i need a practice amp

J

jnug

Member
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674
i need a practice amp for around the house and i don't even know where to start looking. i would like a good tube amp but usually tube amps are just to loud for around the house with a family, but maybe there is something with tubes and two channels that can get it done?

i've looked at computer software like JamVox but don;t feel like going through the compatibility issues and such.

would a modeling amp be good for around the house something i can change from a clean channel to a OD channel, or would (ugh i hate to say it) a solid state amp better.

i play tube amps and this amp will be my stay at home late night practicing amp and will never be gigged. any commendations? what do you guys use for practice amps?
 
J

jnug

Member
Messages
674
kingjoemom said:
Vox AC-4

What kind of music styles do you like to play?
Click to expand...

usually blues, rock and classic rock. my tube amps consist of a Fuchs ODS, Mesa Boogie Electra Dyne.

would a low watt fender tube amp do it and run my pedal board into it? and i'm not looking for an attenuator, those things just suck tone.
 
tbp0701

tbp0701

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Messages
540
I have a Pro Junior and a Tech 21 Trademark 10. For late night/early morning practicing, I typically use the Tech 21, particularly since it has a headphone out. It is solid state, but it's not digital. I'm impressed with it, at least.

I'll also use a Korg Pandora through headphones late at night. That is definitely digital, but it has drum and bass loops which I find really useful.

While I haven't tried one, I'm intrigued by something like the Valvetrain Lexington, which can be switched between 6 and 1.5 watts. That's about all I know of it, though. (I did try a Mesa Boogie 5:25, put it the 5 watt mode and turned the master volume very low and got a surprisingly rich sound out of it. Buying an $1,000+ amp for that seemed pretty far over the top, however).
 
R

rich-96db

Member
Messages
264
Take a look at the Blackstar HT-5. It has 2 channels and tubes, although some of the gain is assisted through op amps. I ended up grabbing the mini stack when GC was selling them for $479 before Christmas. I can play it in the basement at reasonable levels without annoying everyone else in the house.

Also has a headphone jack.

blackstar.jpg
 
B

bbutler123

Member
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2,650
Look at the new Bugera 22 watt. Cheap, and I've read MARVELOUS things from users. Tube, 1-12", 22 watts.
 
K

kingjoemom

Member
Messages
624
jnug said:
usually blues, rock and classic rock. my tube amps consist of a Fuchs ODS, Mesa Boogie Electra Dyne.

would a low watt fender tube amp do it and run my pedal board into it? and i'm not looking for an attenuator, those things just suck tone.
Click to expand...

Yeah that would work.

As for the low watt Fender tube amp, take a look at the Fargen Hot Rodded Fender Champ 600. It's loads better than the stock Champ. There are clips of it on Youtube and elsewhere. You can buy it new off his profile off Ebay.

Hope this helps. :)
 
Guitar Dave T

Guitar Dave T

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Messages
12,284
jnug said:
usually blues, rock and classic rock. my tube amps consist of a Fuchs ODS, Mesa Boogie Electra Dyne.

would a low watt fender tube amp do it and run my pedal board into it? and i'm not looking for an attenuator, those things just suck tone.
Click to expand...

I have a Fender Blues Jr (15 watts) that I sometimes use for home practice with OD pedals, and it sounds sweet, especially with a replacement G12H30 speaker. But this amp actually sounds incredible at full band volume with no pedals, something that most around here don't really get. Compared to its out in public sound, I really hate to play it at low volumes at home, even with pedals. It's a comparative letdown.

Best low watt, tube practice amp I've ever owned was a '59 tweed champ. The thing just rocked like a friggin' Marshall stack, but at a reasonable "home" level.
 
K

kingjoemom

Member
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624
Guitar Dave T said:
THANK YOU for being the first replier in a "refer me an amp" thread that actual asks this important question!!!

