tourettes5139 said:
. . . one that would have enough volume for small clubs un-mic'd, if such an amp exists.
Well, the problem with these kinds of questions is that it mostly depends upon what kind of band you're playing with, as to if the amp will be "loud enough" to get the job done. Personally, I've played a fairly large concert hall
several times with my smallest combo amp - an SWR Workingman's 10, which pushes 80 watts into a single TEN inch speaker! (The band director often asked me to turn down.) That was with a jazz band. Everybody else was playing acoustic instruments. I've also had a lot of success using that amp at some of the small gigs that I've been playing with a three piece
acoustic guitar combo. Some times the two guitar players don't even mic their guitars, the places are so small. Even when they DO amplify them, the volume is very low. However, when I've taken this same amp to rehearsals and jam sessions with amplified rock bands, sometimes it will cut the mustard, sometimes not. Just depends upon how loud the rest of the band are playing.
I'm assuming you'd be using it for a rock band? In that case, I would recommend that you look for a used Peavey or Fender amp. Anywhere from 100 to 300 watts, with either a couple of tens or a fifteen. Remember that the
efficiency of the speaker system will have a greater effect on the overall volume than the wattage of the amp. And, of course, remember that if you don't have enough volume, you can always just tell the rest of the band to turn down.
Brad