Cheap Little Tube Amps

Hi again,

Is it worth investing in a little tube amp (like the Orange Micro Terror) or in a larger 'non-tube' amp?

I'm currently playing on a Crush 12W Orange amp.

Thanks!

the micro terror is not really a tube amp, but its one of the better hybrid designs I've ever heard (that's not saying a lot), particularly in its price class

It also has no resale value. Never invest in interim gear on the road to what you REALLY want unless you expect to be able to flip it at a profit when you are ready to trade up. This can be an expensive hobby, be smart about it.

There are a lot of affordable single-ended amps out there for beginners that sound really good. I particularly recommend the Vox AC4TV. It really sounds pretty good. It can sound even better if you upgrade it, but more about that when you are ready.

What is your price range? The Bugera V22 combo sounds decent and Bugera sorted the faults their amps had a few years back so these days are pretty decent amps for the cash but they come with shite tubes in them that just don't sound great so worth getting good tubes if you get a Bugera but there are much better amps out there obviously

The micro terrror is hybrid (Half solid state, half tube). The vox ac4 is nice, just if you were doing anything more than bedroom practise, you'd need to cab it up, I know someone who does that.

I know someone who does that.

I have run my ac4HW through a 2x12 on a few occasions with a bassist and a drummer when I don't need a clean tone at all.... its got volume to spare in that situation and I am sure the ac4tv head they make will cut the mix fine too if you use efficient speakers in a quality cab

in practice it takes a good 30 watts to produce double the dB of a 5 watt amp assuming they use similarly efficient speakers

But then surely by the time you've, bought an AC4HW, and then a decent 2x12, you could just buy an AC15. How about this for utter idiocy. This guy I know has been given seven hundred to buy an amp. HE GOES AND BUYS A LINE 6 SPIDER. I laughed myself to death. He's loaded though; he can't do a pentatonic, but his Dad bought him, an American Les Paul.

LINE 6 SPIDER

There's nothing to defend here.

He's loaded though; he can't do a pentatonic,

Probably a newby? Know how long he's been playing?

Speaking of, I knew this one girl who played for seven years, met her at a little park concert. She was playing I-Don't Know-What but she had a Boss RV-5 into a Boss OS-2 to a cheap amp, and she never stopped chopping chords, not even an arpeggio for slow parts. I was absolutely baffled... doesn't she get bored? Don't people like here ever feel the need to get better!? Doesn't she realise distortion goes before reverb!1?/ How can anyone just start guitar and stay at the same low level for seven years !1!?/?

but his Dad bought him, an American Les Paul.

And this, people, is bad parenting in my honest opinion. Reminds me of those scumbags who get sports cars days after their license, it's ridiculous. Piss off, bro, your gas guzzling crap is worth nothing if you're going to crash it soon. Meanwhile, that junker Subaru I drive is still a favourite.

By the way, stick shift for life.

But then surely by the time you've, bought an AC4HW, and then a decent 2x12, you could just buy an AC15. How about this for utter idiocy. This guy I know has been given seven hundred to buy an amp. HE GOES AND BUYS A LINE 6 SPIDER. I laughed myself to death. He's loaded though; he can't do a pentatonic, but his Dad bought him, an American Les Paul.

I was suggesting he get the cheap ac4tv, i got the HW because i already have 3 ac30s, 2 of which are recent with 1/2 power switches...

An ac4tv and decent 2x12 is way less than an ac15hw or better. Might be less than a bugera v22 as well.

In the UK almost everyone has a manual gearbox haha. Autos are only popular with those who took an Automatic test so they can't legally drive a manual and old or lazy people. I know people like that pisses me off but funny when they have a M3 and can't handle the power in the rain LOL

I know a dude like that who has atleast 10 Gibsons...Very sad indeed!

anyway, there are tons of affordable little all tube designs out there in the champ or ac4 mold, just look around on reverb and flEaBAY or local shops with a good turnover in used gear(you may find an affordable vintage gem if you are lucky), you will find something no problem

Ok thanks. I'm thinking about getting a little tube amp or an old Marshall amp for 300£ but with a bit more power (20/30W)

If I had to invest in one, I would give max 300 euros for it.

Ok thanks. It's for bedroom practise in a first place.

if its an 80s solid state marshall amp its not worth 300 euros.... the best sounding marshall solid state amps regularly trade for about 150 in US dollars so anything over 200 euros is extortion

there are TONS of those Marshall solid state combos around and while they sound okay, they are literally worthless.... no valuable parts at all inside... so the amp is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it when you are done playing it yourself and there was a time just a few years ago when they only went for $50

Probably not that much cheaper than an AC15 that's not handwired.

I'm UK, and I can honestly say I've never been in a car that has an automatic gearbox. Nobody uses them! Maybe we're all just control freaks.

Probably not that much cheaper than an AC15 that's not handwired.

the non handwired ac4 is WAY cheaper than the ac15custom classic and it comes in a head so you can get a Baltic birch plywood cab instead of the crappy MDF cabs vox has been selling on their low end amps for the last 5 years or so

I think I paid 600USD for my handwired ac4 on the used market.... I have seen them sell for as low as $500 recently if they are beat up or missing the footswitch.... good luck finding a handwired vox of any other type under $800, or even a custom classic!

Yeah, but is he a decent player. In my opininon if you've done well, in life, play guitar ell, and regularly, and give to the poor, or needy, you can have 10 Gibsons.

I know a guy with three, which he doesn't really play, but he's nice, and he donates, and he can actually do a pentatonic. It's handy knowing people, with lots of nice guitars, for various reasons, but my band are hoping to start gigging in the new year, so they probably wouldn't mind lending me their stuff (I'd be looking to haggle for this guys '74 goldtop, and this awesome marshall 2x12 cab, I could run whatever head I get my hands on into. Don't no anybody with a decent head)