Need an amp, around €350/400??

McMalley

I need an amp, current one is busted but I've been looking to move on anyway. I play a range of stuff but predominantly rock (classic to "modern" and anything in between). Any suggestions/recommendations welcome. I'm not restricted to the amount above, if there's something good for more/less I'm easy. If there's something really good I might stretch even further....I have a habit of telling myself these things are investments and I'll have them for years

Also, should I go for something with some effects or get a new amp and splash out on some new pedals?

I'm not currently in a band, predominantly do my own stuff at home these days. Playing 13 years. Currently playing a Tele and an SG.

Thoughts please...

brendansmith

McMalley wrote: »

I need an amp, current one is busted but I've been looking to move on anyway. I play a range of stuff but predominantly rock (classic to "modern" and anything in between). Any suggestions/recommendations welcome. I'm not restricted to the amount above, if there's something good for more/less I'm easy. If there's something really good I might stretch even further....I have a habit of telling myself these things are investments and I'll have them for years

Also, should I go for something with some effects or get a new amp and splash out on some new pedals?

I'm not currently in a band, predominantly do my own stuff at home these days. Playing 13 years. Currently playing a Tele and an SG.

Thoughts please...

A bit more info i reckon,

wattage range etc etc

Quattroste

McMalley there are a number of options for you but you need to narrow it down.

1) Valve amp. Expensive, but Rock tones originate here. There are good second hand ones available for a little over your budget. Generally no effects bar reverb.

2) Hybrid Amp. Part valve, part solidstate i.e Vox Valvestate(or something like that) Line 6 do them, Fender do them lots of makers. These amps are very versatile and sound like the real thing to everybody except the purists(but I'd guess quite a lot of them could be fooled too). These are more in the range you speak of but do get more expensive too.

3) Solid State Amps. No valves. Higher Wattage but not nessesarily louder. Look these up yourself I know very little.

4) Digital effects unit like a Line 6 or Vox Tonelab or Boss MRwhatever into a power amp or PA.

Godd luck hunting. Spend as much time looking and trying amps and units as you can. Don't panic buy and keep one thing in mind. Generally, you get what you pay for! Cheap equipment will sound cheap, but there are some bargains to be had if you can see past brands.

Eoin Madsen

For 350-400, I'd suggest a digital amp like a Line 6 spider or some manner of Roland cube. You don't have a lot to think about on that budget, and one of those will definitely give you the best tone/price ratio for any kind of rock style at all.

punchdrunk

I'd buy this in a heartbeat if i was in the market,great amp!
http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=77338&cat=16

pickup one of those new digitech hardwire reverbs and your sorted!

LegacyUser

I was never a fan of anything with built in effects - they're just something to go wrong


Even though I worked in a place that sold Marshalls - I'd still buy a Peavey bandit on that money - especially if you put a good low wattage (15 to 30W) AlNiCo speaker to give some proper crunch

there fool proof - light, and easy to fix

If a Line6 goes wrong (or any other Digi amp) no one will touch it - in Ireland anyway - usually have to head back to English Distributor which takes months

But my favourite amp around that price range if you can find them are those old Fender FM212 - before they put the effects in - terrible overdrive, but very clear - 2 X 12" speakers - huge open sound and perfect with a good pedal - and a tele

Plus its addictive and fun to try out pedals - especially on a 1 day return trip to London

scooterdoyle

hey lads
i need serious help. have been playing a nice mexican telecaster through a small solid state practice amp for years but now the time has come for me to buy a nice tube/valve amp. problem is ....i have not got a clue about tube amps ( ive never even played through one!!) i dont gig and only need this amp for recording. i am willing to spend money to get a nice sound. clean and crunchy (Maybe something like Marquee moon by Television, vintage, no metal)
i repeat iam totally ignorant in this field sao get right back to basics for me , i wont be insulted
thanks
scooterdoyle

scooterdoyle

dont want built in effects . simple ,classic not too big doesnt have to be too loud

LegacyUser

scooterdoyle wrote: »

dont want built in effects . simple ,classic not too big doesnt have to be too loud

Bad Cat Mini Cat - thats the one for you
http://www.badcatamps.com/badcat_amps.html

or that orange that was mentioned above - stick with a 5 watt amp - you won't go wrong - you'll have it forever and it won't lose value

and if you ever do gig - it has an extra output so you can plug it straight into the mixing desk - Bad Cat Rule!

