mini tube amp. experiment ?

[ahdunno]

All this tube talk is giving me GAS!!!

When I get the money and better at playing, I'm going to invest in a Walkabout 12" combo.

In the mean time, my question is if any one has tried one of these mini guitar tube amps with a bass?

http://zvexamps.com/amp_view.html

or

http://www.surprisesoundlab.com/

They sound awesome on the youtube videos and I would only be using it to practice.

I'm leaning towards the Surprise Sound Lab - Rock Block based on the comparison.

http://www.surprisesoundlab.com/ssl-22_007.htm

Initially, I'm going to plug into my GK 110 Backline and see how it goes. Maybe I might invest in the Avatar 1x12 Cube if it sounds good.

Are they any good tube amps for ~$350 price? Even used? Or maybe some suggestions on a vintage amp? I cruise cl all the time.

Thanks and Happy Friday!

-- A

[christw]

Even a Valve JR sounds great for bass. I ran my old MIM Jazz through my VJR all the time for recording. VJ => VJ cab => Mic produced some wicked tones. Even the clean ones rocked.

That's a cheaaaap rig too. I recommend a used one as a starting point. You can always buy one for $75 and sell it for $75. A power attenuator will keep it quiet. Total cost new is still only $350. (Weber attenuator = $100 and Valve Jr "half stack" = $250). Just be ready to lose $100 if you resell it.

[mulchor]

I own a zvex nano, but I've never tried it with bass O.O I have a couple other tube amps and just never thought to try the zvex with bass. It has a fat-normal-skinny switch for bass, but I've really no idea what the HPF is set at.

It's 1/10 of a watt when it's clean, i.e. really itty-bitty.

The things it does well are not things I think of wanting to happen with bass. On guitar if you set the amp at about half, you ride a very tasty line where soft notes are pulsating clean, a bit more finger pressure and it starts breaking up, and full it's crunched overdrive.

On bass, we use things like compressors so that our sound WON'T be dynamic to the touch. hmm...

That surprisesound amp looks to be basically a zvex clone, but with less esoteric tubes and about $50 less.

If you record guitar sometimes, like tubes, and/or enjoy low SPL with full dynamics, I think this approach is good fun, and inexpensive, too.

[christw]

Originally Posted by mulchor

On bass, we use things like compressors so that our sound WON'T be dynamic to the touch. hmm...

I don't usually. I value expressiveness. I love big headroom clean amps that let me run massive dynamics. Admittedly, I turn my preamps to the breakup line so if I dig in it distorts for my aggressive bands.

[MAMMOTHvolume]

Originally Posted by christw

Even a Valve JR sounds great for bass. I ran my old MIM Jazz through my VJR all the time for recording. VJ => VJ cab => Mic produced some wicked tones. Even the clean ones rocked.

That's a cheaaaap rig too. I recommend a used one as a starting point. You can always buy one for $75 and sell it for $75. A power attenuator will keep it quiet. Total cost new is still only $350. (Weber attenuator = $100 and Valve Jr "half stack" = $250). Just be ready to lose $100 if you resell it.

+1 on valve junior you gonna have alot more fun with one of those as apposed to the zvex jobbie. With the money you save to you could pay someone to mod it into a proper beast of a head aswell!

[mulchor]

Originally Posted by MAMMOTHvolume

+1 on valve junior you gonna have alot more fun with one of those as apposed to the zvex jobbie. With the money you save to you could pay someone to mod it into a proper beast of a head aswell!

I have nothing against a valve jr, per se.

I s'pose cheap means different things to different people, but zvex is no where near boutique price, and the other one linked above is cheap, too.

The trouble with a lot of "low wattage" amps, is they're not actually low wattage. By this I mean that when they're are cranked to the point that the output tubes are sweating and getting to that nasty sweet crunch, the volume out your cab is awfully darn loud. By awfully darn loud I mean 100dB or more, not necessarily gig or group volume, but loud enough that it makes it harder to mic the cab, harder to have a conversation in the same room, and the like.

