Great (best?) portable combo?

[JoeinLA]

I've got a Tremoverb and a IIC+, but I'm looking for a combo that's light and easily portable. Doesn't need to be loud (though loud enough hang with bigger amps), but does need to have GREAT distortion tone. Would prefer it to be relatively inexpensive, but cost would be secondary to great tone.

Any recommendations?

Thanks!

Joe

[Razor]

Peavey Classis 30 or 50 watt combos are solid amps. I have a classic 50 2x12, and it is not light but really not too heavy. The clean and distortion tones are very good, the amp takes pedals well, and the price is right.

Just an idea!

[carltonh]

The Pritchard amps are probably the best light portable amp at any price. They are worth the ~$2000 price, but they are too good to be a back up amp. Excellent from super clean up to Van Halen at all volumes.

For cheap alternatives, take a Classic 30 or Carvin Nomad and use the great mods floating around the internet for them.

[JoeinLA]

Yeah... $2,000 is a bit much. I'm currently thinking an XT Live and a cheap amp as a power amp/speaker...

[mkl13]

Budda SD18 light, loud, and a great distortion sound.

[Unburst]

VHT Pitbull 45, you can find them for less than $800.

[Dave B]

Here's my recent experiences.

Test drove a Classic 30. It was really good, but I'd characterize its lead channel as more overdrive than distortion, if that's important to you. It took a DS-1 really well. Definitely lightweight and a great price new.

The Budda SD18 (@ 50 lbs. in an oversized 1x12 box), covers both the OD and distortion sides well, as well as grittier cleans. Pricing on used is OK.

Had a Zinky Blue Velvet 25 combo (38 lbs.) until recently. You'll see plenty of reviews out here that attest to its distortion channel. The reviews on the clean channel are mixed (I liked them). It has an nice unobtrusive tube reverb (not Fender). I thought it did a great 1980's Rabin/Schenker type of MV Marshall lead sound. Pricing on new and used is good.

Orange Rocker 30 was a bit heavier than the BV25, but still way lighter than Mesa Lonestar/Special or the Genz Benz El Diablo 60. Its two channels could cover a wide range of rock sounds. Pricing was OK, as high retail from shipping them from across the pond keeps their used prices up a bit, too.

[m_ujifusa]

My vote is for a Trace Elliot Velocette 12R (if you can find one). Just picked one up (that will hopefully be arriving soon) for $400. Great little 15watt British amp, and the distortion on the one I played sounded great.

Originally Posted by Unburst

VHT Pitbull 45, you can find them for less than $800.

Yep. There are a couple in the Emporium now, I think. Great amps.

[Dann'sTheMan]

Do audition the Mesa F-50. It is voiced somewhere between the Mark series and the Rectos on the dirty channels, and the 1x12 widebody combo is around 54lbs.

The smaller lighter F-30 may also be interesting too - although at only 22W RMS, you may run out of clean headroom. I personally prefer the 6L6 powered tone of the F-50 and F-100, but the EL84 powered F-30 has its own fair share of fans.

If you're interested, I have some clips of my F-50 combo in this thread,

Big smiles,

Andy.

[rooster]

Since you're in LA (I assume California, not LA as in Lousiana), drop by Time Warp Music on Ventura from Tuesday to Saturday, and ask Pete about what you're looking for. He'll turn you onto something that fits your bill perfectly.

rooster.

[bikerdude2]

I have the F30, and as clean headroom is a non issue for me, the F30 is perfect as a backup for what I play.

Originally Posted by Dann'sTheMan

Do audition the Mesa F-50. It is voiced somewhere between the Mark series and the Rectos on the dirty channels, and the 1x12 widebody combo is around 54lbs.

The smaller lighter F-30 may also be interesting too - although at only 22W RMS, you may run out of clean headroom. I personally prefer the 6L6 powered tone of the F-50 and F-100, but the EL84 powered F-30 has its own fair share of fans.

If you're interested, I have some clips of my F-50 combo in this thread,

Big smiles,

Andy.

[waxnsteel]

Yeah. F30 can be loud. Don't mistake it for what people typically think of as an EL84 sound. It's not "Voxy" by any stretch of the imagination. And I wouldn't call it Chimey exactly. The F-50's sounded a little livelier, IMO, but for the most part, the way I dialed them in, the F30 sounded like a little F-50. And it's not exactly light, but takes up a lot less room in the vehicle than a Bogner quarterstack or a T-verb.

[bikerdude2]

I mentioned at practice once that I was going to start gigging with my F30, and got the "No way! The Boogie sounds great, but the Bogner kills it!" Boy would that make my load in sweet!

Originally Posted by waxnsteel

Yeah. F30 can be loud. Don't mistake it for what people typically think of as an EL84 sound. It's not "Voxy" by any stretch of the imagination. And I wouldn't call it Chimey exactly. The F-50's sounded a little livelier, IMO, but for the most part, the way I dialed them in, the F30 sounded like a little F-50. And it's not exactly light, but takes up a lot less room in the vehicle than a Bogner quarterstack or a T-verb.

[Caretaker]

Carvin Vintage 33 or Belaire.