Need a decent tube amp

[antispatula]

I'm willing to pay up to 500 bucks for a used tube amp. Is this a realistic pricerange for a nice tube amp? It's ok if your suggestions are a little above that. I'm inexpirienced when it comes to this. The only amp I have was part of a cheapo starter kit. It sucks. I get distortion even when the gain isn't up much. If I get a decent amp, this shouldn't happen, right? Thanks!

[Tadpui]

What kind of music will you be using it for?

[Codmate]

Originally Posted by antispatula

I'm willing to pay up to 500 bucks for a used tube amp. Is this a realistic pricerange for a nice tube amp? It's ok if your suggestions are a little above that. I'm inexpirienced when it comes to this. The only amp I have was part of a cheapo starter kit. It sucks. I get distortion even when the gain isn't up much. If I get a decent amp, this shouldn't happen, right? Thanks!

You could get distortion at a low volume with a tube amp also - depending on the amp, guitar pickups, speakers, tubes and how it has been set up.

My Fender CVR breaks up really early for instance - at around '3'. That's the way I like it though

I don't know what tube amps would give lots of clean headroom out of the box - but I'm sure there are some. You may well find yourself changing the stock tubes fairly quickly anyway. Take good advice when you do this and you should be OK.

Hope you find the right amp for you - it makes all the difference

[Henry Mars]

Tube amps aren't cheap. If you want clean try a Fender Delux or Twin Reverb.
On the other hand there are a lot of very clean Ampeg Reverb Rockets out there too. I like Traynors, but they wil be way out of your price range.

I think your best bet wil be Ampeg. JMHO

[hotshotup]

You could usually get the best bang for your buck by keeping an eye on ebay, and if you stay with the majors (fender,marshall,etc...) you'll at least get good quality and be able to make your money back if you ever get rid of it. And you might even like it. Just try to get in an auction that looks really low, I just saw a greco get passed over with no bids for 375. That's a jap copy of a bassman i think, but it was old and probably sounded like pearls, but sometimes you can get a good deal, just bid what you're willing to spend versus the value and what you thinks a good deal, and you might luck out. But be careful. You can also look in the papers as you can find deals in there too. I just suggest staying away from the major retail store, unless you want a warranty, in that case even just go to a mom and pop store cuz those big chain music stores suck balls, horrible service, unknowledgable staff, outrageous prices, not worth it, I'd like to see them boycotted, I think I'll start a thread on that. but good luck and if you get something with a proven name, you won't regret it. (old laney tube amps are great and cheap)

[jonnyc]

Originally Posted by Henry Mars

Tube amps aren't cheap. If you want clean try a Fender Delux or Twin Reverb.
On the other hand there are a lot of very clean Ampeg Reverb Rockets out there too. I like Traynors, but they wil be way out of your price range.

I think your best bet wil be Ampeg. JMHO

???? Brand new Traynors start in the 600's I think so how is that way out of his range. There is quite a bit on ebay that can be had for around 500 bucks.

[metalj]

Originally Posted by jonnyc

???? Brand new Traynors start in the 600's I think so how is that way out of his range. There is quite a bit on ebay that can be had for around 500 bucks.

In addition, what are your needs....

Head or Combo ???
Music style (someone already mentioned)
For recording, live performance, private home playing, all of the above ?
whats your sign, what color of amp do you like, (just kidding on the last two)

[Henry Mars]

Originally Posted by jonnyc

???? Brand new Traynors start in the 600's I think so how is that way out of his range. There is quite a bit on ebay that can be had for around 500 bucks.

I believe the price cap was $500.

[soundchaser59]

But it's worth saving an extra $100 to get a good amp.

I like Traynor's also. you can get a new YCV20WR from a dealer for $500-550 shipped, well worth it when you plug it in and hear it, just make sure it is the "WR" version..... but there is a guy on ebay who sells a new YCV20WR every week for around $350-400.

The YCV40 and YCV50Blue are good amps also...

[slidey]

Peavey Classic amps are fuckin wicked for the money spent

I've used a classic 50 with 4x10 speaker config & a classic 30 with 1x12 speaker config & both absolutely blew me away

the best amps I've ever used on a festival stage

my amp of choice is a musicman 112RD

[jonnyc]

Originally Posted by Henry Mars

I believe the price cap was $500.

Your exact quote mr. mars was "way out of your price range" 50 to 100 bucks is not "way out" by any means. It's ok to make a suggestion but just be educated about it first.

[Henry Mars]

>>Your exact quote mr. mars was "way out of your price range" 50 to 100 bucks is not "way out" by any means. It's ok to make a suggestion but just be educated about it first.<<



In my mind 20% over the cap is significant and some people ain't got it.

[orson198305]

Originally Posted by antispatula

I'm willing to pay up to 500 bucks for a used tube amp. Is this a realistic pricerange for a nice tube amp? It's ok if your suggestions are a little above that. I'm inexpirienced when it comes to this. The only amp I have was part of a cheapo starter kit. It sucks. I get distortion even when the gain isn't up much. If I get a decent amp, this shouldn't happen, right? Thanks!

