Tube Amp Advice

[Bob Loblaw]

Hi All!  My mom bought me an Epi Les Paul out of the blue yesterday (making up for hardtimes as a child I presume).  I really only play acoustic guitar so I need some advice on a nice little affordable tube amp.  I'll likely be playing mostly by myself in my relatively small house so I don't need a lot of power but would like to be able to jam with others in a small setting if the need arises.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks.  Bob

[aMillionDreams]

I suggest getting a hybrid (tube/solid state) combination amp.  Maybe something vintage.  If I was in your position I'd buy the fender twin reverb amp they have at guitar emporium right now.  Do you have a good music store in your area that carries new/used amps?  If so, don't be afraid to go in their and take em for a test drive and figure out what sounds right to you.

[Bob Loblaw]

I'm in the Chicago suburbs so I've got tons of options.  There's a Guitar Center close to me and another local place (still decent size) that's close.

Thanks for the help.  I guess one thing I don't want to do is get an amp that doesn't match the sound of the guitar.  I think your suggestion of testing some out to see what I like is definitely a good idea.

[Taterbug]

I'm in the western burbs, I always like to check out Pawn Shops, I picked up a couple of guitars at this one, they also have a pretty good selection of amps.

A Able pawn shop
112 Penny Ave
East Dundee, IL 60118
847-836-7296

[Isobella]

I don't know the sound you are going for or price range but you could try the...

Fender Blues JR.
Fender Pro Jr.
Peavey Classic 20
Crate v 16
Ampeg Jet

These are small watt and under 500$  

[Bob Loblaw]

I'm in the western burbs, I always like to check out Pawn Shops, I picked up a couple of guitars at this one, they also have a pretty good selection of amps.

A Able pawn shop
112 Penny Ave
East Dundee, IL 60118
847-836-7296

Thanks.  I'll check this place out.

[Bob Loblaw]

I don't know the sound you are going for or price range but you could try the...

Fender Blues JR.
Fender Pro Jr.
Peavey Classic 20
Crate v 16
Ampeg Jet

These are small watt and under 500$  

I don't know what sound I'm looking for either.  More specifically, I've assumed that certain guitars are built around certain sounds and I want to maximize that with this guitar.  Ideally, I'd love to bust out OBH or Run Thru on this thing and have it sound great but don't know if it's that kind of guitar.

[Jaimoe]

I don't know the sound you are going for or price range but you could try the...

Fender Blues JR.
Fender Pro Jr.
Peavey Classic 20
Crate v 16
Ampeg Jet

These are small watt and under 500$  

I don't know what sound I'm looking for either.  More specifically, I've assumed that certain guitars are built around certain sounds and I want to maximize that with this guitar.  Ideally, I'd love to bust out OBH or Run Thru on this thing and have it sound great but don't know if it's that kind of guitar.

Get a Fender Reverb amp then. It's versatile and loud. Most people have too much amp - like me with my Fender Twin Reverb 1965 Reissue. I believe the Fender Reverb is 50 tube watts, which is fucking loud. You should be able to find one used around the $500+ range.

[ALady]

I'm in the western burbs, I always like to check out Pawn Shops, I picked up a couple of guitars at this one, they also have a pretty good selection of amps.

A Able pawn shop
112 Penny Ave
East Dundee, IL 60118
847-836-7296

Great suggestion, Tater!  Pawn shop over a Guitar Center any day.

[jones]

Guitar Center is the Wal Mart of the music world (and I think that Wal Mart is the devil).

[Jaimoe]

Guitar Center is the Wal Mart of the music world (and I think that Wal Mart is the devil).

Wal-mart is indeed the devil.

Buy an amp at an indie store.

[bold99]

for a budget i'd take a look at this.  I got one for my apt.  Nice Fender classic tone, dirty 2nd channel and a ton of on board effects.  I love it.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-SuperChamp-XD-120V-Guitar-Combo?sku=483075

[tomEisenbraun]

I'm going to stand by the sincere BALLZ that the Peavey Classic line brings. I've got a Peavey Delta Blues which is based off the Classic 30, but with a 15" speaker (sincere balls in the low-end) and tube tremolo (which is oh, so sweet in the right setting). The reverb on this thing is beautiful (tube-driven), and the tone is outstanding. The clean channel is all Class A, so you turn it waaay up, especially with those humbuckers, and you get that Angus Young type spank out of your tone. Class A means it's incredibly responsive to your attack, and playing softly ont he neck pickup gives you a very beautiful tone as well. What an amp ought to be about. The drive channel is just nuts, too. Not like Mesa Double Rectifier nuts, but thick and swampy and really well-driven and also really solid higher up on the fretboard, too. Playing live with this thing, I've realized that I don't really need any sort of distortion pedal, as this thing will deliver whatever you put into it with the gain up and running hard.

That said, the Classic 30 and 50 are both intense and great. I've played through a 50 with 4 10" speakers and it, and it had some seriously slammin' balls. I think I just had the clean stage cranked and it got absolutely raucous in a beautiful way. I wouldn't suggest a 50 watter if you're going to be playing a small space, though. 30 watts out of one of these tube mothers will get you pleeenty far. My Delta Blues carries me just fine in any club setting I've been in, will hold its own just fine in a garage or basement and can sound great at lower volume in my apartment. Getting a good sound out of a 50watter in an apartment might take a little fenagling.

Another bonus, resell value on older models depreciates pretty well. I found my Delta Blues for $350 (including shipping) on eBay. Not a bad deal at all for an amp that'll carry me a really long time.

I should mention that it's sounded great with both my Tele and my Les Paul, but taking my Les Paul is where it really goes ballistic. The higher output of a humbucker really helps to find this thing's sweet spot.

Rock on.

[tower]

My vote is for the Fender Blues Junior.  Small and portable, great tube sound and versatile.  Plenty loud for anyone really....it's my recording, stage and practice amp and I don't even come close to maxing it out.  $400 brand new.  

Peavey makes some similar amps as well that are very nice.  I wouldn't suggest getting a big amp, I miss my 65 Twin Reverb Reissue but I don't miss lugging it around or not being able to get the tone without blasting!

[thestranger]

I'd go with Fender Blues Junior as well.  They have a NOS model that has a Jensen speaker and comes in laquered tweed for a spot more. Great lil' amp especially if you are transitioning from an acoustic.