Below 30w tube amp heads list

[bonin in the boneyard]

Isn't part of the trick also, on typical PCB-based designs, getting the PCB out in one piece and being able to desolder a capacitor tightly packed in amongst other components, as opposed to point-to-point designs?

It's mostly just nuts and bolts (but hopefully not glue!).

The only real trick to getting out a surface mount component versus turret mounted is with surface mount components you have to get both sides hot enough to melt the solder to remove it, which involves moving the iron back and forth quickly.

So maybe a bit trickier than turret, but both turret and surface mount are easier to work with than through-hole PCBs

 

[TinIndian]

It's mostly just nuts and bolts (but hopefully not glue!).

The only real trick to getting out a surface mound component versus turret mounted is with surface mount components you have to get both sides hot enough to melt the solder to remove it, which involves moving the iron back and forth quickly.

So maybe a bit trickier than turret, but both turret and surface mount are easier to work with than through-hole PCBs

Surface mount is superior in nearly every way to through hole. It gets a bad name around here because older techs and most hobbyists dont have the tools it takes to work on it properly and it takes a different skill set.

Manufacturing Engineer

 

[OldFunBass]

Hello,

I finally picked this little 5w amp :
View attachment 3048946
160$ new

Loving it so far, it has 2 valves: 12AX7 & EL84.
There's a headphones jack at the back and the manufacturer says that it is enough to act as a dummy load.
I tested it with decent headphones.(akg 702)

I was quite anxious before plugging my pbass into it, but it sounds great. It adds the grit I was lacking with my DI box.
No way to have that tube grit with a plugin.

Icing on the cake, there's also an attenuator at the back (0.1w, 1w & 5w) and... a reverb !
Can't wait to plug a bass cab in it. I'll also try different tubes.


Thank you guys for your tips.

Re-asking my question since it got buried in circuit board discussions:
Hi @deerus! I was wondering how you like this little T5 now that you have had it a few months? How does it sound with a bass, run through a bass cab? Does it sound like an bass amp? I was curious as I have been looking for something to try and get a tube amp sound for home on the cheap

 

[Balog]

A few that are both available and relatively inexpensive.

Wang’s mini 5
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078KY8BNY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_gIT-BbC5ME19F

Pulse PM15H
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J8ESJ74/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_GKT-BbVH8ETZF

Ibanez TSA15H https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052T7POS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_xPT-Bb0CZDP3K

Hotone Thunder Bass https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OWBFUNU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_AST-Bb55NK9G9

Plenty of cheap tube pre SS power models as well like the Orange Micro Terror and Peavey Piranha. Also the option of a tube pre into a pedal power amp like the Mooer Baby Bomb or Quilter Micro Block.

The best tone I ever got was from an ART mic tube pre into a Crown PA amp.

 

[Will_White]

I have one of these 15 watters that I'll probably cut down to just a head someday:
Invalid Link Removed
There's also a 5 watt one:
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Have you tried that 15 watt with a Bass Cab?

 

[Passinwind]

A few that are both available and relatively inexpensive.

Hotone Thunder Bass https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OWBFUNU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_AST-Bb55NK9G9

Nope, see post #31.

 

[Balog]

Nope, see post #31.View attachment 3226107

I was wondering about that. I don’t really understand what he meant.

 

[Passinwind]

I was wondering about that. I don’t really understand what he meant.

It's a completely solid state amp.

 

[Balog]

It's a completely solid state amp.

Huh, right you are. I wonder why I was thinking it had tubes?

 

[Ric Vice]

I owned an Airline 62-9020B as a kid, their a stripped down version of the Supro Thunderbolt. Single channel with a 6L6, 5U4, and 2X12 AX7's.
I believe they were true Class A Amplifiers. These Airlines had a very nice Jensen 15" driver. The only drawback was the open back. Great for
guitar, less than ideal for Bass. A lot of the 30 watt Vintage amps were combos, because separate heads and cabs were really only a Fender thing
early on.

 

[Passinwind]

Huh, right you are. I wonder why I was thinking it had tubes?

Maybe because the ad-speak says it's based on an Ampeg SVT?

I've heard quite a few good things about those amps BTW.

 

[Balog]

Maybe because the ad-speak says it's based on an Ampeg SVT? View attachment 3226126

I've heard quite a few things about those amps BTW.

Dang marketing got me again.

What’ve you heard about them? Not much on TB I could find.

 

[Passinwind]

Dang marketing got me again.

What’ve you heard about them? Not much on TB I could find.

Oops, I meant "quite a few good things." More so for the guitar ones though. The common theme seems to be that you need something like a 4 X 12 plugged into it for best results.

 

[arbiterusa]

Would like to second both the Interstellar Overdrive and the Ibanez TSA15. Great amps. But the best under 30 tube tone I ever got was out of a silverface Fender Princeton. Hook it up to a decent bass cab and you’ve got some fun there.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

It's mostly just nuts and bolts (but hopefully not glue!).

Yes, it was glue I was concerned about.

The only real trick to getting out a surface mount component versus turret mounted is with surface mount components you have to get both sides hot enough to melt the solder to remove it, which involves moving the iron back and forth quickly.

A friend with a second iron?

 

[bonin in the boneyard]

A friend with a second iron?

Back at the plant we had heated forceps. But I got pretty good at removing 'em with a regular iron.

 

[saabfender]

Don’t forget; 15 tube amp watts is equivalent to 100 solid state watts.

 

[OldFunBass]

A few that are both available and relatively inexpensive.

Wang’s mini 5
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078KY8BNY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_gIT-BbC5ME19F

Pulse PM15H
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J8ESJ74/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_GKT-BbVH8ETZF

Ibanez TSA15H https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052T7POS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_xPT-Bb0CZDP3K

Hotone Thunder Bass https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OWBFUNU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_AST-Bb55NK9G9

Plenty of cheap tube pre SS power models as well like the Orange Micro Terror and Peavey Piranha. Also the option of a tube pre into a pedal power amp like the Mooer Baby Bomb or Quilter Micro Block.

The best tone I ever got was from an ART mic tube pre into a Crown PA amp.

Good suggestions, thanks. I have never heard of the first two. The first one (Wang) has two pre and two power tubes for just the 5 watts. I would be real curious how it sounds.
However, I went ahead and ordered one of the Bugera T5 today since GC has them on sale for $99. I figured it was worth a shot at that price, if no good I will take it back to the local GC store. I have a variety of cabs I can try it with, so I will see how it sounds.

 

[boristhespider7]

Re-asking my question since it got buried in circuit board discussions:
Hi @deerus! I was wondering how you like this little T5 now that you have had it a few months? How does it sound with a bass, run through a bass cab? Does it sound like an bass amp? I was curious as I have been looking for something to try and get a tube amp sound for home on the cheap

Looks like deerus never replied...you still around deerus?
Am also interested in hearing more about the Bugera T5 (not after a clean amp...purely for valve dirt)

 

[faber]

@deerus, @OldFunBass
could you pls share some experience with the Bugera T5 ?
I`m thinking to take it for my home studio, to mix it with direct signal,
thanks