Recommendations For Small, Cheap Tube Amp?

[colchar]

My rattle happy Marshall Class 5 is on its way out the door so I am looking for a small, cheap tube amp to be used with my new Les Paul Traditional. I am just starting my search and haven't tried all of the amps on my list yet as some of them are out of stock at the store I deal with so, while I wait for them to come in so that I can test-drive them, I was hoping people here could offer some recommendations and/or opinions on the amps I am considering.

I only play at home so I am not concerned with being able to gig with whatever amp I get. I play mainly '50s rock, country, and classic rock so I definitely do not need some high gain metal monster. I am primarily looking for good tone at low volume. I love a great clean tone but also want some break-up at a volume that won't tick off other people in the house. If I cannot get some nice break-up at a low volume I will just put a pedal in front of the amp so a good clean tone is probably more important than anything else.

The amps I am currently considering are:

Epiphone Valve Junior
Fender Champ 600
Fender Pro Jr.
Fender Blues Jr.
VOX AC4TV

I would also consider hybrid amps but am not interested in the Fender Vibro Champ or Super Champ as I do not want effects or voicings. I had thought about the VOX AC15VR but don't really see the point in that one as I already have a VOX Pathfinder 15R.

I would like to keep the cost as low as possible as I am a grad student and have just bought a Les Paul so, as much as I would love one, I cannot consider amps like the VOX AC15C1 or anything similar. I might also consider selling my Pathfinder in order to put that cash towards the new amp but, because those don't seem to sell very well around here, I would still like this new amp to be relatively cheap.

Any opinions and/or recommendations on the amps listed above, or others that I haven't listed, would be appreciated.

 

[Moose Coghill]

Try an Egnater Tweaker. I've been really inspired by the one I got recently. The heads are under $400 new, and get a tremendous variety of excellent sounds without knocking down the walls.

 

[madmmx]

If you are going to go the 5 watt route, I would try to get a head and a 1x12 cab at least. Some of the 5 watters sound horrible with the little speakers in them but when you hook them to a cab they sound great.

I have a Champion 600 and I had to replace the stock speaker, do mods and change tubes to make it sound ok with the little speaker. Stock the amp sounded great through my 4x12 1960 cab though

I had a Valve Jr combo and I hated it. I got the head and cab and it was very useable. I guess I dont like speaker break up and the small speakers just dont cut it. A 1x12 will add some bottom end too.

 

[RiverRatt]

Try an Egnater Tweaker. I've been really inspired by the one I got recently. The heads are under $400 new, and get a tremendous variety of excellent sounds without knocking down the walls.

+1. There are a lot of good tones in that little box. I like having the option of running different power tubes in it, too. And, it sounds GREAT with a Les Paul.

I just got my Fender Hot Rod Deville all modded up and it's a nice amp. I picked it up used for $350. I've never liked the Blues Jr. - it doesn't have those cleans you buy a Fender for and IMO it sounds small and boxy.

 

[Rampage]

I have heard excellent things about the Tweaker. It also seems like the Blackstar HT-5 is a popular option; however, I am not sure about how well it performs clean.

 

[RiverRatt]

The Tweaker definitely has cleans covered. I don't think the HT-5 has much clean headroom at all, but neither do any of the other amps the OP is considering.

 

[Salsg]

The lil night train kicks ass. I love the tiny terror. The Blackstar 5w is nice too.

 

[colchar]

The lil night train kicks ass. I love the tiny terror. The Blackstar 5w is nice too.

Does the L'il Night Train sound vintage/classic or more modern? And the same for the Blackstar?

I can try the L'il Night Train at my local store when I next get in there but the Blackstars are only available at selected stores so I'd have to drive at least half and hour to see one. Any additional info on either of these would be appreciated.

 

[Moose Coghill]

From the styles indicated, you'll probably like the LNT better than the Blackstar. I did a lot of driving and testing. If you get a chance to plug into a Tweaker, you'll forget about the rest. It does clean like Fender/Vox/Marshall, can be driven to madness like the Blackstar - but does those vintage crunch tones better than either. With the bias-free tube switching, you can dial it in to whatever specific tone you prefer. Was not a fan of the other Egnaters, and tried it out under protest. Bought one the next day, and for weeks now it's the only amp I've turned on.

Food for thought.

 

[johnfv]

The Tweaker is great and does a wide variety of tones very well; I've had one for about 3 months now and can't think of one bad thing to say about it - in particular I love it for the cleaner tones. For classic EL84 crunch I love the Jet City JCA20H (in fact for crunch it is one of my all time favorites) but it is not as versatile as the Tweaker (with the JCA it can be a challenge to get the gain low enough to get a true clean tone). Some pretty incredible "bang for the buck" in these little tube amps...

 

[Salsg]

Does the L'il Night Train sound vintage/classic or more modern? And the same for the Blackstar?

I can try the L'il Night Train at my local store when I next get in there but the Blackstars are only available at selected stores so I'd have to drive at least half and hour to see one. Any additional info on either of these would be appreciated.

The lil night train was more classic than modern. The blackstar was a little more modern but can do classic too, plus has a clean channel and it has a function to go from american tones to british tones.

