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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

Permalink Looking for a smaller 2nd amp...

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Hey all, loving the new layout...

Here's the deal - my main rig is guitar-->couple of pedals-->60W head-->2x12 cab. This works great for larger venues, but for the smaller clubs/coffeehouses/whatevers, a secondary amp with a smaller footprint would be ideal. I still plan on using the outboard tank with it, and lower wattage wouldn't be a bad thing either, as it'll more than likely be my practice amp, with my main rig staying at the rehearsal space.

I love Fender amps, but I'm not married to the idea of a Fender combo, either, so all suggestions, well, bring 'em on.

The Disasternauts

What is your current amp and what sound are you going for?

As you go smaller your tone might get dirty. And I can't recommend anything smaller without knowing what you have now.

I'd like something smaller too for the same reason. Does any company make like a one or two tube mini amp? Seems like everything small is transitor. . .

I'm playing through a Reverend Hellhound head - it's somewhere between a Fender and a Vox, tonewise (there's a switch that changed the voicing of the amp from "US" to "UK" - I have it set to "UK" with the gain a little more than 1/2way up, so it's still relatively clean, but with some breakup). The cab is an Avatar 212 with Eminence M12's (on the bright side, soundwise, supposedly JBL clones).

I was thinking a Vibrolux or Deluxe Reverb RI (used either way), I was also looking into the Traynor YCV40, Hot Rod or Blues Deluxe or Deville (I'm kinda used to the 2-speaker sound, our rhythm guitaress uses a Deluxe Reverb w/ an outboard tank, which sounds great, but I'm kinda used to the 212 sound - which doesn't help the "smaller footprint" thing at all...). Also looking into Twins, but I have a feeling it'd be too much for home practicing. I'd love to be able to find another Reverend, but since they stopped making amps, they're getting scarce.

The Disasternauts

I would go with the Vibrolux. They stay clean a little longer than the Deluxe Reverb. Try to find a used Vibroverb though. And not the new Vibroverbs.

Some People swear by the Little Fender Champs.
I got a demo cdr from a band, that had the guy playing thru 2 Champs faced towards a stereo Mic, and I could have sworn it sounded like a
Twin Reverb.
Jeff(bigtikidude)

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Hey Butch/Patrick!

Um...I've never played through a Fender Twin, but I've read they are not good at bedroom levels, the gain needs to be set to atleast "6" for the tone to sound good. Though for small venues this might still be ok, just some food for thought.

I wanted to comment that I just found your site last night. You guys are killer, you can really shred Butch, and your a FLA band! I'm in southwest Florida, Tampa area. I really need to get down to Ft Pierce for some of your shows. What's even more killer is you guys are a "younger" surf band, I'm 25 myself, and it's just really awesome to see some local young guys (and gals) shredding some killer surf tunes. Can't wait till I get some time to drive down there. I can check you guys out live and maybe even hit the waves. I want to get back into surfing, and I hear Ft. Pierce has some of the best longboard breaks in FL.

Everyone here should check out The Cavefish. They have some clips on their site and on myspace... Do em' a favor and check em out. Thx.

Anyway, hope everything works out for ya,

~Ace

I'm Batman...No not <I>that</I> Batman. :p

Wow, man, thanks for that, it's really appreciated!

The Disasternauts

there's small tube amps all over the f-ing place. unfortunatly they're mostly boutique with high price-tags. check out the GP issue of last fab for a shoot-out.

Weber does kits for kinds of low power amps. again, not too cheap.

Epiphone recently introduces a serie of low power low priced tube amps.

if all else fails, get yourself an old tube radio for a couple of bucks. some sound great, and it costs nothing. if a tube fails, you just throw it away and buy a new one and the flea market. I used old radio's as bedroom amps all through my student days.

but - if you have money to spare, get a THD - one tube single ended, accepts every output tube you want to try.

WR

Rules to live by #314:
"When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is."

https://www.facebook.com/The-Malbehavers-286429584796173/

How loud do you want to play in your bedroom?

A twin is the loudest most pericing amp fender ever made.
Not a good low volume choice. Plus allot of dough for an orginal or a RI.

A delux would do the trick.

A good option is the new fender pro jr. They're small 15 watt combos that have an amazing amount of head room for their size. Plus they're afordable.

The Epi. tube hybrids actully sound pretty good, and are priced great.

So do the Vox VR hybrids, though they do have that Vox mid range crunch sound. They're clean anough for Surf band rehersal and the 30 watt model is powerfull anough for playing with the full band, as long as your bass player is'nt cranked tough an SVT on 11. Wink

The Thunderchiefs

Butch,

I've yet to see you speak to the issue of price. WR has mentioned costs, but not you.

That said, if price is not an issue, then Bruce D. volunteered the best all-around amp ever built by mankind, the Fender Deluxe (or Deluxe Reverb). If you've got the bread, that would be my choice, for sure. A Vibrolux (40watt, 2x10",42lbs.) is very good second choice. But both of these buggers can be expensive, comparatively, for your expressed needs.

