Suggestions for a practice amp?

[dgatwood]

I'm looking for a relatively inexpensive practice amp. I'm doing DI recording through an amp/cabinet modeler, and I like the sound it provides, but I hate having to deal with headphones for monitoring and I don't want to do all my practicing in the studio with the reference monitors....

The basic criteria are:

1. Inexpensive.
2. Reliable.

Doesn't have to be particularly loud, but I'd like it to sound halfway decent whether I'm feeding it with my electric guitar or bass, i.e. not hopelessly underpowered, not a 5" driver, etc.

Anybody have experience with either of these?
Drive CD300B
Behringer (*shivers*) BXL450

[dwarf]

If you're liking the sound that you're getting through your moddeler why not get a keyboard amp or active speakers or even monitors instead of an amp?

If you don't want to bring your moddeler then it's time for the amp, just thought I'd chime in with that though.

[apl]

I had a Line 6 Spider II 15, $160 new. It was a lot of fun. I eventually upgraded to a bigger amp.

[mharr552000]

I've been using a Marshall MG10CD for a few years. No problems at all. It sounds fine. Not much in the way of tonal variety though. I think I paid $60 for mine new. You can usually pick them up on eBay for under $50.
The Vox DA15 is looking might tasty these days.

[soundchaser59]

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with the Marshall MGxxxx. That amp is at the top of my "Glad I Got Rid Of It" list. No offense.....

The Vox AD15 (or AD30) is good. The Traynor TRM40 is sweet, 20w per channel with 2 speaker out jacks and the nicest chorus I've heard in a long time, for $160. But you wont get much for bass sound unless you have a 12 inch speaker, or at least a really nice quality 10 inch.

[TelePaul]

I gotta say Marshall too, the MG series is awesome. Its a really good starting point, and your amp modeller will give you the variety you need to record with. I just love the OD channel on the Marshall, for such a cheap amp its just so useable. I play Marshalls myself, albeit bigger ones! Had a VOX pathfinder, didn't like it. Maybe the new generation of Voxs are better, but i found it tough to get any kind of convincing tone (clean or driven) from the Vox.

[freshmattyp]

Roland Micro Cube. 2 screamin' watts of amplified goodness for $125. Think of it as a less fully featured POD with a built in speaker.

[dgatwood]

Originally Posted by soundchaser59

The Vox AD15 (or AD30) is good. The Traynor TRM40 is sweet, 20w per channel with 2 speaker out jacks and the nicest chorus I've heard in a long time, for $160. But you wont get much for bass sound unless you have a 12 inch speaker, or at least a really nice quality 10 inch.

Well, I certainly wouldn't do more than laugh at anything under 8. I've heard at least reasonable bass sound out of 8 inch woofers. If I were going to go any smaller than that, I might as well just slap one of my spare sets of computer speakers on my modeler.

Originally Posted by dwarf

If you're liking the sound that you're getting through your moddeler why not get a keyboard amp or active speakers or even monitors instead of an amp?

Well, monitors or active speakers is what I'm trying to avoid for space reasons. I don't want to haul around my BX8s from the studio and I really don't want to take up that much space.

That said, a keyboard amp, provided it had decent bass response, probably would be a good way to go. I had sort of ignored that category, as I figured most low end keyboard amps would be pretty weak on the low end, but I'll certainly look at them further. With a guitar amp, I'd probably be bypassing its pre anyway, so might as well buy something without one.