At 10+ times the power, a mini head like the Valve jr may be a fine instrument to play, but it's not a bedroom amp, it's not a "quiet volume to record" amp.

By all means, buy what you want. Heck, buy one of each. But understand that the difference between 1/10 or 1/2 a W and a 5-15W is bigger than the difference between a 50W and a 500W.

Don't make me pull out an old slide rule!!

[RickenBoogie]

I bought my Mesa Buster 210 combo for $400. 200 all tube watts in a very heavy box. Great amp, too. But, I also had to put another $300 into it, for all new tubes, a few switches, caps, and ribbon connectors. My point, you CAN get all all tube bass amp for around your budget, but you may also need to add a little to it, too.

[christw]

Originally Posted by mulchor

I have nothing against a valve jr, per se.

I s'pose cheap means different things to different people, but zvex is no where near boutique price, and the other one linked above is cheap, too.

The trouble with a lot of "low wattage" amps, is they're not actually low wattage. By this I mean that when they're are cranked to the point that the output tubes are sweating and getting to that nasty sweet crunch, the volume out your cab is awfully darn loud. By awfully darn loud I mean 100dB or more, not necessarily gig or group volume, but loud enough that it makes it harder to mic the cab, harder to have a conversation in the same room, and the like.

At 10+ times the power, a mini head like the Valve jr may be a fine instrument to play, but it's not a bedroom amp, it's not a "quiet volume to record" amp.

By all means, buy what you want. Heck, buy one of each. But understand that the difference between 1/10 or 1/2 a W and a 5-15W is bigger than the difference between a 50W and a 500W.

Don't make me pull out an old slide rule!!

I don't disagree that it's a significant difference. I also doubt the OP will turn it to blowing up OD like I did. It's not bad to mic at all, especially with an attenuator. Look at the price comparisons. Valve Jr half stack with attenuator is still cheaper, louder, and has more possibilities. It can get just as quiet at full saturation too. (VJR + 112 = $250, Weber MiniMass =$100)

[MAMMOTHvolume]

Originally Posted by mulchor

I have nothing against a valve jr, per se.

I s'pose cheap means different things to different people, but zvex is no where near boutique price, and the other one linked above is cheap, too.

The trouble with a lot of "low wattage" amps, is they're not actually low wattage. By this I mean that when they're are cranked to the point that the output tubes are sweating and getting to that nasty sweet crunch, the volume out your cab is awfully darn loud. By awfully darn loud I mean 100dB or more, not necessarily gig or group volume, but loud enough that it makes it harder to mic the cab, harder to have a conversation in the same room, and the like.

At 10+ times the power, a mini head like the Valve jr may be a fine instrument to play, but it's not a bedroom amp, it's not a "quiet volume to record" amp.

By all means, buy what you want. Heck, buy one of each. But understand that the difference between 1/10 or 1/2 a W and a 5-15W is bigger than the difference between a 50W and a 500W.

Don't make me pull out an old slide rule!!

5W doesn't get that loud, i have an extremely effiecent cab at home and you can still hold a conversation with it cranked and not have the neighbours complain.

Personally i think the valve junior is alot better than the Zvex mini amps from a bass perspective and i can't rate the valve juniors highly enough once you've tuned them up!

[aborgman]

Originally Posted by MAMMOTHvolume

5W doesn't get that loud, i have an extremely effiecent cab at home and you can still hold a conversation with it cranked and not have the neighbours complain.

Yep...

I have a little 6W (Single ended EL84) tube head - and driven right up to the point of crunch into my LDS 15/6 you can still easily talk over it.

Even into one of my more efficient PA cabs, it's a long way from loud - I mean, if you're within 1-2' of the front of the cab it seems pretty loud, but get 10' away and it really isn't much.

[poorbassist15]

Are we talking about the Epi Valve Jr?
If so, I use it all the time for bass. If not, oh well. I'm still gonna run a bass into it.