Hey guys,

I'm looking for a small modelling amp that can get me those surf and spaghetti western sounds.

I can't play loud music, thus all those lovely tube amps are not for me. And I have very little space and don't want something big such as a Fender Mustang standing in the middle of the room.

Thus priority
good surf sounds
despite small size (I know I won't get perfect)
needs to run on low volume/suitable for very tiny, poorly insulated flats (I can't wear headphones)
bass, mids, trebble settings
* Needs to work with pedals as I also like dirty/overdriven, next to surf.

Does anything like that exist?

Thanks, I'll look into it. Note: I can't wear headphones. Thus I need to be able to get cool, but small flat compatible sounds from a small, likely not very good speaker.

Ah ok. It's difficult to name was is not possible if you don't know what exists out there. No, I don't have any apple products.

My suggestion would be a Tech 21 Trademark 10 or 30. Same basic amp, though the Trademark 10 is no longer made. The TM 10 is quieter, but you can still play very quietly with the TM 30. Both give you a good, warm Fender sound on one of the settings, and work great with pedals. In fact, one of the main complaints about those amps is that the clean Fender sound is quiet compared to the other settings.

The Tech 21 amps are not modelling amps (which model other amps digitally), but emulate other amps using analog circuitry, same as in their SansAmp pedals.

If you want a digital modelling amp, maybe look at whatever is the smallest Fender Mustang amp. I've never played one, so can't tell you how they sound.

I use 16x6L6s for practice, four big amps, but for work I decided to get a “tiny” rig. I set up a Champ 20 with a Surfy Bear today - and it was glorious! It was great through the 90s MIM beater strat I’m leaving in the sound trailer. Everything is left in the trailer until lunchtimes when I pull it out. I was very impressed. I think the Surfy Bear helped by leaps and bounds. $100 for that amp! The $450 Surfy Bear I already had heh.

Daniel Deathtide

Last edited: Apr 16, 2019 18:34:43

GuitarMuk wrote:

I use one of these for practice. It sits next to my PC monitors. Reverb actually sounds really good. Has built-in digital effects also. But you can run your pedals in front of it if you'd like. 3 Watts, one 5" speaker.

I played through one of these that a co-worker brought to our annual company picnic. I was skeptical at first but after plugging in with a Squier VM Jag it sounded REALLY good, have to admit, 'specially for being outdoors.

Member in good standing, Mentone Beach Syncopation Reverberation Association

Hi Garagelass, I believe we are all looking for that magical small amp with incredible surf sounds. I checked out your prior posts and it looks like you went down this road back in August '18 and ended up buying a Mustang 1. I guess it didn't do the trick for you. I would be interested in its failings in order to zero in on your required specifications. From your posts it looks like it was too big?

So far, the following amps have been suggest to you or eliminated by you.

"Some" Blackstar amp ("too grainy")
"Some" Katana - (also, "too grainy")
Yamaha THR10 and THR10C ("too pricey")
Tech 21 Trademark 10 or 30 ("50cm wide (19.6 inches), which is too big for my flat"
Roland Cube 30 or 40
Fender Mustang GT40
Vox Pathfiner 15R
Fender Super Sonic (too big, way too pricey)
Vibro Champ XD
Mustang 1 (I see from your thread that at 16" wide, it may be too big)
Line6 POD HD desktop
PC Software (like Garageband) used with PC speakers
Roland Micro Cube

What you are looking for may not exist, but it would be helpful to know your max size HxWxD and max price. Rest assured that any choice you make, given your space/budget limitations, will be a compromise compared to a Dual Showman with an outboard reverb tank.

I own the Mustang 1, Roland Micro Cube, and a Katana Mini. Without pedals (but using the Fuse software) the Mustang 1 can come closest to surf plus a lot more.

I am currently using a Katana Mini the most, but I use it with an Electro Harmonix Oceans 11. It's my opinion that any of the above speakers, including a Blackstar Fly 3, will give you what you are looking for if you add in the Oceans 11, or one of the other well rated "drippy" reverb pedals.

For a flat with space and budget limitations, I would seriously consider the Roland Micro Cube, Kantana Mini, or Blackstar Fly (which can also server as PC speakers if you get the extension cab) along with an Oceans 11. I know that the Oceans 11 will cost more than the actual amp, but think of it as a good long term investment.

Good luck, and please let us know if you find the perfect amp.

-Tim
MyYouTubeChannel
My Classic Instrumental Surf Music Timeline
SSS Agent #777

I've been really happy with the Fender models on the Vox VT20X. Super light, treble mid bass, separate "gain" and volume knobs for emulating pre- and power-amp characteristics respectively, and a "power" knob to adjust overall volume to arbitrary levels. The spring reverb effect is decent too. There are a bunch of higher gain models too, but I stick mainly to the Fender, Vox and early Marshall selections

https://www.voxamps.com/VT20X

Mat
Mat

Hey guys, sorry was offline for a few days.

Yes, I asked this before. I had a Mustang 1 and it was ok in my last flat. Now I moved and live even smaller, and it would be too big. Plus it broke during the move and now I'm amp-less. I was hoping there were other small amps available by now but it doesn't really look like it.

I'm tempted still by the Yamaha amps but those that I tested didn't have any sound until I upped the master volume quite a bit, and then I ended up with a too high volume all of a sudden. I'll certainly test the microcube, Katana Mini and Blackstar one as those should be easily available here. More exotic things might be a bit more difficult. Another option might be to look for second-hand, even though I don't see myself cycling through town with my guitar on my back Well, I might just do that

If you don't mind I might ask a completely different question any of these days if I don't find a solution myself.

Thanks edwardsand. I might as well give the Yamaha another chance, and actually test it in my home and not in a sound perfect, tiny guitar store both (my flat is still bigger ). I really like the size and looks, and it might actually be exactly what I'm after. The only two shops here with good shipping policies have a 4 week delivery time for this (or B-stock), but that gives me time to look at other options as well.