OT Inexpensive Small Amp for gigging

[javacody]

Guys,
   I've come to respect all of your opinions when it comes to more than just effects. Here is my quandry:

I've been playing guitar for almost 16 years, pretty much by myself. I think I 'm pretty good (and thats what people have been known to say). I need to get out and start playing with others. I'm a big chickenshit though, so I keep finding excuses not to. Well, I want to eliminate all of those excuses and just do it. What I need is a good, inexpensive amp (under $200) that will be loud enough for gigs and deliver the tone I'm looking for. My main distortion is a tubescreamer, and I also like using a Fuzz Face and Danelectro Chicken Salad (univibe copy). I play pretty much strats only (but will add a Les Paul flavor eventually). The types of music I play are Blues and Rock, but  I love Reggae as well. I would like a good shimmery clean amp that can get a good amount of gain (think AC/DC) and be loud enough to stay clean for a gig. Any recommendations?

[Rodgre]

It might be a little over your price range, but you can find a used Peavey Classic 50 for around $300 if you look hard.

Under $200 is tough. You're not liable to find a good sounding amp that will be loud enough to compete with others that will sound good. I'm sure there are a lot of amps in that price range, but I don't know... call me a snob.

It completely depends on your style and the tone you like as well. If you're using a Tube Screamer for your main drive, I feel that you MUST have a decent sounding tube amp to kick over. A solid state amp is more than likely going to sound like crap with a Tube Screamer. That's my experience anyway.

Roger

[javacody]

Well, I guess then some recommendations as to minimum wattage/speaker size and number would help me figure out my options.

The Galaxie 10 Tube Combo from Epiphone is all Tube and puts out 10 watts, would that be enough for small club use?

[AL]

"Will 10 Watts be enough for small club use?"

That depends on your definition of small club.  Also, if you have a drummer - you can forget about it.  10 watts won't even be a buzz in someones ears unless you mic it through a PA in which case it will be plenty but if you want to here yourself on stage you may be out of luck - lot of variables here.

On the other hand if you're doing the coffee house thing 10W should suffice - again minus the drummer or at least a very quiet drummer (but that's really a myth and I don't think they exist).  

I'll agree with Rodgre on the Peavy Classic amp.  I have a big problem with most Peavy equipment but those classics sound really nice and most people aren't aware of them so you can usually get them for cheap.  The few people I've seen play them had really nice tones and ALL of them took the Peavy logo off the front.  

Some more info to exactly what you're doing may help.

AL

[Arno van der Heijden]

If you're prepared to do some work on the amp yourself, you can easily buy an Electar Tube 10 (10 watt) or Tube 30 (30 watt) from Ebay for under $200 and mod it to suit your needs.

Doug H. has some mods for the Tube 10 on his site.
The Tube 30, from what I've read, might need some more drastic alterations. So be ready to take a challenge....

[AL]

Just another thought .. If you do end up with a 10 - 15 Watt amp there are a few basic "tricks" that will help make it seem louder.  I mentioned earlier to mic it which always works but you may not be able to hear yourself. If you can't hear it and/or you can't mic it put the amp on a table not on the floor.  People don't here very well with their knees.  A table or chair (with no cushion) works pretty well.

AL

[petemoore]

By directing the soundwaves down a channel, you can effectively 'aim the amplitude'.
 This increases the percieved loudness in a big way.
 I built a sealed enclosure box [small/tight] for a 12'' speaker] as the small end of a plywood megaphone cone.
 the output of the conecab [speaker megaphone] compared to a cab made the speaker a whole lot  louder when it's aimed at you.
 Does something different to the EQ too...this is the worlds first passive amplifier like the way you hold your hands to increase the directionality of shouting. Very effective way to increase amplitude, but unpopular because of the bulky size requirements...they can be stacked like plastic drinking glasses.
 You have  seen/heard something very similar to this or in a folded horn fashion in PA systems for bass [quite large horn is required for effective bass wave aiming] midrange [more common] and high end [most have a horn of some type].

[Rodgre]

I mean no disrespect to anyone, but all these suggestions for taking a small, inexpensive amps and doing all these crazy mods to it (and I can guess that rewiring an amp will end up costing more than $200, including the amp) or building a this or that....

well, speaking as a one who has been there, I always kick myself later.... all that work, and I ended up spending more money than I would have buying one more powerful amp and it still doesn't sound like I want it to.

If the Classic 50 is out of your price range, try a Classic 30 and make your drummer use multi-rods.

If you have to compete with a "rock" drummer, you will need at least 50 watts (or a 15 watt class A amp that will run you $1000) and maybe a full PA system to mic your amp, depending on how angry the drummer is that day.

Roger

[Nasse]

:oops: Don´t hate me but last night read some local musicians forum and there was someone asking the same question. I think they recommended some cheap newish Roland Cube model that has "decent" Cosm modelling stuff. And V-Amp and Pod was of course recommended. But maybe the budget was higher.

[AL]

Nasse,  digital and/or solid state may be the way to go with this one.  Getting a sufficiently loud enough tube amp for under $200 is a quite an accomplishment in itself.  Roland has some decent stuff out there - if I remember correctly Billy Duffy used a Roland amp on the first few Cult albums.

AL

[RDV]

The Peavey Bandit(newer one) is an incredible, verasitile, LOUD amp. You can do any gig, anywhere with one. Good reverb, good clean all the way to thrash and everything in between.

