Looking for an amp (i.e., something with a speaker) with a headphone jack that has good Vox tones. Pathfinder? Valvetronix? Some other modeling amp? Not interested in picking up one of the little tube amps cuz it won't cut it late at night.
—Sean
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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »
What practice amp (non-tube) has the best Vox tones?
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Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 650 Leesburg, VA 
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Posted on Nov 06 2011 07:49 PM
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Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle 
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Posted on Nov 06 2011 08:00 PM
Personally, I say go without an amp. Couldn't pay me to plug into a practice amp. Besides, you can learn a lot more by playing unplugged with an electric guitar than plugged in with a practice amp. |
Joined: Apr 03, 2010 Posts: 3201 Jacksonville, AL
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Posted on Nov 06 2011 08:34 PM
Pick up one of the Fender Mustang series. The price is right and the tones are really great. —THE KBK ... This is the last known signal. We offer Sanctuary. www.thekbk.com |
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Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 650 Leesburg, VA
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Posted on Nov 06 2011 08:51 PM
JakeDobner wrote:
While I'm sympathetic to that view, and certainly play my guitar often enough just unplugged, your suggestion doesn't fulfill my Vox fix or my GAS. It is like offering a starving dog a rubber bone. —Sean |
Joined: Feb 28, 2006 Posts: 813 Boise, ID 
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Posted on Nov 06 2011 09:10 PM
If you want something really small, get the Vox DA5 or the Vox Mini. The latter is about $30 cheaper (around $99), but both are the Vox version of the Roland Microcube. The DA5 is built better more solidly than the Mini and cosmetically look different. Both have Vox emulations, along with Blackface, more distorted amps, etc. If you have a GC in your area, they generally carry both models...so you can try em out. —Shawn Martin |
Joined: Apr 21, 2006 Posts: 852 Connersville, Indiana, USA
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Posted on Nov 07 2011 03:48 PM
The Vox DA5, as drumitar mentioned, is a great bang-for-the-buck practice amp! —Fast Cars & Loud Guitars! |
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Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 650 Leesburg, VA
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Posted on Nov 07 2011 04:19 PM
Thanks for all the suggestions. I ended up ordering the Pathfinder. Should be here by the weekend. We'll see how it goes. —Sean Last edited: Nov 07, 2011 16:19:49 |
Joined: Aug 04, 2011 Posts: 100 England
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Posted on Nov 07 2011 04:21 PM
I use a Vox DA5 and I recently bought a Mustang I. There's something really classy about the little VOX that makes me keep going back to it even though I think the Mustang amp sounds awesome is a technological marvel. |
Joined: Dec 26, 2008 Posts: 122 Binghamton, NY
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Posted on Nov 07 2011 04:26 PM
I also say the Vox DA5, I love the tone I get out of it. |
Joined: Apr 24, 2011 Posts: 1087 Surf City, NC
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Posted on Nov 07 2011 06:12 PM
The Roland Cube series offers a lot for the $$$ imo. The one I use (30X) has a "Brit Combo" setting that's close enough. — |
Joined: Oct 26, 2007 Posts: 542
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Posted on Nov 09 2011 10:40 AM
Vox Pathfinder - Cheap price, nice tone and has a headphone out. — |
Joined: Jul 09, 2010 Posts: 1153 Lillian Alabama
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Posted on Nov 12 2011 04:54 PM
Capt----try the vox pathfinder 15r. reverb, tremolo, speaker out, headphone out, boost switch. has a better vox sound than any modeling amp. i have a mustang I (and a III) and it's vox model isn't as good as a real vox. IMHO. Enjoying the surf,sun and sand!! |
Joined: Feb 09, 2010 Posts: 413 Goleta, CA
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Posted on Nov 13 2011 09:11 PM
CaptainSensible wrote:
