Amp head…..boy theres a lot of possible jokes there

[KaiserSoze]

Anyway, I'm on the hunt for a smaller tube amp head that should have solid clean sounds and take pedals well.  I'll be playing it through a 112 cab with a Cannabis Rex speaker.  This is mainly for home/practice stuff.  Suggestions are welcome and no, I'm not willing to spend $1,000, although I wish I could. 

 

[mayfly]

Find a used Mayfly BC15.  :glasses10:
Seriously they sometimes do show up on eBay.  More seriously, ever thought about one of those Princeton kits?  Some have head only variants.

 

[bagman67]

Carvin's V3 micro is a possibility:


http://carvinamplifiers.com/collections/v3m-micro-series


There's one on ebay now with footswitch included from Carvin itself for $549 - must be a return or something.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carvin-V3M-3-Ch-All-Tube-Micro-Amp-Amplifier-Head-w-FS44L-V3M-Footswitch-BLM-/400915106481?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d58670ab1

 

[Neo Fender]

The V3M will likely be my next amp.

Carvin's V3 micro is a possibility:


http://carvinamplifiers.com/collections/v3m-micro-series


There's one on ebay now with footswitch included from Carvin itself for $549 - must be a return or something.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carvin-V3M-3-Ch-All-Tube-Micro-Amp-Amplifier-Head-w-FS44L-V3M-Footswitch-BLM-/400915106481?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d58670ab1

 

[fdesalvo]

Details, son.  Details.

How many channels do you need?  Just using it as a pedal platform?
How many watts?
Which power tubes do you enjoy playing through?
Do you need an FX loop?

I was in your position, but ending up rolling my own.

 

[KaiserSoze]

Okay then, details.  I use some great pedals and just the clean channel on my Peavey Delta Blues, which I use for gigs.  20watts or under would be great to run through a 1X12 cab that I already have, even down to five would work for my needs.  I'd like something simple but great sounding that takes pedals well and really don't need a high gain channel.  This is primarily for home and practice use.  i.e., the Carvin looks like a great amp but too many knobs and functions.

 

[fdesalvo]

Dude - honestly the best bang for the buck is the Tubemeister 5. 

I miss my Classic 30!  These Peaveys are great amps.

 

[mayfly]

Nice cat man!

 

[fdesalvo]

^ They give them away with every H&K purchase over at Sweetwater.

 

[zebra]

I've never played one of these, but they seem interesting - I've had my eye on them for a while.
Could be worth checking out.

http://www.mackamps.com/products/gem-2g.html

 

[Cagey]

I miss my Classic 30!  These Peaveys are great amps.

I've been exposed to a number of those, and was always highly and favorably impressed. Although, taking one apart for my niece to figure out why it was being a bitch showed me that their internal designs weren't anything to write home about. Nothing blatantly bad, per se. Just typical modern amp construction where there are too many ribbon cables used to connect things together. Makes for fast, inexpensive and fool-proof assembly, but leaves the thing vulnerable to even slight abuse.

 

[pabloman]

I'd like something simple but great sounding that takes pedals well and really don't need a high gain channel. 

What does this mean? I hear the term thrown around a lot. There are a TON of amps out there that meet the criteria you provided. It's pretty hard not to find one actually. The thing is most of these guys are built with some character. That tonal character is, in my opinion the deciding factor. Are you looking for the Fender clean tone? Vox? Marshall? Mesa? Those colorations are kind of the goal of those small amps. Most are going to be voiced in those directions. There are a few out there that have their own thing going on and work quite well. My Valve Jr. provides lots of tube warmth while taking on whatever personality I need it to. From what you've given us and based on the experience I've had that would be my vote.

 

[fdesalvo]

I miss my Classic 30!  These Peaveys are great amps.

I've been exposed to a number of those, and was always highly and favorably impressed. Although, taking one apart for my niece to figure out why it was being a bitch showed me that their internal designs weren't anything to write home about. Nothing blatantly bad, per se. Just typical modern amp construction where there are too many ribbon cables used to connect things together. Makes for fast, inexpensive and fool-proof assembly, but leaves the thing vulnerable to even slight abuse.

Those ribbon cables always made me cringe, but the crazy thing is I've never had an issue.  There a famous, local guitar doc here in SoCal that has a classic 4x10 combo that he purportedly has never turned off in 10 years and the thing is still going strong lol.  He just leaves it on under his bench so he can test guitars.  It's become a running joke.

 

[Cagey]

Hers got travelled extensively, so it was no real surprise to find any kind of connection letting go.

 

[Neo Fender]

Now you enablers have me itching for a Classic 30, after I just pulled the trigger on a new Charvel.

 

[KaiserSoze]

Gotta give props to the Peavey.  I bought my Delta Blues 1X15 bruised and battered and replaced all the tubes with a new set suggested on an amp-geek site, which was a noticeable improvement.  No biasing required, just plug and play, and I've been completely happy with it.  I just use channel one with pedals and it sounds great.   

 

[KaiserSoze]

Find a used Mayfly BC15.  :glasses10:
Seriously they sometimes do show up on eBay.  More seriously, ever thought about one of those Princeton kits?  Some have head only variants.

I just missed one on Ebay the other day.  Kind of pissed about that.

 

[mayfly]

Find a used Mayfly BC15.  :glasses10:
Seriously they sometimes do show up on eBay.  More seriously, ever thought about one of those Princeton kits?  Some have head only variants.

I just missed one on Ebay the other day.  Kind of pissed about that.

Really??  wish I'd have seen it...

 

[KaiserSoze]

Find a used Mayfly BC15.  :glasses10:
Seriously they sometimes do show up on eBay.  More seriously, ever thought about one of those Princeton kits?  Some have head only variants.

I just missed one on Ebay the other day.  Kind of pissed about that.

Really??  wish I'd have seen it…

Yes, Mayfly BC15 head for about $300.  I hesitated and it was gone pretty quick.  I'll just tell myself it was probably broken…..

 

[mayfly]

wow - I used to sell those things for $900.