Epiphone Valve Jr. tube amp...

T

toad

New member
Epi's got a little 5w tube amp on the market for $150....seems to be getting some good reviews at Harmony Central.

Any personal experiences out there?
 
I own the head version that's a hundred bucks and I run it thru an old marshall combo with the amp removed. It actually doesn't sound bad at all. The next band I record is going through it so I can hear how it sits in a mix. It's only one knob on the head so the combo may be a little more versatile but I have a feeling the quieter head version coupled with a vintage celestion and a decent guitar, with maybe the tubes replaced would yield a very usable sound.
 
I played the little Epi in GC. I finished up buying the 5W Gibson Goldtone, - I don't think that there is a lot of difference between them. One control knob for volume - clean sound up to about 10 o'clock and breaks up nicely at 12 o' clock. Above 12 o' clock it gets too loud for my room. I cranked it to the max at GC and I was in heaven!

My other amps are : Mesa Boogie DC-3 (35W) and a small solid state Crate - all great amps and have their place in my studio.

Thanks,
Dara
 
I have the head only version. It is a great little amp. I would change the tubes though. There are a few web sites dedicated to these amps amps and a lot of good recomendations as for tube replacements.
I love the hell out of the thing.
 
jonnyc said:
I have a feeling the quieter head version coupled with a vintage celestion and a decent guitar, with maybe the tubes replaced would yield a very usable sound.
Click to expand...

Apparently they've addressed the noise issue with the combo. The ones built after December 2005 don't have the noise problem the original ones did. They also raised the price $20 on the combo. They used to be $119, now they're $139. Still a great price for a tube combo. I just bought a Gibson GA5 a few months ago but I don't know how long I can resist the Epi at these prices.
 
mcmd said:
I played the little Epi in GC. I finished up buying the 5W Gibson Goldtone, - I don't think that there is a lot of difference between them. One control knob for volume - clean sound up to about 10 o'clock and breaks up nicely at 12 o' clock. Above 12 o' clock it gets too loud for my room. I cranked it to the max at GC and I was in heaven!

My other amps are : Mesa Boogie DC-3 (35W) and a small solid state Crate - all great amps and have their place in my studio.

Thanks,
Dara
Click to expand...

Man it's like lookin in a mirror. So do you like your dc-3 as much as I love mine? It's a freaking phenominal amp. BTW anyone have a link to those mod sites for the Epi, I'd like to get to work making this little guy sing a little prettier. I still say it's a hell of a deal and a great sounding little amp. Almost can't believe it's only a hundred bucks.
 
jonnyc said:
Man it's like lookin in a mirror. So do you like your dc-3 as much as I love mine? It's a freaking phenominal amp. BTW anyone have a link to those mod sites for the Epi, I'd like to get to work making this little guy sing a little prettier. I still say it's a hell of a deal and a great sounding little amp. Almost can't believe it's only a hundred bucks.
Click to expand...

Check the amp forum at epiphone.com. There's a guy there who posted detailed accounts of the mods he did and also and links to places with mod kits.

http://www.gibson.com/products/epiphone/forum/toast.asp?sub=show&action=topics&fid=4
 
Last edited:
I have one of these little gems. My brother, a real guitarist bought one first, my other brother a semi real guitarist bought one second, I got mine for xmas from my girlfriend. My two brothers and I, me on drums, bros on bass and guitar jam once a month in my little 10x15 jam room and that little amp cranks! It's plenty loud enough in my small room for a three piece band and it sounds GREAT! A dirty little scrappy amp!
 
I have the head, too, and enjoy the heck out of it. Definitely not for the metal player, but a great classic sound in a tiny, affordable little box.
 
So would you say

it's good for a 'dirty blues' sound? It sounds like what you're syaing is that even at 5 watts, you've gotta get pretty loud to dirty it up, which is the same problem I have with my Vibro Champ. That's why I got the modelers.
 
Cardioidpotent said:
it's good for a 'dirty blues' sound? It sounds like what you're syaing is that even at 5 watts, you've gotta get pretty loud to dirty it up, which is the same problem I have with my Vibro Champ. That's why I got the modelers.
Click to expand...


I get a decent distortion going into a single 12" at about 3/4's which to me still isn't very loud, but I'm used to recording Mesa's through 4x12's.
 
Cardioidpotent said:
it's good for a 'dirty blues' sound? It sounds like what you're syaing is that even at 5 watts, you've gotta get pretty loud to dirty it up, which is the same problem I have with my Vibro Champ. That's why I got the modelers.
Click to expand...

Mine starts breaking up at about 10-11 o'clock on the dial (with single coil p-ups). I'd say it's perfect for blues, but still pretty loud for 5 watts. If playing at night, I put a volume pedal b/w the head and speaker, so I can crank the gain and not piss of the neighbors. Probably a good idea to go try one out, just to know...but for $99, you could just buy it and return it if you don't like it.
 
If you change the Sovtec EL84 with a groove tube in the 8 to 10 range and try a few different preamp tubes you should be able to get more head room out of the amp. It is designed to break up. I mic mine for shits and giggles and I belive it can be used this way for gigs. I got it for a recording project. I don't think that this amp is the answer to every body's low power problems though.
 
now I really feel out of it

scrubs said:
Mine starts breaking up at about 10-11 o'clock on the dial (with single coil p-ups). I'd say it's perfect for blues, but still pretty loud for 5 watts. If playing at night, I put a volume pedal b/w the head and speaker, so I can crank the gain and not piss of the neighbors. Probably a good idea to go try one out, just to know...but for $99, you could just buy it and return it if you don't like it.
Click to expand...

I didn't even know they made a volume pedal that you could put between an amp and cab, just the ones between the guitar and amp. Who makes them?
 
Cardioidpotent said:
I didn't even know they made a volume pedal that you could put between an amp and cab, just the ones between the guitar and amp. Who makes them?
Click to expand...

Well, I'm no electrician, so it could be very dangerous, but I just use my Morley pedal (wah/volume)...hasn't exploded yet, or anything. :o
 
scrubs said:
Well, I'm no electrician, so it could be very dangerous, but I just use my Morley pedal (wah/volume)...hasn't exploded yet, or anything. :o
Click to expand...

I might check the wattage rating on the volume pedal pot, or at least put your finger on it and see how hot it is getting :eek:
 
mshilarious said:
I might check the wattage rating on the volume pedal pot, or at least put your finger on it and see how hot it is getting :eek:
Click to expand...


A Morley volume pedal doesn't use a pot, it uses a photoresistor, but yeah, I'll wager that using it (some would say abusing it) that way eventually will take it out. The electronics in a volume pedal are designed to handle very small currents and voltages
 
ggunn said:
A Morley volume pedal doesn't use a pot, it uses a photoresistor, but yeah, I'll wager that using it (some would say abusing it) that way eventually will take it out. The electronics in a volume pedal are designed to handle very small currents and voltages
Click to expand...


not to mention the volume pedal not providing the necessary load for the amp, this way you could end up with not just a pedal but also an amp going up in smoke!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top