I am in the market to buy a small (5 watt or less) tube practise amp. I stay in South Africa, so if I get something too loud, the neighbours will let loose their pet alligators or lions .
In any case, what would you recommend? I had a Orange Tiny Terror 15W/7W amp, but you had to turn that thing up LOUD to get some decent breakup.
I would like something with decent pedal compatibility, when I get effects in the future.
I am in the market to buy a small (5 watt or less) tube practise amp. I stay in South Africa, so if I get something too loud, the neighbours will let loose their pet alligators or lions .
In any case, what would you recommend? I had a Orange Tiny Terror 15W/7W amp, but you had to turn that thing up LOUD to get some decent breakup.
I would like something with decent pedal compatibility, when I get effects in the future.
Thanks in advance guys
I have a Blackstar Ht-1, it sounds good, but has no real eq, and no effects loop. I'd recommend the Marshall DSl-5 witch can be switched down to 1 watt and has all the good features.
Cosmin Lupu
Jun 18 2014, 08:54 AM
I also heard that the DSL 1 is a pretty mean little bugger Although it's pretty pricey - what sort of a budget should you fit in?
I also heard that the DSL 1 is a pretty mean little bugger Although it's pretty pricey - what sort of a budget should you fit in?
Check it out:
Both of these look nice, although I've never seen the DSL 1 in any South African Music stores yet. My current budget is 500 usd but I can save for a month or two if the amp is worth it...
Both of these look nice, although I've never seen the DSL 1 in any South African Music stores yet. My current budget is 500 usd but I can save for a month or two if the amp is worth it...
If you are to ask me - it's a bit overpriced for the power - I am using a russian AMT SS20 preamp which I run into my soundboard and into my computer for practicing and home recording. Tube preamp with a great, great tone! Been using it since 2009 and I am VERY happy with it. For the stage, well there, I am using a bigger baby
If you are to ask me - it's a bit overpriced for the power - I am using a russian AMT SS20 preamp which I run into my soundboard and into my computer for practicing and home recording. Tube preamp with a great, great tone! Been using it since 2009 and I am VERY happy with it. For the stage, well there, I am using a bigger baby
It looks nice, I see i can get it for around 400 usd including shipping, do you think its a good deal? I will try to find one to play on, maybe that is precisely what I need.
I have solid state Ibanez 50R amp and Line6 pod X3, but I was never able to get a good tone from it.
Cosmin pls can you tell us what is exactly your setup, I assume your AMT is then connected to some amp too, or am I wrong?
Thanks Petr
Trubore
Jun 18 2014, 10:19 AM
I can get a secondhand Hughes and Kettner Tube edition 20th anniversary amp for about 300usd. Do you guys think it is worth it? I know it will be loud, but I don't have any kind of amp at the moment....
I can get a secondhand Hughes and Kettner Tube edition 20th anniversary amp for about 300usd. Do you guys think it is worth it? I know it will be loud, but I don't have any kind of amp at the moment....
That is waaaaay to loud for bedroom use Even my 1-watter is loud enough to make my neighbours go berserk, and I've never even turned it up to full volume.
That is waaaaay to loud for bedroom use Even my 1-watter is loud enough to make my neighbours go berserk, and I've never even turned it up to full volume.
Thanks for the advice...
Kristofer Dahl
Jun 18 2014, 01:12 PM
Welcome to GMC Trubore - I think you hit the nail with a question many practicing GMC:ers are wondering about.
I don't have a lot of amp experience, but I have had a 5 W tube practice amp, and it was too loud for neighbours...
To get a good, cranked, sound at bedroom levels the best method is probably to buy a digital amp. Unfortunately the good ones break your budget (Kemper, Axe FX etc) - with one exception: I think you can get a used 'Eleven rack' for your budget.
Depending on what sounds you are after this could work for you. Hopefully Todd will chime in later as he is a happy 11R owner.
Typically plugins will require you to do some experimenting before you get the sound you are looking for - and this might turn inexperienced people off (like me btw - I hate tweaking amps!). However once you get it right it will most likely sound better than a tube amp which you can't turn up + software amps are much more flexible.
Bossie
Jun 18 2014, 02:10 PM
Why not go for the yamaha THR10...it's the new standard in practice ampworld, pedalfriendly also with great sound! ofcours it's not tubey....but at low volume it delivers the goods!
It looks nice, I see i can get it for around 400 usd including shipping, do you think its a good deal? I will try to find one to play on, maybe that is precisely what I need.
Mate, I honestly think it's a great deal Told ya - mine has been with me since 2009 and now, even if I don't use it anymore onstage, I am playing with it at home and using it for recording. Just keep in mind that onstage you will need a poweramp and a cabinet, but at home you can just plug it in your audio interface and you are rocking! So, yes, I totally recommend it - the tone is absolutely great and it has the basics - clean, crunch and lead. An amp or a preamp should not do ANYTHING else I don't trust anything that has I don't know what effects and so on.
Mate, I honestly think it's a great deal Told ya - mine has been with me since 2009 and now, even if I don't use it anymore onstage, I am playing with it at home and using it for recording. Just keep in mind that onstage you will need a poweramp and a cabinet, but at home you can just plug it in your audio interface and you are rocking! So, yes, I totally recommend it - the tone is absolutely great and it has the basics - clean, crunch and lead. An amp or a preamp should not do ANYTHING else I don't trust anything that has I don't know what effects and so on.
Thanks Cosmin. A local music store has a massive clearance sale on the 28th of June, and a little birdie told me I can get a DSL 1 for a "sale" price of around 350usd.
If that doesn't happen, I guess I will do further research on the AMT.
Thank you for the links Kristofer, I will play around with this in the meantime.
Thanks Cosmin. A local music store has a massive clearance sale on the 28th of June, and a little birdie told me I can get a DSL 1 for a "sale" price of around 350usd.
If that doesn't happen, I guess I will do further research on the AMT.
Thank you for the links Kristofer, I will play around with this in the meantime.
Hi mate! I'm with Kristofer with this. Amp emulators are great tools for practice at home. I don't have an amp in my home, I just use my Pod HD500, Guitar Rig, and LePou plug ins for home practice, guitar lessons and composing. It's great to be able to practice with headphones without disturbing anyone else. Another advantage is that you can use software reproduce backing tracks, drum loops and metronome and mix it for practice.
Also, if you don't like to stay all the time in front of the computer for practicing, there are some small "pocket" emulators which are relatively cheap. They usually include many guitar amps, effects, metronome, tuner, drum loops and an input for playing backings from your cellphone or ipod.
This one is very cheap and does it work ok. (I have one)
this one is a bit more expensive but includes drum loops:
These are great to practice everywhere and for traveling.
About small tube amps, have you seen Orange Micro Terror?
Thanks Cosmin. A local music store has a massive clearance sale on the 28th of June, and a little birdie told me I can get a DSL 1 for a "sale" price of around 350usd.
If that doesn't happen, I guess I will do further research on the AMT.
Thank you for the links Kristofer, I will play around with this in the meantime.
I think that sounds great man - keep me posted and in the mean time, I wanted to suggest that you check out my lessons here at GMC, as a lot of them have been recorded with the AMT. Since the lessons range between a lot of genres, I think it would be interesting to hear the tones:
. 
Although it's pretty pricey - what sort of a budget should you fit in?
Even my 1-watter is loud enough to make my neighbours go berserk, and I've never even turned it up to full volume.
So, yes, I totally recommend it - the tone is absolutely great and it has the basics - clean, crunch and lead. An amp or a preamp should not do ANYTHING else