best budget tube amp

[Go Nigel Go]

This is some good information that applies to tube amps in general that I wish I had known 35 or 40 years ago.

 

[Decadent Dan]

Hmmm ... not really, but it's not my slot.

Maybe a Katana would serve you better for that kind of tone. You can get the 50W for not much. It's not tube, but reviews have mostly been great.

His first sentence…. “hi, i have been using a boss katana for years now…”

 

[smitty_p]

hi, i have been using a boss katana for years now i'm not a gigging musician so it's been great for in my bedroom but recently i have really been wanting to get the tube amp sound, it doesn't have to be huge but it needs to have a 12 inch speaker for jamming with my buddies, it needs to take gain well because i play 70s and 80s hard rock and metal so im looking for that classic british sound. my budget is around 600 which is low but i'm not interested in spending a ton of money on something i don't actually need. i would love to know what amps you guys suggest or have experiences with either good or bad.

If you're willing to buy used, I'd suggest a Peavey Valveking.

Here's a 50 watt, 1x12 combo model on eBay right now for $425.00.

I have a guitar playing friend who has one of these. I've heard it many times. It is a very versatile amp, it sounds good, and it takes pedals well. Also, it is definitely a cut above an entry-level amp. It can get a pretty decent distortion on it's own, but you can goose it with an overdrive to push a little harder, if you need to.

Look up some Youtube videos on it and see if it seems like what you're looking for.

Peavey's Best Valve King Combo Vk112 Minty | eBay

Who are we??. :::and this is one gorgeous piece, so dont dally. and as Sammy say "there's only 1way 2rock, and that's Fortmadisonguitars. THANX AND KEEP THE ROCK A ROLLING. THANX TO ALL AND GOD BLESS.

www.ebay.com

 

[Kyle Lanning]

I got a used Blues Jr for $300 bucks. USA made 90s model. It takes pedals like a dream but also has a great blues crunch at low volumes without pedals. Also - don’t let any online haters keep you from trying Bugera. I have an older pre infintium V5. It has insane headroom and gets loud for a 5 watt plus it has the power attenuator for 1 watt and half a watt for lower volume practice. The V22 is good too - but isn’t a small amp.

hi, i have been using a boss katana for years now i'm not a gigging musician so it's been great for in my bedroom but recently i have really been wanting to get the tube amp sound, it doesn't have to be huge but it needs to have a 12 inch speaker for jamming with my buddies, it needs to take gain well because i play 70s and 80s hard rock and metal so im looking for that classic british sound. my budget is around 600 which is low but i'm not interested in spending a ton of money on something i don't actually need. i would love to know what amps you guys suggest or have experiences with either good

hi, i have been using a boss katana for years now i'm not a gigging musician so it's been great for in my bedroom but recently i have really been wanting to get the tube amp sound, it doesn't have to be huge but it needs to have a 12 inch speaker for jamming with my buddies, it needs to take gain well because i play 70s and 80s hard rock and metal so im looking for that classic british sound. my budget is around 600 which is low but i'm not interested in spending a ton of money on something i don't actually need. i would love to know what amps you guys suggest or have experiences with either good or bad.

 

[DrBGood]

I got a used Blues Jr for $300 bucks. USA made 90s model. It takes pedals like a dream but also has a great blues crunch at low volumes without pedals.

I had a 2004 and couldn't find anything I liked about it. I recently got a Pro Jr and that I find a way better amp.

YMMV

 

[zachspecial]

I had a 2004 and couldn't find anything I liked about it. I recently got a Pro Jr and that I find a way better amp.

YMMV

i was looking a blues jr amps but everything i have seen says they don't take pedals well especially overdrive, is this true?

 

[DrBGood]

i was looking a blues jr amps but everything i have seen says they don't take pedals well especially overdrive, is this true?

Don't really remember, when I disliked an amp, it's like my memory erases why.

 

[zachspecial]

Don't really remember, when I disliked an amp, it's like my memory erases why.

i get that, i do the same thing with guitars. use to only play Ibanez and then after i got a kramer i really liked, decided i didn't like ibanez any more, and sold off the 3 of them i had and i don't even remember why i didn't like them now.

 

[Decadent Dan]

i get that, i do the same thing with guitars. use to only play Ibanez and then after i got a kramer i really liked, decided i didn't like ibanez any more, and sold off the 3 of them i had and i don't even remember why i didn't like them now.

