might make sense to build a little tube amp...but that's getting up into the $300 range.  I just found RDV's awesome chipamp summation (including costs - very important at this stage) - I'm curios about the 'need a good preamp because the LM3886 amp is not very loud' comment...isn't it pretty much a straight power amp?  I have a lead on a couple 'dead' combo amplifers (one's a crappy Crate - other is no-name). Both are 112 configuration - I figure I can gut the best one and build from there. 

Anyone have an inexpensive recommendation?  Anyone have something laying around gathering dust?

Thanks in advance.
Mike

[burnt fingers]

why not just use the little Carvin. Other than that, maybe a cheap SS fender frontman or something.

Scott

[icurays1]

i'm hearing great reviews about Epiphone's little 5w tube head - its only $99 and its just got a volume control, so you dont have to worry about any other tone coloration.  They make it in a combo, too, which is only like...50 dollars more?

plug in your effects and wail away.
that's my 2 cents.

[bancika]

Valve Junior could be nice and cheap...just mod it
www.valvejunior.com

[RaceDriver205]

Try this:
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_ruby.pdf

Its pretty simple.

[nelson]

If you ever want to test stereo effects then this would make a great test amp, 6w stereo.


http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=44275.0

[RDV]

I enjoy my chipamps and all but I'm going to buy that Valve Jr. head very soon.

If you want a preamp for a chipamp there are so many options it'll make your head spin. One that is pretty darn easy is just to use your pedals into a graphic EQ into the chipamp. Most EQ pedals have enough gain to bring up the volume plus shape the tone. This works really well and allows you the option to use the chipamp as a straight power amp when you need one.

HTH

RDV