Best Combo Amp for Under $300?

STAT1STICK

Active member
Hey guys!

Just thought I'd get your thoughts before I actually went out and bought a new amp. I was looking at a Fender because I love their clean tones. Won't have to worry much about distortion 'cause I'll be running through a GNX2. It doesn't have to be good for recording. Just something that sounds good live and is loud enough to jam along with a loud drummer and bassist.

Thanks for your input.
 
STAT1STICK said:
I was talking about the FM212R.


Well, you ask for a general amp suggestion... Those two will inevitably be mentioned due to them being in the price range....and they are tube amps so they must fit the bill for every style of music ever created. :rolleyes: :cool:
 
Screw that! Those amps look like shit! I said I wanted something loud enough to cut through drums... Not something to laugh at. C'mon. This has to be a joke, right? How the hell can they get away with charging $300 for 15W and a 10" speaker? Who cares if it's a tube amp?!

The FM212R has 100W and 2 12" speakers! And for $300! Sure it's not a tube amp but I didn't say I wanted one in the first place.
 
APL recommends the Carvin line of gear.

And by the way, 15 watts tube is much louder than you think it would be.
 
I concur on the Carvin. It's a wonderful clean amp. Good distortion sounds too. Loud as hell, though; they have a smaller model which might be more appropriate for you:

ah, yes, the SX100C is smaller -- 1 X 12", but it's the same price and probably just as loud...

and the 50-watt SX-50C is $259.99
 
STAT1STICK said:
Screw that! Those amps look like shit! I said I wanted something loud enough to cut through drums... Not something to laugh at. C'mon. This has to be a joke, right? How the hell can they get away with charging $300 for 15W and a 10" speaker? Who cares if it's a tube amp?!

The FM212R has 100W and 2 12" speakers! And for $300! Sure it's not a tube amp but I didn't say I wanted one in the first place.

Who cares what they look like - the Blues Junior is a classic amp and sounds amazing!

Also bear in mind that tube watts sound significantly louder than tranny watts.

If it's not enough for you - mic it up!

Regardless, I recommend trying a bunch of amps rather than dismissing amps out of hand and picking the one that looks best on paper. It very much depends on what you're playing, so there's no substitute for taking your guitar down to a music store and plugging it in to as many amps in your price range as you can find.
 
STAT1STICK said:
Screw that! Those amps look like shit! I said I wanted something loud enough to cut through drums... Not something to laugh at. C'mon. This has to be a joke, right? How the hell can they get away with charging $300 for 15W and a 10" speaker? Who cares if it's a tube amp?!

The FM212R has 100W and 2 12" speakers! And for $300! Sure it's not a tube amp but I didn't say I wanted one in the first place.


Actually they are both loud enough to play witgh drums. They both give very Marshall like tones, and if you didn't say you wanted a 'fender clean' then I would have suggested it.
 
STAT1STICK said:
Ooooo!!!! How about this?! The Carvin SX200C! It looks like everything I would ever want in an amp! It looks amazing! Wow! I think my search is over!
A good friend of mine has the SX300C, I'm pretty sure it's the same amp with one more channel. It's an excellent amp!!! Sounds great and is plenty LOUD.
 
STAT1STICK said:
Hey guys!

Just thought I'd get your thoughts before I actually went out and bought a new amp. I was looking at a Fender because I love their clean tones. Won't have to worry much about distortion 'cause I'll be running through a GNX2. It doesn't have to be good for recording. Just something that sounds good live and is loud enough to jam along with a loud drummer and bassist.

Thanks for your input.

Peavey Classic 30. Great cleans, great distortion, and a reverb circuit. All tube 30 watts (completely sufficient). It's very loud. Under 300 on ebay. Plus, you can get a very cool Black Tweed covering.

Fender/Vox Cleans and Vox/Marshall overdrives. Very reliable as well, and you can just remove the peavey logo. :rolleyes:
 
the Fender Blues is a recommendation, used ~$250, new $350...
from my boutique friend.

he just bought some $2500+ MEsa, and he said the same thing..the 15watt setup or some shit had a great sound...all tube a roo.

Fender Blues Jr...all tube small but pro level sht.
 
robin watson said:
Wow: black, rectangular, with lots of knobs on. Truly amazing. Who would've thought?

Let's see you show up on stage with a little tweed P.O.S. that you can fit in your back pocket. You'll get laughed off the stage by the sound technicians.

Besides, I just played both the Blues Jr. and the Pro Jr. at Guitar Center and they souned like absolute crap to me. They were way too mid rangey and had little to no low end. The highs were almost unbearable. They're loud enough, alright. But not where it counts.

I might own one if I needed a practice amp. That's about it.
 
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