this is where i go to tempt myself - it will give you an idea of the brands
http://www.musictoyz.com/guitar/index_gtramp.php

anyway to get the sound you want - look for EL84 -5 Watt

CianRyan

scooterdoyle wrote: »

hey lads
i need serious help. have been playing a nice mexican telecaster through a small solid state practice amp for years but now the time has come for me to buy a nice tube/valve amp. problem is ....i have not got a clue about tube amps ( ive never even played through one!!) i dont gig and only need this amp for recording. i am willing to spend money to get a nice sound. clean and crunchy (Maybe something like Marquee moon by Television, vintage, no metal)
i repeat iam totally ignorant in this field sao get right back to basics for me , i wont be insulted
thanks
scooterdoyle

What kind of money are you talking and how loud are we talking?

http://www.thomann.de/ie/fender_65_twinreverb.htm
Pricey but a bloody great amp.

LegacyUser

[quote=

http://www.thomann.de/ie/fender_65_twinreverb.htm
Pricey but a bloody great amp.[/quote]


No one would have any real use for one of those - hell even the edge uses a 22 Watt Fender Deluxe

they weigh like 60Kg aswell - around 9 stone - have only 1 handle and very slippery vinyl

CianRyan

Flesh Gordon wrote: »

No one would have any real use for one of those - hell even the edge uses a 22 Watt Fender Deluxe

they weigh like 60Kg aswell - around 9 stone - have only 1 handle and very slippery vinyl

I know its over kill, but my mate has one and loves it, and when i get the chance to play through it i tend to spend hours using it.

It is a heavy amp yeah, but i look at that as theft protection.
Who's gonna sneek into your house/studio and try and get out with the equivelent of a person?

scooterdoyle

tanx for the help lads
i'm gonna check out all you mentioned
i could spend up to 650, and the amp will be used primarily for recording
would 5 watt be drowned out by drums
we will be recording some tracks live?

scooterdoyle

like the look of the badcat cub!!

Quattroste

Check out the Matamp First Lady at matamp.co.uk

brendansmith

scooterdoyle wrote: »

tanx for the help lads
i'm gonna check out all you mentioned
i could spend up to 650, and the amp will be used primarily for recording
would 5 watt be drowned out by drums
we will be recording some tracks live?

Yeah lads, seriously why do 100watt amps exist if 5watt is as loud as you say?
This thread has me confused. Big time.

Im gonna be lookin at a new amp soon enough just for practice at home and was thinkin of the vox valvetronix or maybe a pure tube amp (are they hard to look after?) but this 5watt amp business has me interested. Would there be much bass to these amps?

Zangetsu

A 5w tube amp with a 12" speaker would give you all the clarity and volume that you would ever need in a bedroom. Most of the 5 watters I've played through only have an input and a volume knob so the tone and eq is really down to your guitar and how you play it. The way its supposed to be!

Tube amps aren't hard to take care of all you need to do is warm them up for a min before playing and don't bounce it off a wall and you should be fine. The only real maintenance I've ever had to do is swap out the tubes and speaker (but that was out of choice not necessity).

The valvetronix amps are pretty decent tbh, my mate has the 212 version and it sounds great, bazillions of sounds in it, hours of fun messing with all the effects but after playing the gretsch I couldn't even look at another amp.

Make your way into your local music shop and play around with everything, as someone else already said, don't rush into a purchase, take your time to find exactly what your looking for!

punchdrunk

brendansmith wrote: »

Yeah lads, seriously why do 100watt amps exist if 5watt is as loud as you say?
This thread has me confused. Big time.

Im gonna be lookin at a new amp soon enough just for practice at home and was thinkin of the vox valvetronix or maybe a pure tube amp (are they hard to look after?) but this 5watt amp business has me interested. Would there be much bass to these amps?

100watt amps were built way back when P.A's weren't any use if you were tyring to fill and arena with sound,thats not the case anymore

MattKid

check out Blackheart amp The little giant sounds great with Tele and a fulltone ocd

McMalley

Sorry for the absence, my laptop is on the blink and I can't get this site in work.

Seems like tube amps are the way to go? I'd go more than 5/600 if need be. From what I've read solid state/valve's are to be avoided?

Creeping-Death

Ive a 40 watt Marshall JCM 2000, cost 489 quid secondhand (bout 900 new), and it'll do ya for any genre, and its LOUD