need a small tube amp for guitar

[Linas]

Does anyone have any recommendations on a small tube amp for guitar. I dont really want to spend more than $200, and it doesn't have to be super loud, its just for practicing in my apartment. But i do want it to have at least reverb. Im thinking about the peavey classic 20 or 30, which is a bit above budget. Anyone have suggestions?

[TrooperFarva]

I don't think there's any all tube guitar amps for $200 with reverb. For the price, the only amp that comes to mind is the Epiphone Valve Junior mini-stack. They're $250 on Musicians Friend, but you can get it for $200 at Guitar Center. It only has a volume control though. No effects, not even EQ.

[Linas]

Alright, if i had $300 what could i work with? Im fine with buying used. I need something relatively cheap but a good amp.

[The Golden Boy]

I've heard a lot of nice things about the Epiphone Jr. amp.

[fenderhutz]

Find a used Peavey tube combo, anything in the delta blues line. The delta blues 15 combo sounds as good if not better than most Fenders I have heard, and it uses a 15 inch speaker, yes for guitar.

[The Golden Boy]

Why are you looking for a Tube amp?

[steve21]

Epi Valve Jr.

[Trevorus]

Originally Posted by steve21

Epi Valve Jr.

I have one of these. Very cool amp.

[Rugaar]

A 20-30 watt guitar amp is gig worthy. You'll never need that much power for an apartment amp. Even my vintage 6 watt Fender Vibro Champ will rattle my windows if I turn it up.

As for suggestions, the Fender Champion 600 is a pretty cool little amp. No reverb but it sounds pretty. The previously mentioned Epiphone Valve Junior is also a killer small amp. If you've got your own cab you can also buy the head separately for around $130.

[peaveyuser]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...Amp?sku=487058

looks good

[KeithBMI]

I bought a Fender Blues Junior at Guitar Center for $350.00

My god that thing was (and still is) worth it. Beautiful tone and louder than I thought 15 watts could be. It has a spring reverb and I also use it for bedroom practice. I'm not much of a guitarist.

[Foamy]

Originally Posted by Trevorus

I have one of these. Very cool amp.

Yup - played onr at GC - for a loooong time. 5 watts, I think. It jus has the volume control, and it started to break up real nicely aroung 11 o-clock.

[Hawaii Islander]

I have the Fender Champion 600. No reverb, but it sounds great and handles pedals very well. You can also disconnect the internal speaker and hook up an 8-ohm extension cab. I also use it for low volume bass practice when I'm away from my computer.

[Bard2dbone]

The Blues Junior is my favorite low-wattage tube amp in the world (this week).

It has some great tones and is usable for small gigs or recording studios as well as around-the-house use.

I've seen both with and without reverb. I don't know if the reverb is optional, if the model changed to add or remove it, or if I've just seen two where someone took the reverb out...but get it with reverb if you can.

Awesome little amp. Someone brought a seriously excessive rig to a jam I played at a while back. In stead of the kind of popular modeling amps that many bring, he brought a switching pedalboard and three small combo amps. There was a little Orange combo (I think an Orange Crush 30) a little Mesa/Boogie (one of the really early ones, I think a 70's Boogie Mk I) and a Blues Junior.I think all he used with the Blues Junior was a little chorus and once some wah wah. It was awesome.

I was pretty jealous of the sounds he made, but not of his load-in and load-out time.

It was the first jam in several years where multiple Robin Trower songs came out and were given proper treatment.

[KeithBMI]

Originally Posted by Bard2dbone

I've seen both with and without reverb. I don't know if the reverb is optional, if the model changed to add or remove it, or if I've just seen two where someone took the reverb out...but get it with reverb if you can.

Yup. There are two models. I'd spring for the extra and get the built-in spring reverb. It sounds smooth.

[Philbiker]

The Fender Blues Junior is the best sounding guitar amp I've ever heard at any price. Peavey Classic 30 is legendary.

[CrazyArcher]

Peavy Classic 30 is a superb machine, but it's probably too big. Epi is pretty minimalistic thing, but if it sounds good with your guitar - go for it. If you don't wanna spend lots of $$ on the amp, look for used Fenders. The downside of this option is lack of warranty, which can be a bummer in case of tube amps. The tubes DO burn sometimes, and you might have to change a tube just a month after buying a used amp...

I wonder why you don't consider an option of solid-state amp + OD/dist pedal. The guitarist in my band had a Peavy, but at the end switched to a solid-state Fender with an Electroharmonix' dist pedal - sounds lovely.

[Linas]

i guess the reason im looking for a small tube amp, is because i played out of a vintage champ, and it was the sweetest tone. I haven't played out of many guitar amps because im not really a guitarist, but the champ sounded awesome. Im just looking for something pretty minimal and dont want to invest in OD pedals or Reverb pedals or anything like that. But i really like the way the tubes distort. Has anyone had luck at Midwest Buy and sell in Irving Park?

[The Golden Boy]

IMO, if you're practicing in your apartment, even a Champ is going to be "too loud."

There's one thing about little combos- they can sound really cool cranked and miced- but in the room, they sound... little.

Maybe I'm just looking for "more" in my guitar sounds- and I have the fortune of being in a house- but I prefer big cabs.

My "little" amp is a 19w Gibson 1x12 combo- that would be way too loud for an apartment.

[KeithBMI]

If you do spring for the Epi Valve Jr. I'd go for the seperate head and cab. I've heard that the little speaker in the combo craps out easily.