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I need a loud, inexpensive amp. Recomendations?

B

BerserkerSkye77

Jun 5, 2008
4
0
#1
Hey, I'm new here so just saying hello to you all! Oh, and I have a question.

During band practice today, I came to a realization.

I need a louder amp. 50 watts doesn't cut it when you add in a drummer that hits the drums like he's got serious anger issues and two guitarists that like to put all their stuff up to 10. Oh yea, and you're in a metal band.

Anyway, I need something loud enough to be able to be heard above all this noise, reliable and able to handle a good amount of overdrive, and cheap ($1000 or less. Preferably $600 or less).

I've noticed there are allot of the older Peavey amps for sale for around $300, and all the ones I've seen have at least 200w. They seem like the way to go, but I was wondering what you guys think of them. Are they any good or is there a very good reason why they're always for sale for less than $300? I've also been looking at some of the old Unicord/Univox bass amps, I dunno about the quality of those though. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
#2
I would not get anything under 300 watts IMO if your playing in a band with a LOUD DRUMMER AND GUITARIST you need some juice that being said 450 watts or 500 watts even better the more headroom the better> I have a Hartke ha 5500 it has 500 watts and was 600.00 new and Avatar cabs great sounding and are cheap check out there web page, or you could go with Carvin they have a 2x10 combo that looks pretty nice and you could always add another cab under it down the road. Hope this helps
 
#4
Also im sure you are aware that a lot of the time an amps max stated output will be in to 4ohms so you need to watch what cab you get. If going for a combo it will normally have an 8 ohms driver so you wont get the full output until you add another cab.

I agree with the others that 300watts is a good minimum to go for in this situation. The last thing i would want is to be pushing the amp too hard just to keep up.

IME of course.
 
#7
BBE Bmax
Carvin Poweramp
Avatar Cab


I'm running that at 500 watts and it's real, real loud. And sound great. I'm convinced my drummer's girlfriend cheated on him with his drums, and I can keep up.

Pros:

Fairly inexpensive.
Very loud.
Overall very good tone.
All well built.

Cons:

I'm not a huge fan of horns, personally. I plan to disconnect the one in my 4x10. I use distortion, though. Clean, if I back of the tone knob a little it's just fine.
The preamp/poweramp system is a bit bigger than a normal head, generally.
 
#8
Bassbasixx said:
I would not get anything under 300 watts IMO if your playing in a band with a LOUD DRUMMER AND GUITARIST you need some juice that being said 450 watts or 500 watts even better the more headroom the better> I have a Hartke ha 5500 it has 500 watts and was 600.00 new and Avatar cabs great sounding and are cheap check out there web page, or you could go with Carvin they have a 2x10 combo that looks pretty nice and you could always add another cab under it down the road. Hope this helps
Click to expand...

+ 1 for the Hartke idea, but used they are dirt cheap :bassist:
 
#9
Carvin is a great way to go if your going to buy new. Some don't like Carvin's tone. But wattage is wattage, if volume is a main concern. I've used Carvin amps since the early 90s and I'd swear buy them. IMO I wouldn't play in any band situation with less than a 600 watt head. And combos are a waste of time for playing in a rock band. IMHO. eBay is a good place to get a Carvin Redline head for around $250.00. They made those from 1996 to 2006. 1000 watts or 600. Add a 15 cab or two and your set. Good luck:hyper:
 
#10
BerserkerSkye77 said:
I've noticed there are allot of the older Peavey amps for sale for around $300, and all the ones I've seen have at least 200w. They seem like the way to go, but I was wondering what you guys think of them. Are they any good or is there a very good reason why they're always for sale for less than $300?
Click to expand...

The Peavey Nitrobass/Max 450, and the Firebass/Max700 are bullet proof and loud as heck. They're cheap because their power to weight ratio is probably the worst on the planet.

I paid $199.00 plus 30.00 shipping for a Nitrobass from Music Go Round and $378.00 w/shipping for a DR bass RX212. It's plenty loud at 4 ohms, and would be louder at 2.

You could find used Peavey TVX 210/410 cabs cheap too, if your back can handle it.
 
#12
Peavey for head and cabs. Peavey used to produce great sounding, reliable and loud amps in the 80's and early 90's (not that what they rpoduce today is not good, but it won't be as inexpensive). A GK800rb or GK700rbII might also be the ticket. Another good company to consider is Hartke as was mentionned before. Carvins are also nice for the money, but the only one I ever played crapped on me during a show: the old Redline with the tube in the pre. But it's bound to happen once in a while with almost any piece of gear.

I'd say Peavey > GK > Hartke > Carvin. Altough Carvin usually has more features for the money.

Cabs, try finding some old Peaveys with BW inside of them. They are efficient, have sufficient flat response and are usualy inexpensive. Why they don't make them anymore is a mystery since the Blue Marvels and Scheffields can't hold a candle to these venerable drivers. I hear the old Hartke 4x10 and 1x15 boxes are also good. They are heavy though, as will be any cab you will consider (you can't have cheap, good sound and light, choose two).

But don't buy new. Buy used if possible, you'll save a pretty penny by doing so. A good rock/metal rig can be has for sub 500$ if you are really strapped for cash.
 
#13
Peavey all the way! I have NO idea why they're always so cheap, they're very well made, and sound like a bass amp should sound. I gigged last night with my old MarkVI into a 410T and it sounded KILLER in a large ballroom w/ no PA support... Picked the whole shooting match up for around $350 (including the cost of a new power transformer). Can't go wrong w/ Peavey AFAIC; this is the 5th Peavey amp that I've owned.
 
#15
a used gk rb800 $350ish and a peavey blackwidow loaded 215. you can get one of those cabs for about $100-$150 if you can find one local. pawnshops typically can't give these away.

that's the cheapest metal-capable rig i can think of. i don't use it much but i still have one of those old peavey cabs. more than loud enough for your needs. plus the gk will get you by for quite a while after you decide to quit hauling the peavey around.
 
#20
Thanks for all the help guys! I'll look into some of the amps you all recommended, though I'm leaning towards an old Peavey, I think, more because of availability, if anything. Hmm...I don't know much about ohms and cabinets. I guess just make sure the ohms listed on the head and the cabinet match and that the wattage on both is the same? Sorry, I'm new at this.
 

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