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What is the best inexpensive amp you ever owned!


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This is a hard one! Is it the Microcube (what a great practice amp), the Orange Tiny Terror?? Probably have to say my post Christmas sale bargain of a Wharfedale TCT35C for £99.00. Twin channel, all tube (6L6's), reverb and designed by Steve Grindrod. I liked it so much I bought a 50 watt head and two 2x12 cabs as well!!

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I have a C30 and never had this "tube rattle". Is it even audible and if so, what does it sound like? Maybe I have it and I dont know it!!

 

I personally didn't hear anything during the brief time I tried it, but supposedly its a buzzing sound that you hear when certain notes are played and when the volume is up a little. Supposedly, because the tubes are hanging right behind the speaker certain resonant frequencies can cause them to buzz in their sockets.

 

But hey. if you don't got the problem, then don't go looking for it. I have no idea how common or rare this phenomenon is, but I certainly didn't want to make you paranoid or nothin.

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I just saw a Epi Valve Jr. for $70... Thinking of buying it, that or a Fender Mustang...

 

The Valve Jr. is tube, but kind of a one trick pony; I've got a friend who really digs the Mustang as a Solid State practice amp that can model a ton of different sounds, record, and do deep editing on the computer with the included software. I have no idea how they do all that for $99. Oh, Yeah, China.

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80's Fender Concert in excellent condition. $425 Ebay deal I could not pass up.

bought mine in 1989ish. There is nothing cheaper for me after all the gigs and income generated using it. It wasnt very expensive when I bought it but even the most expensive piece of gear can become the cheapest if you use it enough.

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Guest HRB853370

Too much a solid state fan. ;)

 

Nah, I just bought with my ears, and this one made me happy. What can I say. It was the MicroCube that really made me look into the larger Cubes. For what I like to do, really happy. :D

 

Not really Barry, I have more tube amps than I do solid state amps (8-3). I just rely on my ear and if it sounds good I play it and keep it. If it does not, I ditch it. The biggest difference I can detect between a tube amp and a solid state amp is the depth that the tube amp brings, especially in the bottom end. Well, and also the overdrive, but the transtube amps have a pretty decent overdrive circuit in them, which is why I still love them.

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The Valve Jr. is tube, but kind of a one trick pony; I've got a friend who really digs the Mustang as a Solid State practice amp that can model a ton of different sounds, record, and do deep editing on the computer with the included software. I have no idea how they do all that for $99. Oh, Yeah, China.

 

My thought is a low volume practice amp. I prefer a tube amp, but for the price, makes you wonder how they offer it so cheap. I heard a guy playing Hendrix, complete with wah pedal, all through the Mustang. But he was plugged straight into the amp, the wah effect was built in the amp. Really rocked. The tone is amazing too. I'd like to find a really low wattage tube amp so I can crank the OD on it!

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I have two inexpensive amps, a 5 watt Roland Cube bought at the Pawn shop for $39, and a Fender Frontman 25 watt bought used from the Pawn shop for $50. I turn those on when I'm playing in the basement.

 

I have two 15 watt Tube amps, Fender Blues Junior, and Ampeg Jet 15 when I play out. I don't play loud anymore.

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My thought is a low volume practice amp. I prefer a tube amp, but for the price, makes you wonder how they offer it so cheap. I heard a guy playing Hendrix, complete with wah pedal, all through the Mustang. But he was plugged straight into the amp, the wah effect was built in the amp. Really rocked. The tone is amazing too. I'd like to find a really low wattage tube amp so I can crank the OD on it!

 

I love my little Fender Super Champ XD; tube power section, 16 or so amp models and fairly decent onboard effects. I can go "all Marshall-y" once the family is in bed at very low volume. My buddy and I bought ours at the same time, and he regularly gigs with his, mic-ed up, after a speaker change. As with guitars, it's a fun time to be a buyer when there are this many low cost options.

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After thinking more about this thread, I remembered another 'best inexpensive amp' I've owned.

