Guitar question - tube amp advice

[campbellcj]

Hi everyone,

My son has been playing electric guitar nearly 2 years and is taking it seriously and (IMO) shows some talent. He is in a band with 3 other kids and they practice weekly together plus have at least one individual lesson weekly. I really hope he will stick with it.

His teacher thinks it's about time to consider some equipment upgrades and I know nothing about amps (or guitars for that matter). He's been using a small Fender solid-state practice amp at home so far. We prefer tube/analog sound and something that can be used at local gigs, so needs to be reasonably portable vs. a mammoth studio rig. Thus a combo is preferable over a separate head+speaker box.

I have been looking at the VOX AC30C2 or something similar to that from Marshall. I know there are some hardcore musicians here - anyone have advice on other makes/models or key factors to consider?

Thanks!

[Gogar]

Look at Fender Hot Rod Deluxe or Hot Rod Deville. Price is right, and they're pretty bulletproof. You can get -most- kinds of sounds with it and it's a good introduction to the way the knobs work.

AC 30 is great, but it's sort of a one-trick pony.

[azasadny]

Our son and his band really like the Line 6 Spider amps they have and they have been very reliable for them.

[rouxroux]

A few guys I play with have "Dr. Z". Amps....I love their tone. They also have some high-end boutique amps but gig with the Z's

[Rick Lee]

I'm on my second Fender Hot Rod DeVille. I should have kept the first one, but sold it to buy a Twin Reverb Silverface. Anyway, the DeVille is the perfect combo amp - louder than hell, amazing classic Fender clean tone, but also has a good crunch channel. It's not light, so I'd suggest caster wheels. I love mine. Though recently I've been playing through my 100W Marshall head a lot. It's way overkill. I've not yet had it above 3.5 and it feels like the house is going to come down at that level.

[campbellcj]

Thanks everyone! We are going to a show tonight with his teacher and bandmates so will pick their brains on gear ideas too.

I just started screwing around with the guitar as well. Total noob. I can tell it will be quite some time before I have basic proficiency, but I need something to do at night besides surf the web and PPOT.

[Tobra]

go check out a pawn shop or two before you do anything

not cheap, frugal

my brother made one, Heathkit or whatever, blew it up

Fender has made some groovy little amps too.

[slodave]

I could build you a nice tube amp that's comparable to the Vox and the DeVille, but would cost you a lot less. It would cost about as much as the Deluxe.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Another vote for the Hot Rod Deville.

Awesome amps for the money.

[stuartj]

Originally Posted by campbellcj

Hi everyone,

My son has been playing electric guitar nearly 2 years and is taking it seriously and (IMO) shows some talent. He is in a band with 3 other kids and they practice weekly together plus have at least one individual lesson weekly. I really hope he will stick with it.........

Thanks!

OP, valve amps are loud, even little 10 and 15w ones. They need to be turned up a bit to do their thing, and this ranges from loud to WTF LOUD. That thing Rick pcitured above can move earth. They can also be quite limited in what they can do, and a what volume- as well as being temperemental and requiring regular maintenance. That said, they are the only things to use.... I use a hand made 50w tube amp- which I NEVER turn on at home.

When my friends kids was in a similar situation, we went out rubber necking and came home with Line 6 Spider, mentioned earlier. 60w I think. Well loud enough to play with a drummer and a band, and loaded with stuff that a young (and older) player can use. Its got a looper so he can lay down his own track(s) to jam over, backing tracks, MP3/CD inputs and a million amp/cab simulations and effects built in to help him find "his" sound. You can download patches that others have developed with their sounds and load them up. Mercifully, its got headphone outputs and is useable at any volume.

Theyre cheap too. When my trusty little 35yo Yamaha does eventually die, I will get a smaller one of these for home use. Roland and a few other mfrs offer similar gadgets. Next time around- he'll be wanting a tube amp, and he wont need advice as to what to get, he'll know. Cheers.

[RFR]

Originally Posted by campbellcj

Hi everyone,

My son has been playing electric guitar nearly 2 years and is taking it seriously and (IMO) shows some talent. He is in a band with 3 other kids and they practice weekly together plus have at least one individual lesson weekly. I really hope he will stick with it.

Thanks!

In addition to the other mentioned amps here are 2 that come to mind.

Peavey classic 30.

these can be had for about 300 bucks used and will follow him throughout his musical career if he stays with it.

Marshall class 5.


Although this is only a 5 watt amp with a 12 inch speaker it kicks butt and is loud enough to play with a drummer.
For about 500 bucks he can have that classic Marshall sound without getting the cops called on you.

It also comes in a head only version where you can run different cabinets.

