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Hughes and Kettner Tubemeister 5 Combo

Hughes and Kettner Tubemeister 5 Combo

$348.56 Price Tier: Standard

4.5 (3)

1 Critic Review

2 Reviews

0 wishlisted

7 saved

Page last updated Jul 04, 2026

Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 1 store. Prices updated July 4, 2026.

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5.0 (1)

$348.56 1 available Used

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Average Price: $349

Standard/Professional

$300

$701+

Price Tier

In the Combo Guitar Amplifiers category, Hughes and Kettner Tubemeister 5 Combo is priced in the Standard/Professional range. This is quality gear at a fair price point, suitable for beginners, hobbyists, and pros alike.

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Description

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Experience the power and versatility of the Hughes and Kettner Tubemeister 5 Combo, the ultimate choice for guitarists seeking a compact yet powerful amplifier. This combo amp is a testament to Hughes and Kettner's dedication to crafting high-quality gear that meets the demands of both studio and stage environments. Designed with a single ECC83 tube in the preamp section and a 12BH7 tube in the power section, the Tubemeister 5 delivers rich, articulate tones that range from sparkling cleans to gritty overdrive, perfect for a variety of musical styles.

Its intuitive tone controls and built-in Red Box DI output make it incredibly user-friendly, allowing you to seamlessly dial in your sound and integrate into any setup, whether you're recording or performing live. The Tubemeister 5's lightweight and portable design ensure that you can easily transport it to gigs, rehearsals, or studio sessions without compromising on sound quality. Additionally, the amp's innovative silent recording feature lets you capture your performances without disturbing your neighbors, making it an ideal companion for late-night jam sessions.

Join the community of musicians who trust Hughes and Kettner for their sound needs and elevate your playing with the Tubemeister 5 Combo. With its power soak technology, this amp adapts to your playing environment, providing consistent performance and tone at any volume level.

Key Features:

Single ECC83 tube in preamp section
12BH7 tube in power section
Built-in Red Box DI output for direct recording
Innovative power soak technology
Silent recording feature
Lightweight and portable design

Product specs

Brand	Hughes & Kettner
Model	TubeMeister 5 5-Watt 1x8" Guitar Combo
Finish	Black
Year	2012 - 2015
Made In	China
Categories	Guitar Combo Amps
Color Family	Black
Electronics	Tube
Number of Channels	1 Channel
Number of Inputs	1 Input
Output Power (Watts)	5
Power Tube Type	None
Reverb	None
Speaker Configuration	1x8"

FAQs

Is the Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister 5 Combo suitable for home practice?: Yes, the TubeMeister 5 Combo is ideal for home practice due to its 5-watt power output, which provides great tube tone at manageable volume levels.
Does the TubeMeister 5 Combo work well with pedals?: The TubeMeister 5 Combo takes pedals well, allowing you to expand its tonal range with your favorite effects.
What kind of speaker is in the Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister 5 Combo?: The TubeMeister 5 Combo features a 1x8" speaker configuration, providing a compact and focused sound suitable for small spaces and practice sessions.
Can the TubeMeister 5 Combo be used for recording?: Yes, the TubeMeister 5 Combo can be used for recording, offering a great tube-driven sound that can be mic'd up or connected to a recording interface.
Is the Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister 5 Combo easy to transport?: The TubeMeister 5 Combo is compact and lightweight, making it easy to transport for rehearsals or small gigs.

Videos

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EytschPi42

Tubemeister 5 / Micro Terror / Little Monster AC - Comparison

EytschPi42

NAMM '12 - Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister 5 Demo & TubeMeister Combos

Premier Guitar

Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 5 Combo and Head

Guitar World

Reviews

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Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Hughes and Kettner Tubemeister 5 Combo.

