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Rezzonator
New member
I want an amp that's flexible (from jazzy to screaming), for rehearsels and for playing in small clubs. I don't need any fx. Suggestions?
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johnny5dm
New member
I've heard lots of great things about the Fender Blues Jr... don't know the price, tho.
gbondo9
p3n
I've heard good things about the VOX AD amps. I think they have a 30,50 and 100 watt model.
You might want to check out some Carvin gear as well. I loved the Carvin amp I owned, and they have pretty good prices.
Todd
You might want to check out some Carvin gear as well. I loved the Carvin amp I owned, and they have pretty good prices.
Todd
M
my2cents
New member
johnny5dm said:
those are $399 new. maybe you could find a used one for $250.
how about a peavey classic 30? i've heard those sound nice, but i haven't played one. i think those might be in the $200-$300 range.
Fenderville
New member
For anything decent in that price range you will prolly have to go used...
Fender Blues Jr.
Peavey Classic 30
Fender Blues Jr.
Peavey Classic 30
Outlaws
New member
I owned a Blues Jr and while it had a range of tones, I would hardly call it 'flexible' in the way the original poster wants. The clean is not jazzy if you ask me. I'd call it 'muddy'.
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David Katauskas
New member
For that price you are looking strictly at a solid state amp. For small clubs, then you'll need over 100 watts.
Although most people do not like Crates here, it's still the best sounding amp for that price range IMO. I have a Crate XT120R combo (2x12") amp with 120 watts and has expandable cab jacks and an effects loop. It has no effects (which I prefer), but it has 3 channels (clean, rhythm and lead) and is fairly loud.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_id/108862
However, I'll be replacing mine soon for a rack mount power amp (since I already have a rack pre-amp) and cab.
Although most people do not like Crates here, it's still the best sounding amp for that price range IMO. I have a Crate XT120R combo (2x12") amp with 120 watts and has expandable cab jacks and an effects loop. It has no effects (which I prefer), but it has 3 channels (clean, rhythm and lead) and is fairly loud.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_id/108862
However, I'll be replacing mine soon for a rack mount power amp (since I already have a rack pre-amp) and cab.
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Rezzonator
New member
Cool!
Well, I know that for $250,- there will be no tube-amps. But I assume that there will be plenty of good trans.amps. The Crate seems to be an option. The Fender Blues looks cool, but a bit out of budget. And what about the Fender Frontman 212? Or the Hughes and Ketner Ed. Blue 65?
Well, I know that for $250,- there will be no tube-amps. But I assume that there will be plenty of good trans.amps. The Crate seems to be an option. The Fender Blues looks cool, but a bit out of budget. And what about the Fender Frontman 212? Or the Hughes and Ketner Ed. Blue 65?
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billrost
New member
Stick to ebay and look around for a tube amp or used line 6. Nothing new will be worth it in that price range.
Cuzme
New member
My roomate and constituent recently got this Vox and it sounds great! He loves it, we love it, but we don't thrash or play hard core - we're more R&B, Jazz and Hip Hop (but we mic it for the hip hop hits). Much love,
Cuzme
http://www.guitarvision.com/mf/mf_frameset.htm
Cuzme
http://www.guitarvision.com/mf/mf_frameset.htm
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ggunn
Crystal Flavolian
David Katauskas said:
100 watts? Ouch. I don't think so. Even if you don't mic amps, 50 watts is still a bit much for a small club unless you are full shred headbanging and your audience is already deaf. And lets not get into solid state watts vs. tube watts again, OK? Watts is watts.
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ggunn
Crystal Flavolian
Rezzonator said:
Hmm. You want an amp that sounds great for recording and gigs, and does it all from jazz clean to full shred, and you want it for less than $250. Wow, me too; that sounds great! Let me know how it comes out, OK? ;^)
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David Katauskas
New member
ggunn said:
My guess is that your definition of 'small gig' is different from my definition of 'small gig'. I've played small gigs (200-300 folks) and we mic-ed our amps thru the decent PA, and our sound guy was disapointed that he couldn't make it louder for us without distorting. 'Yes', we were a metal band
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prestomation
New member
David Katauskas said:My guess is that your definition of 'small gig' is different from my definition of 'small gig'. I've played small gigs (200-300 folks) and we mic-ed our amps thru the decent PA, and our sound guy was disapointed that he couldn't make it louder for us without distorting. 'Yes', we were a metal band
Then you couldn't of been playing through a "decent PA". Most sound guys wouldn't want you providing your own volume, then he has no control.