Stay away from the cheap, do it all stuff like beringher...........pure junk. It will cost more to fix them when they break than they are worth.

The Marshall and Peavey will retain their resale value if he gives it up.

Just my 2 cents for free.

Roman

[ramonesfreak]

Since your considering the AC30C2, here are some thoughts

The AC30 is way to heavy, period. They sound great but, they are very heavy and very loud to get their best tone under normal situations...in the house or in small venues. Loading them in the car is a pain, carrying them down steps into someones basement was always near impossible for me, like carrying my Twin Reverb which I also had to get rid of

Consider the AC15C1. Last week I sold my AC15CC1 after using it since they came out....Much lighter. However, I was never quite happy with the AC15CC1. The new version, the AC15C1 is much better sounding and is seriously worth considering. Both these versions will keep up ok with a drummer because of the midrange they put out. I used the CC version with a band several times and it worked out ok

This weekend I bought the new hand wired AC15HW1. If you closed your eyes you would think it was an AC30, but its quite a bit more than the AC15C1

I have an early 90's Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue with a red fang speaker that I am selling locally for $600. If you are interested let me know. It sounds quite good but I prefer the AC15 sound

When looking at the smaller tube amps, make sure to figure out how much clean head room is needed/wanted. The Marshall Class 5 is a neat amp for the price but it is not going to work with a drummer and the clean head room is not there...one trick pony

I really would highly recommend the new AC15C1

[ramonesfreak]

Here is something else to think about

Do not be overly set on a combo. If you bought a cabinet from avatar with your choice of speakers, you could get one for an affordable price in the color you want it in. Check them out...I like their "traditional" cabinets. A 1x12 or 2x12 cabinet is more than enough...he doesnt need a 4x12

Now, if you bought a head and that head didnt work out for whatever reason, you can sell just the head but keep using the speaker cab, and, having the two separate pieces makes them pretty easy to move around

Only issue is that the heads worth buying are up around a grand$

EXCEPT, check this out...I wouldnt really want one of these for myself but for the situation you described I think this could be perfect, and the price is fantastic

Ibanez Tube Screamer Series TSA15H Head and TSA112C 1x12 Half Stack


Ibanez Tube Screamer Series TSA15H Head and TSA112C 1x12 Half Stack: Shop Guitars & Other Musical Instruments | Musician's Friend

[ramonesfreak]

one last thought about the AC15....no biasing needed. Need new tubes, pop 2 matched EL84s in there and thats it.

[T77911S]

its great to hear you are supporting your sons music.

i was VERY impressed with BUGERA. i dont remember if i heard the V22 or the 55. both are under 500.


the hotrod deluxe is a very nice amp. although i am not fond of the "dirty" channel. i went in and darkened mine up becuse it was a bit too bright. but the clean side is very good....at low volumes. the cabinet is very efficient and the lows can get muddy at high volumes.

from what i remember about the deville, it was a very bright amp.

another decent small amp is the fender blues JR. it too can be a bit bright for my taste, but you may like it. its only 15 watts and can be "pushed" hard to play with the band.
they come biased a bit hot from fender, but that can be changed. another thing to look into with this amp is the bill M mods. your local shop can do them for you.

i tried a fender super reverb and was very impressed with that just as it was.

[dhoward]

Mesa/Boogie
.50 cal

[Black968]

Lots of nice Amps out there. The Fenders are very nice amps. They are reliable and very easy to sell and trade up. Can run effects through them and get some crunch that they lack. I owned a Bugera V22, don't do it. They have a nice clean sound but the internals are weak and will not last. My present amp is a Marshall MA50C, it is OK for the 600 I paid for it. Loud with some nice crunch, the clean channel is not close to the Fenders. Stick with the name brands.

Cheers

[Rick Lee]

Here's a lot of amp for the money.

Peavey 5150 combo guitar tube amplifier amp EVH Van Halen 12x2 | eBay

[Superman]

I am in a band. Our drummer is LOUD. One of the guitar players uses an old Music Man amp with one 12" speaker. Smaller than a suitcase. This amp works just fine and he doesn't have to turn the volume past about "4." Remember......our drummer is LOUD. Longest and lightest drum sticks I have ever seen.

Now.......the other guitarist has a Fender Hotrod DeVille. FOUR 10" speakers. He can never turn it up past "2". Even at "2," it is too loud.

I play bass through an Ampeg combo with one 15" speaker and one 1" compression hurn. 220 watts. The guitarists can each drown me out.

Just sayin. Two EL34's is all you need.

[Les Paul]

My sons first tube amp was a HRD. Great as everyone says but can make your ears bleed if necessary. Don't know how much gigging he'll be doing but they are heavy. The HRdeluxe is overkill unless he is playing big venues or outdoors.