Features and functionality

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The Tubemeister 5 lacks built-in reverb, so a reverb pedal is necessary for those wanting this effect in their signal chain.
Source
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The Tubemeister 5's built-in power soak utilizes a resistor network similar to attenuators, but also cuts power tubes to manage wattage reduction.
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Using a 2X12 cab with the Tubemeister 5 provides a "bigger" sound compared to a 1X12 cab, enhancing overall tonal presence.
Source

Mods and upgrades

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Users suggest the Ibanez Mini Tubescreamer for cost-effective overdrive enhancement, offering similar performance to the TS808/TS9 models.
Source

Use cases and applications

0 0

Fuzz pedals work best on the clean channel, as they may not blend well with the drive channel unless the gain is reduced.
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For achieving a quieter tone with the Tubemeister 5, it's recommended to use speakers with lower efficiency ratings to reduce overall loudness.
Source

Comparisons

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The Tubemeister 18 is preferred by some for its wattage modes (1W, 5W, 18W) and additional features like an effects loop and footswitch-able channels.
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The Tubemeister's built-in power soak approach is considered a hybrid method, offering a better power reduction solution compared to many competitors' designs.
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Using the Tubemeister's internal power soak is seen as more cost-effective than purchasing an external attenuator, which can be costly relative to the amp's price.
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The Tubemeister 5 can keep up with a loud drummer when paired with a Vox 4X12 cab, offering competitive volume against a VHT in 12W mode and Ampeg SVT 8X10.
Source

User experience

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The Hughes & Kettner 1x12 cab is praised for its sound, and it reportedly uses the same speaker as the Orange PPC112.
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Some users report that turning down the master volume while adjusting the power settings offers a bolder, punchier sound compared to maxing out the gain.
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Owners report that the Tubemeister 5 is loud enough for band practice, especially in rock and metal genres, when paired with efficient speaker setups like a Vox 4X12.
Source

Critic Reviews

Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister 5 combo review | MusicRadar

musicradar.com

A solid valve combo that packs a surprising punch for its size. The Hughes and Kettner TubeMeister 5 Combo offers impressive portability and a versatile tonal range, making it ideal for small gigs and studio work. The direct output is a standout feature, delivering quality sounds for silent recording. However, it’s not without flaws; some users may find it sounds boxy at times, and accessing the valves for maintenance can be a hassle. While it lacks built-in reverb, pairing it with an effects pedal can elevate its capabilities. Overall, it’s a cute, capable amp that’s worthy of consideration, especially for those who appreciate the warmth of tube sound.

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Full Review

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4.5 out of 5

Based on 2 Reviews and 3 Ratings

5 star

4 star

3 star

2 star

1 star

eoin_jennings

721

over 7 years ago

Great clean sounds on this little amp - if its good enough for Steven Wilson

Nice 5W combo. Got a great deal on it when it seemed to go end of line. Heavily used by Steven Wilson on To the Bone and on tour in combination with his Telecaster. Gave me a nice chimey clean sound to complement my Bugera 5W without being as harsh and cold as a Fender can be. Use it with pedals so don't really use the drive channel. The RedBox output built in is a great benefit for recording

sylxx

126

over 10 years ago

Beautiful, Diverse and packs a punch!

It may have a 8" speaker and be 5 watts, but don't let that fool you. It made my friends 15 watt fender XD have a run for its money.

Full valve tone, it just sounds amazing. When playing live in my setup, we mostly mic up our amps behind the stage, and my friends with their 15-30 watt monsters can never use all their volume, so their tubes don't get used and as we know, good tone is found at the higher volume levels. To hear the sound engineer go "Please could you turn your amp up?" Is like sweetness to the ears. I get to use the higher echelons of my amp.

For small gigs or medium ones mic'ed up, it's amazing. If you don't have a mic, you can plug in an XLR directly into the system instead with the red box DI technology.

Light as a feather: H&K make some of the lightest valve amps I've ever lifted. When you're having to lug it around to gigs, having a light amp is extremely helpful.

Diverse: I've had my single coil tele in this, my friends strat and then both my friends gainy ibanez's. Handles them all really well and can push out lovely tones.

Cons: - It would be nice for a 10" speaker - The drive channel on the amp is quite hard to control and sounds horrible, I don't use it at all.

Conclusion: I love this amp, and I will have it for a while until I really need to move onto something bigger (Tubemeister/Grandmeister 36). It hasn't got the trappings of the bigger amps, but if you want a good sounding amp, this is the way to go.

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4.0 (1)

^# 1

Pricing and availability

Description

Product specs

FAQs

Videos

Reviews

Owner Insights

Features and functionality

Mods and upgrades

Use cases and applications

Comparisons

User experience

Critic Reviews

Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister 5 combo review | MusicRadar

Great clean sounds on this little amp - if its good enough for Steven Wilson

Beautiful, Diverse and packs a punch!

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