Recommendations on Small, Inexpensive Practice Amp?

[Robusto]

Hey:

Just wondering what you all use/recommend/have exerienced for a smaller, inexpensive practice amp.

Quite often I want to jam around or learn a new riff/song, and don't really want to fire up the RoadsterBeast, or just be messing around upstairs (not in the jam-room).

Line6 has a $100 SpiderIII, and it seems to be quite versatile for 100 bucks.

Any thoughts/experiences???

Thanks

 

[MJ Slaughter]

I went down a similar road as you and considered the Spider III until I played one. Yuk! I decided to buy a simple one channel tube amp with good clean tone and use one of my overdrive pedals Fulltone Fulldrive 2 Mosfet, for well, overdrive. To me, the best would be to have a small 5-15 watt tube amp for practicing that would also work well at small gigs on tiny stages. I ultimately opted for an Ampeg 15 watt but there are a lot of other small tubes amps. If you want to stay within $100 you're probably going to have to go with solid state but to a tube snob like me it's a let down.

I find with ss amps that the cleans are workable but I never cared for the overdrive tones. If you already have an overdrive pedal, that may sound much better with the ss amp than it's overdrive tone anyway. If you only want it for at home practicing they try the Spider III. It is cheap and will get the job done. Good luck.

 

[fatoni]

epiphone and blackheart make cheap tube amps

 

[gonzo]

find a used Peavey JSX mini colossal.

they sound great, and you can record with them, direct...

 

[boswell]

Roland Cube or MicroCube. 8)

 

[t0aj15]

Roland Cube or MicroCube. 8)

+1

 

[Don]

I bought a Roland Blues Cube 30 with an Eminence Tonker in it for $70!

I put the Tonker in my Express 5:50 and the C-90 in the Blues Cube.

It sounds good. My son can use it all he wants without me worrying about it.

I put my tweed Deluxe clone on top of it when we play bbqs and have it as a backup. I've also used it as an extension cabinet with my Express.


I played through my band's drummer's daughter's Line6 Spider II one night when I had a power tube fail. It sucked beyond belief!

 

[DeFrag]

Blackheart Little Giant or Killer Ant
http://www.blackhearteng.com

 

[t0aj15]

Here's a good deal:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...112-18W-1x12-Tube-Guitar-Combo-Amp?sku=487051

 

[MF]

Here's a good deal:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...112-18W-1x12-Tube-Guitar-Combo-Amp?sku=487051

whoa. that is a good deal.

 

[MJ Slaughter]

Here's a good deal:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...112-18W-1x12-Tube-Guitar-Combo-Amp?sku=487051

A friend of mine has a Crate V Series 30 watt combo that sounds great considering what he paid for it. I wish you didn't show us this link because now I'm thinking I need that amp for only $150, but I really don't. I guess I just want it. No I don't. Sorry, I have a bad case of G.A.S. today. For a practice amp I'd jump on it. For a gigging amp I don't trust Crate.

 

[user 9884]

Here's a good deal:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...112-18W-1x12-Tube-Guitar-Combo-Amp?sku=487051

A friend of mine has a Crate V Series 30 watt combo that sounds great considering what he paid for it. I wish you didn't show us this link because now I'm thinking I need that amp for only $150, but I really don't. I guess I just want it. No I don't. Sorry, I have a bad case of G.A.S. today. For a practice amp I'd jump on it. For a gigging amp I don't trust Crate.

Amazing deal, but 30 tube watts sounds pretty loud for a practice amp.

 

[MJ Slaughter]

Here's a good deal:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...112-18W-1x12-Tube-Guitar-Combo-Amp?sku=487051

A friend of mine has a Crate V Series 30 watt combo that sounds great considering what he paid for it. I wish you didn't show us this link because now I'm thinking I need that amp for only $150, but I really don't. I guess I just want it. No I don't. Sorry, I have a bad case of G.A.S. today. For a practice amp I'd jump on it. For a gigging amp I don't trust Crate.

Amazing deal, but 30 tube watts sounds pretty loud for a practice amp.

The one one sale is only 18 watts. Though that can still get pretty loud as well.

 

[cb101]

Vox Pathfinder 15R

 

[MusicManJP6]

I actually really liked the Line 6 Spider III 15 that I had. I used it for practice around the house but also took it to a jam session and was surprised at it's tone. I nicknamed it 'little devil'.

Peavey just came out with an amp called Vypyr and it sounds even better than the Spider amps and with more amp models and effects. I'd give that a try if I were you!

 

[soundchaser59]

Vypyr sounds interesting, I've never had any issues with Peavey.

Otherwise, I keep going back to the Vox AD30 and AD50 amps. Good sound, more than your budget though.

 

[dmt]

How about an Tube Practice Amp for$20 bux? I'll record some clips tmr.

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=29583

 

[MesaENGR412]

Roland Cube or MicroCube. 8)

+1 or the Marshall MG10, that thing has a WICKED overdrive channel for a little 10 watter

-AJH

 

[dmt]

I posted some clips in the other thread. Check it out.

 

[soundchaser59]

I wasn't gonna say anything until I saw the words "Line 6 Spider" in the OP.

Save yourself, friend..... :shock:

I've tried the Line 6 and the Vypyr and the Super Champ and the Vox all side by side. I'd get a Vox AD30 if I were pullin your 6 strings. That's the smallest practice anything amp I'll ever do again. Stick a Delta DEmon speaker in it and you'll not have any regrets.

But whatever you do, please dont do the Spider, those are, I'm sorry to say, one of the worst sounding amps ever made.......second only perhaps to the Marshall MG series.