 

Back in the late 80's a basssist buddy of mine gave me one of the original Roland Cube amps (30 or 60 watt?). It had wonderful cleans and a nice reverb as I recall.

 

It's hard to beat FREE with any equipment, but it is always better when it is a great amp.

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I love my little Fender Super Champ XD; tube power section, 16 or so amp models and fairly decent onboard effects. I can go "all Marshall-y" once the family is in bed at very low volume. My buddy and I bought ours at the same time, and he regularly gigs with his, mic-ed up, after a speaker change. As with guitars, it's a fun time to be a buyer when there are this many low cost options.

 

If I never would of joined a band late last year, I'd never got rid of my Superchamp XD. I loved that amp!

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After thinking more about this thread, I remembered another 'best inexpensive amp' I've owned.

 

Back in the late 80's a basssist buddy of mine gave me one of the original Roland Cube amps (30 or 60 watt?). It had wonderful cleans and a nice reverb as I recall.

 

It's hard to beat FREE with any equipment, but it is always better when it is a great amp.

Oh yeah...just bumped my memory.. a guy Id never met before gave me a Fender Deville a couple of moths ago. Havent really processed the information so it doesnt feel like mine. I almost hope I meet him again and he asks for it back so I can be free of it.

Another guy gave me a Roland 60w cube a few years ago. I never made much sense of it compared to stuff I already had so I passed it on to someone else.

The Fender Concert although not free, still wins for me.

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Oh yeah...just bumped my memory.. a guy Id never met before gave me a Fender Deville a couple of moths ago. Havent really processed the information so it doesnt feel like mine. I almost hope I meet him again and he asks for it back so I can be free of it.

Another guy gave me a Roland 60w cube a few years ago. I never made much sense of it compared to stuff I already had so I passed it on to someone else.

The Fender Concert although not free, still wins for me.

 

Wow, we could all use friends like yours!

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Wow, we could all use friends like yours!

Its a complex experiment that will take a life time to complete and Im guessing a few seconds to sift through the data to find out the results.

If Im wrong, well......I screwed up.

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My Fender Champion give really nice clean tones.

 

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I had one of those. I looked really cool, but it sounded really flubby with humbuckers... Must of been from that 6" speaker they put in those. I've heard people rock out when then connect them to a 4x12 cab though.

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I have to say the Peavey Classic 30 was the best all around amp. The price and ease of transporting makes it great. Also, it's one of those amps that you can sell today and when your wanting another, can find one on craig's list in no time.

+100 on that..that's the amp i'm currently gigging with..I just mic it, and run it thru the PA, and it's plenty loud..Love the reverb too.. I had a Classic 50 back in the day, great amp..Just too darn heavy..

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+100 on that..that's the amp i'm currently gigging with..I just mic it, and run it thru the PA, and it's plenty loud..Love the reverb too.. I had a Classic 50 back in the day, great amp..Just too darn heavy..

 

Just at Guitar Center today (I know, I'm a GC Junky!), they had one of those in their used gear room. My guitar tech uses one of those for the stage, but puts it on top of a 4x12. I belive they are asking $499.

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Just at Guitar Center today (I know, I'm a GC Junky!), they had one of those in their used gear room. My guitar tech uses one of those for the stage, but puts it on top of a 4x12. I belive they are asking $499.

For a new one? That's a great price!! I paid $600 for mine last year..

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After a bit more thought, I remembered buying my Trace Elliot Trident head from a guy on e-Bay for £185 about 6 years ago. He had something to do with the company before Gibson bought them out. I was expecting tatty, s/hand amp but it was in 'as new' condition with not a mark on it (no footswitch but I got one made). All tube, 100w, 3 channel. Sounds awesome, although the crunch channel could do with a bit more oomph for hard rock. Clean channel is very Fender Twin like and the lead channel is pure hot-rodded Marshall. List price when new was £1399, so a good buy!

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