Best cheap 10-15w amp?

  • Thread starter Thread starter noisedude
  • Start date Start date
noisedude

noisedude

New member
I'm after a little amp for two reasons:

1. To be able to practice in my house without losing my housemates as friends.
2. Perhaps to do a little recording. Not important because I am happy enough with the tones I get with Amplitube.

I have a 100w Fender which has a great clean channel but is basically useless because my house is so damn rattly.

I bought a Crate GX15R for my brother recently, I really liked it in the shop especially with the powered output hooked up to a stack.

I'm looking at:
- Crate GX15R (duh)
- Orange Crush 10 (apparently the Crush 15 sucks?)
- Roland Cube (whichever is closest to this price ... I think they sound a little soulless, but please disagree)
- Whatever other little Marshalls, Voxs sit in this price range.

I've not got a lot of money, yes I'd love a Princeton but it's not happening!
 
i have the orange crush 10. definitely a "cute" little amp. has a pretty nice overdriven sound to it. i use it as my livingroom amp. a vox pathfinder would probably be a lot more verstile though considering its a modeling amp.
 
Electar Tube 10, all tube, $100, http://www.musicyo.com/product_specs.asp?pf_id=300

It looks like they're out right now. It is one of the best deals going IMO. The amp is your basic champish style circuit with a small speaker. Add $30 for JJ tubes instead of the stock sovteks and you've got yourself a nice amp.
 
Chill - I'm not sure how your dates work in the USA, but that amp is out of stuck either until June or October 2005!!!

I'm not sure they'll have a UK supplier either.
 
Alesis Wildfire (formerly Spitfire) series amps. I just got the 60 watt version, but there are smaller ones. For the $$, they are killer little amps. I've had a zillion amps over the last 35 years, and I wish I had this little Alesis when I was lugging around a pair of Ampeg V4 stacks back when..
No need for any effects pedals (although I still do use a Rat), as it has it all. You can use up to three effects in any order PLUS compression, noise reduction, and distortion (drive), all at once. Plus, it is all programable with 80 presets and the ability to hook up an expression pedal and link another amp to run in stereo (which I do live, with a little Marshall Valvestate)...basically just for fun :p

Musicians Friend is currently blowing out the Spitfire amps at about half price, to make way for the Wildfire series....it appears. I paid $200 for my 60 watt Wildfire, but they are selling the Spitfires (like I said, basically the same amp) for $129. That deal can't be beat in my opinion....even at $200.

Next, I'd vote for the Vox Pathfinder. Another killer little amp, but not nearly as flexible. The Fender stuff is OK, but gets kinda pricey in my book. The solid state little Marshalls are OK also, but they are kinda a one trick (well, one and a half) pony getting only a half decent drive and a very good clean sound.
 
Remember, people, I'm talking cheap here. Like £100 or less ($150 tops).

I'll look at the Alesis ones, not sure if they have a distributor here but will see what I can turn up.
 
Check the price for the Vox Brian May, I'm pretty sure it's less than the pathfinder and the valvetronix, so that might be worth looking at, also it sounds pretty sweet.
 
I will look at all of these. I went down the shop today and got them to order in an Orange Crush 10, Vox Pathfinder 15R, AD15, and AD30. They've already got the Brian May ones (how tiny are they??!!) and the usual Crates and Marshalls. Will go down once they're all in and see what's up.

Has anyone any opinions on how well any of these amps record? I heard people saying that for example the Crates don't go so well for some reason?
 
Line 6

I like the Line 6 Spider II 15w combo.. Its about 150$.. (same as a Vox Brian May) But the Line 6 makes many sounds, the vox only makes 1 but it does do it rather wel..
 
ummm, a friend of mine at a music store that repairs amps says that Line 6 are the absolute worst.
 
cheap? i would say a vox ad15. i've played around with one and they don't sound that bad. it doesn't compare to my fender princeton reverb but its also 1/5 the price. the vox definitely sounds better than the line6 modeling amps.

if you can shell out $200 i suggest you find an old fender champ on ebay.
 
A lot of stores are pimping them really heavily at the moment, which makes me suspect they might not be all that. I would rather have one pretty decent tone than a bunch of 'almosts', but I will do my best to try it out, it's going to be a long day in the guitar shop!!
 
Whoops! That last message was in response to LI_Slim's Line 6 comment!
 
noisedude said:
A lot of stores are pimping them really heavily at the moment, which makes me suspect they might not be all that. I would rather have one pretty decent tone than a bunch of 'almosts', but I will do my best to try it out, it's going to be a long day in the guitar shop!!
Click to expand...


Beware, I am told that they (Line 6) tend to break early and often.


Don't forget to check out the Gorilla. ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top