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Why no low-mid price range amps/combos?

mrbell321

mrbell321

Mar 26, 2012
844
117
N. Colorado
#1
I've been getting by w/ my $30 15-watt crate amp for a while now. I can do this because I haven't played along with anyone else and more often than not, I use headphones. But I recently started jamming w/ some people and the 15-watt doesn't cut it. I doubt a 25-watt would either. That seems to be all that is available up to about $100. Then there seems to be absolutely no options until you get to almost $300 to get a 100W or more. BTW, yes I know wattage isn't isn't everything and isn't consistent.

I'm not a professional and I have no aspirations to be one. This is just a hobby for me. So I'd like to spend ~$150 or MAYBE $200 on something jam worthy. Hell, the two basses I own cost less than $200 together. But there doesn't seem anything in this range used or otherwise, at least locally. It's harder to find something not local since
1) I can't hear it/try it
2) shipping 50lbs is spendy
3) I don't see anything reasonable anywhere else, anyway.
I don't want to knock down any buildings with it, I just want to hear myself(and pretend I sound good) in with the drums and guitar. I think at least 50W would pass, 75W would be great.
I have some electronics and woodworking experience, so I was even looking to build something too. But even a decent driver would take almost my full budget.

Sorry, I'll stop ranting now...

On to what I have looked at.
I tried out an Ampeg ba115, but I didn't like it at all. Pawn shop, so it could have been damaged and the guy wanted $350 for it.
I also tried out a used Fender Rumble 100. I actually liked this one, but the guy was asking more than I wanted to pay. Plus this thing was heavier than I want to lug around.
Used Line6 Lowdown 110. This one was almost in my price range and the clean and R&B sounded nice. I didn't like the no-loop setup and no pedal switch(not that I have a use for this at the moment, but it would be nice) and the other settings were completely uninteresting to me. I heard they're not terribly durable. Also, I have a Line6 guitar amp and I'm not a huge fan of it's sound anymore.
New Fender Rumble 70. Didn't have the range of the 100, I thought and was still more than I wanted to spend.


Bah! I think I'm giving up and learning the tuba.
 
#5
Two words: USED PEAVEY

Peavey is not a super desirable brand but their amps last forever and even the older ones often have a lot of desirable features (line out and headphone jack etc). If your goal is to jam I'd search your local craigslist and guitarcenter/samash etc used postings (very easy online) and see if their are any used TNT combos. YMMV.
 
#6
Why does it have to be a combo?
You can find old Peavey Mk III's & IV's for $100
Some nice reliable older Hartke heads in the same price range.
Used Peavey 115 or 410 cabs sell used for around $100

Forget used junk combo's and get a real rig, yeah it may be old and heavy but it will sound decent and last you forever.
 
#7
Check out the new line of Acoustic combo amps. Pretty cheap new, and real cheap used. My nephew's got the 1x15 200w combo and it sounds damn good to me, although I've never heard it in a full band set up. Not terribly heavy. Not sure about the effects loop and all that jazz.
 
#8
Waldo19 said:
Two words: USED PEAVEY

Peavey is not a super desirable brand but their amps last forever and even the older ones often have a lot of desirable features (line out and headphone jack etc). If your goal is to jam I'd search your local craigslist and guitarcenter/samash etc used postings (very easy online) and see if their are any used TNT combos. YMMV.
Click to expand...

This. You'll get A LOT of boom for your bucks.
 
#10
CL, GC, and here. for under 200 it'll be tight and require some patience, but for just a reputable 60-75 watter it can be done. i know you aren't into buying without playing it first (the perfect scenario is always try before you buy), but have you dismissed it outright? i just posted yesterday in another thread about gigging amps on the cheap. i took about 5 minutes and turned up seven or eight possibilities on a (more powerful than you're seeking) rig for 300 or less. i did that at the GC used pages. i,ve picked up a few things from the random stores around the country and have to say they have to have some kind of deal with ups. they sent me (i'm in KY) a 5 pc junior drum kit for my son from Seattle and shipping was 18. it was two darn big boxes, too. AND it got here in three days. sure an 810 would be a much different story, but a 70 watt ss 1x12 combo? prob ship coast to coast under 50. it doesn't hurt to inquire. if the shipping is kinda high, ask for a lower price on the amp to "help you pull the trigger" on it. i just had a marshall microstack for 5 bucks over the asking price, because i told the sales guy i'm in if you can get it to me for $xxx. he dropped the price almost enough to nullify the tax and shipping.

i'll go look now. i'll brb
 
#14
on the quick look i see a peavey mark3 head for 50 bucks and a seismic audio 115 cab for 60. there were a couple behringer 4500's in there really cheap too, but i'd stay away IMHO. your budget keeps you pretty far down on the scale, but it can be done.
 
#17
Doesn't have to be a combo, but I haven't seen ANY heads in my price range at all.

Partially, it must be where I live, N. Colorado. There just isn't much at all for bass amps on CL and most of it is low wattage, or they're just asking a ton. I know I could haggle them down some, but with an asking price of $600, they're not letting it go for $200. I'm just annoyed.

Thanks for the tip on TNT115. I'll keep an eye out, but there are 2 on CL over the last couple months and both are way out of my budget.
 
#18
unless you play with a very quiet drummer and a very quiet guitar player you probably will have a tough time hearing yourself with 50 watts and $200 worth of speaker. that could have something to do w/why there's not too many of these amps around i guess.
 
#20
the yeti said:
unless you play with a very quiet drummer and a very quiet guitar player you probably will have a tough time hearing yourself with 50 watts and $200 worth of speaker. that could have something to do w/why there's not too many of these amps around i guess.
Click to expand...

See, I don't have a lot of experience here, but I really have to question this fairly common conception. See, my 15W was enough to be heard with the drummer. Not well and he wasn't going crazy. But it wasn't completely lost. I fully accept that 50W may not be enough which is why I was really hoping for 75W. Again, wattage isn't everything, but that is 5x the power I have now. Sure, I'd go for 500W, but I'm just not interested in paying for that.


I think my main point was that you can get 15-30W units for $50 or less pretty easily. But any louder than that and you quickly end up above $300.

I guess I need to check out garage sales.
 

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