Did you get it yet? If so, what are your thoughts? I got a used Mustang ii for $125 but realized I'm an old analog guy. It sounds OK, but I like to look at my knobs and see what's what. The Pathfinder seems to be a no BS unit with great tone at an amazing price. Might put the Mustang ii on Craigslist or give it to my son for Christmas. He'd love the more modern presets. —You're not drunk if you can put your socks on while standing. |
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Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 650 Leesburg, VA
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Posted on Nov 13 2011 10:02 PM
Stokemon wrote:
I did get the Pathfinder. I was looking for an amp that my son could use with the Mini Strat he's getting for his birthday next week. For the reasons you cite, I wanted to get something simple that sounds good (although I wish for his purposes it had a built-in tuner). I also wanted an amp that had decent Vox tones that I could use after hours (i.e., with a headphone jack). I think the Pathfinder is a great value. For a SS amp, it gives a nice rich tone. The reverb is pretty modest, even jacked, but I'm not concerned. The tremolo is pretty nice though. I'm anxious to try the delays from my HD500 in front of it to try to dial in some Shadows sounds. I haven't had the chance to play it really loud yet, but I suspect it could potentially sound a little boxy, particularly if you engage the boost. I've been able to get some nice cleans with just a hint of Vox edge at low volumes. The only disappointment so far is that if you turn the reverb up past 10 o'clock when using headphones, you get a lot of buzzing. Without the headphones though, you can dime the reverb at it doesn't buzz at all. For the $100 I paid for it, I'm very pleased. Honestly, it doesn't sound that far off from the AC15C1 I had briefly back in October (which I took back because it had bad buzz issues). —Sean |
Joined: May 18, 2006 Posts: 521
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Posted on Nov 14 2011 04:17 AM
Looks like its too late but for anyone else considering a small practice amp I agree that the Vox DA5 is a great choice. Mine has been to Mexico 6-8 times in a suitcase and still works perfectly. It's also capable of playing really small venues. Can't be beat for the money IMO. |
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Joined: Feb 09, 2010 Posts: 413 Goleta, CA
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Posted on Nov 14 2011 09:40 PM
Thanks Captain! I drove a friend to Los Angeles International Airport today, so I stopped at the Guitar Center 50 miles from home on the way back. Played a sweet (really sweet) Fiesta Red Squier CV '50's Strat through the Pathfinder. Must have been 10 kids in the store playing Les Pauls and SG's through Marshalls at full gain, so they let me use a little private room. Very impressed! For such a small package it puts out a lot of sound. Clean and chimey, just what I want for a practice amp. Reverb isn't the best, but they let me put a Boss FRV-1 into the loop and it sounded great. Not a Twin Reverb with an outboard unit, but very acceptable. Also very close to Bruce Welch territory for Shads rhythm, although I think that astounding little Squier strat had something to do with it. For $119 + tax I said "I'll take one". Bad news..all sold out, more expected next week. The sales rep said that as soon as an order comes in, they sell out. And nobody ever brings one back. So I'll buy one on line. Now I need to sell the Mustang ii. Guess I'm just an old analog type guy! Off topic: This is the second Squier Classic Vibe '50's Strat I have played at guitar center. I asked if this one had been set up, because it played like butter and sounded wonderful. Was told it was right out of the box. Incredible! —You're not drunk if you can put your socks on while standing. |
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Joined: Feb 28, 2006 Posts: 813 Boise, ID
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Posted on Nov 14 2011 10:59 PM
I think for a basic no frills practice amp, the Pathfinder is better than anything else I've tried. I think part of it is the cab design. Most other 8" amps have much smaller cabinets and they sound like little amps. The Vox doesn't. I had bought the one I had before they released the reverb version. I have since picked up a Vox Super Mini Reverb stack, which is essentially a microstack version of the Pathfinder 15R. The reverb doesn't do much aside from adding a little body to it. The SMR looks so damn cool that, even though I've thought about selling it a few times, I can't force myself to do it. —Shawn Martin |
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