Guitar Amp Help Needed

[North Coast Cab]

My son has been taking lessons for 6-mnths or so. Practicing sporatically, but interested. He currently has a very low-end amp that came in the set-up with the beginner guitar. So, he's driving me crazy for a better amp.
Can you guitar guys give me some guidance? What brands, wattage, amperage.....is used an option? There are a million on eBay.

Thanks

[WolfeMacleod]

Budget?

I'm partial to THD amps for thier versatility and tube-swapping capabilities... but...

Jet City amps has a line of pretty decent amps based around the THD and Soldano designs. I have thier PicoValve (THD design) and a Jet City 20. (Soldano design) And they're incredible affordable, and sound pretty dang good, too!

The Jet City PicoValve is a 5watt/2.5 watt switchable amp that can use many different tubes. I'm using it to drive a 4x12 Peavy cabinet from the 80's

[Rick Lee]

Man, I sure my folks had bought me a Soldano when I was a beginner. That's quite the adult amp. I started out playing through my stereo. Then I got a Marshall Lead 20. Then I got a beater Ampeg 4x12 cabinet and ran that Marshall through it. Ha! Then I got a Rockman I used as a pre-amp. I had a few Peavey practice amps, but my baby to this day is my Gallien-Krueger 250ML. I got it when I was 16 and I've never had a better, more versatile, portable amp since. I'll never sell it. Ever. My practice combo amp is a Fender Hot Rod DeVill 2x12. It's awesome. You can find them for $400ish and will take a while to outgrow for a beginner.

[Gogar]

Budget?

Wolfe is right on about the Jet City 20, or along similar lines I'd say maybe a Fender Blues Junior, maybe a Blackheart Handsome Devil or Little Giant. All these amps have a few nice features and a reasonably good sound, before things start getting too pricey.

Just stay away from amps that have 'too much' stuff on them, i.e. Line 6 or the VOX and Marshalls that have all the buttons and knobs.

[Les Paul]

My son started with a small Peavey when he was 10. Several years later a HRD Fender which was his gigging amp through high school. When he went to college he got a Roland Cube 30. Since most places mic your amp anyway it is small but packs a punch. You can spill beer on it, over it, under it and it just keeps on kicking.

[sammyg2]

That's easy. I recommend this:

And ear plugs. Lots of ear plugs

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Budget?
a Fender Blues Junior,

----

Just stay away from amps that have 'too much' stuff on them, i.e. Line 6 or the VOX and Marshalls that have all the buttons and knobs.

That would be my choice. Easy to find used, pretty bulletproof. I'd avoid modeling amps like the plague but that's my old-fart bias showing.

[Shuie]

Used Epiphone valve junior. ~$100. done.

[IROC]

Originally Posted by North Coast Cab

My son has been taking lessons for 6-mnths or so. Practicing sporatically, but interested. He currently has a very low-end amp that came in the set-up with the beginner guitar. So, he's driving me crazy for a better amp.
Can you guitar guys give me some guidance? What brands, wattage, amperage.....is used an option? There are a million on eBay.

Thanks

Honestly at this point I would shy away from a tube amp. If he's playing at "bedroom" levels mostly, you don't need anything with more than 10 watts. Some of the amps listed above are going to be outrageously loud. I have a Roland MicroCube (among other things) and it sounds great at volumes appropriate for a home environment, so I second the suggestion above for something like a Roland Cube30.

[Roosterrusek]

MY guitarist has a Fender Twin Reverb....loves it, can carry it in and out easily, plenty loud, plenty of tone.

[targa911S]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Budget?

Wolfe is right on about the Jet City 20, or along similar lines I'd say maybe a Fender Blues Junior, maybe a Blackheart Handsome Devil or Little Giant. All these amps have a few nice features and a reasonably good sound, before things start getting too pricey.

Just stay away from amps that have 'too much' stuff on them, i.e. Line 6 or the VOX and Marshalls that have all the buttons and knobs.

+1 or a pignose.

[sammyg2]

I too have a roland microcube and I really liked it, until I was told how bad it was

[North Coast Cab]

Wow, thanks for all the input.
I should be a little more clear. He kinds stinks and may not stick with it for the long haul. The amp we have is a complete POS. I am looking for something small, decent and simple. If it were a Fender or something the name alone would make him feel like a Rockstar....

[Rick Lee]

This is what I have. It's soooo awesome. It's small, can be very loud, but also sounds great at low volume, built-in stereo echo and chorus, EQ. Just the best.

Gallien-Krueger GK-250 ML Guitar Amp 250ML Series II 2 - eBay (item 160559405898 end time Mar-17-11 21:47:17 PDT)

[Gogar]

Okay, well if you're not sure about his comittment, skill, etc. I'd lower my bar a little bit and suggest this:

Bugera combo, 5 watts, sounds ok, just enough knobs to get him excited.

Buy Bugera V5 5W 1x8 Tube Guitar Combo Amp | Tube Combo Amps | Musician's Friend

Or, for a hundred dollars of fun, Sammy's beloved micro-cube might be fine for a kid.

Buy Roland Micro Cube Combo Amp | Solid State Combo Amps | Musician's Friend



I still like my other suggestions, if you think he will stick with it; those slightly more expensive, bigger amps will keep their usefulness, whereas he might outgrow the Bugera or the cube.

[Roosterrusek]

Jeremy...off topic PM to you about a luthier sent if you have the time.

Thanks

P

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Roosterrusek

MY guitarist has a Fender Twin Reverb....loves it, can carry it in and out easily, plenty loud, plenty of tone.

Must be a new one cuz mine has to weigh in at about 60 lbs!

Yeah... I started out on a old PA tube amp the high school tossed out... plugged into a 3 X 15 PA speaker my brother had stored in the garage.

Edit to add Curse you guys!!! These threads make me want to spend money I dont have!!!

[Gogar]

Originally Posted by Roosterrusek

Jeremy...off topic PM to you about a luthier sent if you have the time.

Thanks

P

didn't get it.

[Roosterrusek]

Ah....was regular message....now PM.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by North Coast Cab

Wow, thanks for all the input.
I should be a little more clear. He kinds stinks and may not stick with it for the long haul. The amp we have is a complete POS. I am looking for something small, decent and simple. If it were a Fender or something the name alone would make him feel like a Rockstar....

Try a pawn shop.