You are my new TGP hero!
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AWWWW you shouldn't have :beer

It's just a really important question to ask because you have people asking "oh I need a 100 watt amp for headroom". And they either get somebody telling them " A Fender Twin" or "Mesa Dual Rec". :crazy:crazy:crazy
 
Pietro

Pietro

2-Voice Guitar Junkie and All-Around Awesome Guy
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16,488
jnug said:
and i'm not looking for an attenuator, those things just suck tone.
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Not always!

But a modeling amp is a great choice for a practice amp imho.

I use a lot of FX live and tend to play just through my champ with no pedals when I practice at home, which is totally cool, but my favorite practice amp is one of my louder amps with my attenuator. Sorry, I know you don't want to consider an attenuator, but in my experience, it is a great choice. Even my champ sounds great with my Air Brake!
 
J

jnug

Member
Messages
674
Pietro said:
Not always!

But a modeling amp is a great choice for a practice amp imho.

I use a lot of FX live and tend to play just through my champ with no pedals when I practice at home, which is totally cool, but my favorite practice amp is one of my louder amps with my attenuator. Sorry, I know you don't want to consider an attenuator, but in my experience, it is a great choice. Even my champ sounds great with my Air Brake!
Click to expand...

i've had several attenuators and i just don't get along with them, i have no plans of getting one in the future.
 
Pantalooj

Pantalooj

Member
Messages
3,934
I have a PODxt Live that I use for playing at home through headphones. Does the job. I think if I was looking again I'd go for a Roland Cube to do the same job ... and allow for low volume non-headphone use.
 
K

kingjoemom

Member
Messages
624
jnug said:
would i be able to get by with a orange dual terror or a tiny terror?
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Not a quiet amp by any means. You would most definately have to play one before pulling the trigger because they are pretty dark amps. I thought the TT was ok. I REALLY LIKED the Rocker 30. But I couldn't get the volume past 4 (where you just start hearing the power tubes, though no breakup). With out my ears telling my brain to turn the amp off, and that was just with the combo (1X12 V30). But you of course have to try one for yourself.

The Tiny Terror has no EQ aside from the single tone knob. (which you probably already know). I don't know if it was a one trick pony as people say, I could get a nice AC/DC per se tone out of it. YMMV though :/

Don't ask me if it takes pedals well or not cuz I have no clue.

I think you might be better off with the Fender Champ with pedals, or a modeler, like the Vox Valvetronix, which I really liked.
 
E

evbrad2007

Silver Supporting Member
Messages
111
I recently went round and round on this same issue in my process of winnowing my amps down to one practical/economical practice amp.

As part of my thinning process, I recently sold a Tiny Terror w/Jule Amp mod...a reallly great sounding amp for hair to OD tones, but not terribly versatile and really can be loud in its tone zone. Though a Much fun little amp!

I sampled a Bugera V22 which sounded surprisingly good and was a contender. Channel switching, good OD and clean tones. Good tone value for a tube amp...reliability though may be an issue from early reports?

I also spent a good deal of time with a SCXD over three different days...just never got a very impressive tone out of it even after dialing it in according to the suggestions of SCXD fans. It was just okay for me. I did not get a chance to try it through a cab though, and I've heard it really makes a difference...

The Vox AC4TVH impressed but also not terribly versatile...still tempted to pick one up for fun...The head/cab sounds much better than the 10" combo. I actually liked the AC4TV head/cab better than the night train...something really appealing/addictive about its overdrive.

I also checked out the Egnater Rebel 20 and Blackstar 5 watt head/cab for reference. Good heavy OD tones...cleans not very satisfying to me though.

After sampling all these amps (and others like the Cube 80x/60), ultimately, I kept coming back to the Vox VT30. It also only has a 10 inch speaker but just really trumped the other amps... Overall, it did more things better. The cleans were fuller and more dimensional than any of the above amps to my ears. The OD tones were quite good as well, particularly if you understand how to use the volume controls in conjunction with the "attenuator" in the amp. The FX are decent as well, definitely better and more versatile than those on the SCXD. If you can get past it not being a "real tube amp", you should really check it out. Vox has a $50 rebate going on these as well through the 31st.
 
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