It's also been mentioned that a Pro Jr. would be a good bet. Personally, before I'd go that small, I check out the Pro's big brother, the Blues Jr. Arguably the loudest 15 watts in captivity! Shocked

But.... lemme get back to that cost issue. A Peavey? Cheap, and usually good quality. Not always, but usually. Tone? Hit and miss. Some have it, some don't. Guess you've gotta try it first, before plunking down your dough. But hey, we're talking tubes here, right?

(Insert theme from JAWS here.....)

Are you married to tubes for the sake of impressing yourself and/or your friends/fellow guitar players? Or are you more concerned with quality tone at low-to-mid volume levels, and that doesn't send your wallet running back hame, crying for its mommy? If it's the latter, then I can whole-heartedly recommend a Fender product, the M-80. They came in various flavors (size and number of speakers, combo or head/cab). Sure, some of them were ugly (gray carpet??????), though most were black. But the important thing here is that they sound exactly like a SuperReverb, or maybe even a TwinReverb, except they can't get as loud.

Oh, and never mind the distortion channel on these amps, it's terrible. But youi're going for the surf sound, so the clean channel will give you all you need for killer tone in clubs up to, say, 1500 or 2000 sq. ft. And while their reverb units don't have the duration/sustain/dwell of a full size tank (they use short tanks), they do have the 'fwip' that bigger tanks give you.

What more can you ask for in a sub-$250 package (average eBay price for the last month)?

unlunf

MY RIGHT HAND IS FASTER THAN YOURS!
(copyright 2003, Bruce Welch)

I did neglect to mention the whole price thing, huh?

Well, I'd like to stay well under the $800 mark pricewise. I've been scouring the 'bay, and my choices are all over the place as far as brands/models are concerned - Supers, Deluxes, Traynor VCV models, Ampeg Revererockets (old and new), Reverend combos, all over the place...

My pre-reqs:
-Tube
-Onboard reverb decent enough for home practice (not an issue for smaller gigs, I'll bring the tank)
-At least 1x12 or 2x10 (hell, I'd love a 1x15 even)
-small footprint

And thanks everyone for the suggestions!

The Disasternauts

cavefishbutchdelux
I did neglect to mention the whole price thing, huh?

Well, I'd like to stay well under the $800 mark pricewise. I've been scouring the 'bay, and my choices are all over the place as far as brands/models are concerned - Supers, Deluxes, Traynor VCV models, Ampeg Revererockets (old and new), Reverend combos, all over the place...

My pre-reqs:
-Tube
-Onboard reverb decent enough for home practice (not an issue for smaller gigs, I'll bring the tank)
-At least 1x12 or 2x10 (hell, I'd love a 1x15 even)
-small footprint

And thanks everyone for the suggestions!

Ok that's more clear, and the winner is........

Deluxe Reverb!

The Thunderchiefs

I'm definitely leaning that way - adds more credence to my screen name, too... Laughing

The Disasternauts

Yeah, cave is going for something bigger than what I want. I just want something I can carry with one hand to jam with every now and then w/o a drummer present. I'm talking something under a hundred bucks.

If you don't have the money to bust out on a Fender tube amp, I use this Peavey Heritage amp that's simi. I don't even think Peavey makes them any more. But back in the day they were billed as country amps. They actually have really nice reverb and built in phaser units and I can just about get any sound out of it that a fender amp can give ya. There is lots of little knobs and crap for the clean channel. I got mine for a hundred bucks and I know Peavey dealers still work on them cause I had to have some work done to the footpedal switch a long time ago when I bought it. I got it for a hundred bucks. Just another option. . .

http://nashville.craigslist.org/msg/133192736.html

Check out the Carvin Vintage 16. It's a small amp that goes from 16 to 5 watts with a flip of a switch. People rave about them. Here's a link:

http://www.carvin.com/products/single.php?ItemNumber=VINTAGE16&CID=VINT

The Little Lanilei Amplifier looks good at @ $450...

check it out: http://www.songworks.com/pages/6/index.htm

My favorite "in the house" AND recording amp is a Deluxe Reverb. I have a '65 that I've had since new that currently has Russian Groove Tubes and a Weber California Series speaker that is a close copy of a JBL D-120F. It is loud and clean as a Vibrolux. My other one is an early '70's silverface with a Celestion G-12M Greenback. I paid $550 for this one a couple of years ago, and it sounds incredible as well. Both amps have tone to the bone, and very wet reverbs.

I've had Princeton Reverbs, Vibroluxes, Pros, Vibrasonics and a Vibroverb reissue (ugh), and the Deluxe Reverbs blow them all away for in home and small club gigs. Good tubes and a proper speaker are a must. The original Fender speakers are not the best.

Jack Booth
(aka WoodyJ)

The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005)
The Hula Hounds (1996-current)
The X-Rays (1997-2004)
The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012)
Various non-surf bands that actually made money
(1978-1990)

Polytone...

Rev.

www.revwillis.com
www.willisclow.com
www.slajo.com

I'd like to reccomend the Roland Microcube. It runs on batteries or AC adapter, has several cool built-in effects and amplifier models...the "Blackface" modeler with the reverb and tremolo sounds real sweet...
Also, the "Roland Jazz Chorus" modeler and The "Vox" modeler also have nice tone.

It's not a recording amp, but it is a fun practice/jam/play-anywhere amp. I use mine all the time.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Guitar/Amps?sku=480196

image

the price is right at @ US $125

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