Regards

RDV

[Rodgre]

Okay, I will second the Bandit. Not tube, and not as Tube Screamer friendly. Still loud enough. Ray Mason, who is a local hero around here, has been playing a Silvertone through a Bandit for years and he sounds great.... It's his tone, but it works. For bigger shows, he's always mic'd, but coffeehouses and small gigs, he just turns it up.

Roger

[RDV]

...and not as Tube Screamer friendly...

True, but ironic. I opened up my old 84' Bandit 65 and there must've been 15 or so RC4558 on the board! Gotta tell ya though, my old example loves the Obsidian & Blackfire!

Regards

RDV

[Impaler]

"If you have to compete with a "rock" drummer, you will need at least 50 watts (or a 15 watt class A amp that will run you $1000) and maybe a full PA system to mic your amp, depending on how angry the drummer is that day. "

Heh, you never heard the drummer in my band then... I need 100 watts just to hear myself lol

I suppose it depends on what you are playing, and where... For any club/bar that can hold 60 - 100+ people, I found 100w is a must.. but the smaller places, my old Crate 212 60w does the job nice.
[/b]

[Ansil]

when i was in this posisiotn i used the preamp from a small little practice amp i had..  [don;t laugh .. a blown up champ nothin ever has soundedlike this ] and a fender bass amp.  i got both for 225.  the bass amp had a 15" speaker in it. but also a smaller one for the highs and it had a nice spread to it.  i had it set up with the effects loop to be a channel switcher. utilizing the preamp into the fxloop and guitar straight into the input.   with 7 band eq and a parametrci eq too boot and plenty enough wattage to keep up with any drummer, i was in seventh heaven.

i did my whole dreamtheater pahse with this amp set up, and a few pedals.  and loved the tone big and juicy..        cleans were fat and sparkly..

damn i wish i had it still

lol

also iknow where ou can get a nice peavey 2*12 i dont' know the moddel right off but its loud and pretty transparent on the clean channel. and the gain sounds great with a booster,  [i tried the lpb1] in front of it.had a real hard driving sound to it.

if you want i can see if he still has it, at the music store

[petemoore]

Can get non guitar tube stuff for dirt prices.
 40w tube amp with speakers for 8$ etc.
 Look in old keyboards that have a speaker.
 Old stereo amps like Scott Heath Bogen etc.
 I use amps that sounded great as is, but did alot of work 'de-console' ing them, building a new case, then spent a bit on re-tubing them with fantastic bang for buck results. I think they sound great. The Heath needs a new top [the replacement tubes sound great and are too tall to fit]...it's not that difficult to de-funkify these units amd mold them for guitar use.
  Things to watch out for are like....phono inputs, without these the guitar might not drive the amp enough.
  I like these old clean tube amps, with decent speaker and a Fuzz Box they can sound extremely good. They won't do high gain crunch in the same way a high gain amp will.
  If you can find one that works...makes output/w no funny noises and seems to hold bias when well warmed, I look for Lbs per Dollar. Something with beefy looking transformers and a few input tubes...say treble and bass controls.
 I have a HEath, an RCA Victor, A Dynadit St 70, two that are less than 5w, some of these old amps have really nice transformers, are well designed, built with superb quality, the signal path sees no transistors...
with 'some' work they can be top shelf...it takes time to find them, sort them, debug them, retube them, find the right accessories for them, set them up so they do what you want them to, reliably, but for tuff guts per dollar they're impossible to beat.
 Wait a minute...after typing all that...you said AC/DC for less than 200.
 None of the above do the high gain tube thing.

[Lonestarjohnny]

one of my Favorite tube amp's are the older Canadian made Traynor's, I have several and they do have a lot of clean headroom plus they just love pedal's, I have a Guitar Mate 1X12 O/B combo that put's out about 20 watts that I paid 150 bucks for, then a 2X12 100w combo I paid 225 for up in Austin at a Pawn Shop, Very loud though and Heavey, I also have a 4X10 combo with 2 EL 34's at 50w that is just the right size for most clubs, think I I paid 125 bucks for it, as with any older amp you need to have the tubes checked and the electrolytic capacitors checked or upgraded, If your into a newer amp check out a Crate Vintage Club 50 1X12 combo, these sound good and I see them sold on YukBay for 250 all the time.
JD

[aron]

The Traynors are going up now; very hard to find cheap now that people know that they are great amps. I'm using my YRM-1 and it's one of the best amps I have ever used.

I wonder if it is possible to find a used Pignose 40 watter?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4100804119&category=31387

You _might_ be able to find a cheapo Fender Bassman in a used local music store, but the cabinet would cost you.

A Fender Champ can be beautiful (especially if you mod it), but it's not loud enough; you need to mic it.

The Peavy Bandit was a very cool amp. That would work if you can find one.

Finally a soft drummer is possible. We have them here.

[ian87]

50-100 watts? obviously you guys have never played an Emery Sound Super Baby!

6-10 Class A watts, with PLENTY of gain on tap for most (non-metal) rock situations. admittedly outta your price range, JC, but just thought i'd throw it into the conversation.

http://www.emerysound.com/Superbaby.html

[Jun]

I recommend a Tech21 Trademark 60 although it might cost you about $250 to $300 used.  It's a nice two channel SS amp with a 12" speaker. The Trademark 10 is also very versatile ($150-$200) but will not compete with a loud drummer alone.  Both of these amps have effects loops and XLR outputs for connecting to a PA.  
Jun