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David Katauskas
New member
prestomation said:
Wow...this is weird. There are a few 'nay sayers' here with completely opposite experiences than I've had. Really. I'm not being sarcastic, it's really cool to hear other's experiences.
I've never played a place where we had to use the house PA. We either had our sound guy set his up, or we didn't use one at all (really-really small gigs 50-100 folks).
With regards to the PA system we used...I really don't remember. It was a 24 channel board (2 guitars, 1 bass DI, 3 vocals, ? drums). The each main had 1 horn, 2-12" and a low end (maybe a 15"). With regards to the power, I havn't a clue. But it was powerful enough for the outdoor venues which seems to suck-up all of the voulume.
Some of the places where we were invited to play bent over backwards to accommodate us and basically let us do whatever we wanted. Maybe times have changed...I haven't been in that scene for almost 15 years, but I do rember feeling like a rock star.
Sorry to hi-jack this thread, but this is interesting:
This was in the Chicagoland area (mostly suburbs)...how is it in other places?
btw - I still recommend an amp with 100 watts or more...you have more flexibility and can always turn it down if required.
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johnny5dm
New member
I'd have to agree about not needing 100W... a low-watt amp turned up more will sound better (in a lot of cases) than a high-watt amp turned down - at least in tube amps. Being primarily a sound guy, I've dealt with enough situations to know that if anything, I usually ask guitar players to turn their amps down, so I can have better control over the mix. No offense to you, David, but if your sound guy couldn't make you loud enough, then the PA didn't have enough juice or the show was too loud. A good PA should never have to rely on a guitar amp to add more sound.
Rezz, I'd say that if you're looking for good tone, do try to find a used tube amp that you like. I just checked out some Blues Jrs on eBay, and there are a good number going for the $275 range. I haven't really played with them enough myself to verify Outlaw's comments, but you can find them at a lot of guitar stores and should be able to check them out. With some decent pedals, I think you could be very happy with one of those. You will get more power out of some of the Crates for the money, but the tone won't be as good. You definitely might want to consider those Peavey's - good tone, good volume, decent price. That might be the compromise between the two.
Rezz, I'd say that if you're looking for good tone, do try to find a used tube amp that you like. I just checked out some Blues Jrs on eBay, and there are a good number going for the $275 range. I haven't really played with them enough myself to verify Outlaw's comments, but you can find them at a lot of guitar stores and should be able to check them out. With some decent pedals, I think you could be very happy with one of those. You will get more power out of some of the Crates for the money, but the tone won't be as good. You definitely might want to consider those Peavey's - good tone, good volume, decent price. That might be the compromise between the two.
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David Katauskas
New member
johnny5dm,
No offense taken, that PA may have been underpowered...I really don't remember the details since that wasn't my role.
I do have to disagree with the wattage thing. Especially for ss amps. I wish my 120 watt ss combo amp was louder.
Maybe I'm going deaf. Especially if Rezzenator wants the guitar to be "screaming".
However, I do agree that a 100 watt tube will be too loud for small gigs. I guess it's possible to find a good versatile used tube amp for that price range...?
No offense taken, that PA may have been underpowered...I really don't remember the details since that wasn't my role.
I do have to disagree with the wattage thing. Especially for ss amps. I wish my 120 watt ss combo amp was louder.
Maybe I'm going deaf. Especially if Rezzenator wants the guitar to be "screaming".However, I do agree that a 100 watt tube will be too loud for small gigs. I guess it's possible to find a good versatile used tube amp for that price range...?
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ggunn
Crystal Flavolian
David Katauskas said:My guess is that your definition of 'small gig' is different from my definition of 'small gig'. I've played small gigs (200-300 folks) and we mic-ed our amps thru the decent PA, and our sound guy was disapointed that he couldn't make it louder for us without distorting. 'Yes', we were a metal band
I guess that's a yes to both my stipulations ("... unless you are full shred headbanging and your audience is already deaf"), eh? ;^)
My guess is that what the sound guy was telling you was that he couldn't get the vocals up over the stage volume from your amps, or maybe that he couldn't get the overall sound loud enough for the venue, but hey, I wasn't there. However, sound guys (and I am one) very rarely ask for more stage volume from a guitar player (I'm one of those, too).
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enferno
New member
roland cube 30
quiet as a whisper to loud enough so you can't yell over it.
modeling amp wtih some fairly decent models.
i know you said oyu didn't need fx, but it has some decent built in ones.
quiet as a whisper to loud enough so you can't yell over it.
modeling amp wtih some fairly decent models.
i know you said oyu didn't need fx, but it has some decent built in ones.
R
Rezzonator
New member
What about a Fender Princeton?