 

[diesect20022000]

I'd say Tiny terror, VOX Night Train and Egnater Tweaker. In that order but, that's what i like and your tastes may differ. The tiny is still a fav of mine because you can get ANY tone you want by diming the volume and using the gain as a volume. super lush cleans and responsive overdrive and turned up you can get some plexi like tones but, more gain. It's a great amp if you know how to use it and it's simple. It was modeled after the ac15 but, they added 2 and a 1/2 gain stages to it. Unmodified it's still a favorite of mine because of those touch responsive tones. VOX NT is a little nicer but, both need tube swaps. the NT benefits from JJ or other dark tubes as it's a bit toppy and the NT just benefits from a quality tube upgrade imo. I loved tung sol,JJ andRCA's in it. you can get the Chime out of it as well. Great amp for anything. Even metal bands use them on recordings. KSE is one of them.

 

[diesect20022000]

The lil night train was more classic than modern. The blackstar was a little more modern but can do classic too, plus has a clean channel and it has a function to go from american tones to british tones.

Yeah the lil nt really doesn't sound good unless dimed too. I own one and anything less results ina stiff feel but, cranked up it's very sweet. I like the Tiny terror and Night Train better. The lil NT is a lot less versatile but,a cool amp nonetheless.

 

[colchar]

I have always liked the sound of both Orange and VOX amps so I will take a look at the TT, NT, and LNT. I also like the simplicity of those in comparison to the Tweaker as I tend to come from the 'less is more' school of thought.

The TT and NT are more expensive than what I was looking for, and I would have to buy a cab which will add to the expense, but buying one of those would negate having to buy another amp in 6-12 months. It might be worth it to take the financial hit now and just be done with it.

My biggest concern with the TT and NT are that they might be too much for my needs as I found my Class 5 to be way too loud for home use as it had to be turned up to get a decent crunch from it. Then again, since the TT and NT both have gain and volume knobs it will be much easier to get crunch at lower volume. My question though is how do they sound at lower volumes? I can try both of these out at my local store but am busy at home for the moment and won't be able to get out to try them until later in the week.

 

[Rampage]

My only problem with the Tiny Terror is that inherent, for lack of a better word, fuzziness it has to the overdrive. It seems like it is something that you either really like, or just do not get along with at all. It is definitely worth trying, though, because it seems like the people that like them end up being very happy with them.

 

[diesect20022000]

My only problem with the Tiny Terror is that inherent, for lack of a better word, fuzziness it has to the overdrive. It seems like it is something that you either really like, or just do not get along with at all. It is definitely worth trying, though, because it seems like the people that like them end up being very happy with them.

Mine wasn't fuzzy at all. very tought when dialed in. Maybe yours had some issues? Mine was just a standard Korean made model. It sounded a little off with the stock tubes though which is why i stress the retube. It was stiff with those stock tubes as well. Once you have the set that works for you in them though they're very uber hi gain plexi like. Open back V30 cab sounded bad though as well...maybe you used an open back?

sounded great through my closed rigs though with a retube. The only thing i see as a potential issue is in metal, it has a nice round low end that doesn't bode well for modern metal though i got perfect lamb of god Ashes of the wake tone when i dialed it in for it.

Maybe just my perception of the tone when compared to yours though. My favorite setting wa with the gain at 11 and the vol dimed with tone at about 1 oclock on it through my closed back V30 2x12.. hi gain was through my 75 loaded 2x12. I also used a boost in "metal" mode. 'Though alone it was really nice. It does seem to be a love or hate thing though I've noticed that too.

 

[Rampage]

Mine wasn't fuzzy at all. very tought when dialed in. Maybe yours had some issues? Mine was just a standard Korean made model. It sounded a little off with the stock tubes though which is why i stress the retube. It was stiff with those stock tubes as well. Once you have the set that works for you in them though they're very uber hi gain plexi like. Open back V30 cab sounded bad though as well...maybe you used an open back?

sounded great through my closed rigs though with a retube. The only thing i see as a potential issue is in metal, it has a nice round low end that doesn't bode well for modern metal though i got perfect lamb of god Ashes of the wake tone when i dialed it in for it.

Maybe just my perception of the tone when compared to yours though. My favorite setting wa with the gain at 11 and the vol dimed with tone at about 1 oclock on it through my closed back V30 2x12.. hi gain was through my 75 loaded 2x12. I also used a boost in "metal" mode. 'Though alone it was really nice. It does seem to be a love or hate thing though I've noticed that too.

That's why I wasn't sure if fuzzy was the right word. I don't really know how to describe it, I think it is just something with the Orange tone that my ears do not gel with, like it has some give to it or something. It was my friend's setup with the TT and an Avatar 1x12 with a G12H30.

 

[RiverRatt]

I have always liked the sound of both Orange and VOX amps so I will take a look at the TT, NT, and LNT. I also like the simplicity of those in comparison to the Tweaker as I tend to come from the 'less is more' school of thought.

The Tweaker isn't complicated and it'll do Marshall, Vox, Fender and similar tones with the flick of a switch. Basically you have 3 switchable tone stacks with the option of Vintage/Modern tone, high/low gain, bright/normal and tight/deep. You'll probably like these switches either one way or the other, so it's not something you have to adjust constantly. About the only adjustment I make is scooping the mids a little when I switch to the Fender tone stack.

 

[Derek S]

The little Jet City 20 watt head (JCA20H) has KILLER crunch, great character in its gain voicing. The cleans are pretty good as well.

 

[Georgiatec]

The whole idea of getting this was cheap class A all valve tone.

http://www.marshallforum.com/other-...ve-king-royal-8-a.html?highlight=Peavey+royal