Best secondhand for that amount would be Mesa Subway Amp - A little noisy but incredible clean channel, and if you like dead smooth warm phat distortion the contour channel will really get you there. These were hand built and are exeptionally built. Sounds amazing when cranked. It also has a DI out and effect send. Brilliant class A for the price.

[jonnyc]

Originally Posted by Henry Mars

>>Your exact quote mr. mars was "way out of your price range" 50 to 100 bucks is not "way out" by any means. It's ok to make a suggestion but just be educated about it first.<<



In my mind 20% over the cap is significant and some people ain't got it.

True, but I wouldn't call 20% significant in this case. I just don't see someone who already has 500 bucks thinking that 100 or so more is that significant of an increase. Not to mention he could probably find a used one for well under new costs. You made it seem as if a Traynor was unattainable in his price range which is totally inaccurate.

[Anfontan]

Originally Posted by slidey

Peavey Classic amps are fuckin wicked for the money spent

I've used a classic 50 with 4x10 speaker config & a classic 30 with 1x12 speaker config & both absolutely blew me away

the best amps I've ever used on a festival stage

my amp of choice is a musicman 112RD

Gotta agree with slidey Peavey Classics are great little amps-my Classic 20 has no reverb onboard but its got excellent tone for home recording, 15 watts output gives clean to gritty blues sounds.
MusicMan is also a fine amp, my 212RD is like a smaller Twin Reverb with a 1/2 power tap on the transformer...cool recorded tones without blasting the neighborhood.

[slidey]

2x12....................you mofo

I almost bought a 2x10...................I'd collect the bastards if I had the cash (music man amps that is)

[carpaljets]

I second the Traynor option. I bought a YCV80 last year for around $640, shipped. It sounds fantastic on both clean and overdriven settings. I'm sure you could find the 40 watt version in your price range, and it would be plenty loud enough.

[Clive Hugh]

Originally Posted by slidey

Peavey Classic amps are fuckin wicked for the money spent

I've used a classic 50 with 4x10 speaker config & a classic 30 with 1x12 speaker config & both absolutely blew me away

the best amps I've ever used on a festival stage

my amp of choice is a musicman 112RD

I had a Musicman 112RD, 'twas a good amp, I traded it on a Vox AC30 which I traded on a Fender, should have gone straight to the Twin, but the Musicman was great, I just needed more grunt.

[orson198305]

The twin reverb is over rated - i have a 70's silver face recapped etc, you can't beat it for spring channel for what it's for but, it's certainly not the best clean channel i've used. The new twin reverbs i think sound better than the old ones. I'm never getting rid of it though.

[slidey]

maybe I should point out that the cleanest Twin I ever used had JBL 12s in it...................because IMHO fender drivers suck

& my 112RD has an EV 12.......................the original musicman drivers suck as well

[noisedude]

Laney VC30. Get a Tube Screamer if you need more gain.

[cephus]

H.F. Yeah on the peavey classic 50. I bought a 212 last week and switched over at the second set last night from my old one. I really thought the old one sounded good and ornery. But this new one has a good bark. I had it on like 3 or 4 out of 12 and it untied my shoes at 4 paces. There must have been something wrong with the old one. It was like half as loud.

I see them normally for $799, but every once in a while you see them for $499 as a closeout. I didn't see too many used that had a really good price tht seemed worth getting someone else's amp that they treat like shit because it's only a Peavey.

Funny story. Last night at the gig, it was totally dead and we were just having fun playing songs of the extras sheet that we never do. On a break, there were these 2 old English ladies at the bar and this one says to me "What's with this Peavey rubbish?", she said it twice, because I couldn't believe this old lady would even cognate a brand of amps. I start talking to her and the other old lady says "She's Marshall". It turns out that she married into the Marshall amp family and goes to all these dinners and stuff where all the rock stars are. She asked about my homemade guitar and I told her I built it because I read an article a long time ago that Brian May was a physicist and built his guitar that he still used at the time when he was in high school. She says "Oh, Brian May. I sat with him a few weeks ago at a dinner. He is just a <insert some proper English flattery> guy..." She was talking about meeting slash a week before.

She may have been bullshitting me, but God, that was a great ruse. Two old English ladies vacationing in the US and claim to be the Dutchess of Triumph or Benny Hill's cousin.

[slidey]

I once fucked off this piece of female arrogance, taking her story of being a major player in Del Amitri's sound team with a serious packet of salt......................only to find that she was!!!!!!

she hated me big time.................but fuck she was up herself

yeah you can never tell who you're talking to

& spinal tap's eleven can go suck..........................these (PV classics) go to twelve

[killthepixelnow]

Peavey del Bravo 112. I own one and it rocks. Two channels (clean adn dirty), high gain distortion, effect loop, nice spring reverb. No headphones.

[daav]

I have a Fender Blues Delux. Doesn;t really break at all on the clean channel until well cranked (8-12). Used for probabaly $400. The single big speaker can get a little boomy, but with EQ it can be worked with nicely, and if you have an external cab with decent speakers, I hear they sound even better.

Great tone, and the OD channel is loud as a mutha when you need it (but still doesn't break up into death metal distortion at all).

Pretty versitile amp IMO, a couple pedals and you can do quite a bit with it.

Daav