“I’ve-been-hadz”

 

[ChubbyFingers]

If you want a Marshall style amp, a used Origin 20 head with a separate cabinets is a popular choice. The 20 watt combo* also.

The Origin 50, head or combo*, gives you more watts, but the tubes need biasing if / when they need changing.

Both come with variable output switching, so you can turn them down for bedroom playing, and both come with a "tilt" knob that is supposed to make them sound more Fender like.

* The speakers in the combo and the small cabinets aren't that great. They need / deserve better speakers and bigger boxes to put them in.

 

[DrBGood]

If you want a Marshall style amp, a used Origin 20 head with a separate cabinets is a popular choice. The 20 watt combo* also.

The Origin 50, head or combo*, gives you more watts, but the tubes need biasing if / when they need changing.

Both come with variable output switching, so you can turn them down for bedroom playing, and both come with a "tilt" knob that is supposed to make them sound more Fender like.

* The speakers in the combo and the small cabinets aren't that great. They need / deserve better speakers and bigger boxes to put them in.

At $550 before adding a cab and taxes, it is not really a budget amp.

One thing that had me sell my Origin 20H, is that the effect loop is driven by the master volume. Meaning that it behaves the same as if you plug your effects up front. As you raise the master volume, the reverb, delay, chorus or other pedal in the loop gets overdriven. Don't know if I explain this right, but to me that made the loop unusable.

 

[ChubbyFingers]

At $550 before adding a cab and taxes, it is not really a budget amp.

One thing that had me sell my Origin 20H, is that the effect loop is driven by the master volume. Meaning that it behaves the same as if you plug your effects up front. As you raise the master volume, the reverb, delay, chorus or other pedal in the loop gets overdriven. Don't know if I explain this right, but to me that made the loop unusable.

Perhaps "budget" and "tube amp" are the same as "cheap" and "Mercedes". They don't belong in the same sentence, or you have to redefine your meaning of cheap / budget.

With the "budget" Origin20 combo retailing at $630 at Sweetwater, it isn't cheap for sure. But then again a hand-wired Marshall 1959 head will cost you $2500, and you will pay nearly the same again for a hand wired 4 x12 to go with it. And you can pay a heck of a lot more for boutique tube amps, let alone original vintage ones.

The cheapest combo I found on sweetwater.com was the Bugera V5 Infinium, $279, but it's only a 5 watt.

If you want more power, you're going to pay more.

Let's face it, on a dollars per watt basis, solid state amps are a heck of a lot cheaper, e.g. Katana 3 50 watt for $350.

 

[DrBGood]

Perhaps "budget" and "tube amp" are the same as "cheap" and "Mercedes". They don't belong in the same sentence, or you have to redefine your meaning of cheap / budget.

Sorry to say, but this sounds a bit snobby.

 

[Decadent Dan]

A Tiny Terror 1x12 combo might get you there.

 

[zachspecial]

A Tiny Terror 1x12 combo might get you there.

what you say isn't really true, if there wasn't a ton of options i wouldn't post on hear for recommendations, i would just look at the 2 available and pick one, but there are tons of options new and used to pick from.

 

[Decadent Dan]

what you say isn't really true, if there wasn't a ton of options i wouldn't post on hear for recommendations, i would just look at the 2 available and pick one, but there are tons of options new and used to pick from.

I don’t know what that means but good luck

 

[Decadent Dan]

what you say isn't really true, if there wasn't a ton of options i wouldn't post on hear for recommendations, i would just look at the 2 available and pick one, but there are tons of options new and used to pick from.

And what’s not true? You can get a TT combo for under $500 and I’ve seen several people gig with those.
Wtf are you talking about?

 

[zachspecial]

And what’s not true? You can get a TT combo for under $500 and I’ve seen several people gig with those.
Wtf are you talking about?

sorry i was talking about another comment above this one, tagged the wrong one, im sure the TT is a great amp.

 

[zachspecial]

sorry i was talking about another comment above this one, tagged the wrong one, im sure the TT is a great amp.

i meant to tag chubbyfingers comment

 

[Maguchi]

A Monoprice Stage Right 15 watt tube amp and or a Monoprice Stage Right 5 watt tube amp. They sound very good and have held up well traveling around in the trunk a my car for the last 3 years or so. I heard that they are clones of Laney amp models.

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=611705

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=611815